Preparing For A Tattoo

Proper Tattoo Placement

Ah, the tattoo. Once a sign of rebellion, deviance, and defiance, it is now highly regarded as a form of self expression and memory. In fact, nearly 50% of the population has at least one tattoo. In the last two weeks I alone gave several people their first tattoos. Everyone from kids celebrating their 18th birthdays to 60+ year olds.

That’s a lot of people looking to wear their art and their history on them. So while the excitement to get a tattoo is growing rapidly, tattoo regret is a very real thing. So it is very important that you choose the right place for a tattoo, and there are things to consider when doing so.

Where Do You Have The Space?

Smaller tattoos should generally be put on smaller areas of the body. Think wrist, ankle, behind the ear, etc. It is much easier to place a smaller tattoo than a larger one. And tattoo placement in the right location will save you later when you are planning a larger one.

Fit It To Your Body

Shape is important. Does it flow along your body? If you are wanting to get lines of script, these work great along your forearms, but its not something I would suggest on your shoulder. Round shapes, ovals, etc. work very well on shoulders, chest, and back. Consider whether your piece wraps around or not. Really visualize how this piece is going to look on different parts of your body.

Is It For You?

If people can see your ink, they are going to ask about it. So consider whether or not you want the world to be able to see it. If it is a piece in memory of someone, you’re likely going to want to be able to see it. Stand in front of your mirror and get ideas. Consider how it might affect your job as well. Because even in 2022 your boss might have a stick up their ass about showing tattoos.

How Much Is It Going To Hurt?

Tattoo pain is a necessary evil. There is no escaping it. But some places hurt more than others. So while it may seem like a great idea to get that tattoo you have been wanting to commemorate your trip to the beach, you might find yourself very uncomfortbale in the process. Bonier parts of the body hurt more than fleshier ones, so keep that in mind.

Is It Going To Age Well?

With the growing number of images on Instagram, Google, Pinterest, and other social media platforms, I get a lot of requests for tattoos that either are not possible to execute, or would look like hell in a year. The smaller the tattoo is, the less detail it can have and still look good. The closer lines are together, the more they will blend into each other over time. There is a reason that you see 30 year old Sailor Jerry tattoos that still look fresh. Because they are simple designs that are built to last.

That should not deter you from getting a cooler neo-traditional, new school, or realism design. Just consider how long it will last. If you have the right artist to pull it off, they may be able to help you collaborate on a design that will age well.

We Good Now?

So now that you have all the direction on proper tattoo placement, come see us at Electric Eye Tattoo so we can stick it on you. Send a message, call, or come by the shop for a consultation and we’ll get you on the books.

How To Plan A Sleeve

“Bro, how much for a sleeve?”, “Well, I’m thinkin I wanna get a whole sleeve, ya know?” These and similar questions can be the bane of an artist’s existence. So let me lay some knowledge on you about how to strategically plan a tattoo sleeve. So that you may better understand the commitment, time, and money it is going to take to accomplish. Because if you actually sit and think about it, it can be overwhelming to comprehend. And let’s be honest, most people really don’t know what they want to begin with.

Full Sleeve Or Half Sleeve?

There are two obvious points here.

1. A half sleeve runs either shoulder to elbow, or elbow to wrist.
2. A half sleeve is going to be significantly cheaper than a full sleeve.

What you really need to consider is your budget both time and money, and what your lifestyle will allow. Becuase yes, even now there are employers and family members who will judge you based on your tattoos and whether or not they show. Fucking stupid, I know.

Cohesive Sleeves

A cohesive sleeve is where you have one concept and the entire piece seems to run together as one big tattoo. There is still a lot of planning and design to do, and you are not going to get it all in one day. But it is much different than your other option which is an eclectic sleeve.

Eclectic Sleeves

These sleeve tattoos consist of many different elements that kind of just go where they fit. Now, each piece should be carefully designed and selected for each part of your arm, but it is still going to leave negative space. Negative space are those parts of your arm where there are no tattoos. You can either fill this space with a background design, black it out, or just leave it blank. It is really just up to personal taste. These are nifty looking sleeves and give the aesthetic that you have more tattoos than someone with a cohesive sleeve.

Pick Your Artist

Most people don’t know this, but each artist has different strengths and weaknesses. Not every artist is going to specialize in Japanese, or realism, or new school, or traditional, etc. If you have a particular style of tattoo you like, find an artist that is great in that style. I know you’ve all watched way too many seasons of Ink Master and think everyone can do everything, but that is just not the real world of tattooing.

Schedule A Consultation

Holy hell I can not stress this point enough. DO NOT walk into a tattoo shop and ask how much it is for a sleeve. I will slap the ink right out of you. Violence aside, it really is best to sit down and decide where you want to start. Do you want to start with som smaller designs at your shoulder and work your way down? Are you going full sleeve or want to leave room to if you decide to do more later? Is this going to be one cohesive tattoo or many different ones? What is your budget for this?

These are all important things to consider when you plan a tattoo sleeve. And we would love to discuss them all with you. So drop us a message or come by the shop and lets get to planning!

Most Painful Places To Get Tattooed

Well, we already told you that it hurts to get tattooed. And one of the questions we get asked frequently is, “where does it hurt the most?” To which we often give you a smartass answer and say, “Texas.” However we are going to actually go over some of the most painful places to get tattooed so that you may more carefully think about the placement of your design before you decide to get it. No pain, no gain am I right?

Sternum

Oh yeah, that nice center area of your chest between your neck and abdomen. Its a tender little sucker. While designs here are definitely cool to look at once they are done, they are not for the faint of heart. If you do not have a high pain tolerance, we would recommend you stay away from this area. Granted, this is a very cool spot and trendy for symmetrical designs, you might opt for something smaller here. You’ll experience less discomfort the less time it takes to do the tattoo.

Inner Bicep

This is another touchy spot. From personal experience I can tell you that it’s not the most painful place that I’ve been tattooed, but it is for sure top 10.

Hands

Yeah, hands don’t feel good. There is no muscle tissue and relatively little fat to help ease the pain. The skin on your hands is thinner than in other areas of your body which makes the process more delicate as well. On top of the pain, hand tattoos require special care. When you get around the fingers and edges, you may notice that you lose some of the design. This means coming back for touchups, and hurting all over again.

Ribs

Anyone with a rib tattoo will let you know how much it hurt. Sitting for a long period of time getting a rib tattoo definitely earns you some bragging rights. If you can make it through this, you have the right to show it off to everyone as well like the true badass you are.

Feet

Remember what we said about hands? Well apply that to your feet. Now think about how much harder it is to hold still when that appendage is further away. Feet tattoos hurt. There is just no way around it.

Elbow/Knee Ditch

When we say “ditch” we are referring to the inside area of your elbow or the back of the knee. The skin here is thin and full of nerve endings. Tattooing here requires artists to be careful and take their time as blowouts are easier to come by the thinner the skin is. These areas also tend to swell and may bruise. You will want to apply ice packs and take ibuprofen. But you can learn about that in our aftercare instructions.

Head

First of all, you just have to be a very artistic and interesting person to want to tattoo your head in the first place. Second, Ouch! Head, neck, ears, and face are all areas close to bone, full of nerves, and don’t feel good. But if you are sporting one of these killer head tattoos, congrats. You’re a bad sum’bitch.

Now don’t let this discourage you from getting tattoos all together. Beauty is pain. It is different for tattoo virgins than the rest of us. They don’t have a basis for comparison yet. But hey, if you wanna find out, come see us at Electric Eye Tattoo and we’ll give you the painful art you’re looking for.

 

Good Tattoo Etiquette Is A Thing

 

A guide on good questions to ask and things you just should never say

As tattoo artists, we are accustomed to getting all kinds of questions. Some are really good questions, and we could see why you might ask that. Some questions make us want to slap the taste out of your mouth. But hey, we aren’t here to chastise you right away are we? No, we are here to educate. That way the next time you go into a tattoo studio, you don’t say something, well… stupid.

How Much For A Sleeve?

Man this question just pisses me off. Because this is literally like walking into a car dealership and asking, “How much for a car?” You can see how that is not a good question now, right? It depends on so many different factors. Design, placement, your own pain tolerance, and your budget. An entire sleeve is not something you just walk in and get. It takes several sessions and several hours to complete a beautiful tattoo sleeve. So don’t ask again.

A better alternative would be to look at an artists portfolio, discuss one piece you want to start with and explain that you plan on it being part of a much larger tattoo. Work on a it a little at a time. Yeah, we like that. (See? Good tattoo etiquette.)

I’m Only 17 But My Parents Will Sign A Waiver

Nope. Come back when you’re 18. Sorry kid. It ain’t that far away.

Can I Take Some Shots Or Some Pills For The Pain?

Are you serious right now? First of all, drunk and/or high people are usually pretty annoying in the first place. I know I don’t want to spend hours with the drunk version of you. Also, let’s talk about what that does to your body. Alcohol and certain pain killers thin the blood. This is going to affect your entire tattoo from beginning to end. News flash, tattoos hurt. You don’t need a substance to have the courage to get a tattoo. This is something you develop by getting tattooed.

Now, there are numbing creams out there that you can use to help ease the pain a little bit, especially if you are getting tattooed in a sensitive area. They are usually around 5% lidocaine or benzocaine and will not mess with the surface we will be tattooing on. Use those instead.

What Style Should I Get?

Do I look like a psychic to you? How am I supposed to know what you want? You know what I really hear when you ask me that? That you don’t take getting a tattoo seriously and you should come back when you do. Maybe you are inexperienced, maybe you haven’t done any research, maybe you are a tattoo virgin. All of these things are ok. But we live in an age where you can summon designs and styles at your finger tips. So look some things up, check out some portfolios, and then come back with an idea.

That’s Expensive!

Ok this is not one I personally hear a lot, but it is still common. But hey, how much did you spend at the bar last night? Or at your last dinner? And that was a one time experience. This tattoo is going to be on you forever. And it takes most of us years and years trying to perfect a craft that we never stop learning about because it is just so damn awesome! You are getting a unique, carefully crafted, piece of art that you will wear forever, in a clean and sterile environment by some of the coolest people you will ever meet. It’s worth it. Plus, we aren’t getting a recurring monthly installment from you, geez.

Do You Get It Now?

I could go on and on about good tattoo etiquette, but that is enough for this installment if you made it this far. Wanna book an appointment? Come see us at Electric Eye Tattoo or shoot a message and we’ll be more than happy to get you on the schedule.

Tattoos Are Good For Your Health!

 

Yeah, when I first read that sentence I didn’t think it was real either. That makes us both wrong. I mean, when you think about all the different reasons for getting a tattoo in the first place, you think about the meaning it has to you, the style you want, maybe it just looks cool. Who would have ever thought that tattoos are good for your health?

Ink Therapy

See, now that is a phrase we are all famililar with. You get stressed out and it just feels good to get some new wearable art. But recent studies from the University of Alabama have found that getting multiple tattoos can boost your bodies immune system.

Crazy right? OK OK, so initially that is not how it works. The process of getting tattooed actually decreases your immune system and increases the posibility of getting sick. That makes total sense. The body gets tired and your immune system focuses on healing the affected area. However with time, your body begins to accept this. As you get more tattoos, you actually build your immune system up which helps prevent future illness.

Say What?!

Think of it like working out. When you start a new fitness regimine, you feel weak. And as you continue working out, you get stronger and stronger as your muscles adapt to this new lifestyle.

This originally started as just an idea. However, Dr. Lynn with the university actually conducted studies on clients from several tattoo shops. Gathering saliva samples to measure immunoglobulin A to measure cortisone levels and anitobodies. His studies showed that as a client recieved multiple tattoos, the anitobodies and hormones decreased less over time. The bodies response to multiple tattoos was less severe. You can read more in the paper he published here.

An Apple A Day…

 

Well, with that knowledge in mind, I would say it is time to get in and start building your own collection. Call us at Electric Eye Tattoo or come by the shop and schedule an appointment with us.

*obviously this is not medical advice, nor are we your new primary care physician. And we haven’t figured out how to  get insurance to pay for tattoos. So that’s a bummer.