Straight answers to the things that stop people booking a tattoo — from the first idea to a healed tattoo. Each guide points you at real, credited work in the catalogue, and health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos.
Blackwork tattoos: solid black, bold graphic shapes and negative space - who they suit, how they age, cost and how to spot good work.
Dotwork tattoos: images built from thousands of dots - geometric, ornamental and shaded work - fit, aging, cost and quality signs.
Ornamental tattoos explained: mandalas, filigree and decorative patterns designed to follow the body - placement, aging, cost and quality signs.
What fine line tattoos are, what they suit, how they age over 5-10 years and how to pick an artist who does them well - with real examples.
Realism or fine line? What the two styles share, where they split, how they age and which one fits your idea - with real examples of both.
How to choose a tattoo style: start from your idea, think about aging, budget and what you are drawn to - then browse real work by style.
How to choose a tattoo placement: visibility, pain, how each area ages, working with body shape, and how size and placement go together.
Old School (American Traditional) tattoos: bold lines, a limited palette and classic subjects - fit, aging, cost and how to spot good work.
Neo-Traditional tattoos: Old School structure with richer colour, depth and illustrative detail - fit, aging, cost and quality signs.
Japanese (Irezumi) tattoos: large-scale compositions of dragons, koi, tigers and waves - fit, sessions, cost and how to spot good work.
Tribal tattoos: bold black patterns that follow the body, their cultural roots, fit, aging, cost and how to spot respectful, well-made work.
Watercolor tattoos: soft washes and painterly colour - the honest truth about aging, who they suit, cost and how to spot good work.
Nine stages from a vague idea to a healed tattoo. Every guide ends with a link to the next step, so you can read them in order — or jump straight to where you are.
The worries people mention most — and where the honest answer is.
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Health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos word for word. New to the words? See the tattoo glossary. How guides are written and corrected: editorial policy.