A Beginners Guide: Tips And Advice For Your First Tattoo

Getting your first tattoo is an exciting experience as it’s a permanent piece of art that represents your personality and can hold profound personal significance.

However, the decision to get your first tattoo shouldn’t be taken lightly. From choosing the right design and placement to finding the right tattoo artist, there’s a lot to consider when getting inked, especially for the first time.

Picking Your Tattoo Design & Artist

When getting your first tattoo, a lot of thought has to go into the design and your preferred artist.

Here are some things to consider when planning your first tattoo.

Getting Ideas

So, what is a good first tattoo? Before you can get inked, you need to do some research on what type of tattoo you may like.

If you don’t already have an idea in mind, there are many places you can get ideas, including

• Google Image Search
• Pinterest Boards
• Celebrity Ink Instagram/Gallery

Once you’ve got a general idea of your desired tattoo, it’s time to personalise it!

Things to Consider in the Design

There is more to getting a tattoo than choosing the size and colour, especially if it’s your first tattoo.

Here are some things to consider in the design of first tattoos.

• The simpler the tattoo design, the better: The more detailed the tattoo, the longer you’ll be in the chair (and sometimes, the more painful it’ll be). Therefore, for first tattoos, it’s best to go with a simple design to get you used to the needle's sensation and test your pain tolerance. It’s best to stick to one main subject and one background element.
• Small, highly-detailed tattoos generally don’t age well: Your tattoos naturally fade as your body ages, which is something to keep in mind if you’re considering getting a small yet highly-detailed tattoo. As time passes, the fine lines become thicker, the crisp edges become softer, and darker colours fade into less dominant colours.
• Personal significance: All tattoos, especially first tattoos, should have some personal significance. If you can look at your tattoo design and know you’ll still love it years down the track, you’ve chosen the right one.

Location of the Tattoo on Your Body

Now that you know what type of tattoo you’d like to get, it’s time to decide where to place it on your body.

For your first tattoo, we recommend getting inked in a less painful location than others. The least painful areas of the body to get tattooed will have more muscle and fat and less bone and nerve endings.

Some of the best locations to get first tattoos include

• Forearm
• Top of the thigh
• Ankle
• Bicep
• Shoulder

Choosing a Style That Suits

There are many tattoo styles to choose from. Therefore, it’s best to choose an artist that specialises in the style you want.

Some of the most popular tattoo styles include

• Realism: Just as the name suggests, the tattoo style of realism involves designs that appear as if they’re real life.
• Classic Americana: Inspired by Sailor Jerry, the classic Americana style is characterised by black outlines and bright red, blue and green colours.
• Minimalism: The tattoo style of minimalism is about sharp lines and precision. This style is perfect for simple designs.
• Fine Line: This tattoo style focuses on straight and/or thin lines with no gradation. These tattoos are incredibly detailed and often drawn with only black and grey ink.
• Traditional Japanese: The traditional Japanese tattoo style focuses on Japanese folklore and features motifs such as lotus flowers, tsunami waves and folklore characters.

Choosing Your Artist

Finally, now that you have the idea, design and style of tattoo you want as your first, it’s time to choose an artist.

At Celebrity Ink, our artists use a collaborative approach to create incredible art that accurately conveys your vision and the story you want to tell.

Before getting inked, you’ll meet your tattoo artist during the design consultation. During this appointment, you can share your thoughts and concerns with your artist and ask them any questions you may have.

During Your Design Consultation

At Celebrity Ink, the first step to getting a tattoo is your initial free design consultation.

During this appointment, a Celebrity Ink studio manager will discuss your tattoo ideas, designs and requirements before finding the perfect tattoo artist to craft your new piece.

If you’re looking for an artist who specialises in a certain type of tattoo style, such as classic Americana, or you already know the artist you’d like to work with, simply ask the studio manager.

Once you’ve found the perfect tattoo artist, it’s time to get inked!

Preparing For Your Appointment

While it may seem like the only part of getting a successful tattoo is the day of the appointment, it’s not the case.

There are some things you need to do and some things to avoid to ensure your tattoo session goes smoothly.

Do

• Get a good night’s sleep: Being well-rested for your tattoo session means you can be alert during the appointment. You don’t want to be falling asleep in the chair.
• Stay hydrated: Before you get inked, your body must be well hydrated. Hydrated skin takes ink much better than dehydrated skin, making the tattoo session easier for your artist.
• Wear comfortable clothes: You want to be as comfortable as possible during your tattoo session, which means wearing comfortable clothes. Loose clothing is much more comfortable than sitting in the chair with tight jeans. It also makes it easier on the artist - you don’t want to show up to the studio wearing tight jeans if you’re getting a thigh tattoo.

Don’t

• Drink alcohol: One of the most important things to avoid a few days leading up to your tattoo appointment is alcohol. Not only does drinking alcohol thin your blood, but it also increases the risk of excessive bleeding during tattooing.
• Get sunburnt: Before getting your tattoo, avoid getting sunburnt and excessive tanning as it can damage your skin. Sun-damaged skin may prevent tattoo needles from penetrating the tissue properly.
• Take blood thinning medication: Much like alcohol, blood thinning medication such as aspirin and ibuprofen can increase bleeding during the tattoo process. If you’re unsure whether the medication you take thins your blood, it’s best to consult your GP.

During Your Tattoo Session

The day has finally come. It’s time to get inked!

Here is what you can expect during your first tattoo session at Celebrity Ink.

1. Arrive ten minutes before your appointment to sign the waivers that outline your risks when getting tattooed. Don’t stress; everyone has to do it!
2. Once you’ve signed everything, your tattoo artist will put your design on a stencil. 
3. You will then be taken to the tattoo chair, where your artist will disinfect the area where you’re to be tattooed and use a disposable razor to remove any hair.
4. Your tattoo artist will then apply the stencil to your skin, which looks like a temporary tattoo. If you’re happy with the size and placement, it’s time to get started. Before the session begins, ensure you’re comfortable in the chair.
5. Depending on the size and detail of your tattoo, the time it takes to get inked could range from an hour or more. However, if you feel uncomfortable or are in pain at any stage of the tattoo, please advise your artist that you need to have a break.
6. Once your artist has finished, they’ll clean the tattooed area, wrap it up, and provide aftercare instructions.

Get Your First Tattoo At Celebrity Ink

Getting your first tattoo is exciting and can be a nerve-wracking experience, so you want to get it at a reputable, hygienic and sterile tattoo studio.

At Celebrity Ink, all of our dedicated tattoo artists have years of experience and are passionate about bringing your designs and ideas to life.

Whether your first tattoo is a small, minimalist design or a bigger, detailed design, we’re ready to get you inked.

Book an appointment at your nearest Celebrity Ink tattoo studio to start the process!