How To Find The Best Tattoo Artist In Your Area
There are so many online tattoo guides and resources that will filter you from one link to another, one page to the next, all while not giving you much information. Really, there are only a few things you need to find the best tattoo artist in your area.
Location, Location, Location
Oh, it is simply not enough to just know who the guy next door is, but where you might be willing to travel to get some work. Sure, the guy next to the cool venue down the street might be a fantastic artist, but he might not specialize in the kind of tattoo you are looking for. That would be like asking your landscaper for a hair cut. Doesn’t make sense right?
You should definitely research the artists. in your city, view their portfolios, and meet them to see if you are comfortable with them. But if you are looking for a specific kind of tattoo, (i.e. photo realism, new school, traditional, etc.) then you should also research artists in your surrounding areas too.
Check Instagram
It is easy to use social media to look for an artist when you understand how hashtags work. A simple search of #tattoo+location like #tattoosapulpa will help render you some results. This also works for types of tattoos. For example #rosetattoo will yield some results you are looking for.
Use search engines as well. Several shops will be in the search results of Google even if they don’t have a website. (Though we are pretty fond of our website.)
What Kind Of Tattoo Do You Want?
Ok, so now you have decided you want a tattoo, who is the best tattoo artist to do it?That is the second part of your research. Your friends with ink will have an abundance of referrals for you. And if you like their work, you are going to want to talk to their artist. You need to look at some portfolios. If you know what you want in your skin, then you need someone that can do it.
Nearly every shop you will walk into will have physical portfolios on hand so that you can choose the right artist for you. View their art and see if it matches your style. Sit and have a consultation with them and decide if they are the artist for you.
Bring References If You Have Them
Many people will have pulled images from the internet, Instagram, Pinterest, and other sites that they like. Bring these with you or be able to pull them up so you can clearly communicate with your artist about your tattoo.
What’s In Your Budget?
This is the third and final thing you need to consider when choosing the best tattoo artist for yourself. Not all artists price the same. There is a saying that good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good. This is true to an extent. But artists don’t typically publicize their prices. While some shops have a minimum fee, you can see variations from $80 – $150 an hour or more depending on the artist. To get the best idea of how much you are going to need for your piece, it is best to just go in and speak with the artist themselves. Some pieces may even be done in multiple sessions to help accommodate you.
Check Out Electric Eye!
We would love to talk to you about your next tattoo. Come see our new location in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and check out our work! If you’d prefer to send us a message or give us a call at 918-813-1877 we would be happy to speak with you.