3 steps to choosing the right tattoo artist

Written with love by tattooist_sandhya

Avoid lifelong regret and get the best tattoo experience 

All it takes is one mention of ‘I’m thinking of getting a tattoo’ to a friend and your Instagram feed is flooded with sponsored posts from a plethora of tattoo artists near you. Instagram has become a marketplace for an array of tattoo styles to flourish and foster their own space in the scene. This, while largely positive, can prove overwhelming when trying to narrow down your choices. How do you choose the right artist who will bring your tattoo to life, or rather, to skin? Here’s a quick 3-step guide to streamline your path to an appointment! 

1. Word of Mouth 

While not a must, an artist who comes highly recommended by people you trust is always a big plus. Approach your friends and family who have tattoos and you’ll be able to get a firsthand account of how the encounter was like; how comfortable the artist made them feel, how much they charged and how the entire tattoo booking process went, from enquiry to ink in the skin. 

Furthermore, especially if you are particularly close (perhaps best to avoid inspecting strangers’ tattoos), having the chance to see a healed tattoo from your prospective artist in the flesh is definitely a good indication of said artist’s handiwork. 

Don’t really have people around you who are tatted up? Don’t despair. These days firsthand accounts are just a click away. Once you have your eyes set on a few artists/studios, check out any reviews written about them on Google or other websites to get a general consensus of their services! 

Check out Sabi’s Google Reviews here!

2. Reviewing artists’ portfolios  

While a great first step, starting your tattoo journey on word of mouth alone can sometimes be counterproductive. Having a browse through an artist’s past tattoos on social media platforms and websites, would be the best way to streamline your decision-making process. It would allow you to see if their work is of an adequate quality and if their style would be best suited to depict your desired subject matter. 

Quality of work

When reviewing an artist’s works, don’t be shy to zoom in and take note of the details! How clean or fuzzy is the linework in each tattoo? Examine how smooth the shading and blending appears to be in the tattoo, be it black and grey or colour. Most importantly, do they have healed tattoos on their page and if so, do you like how their tattoos heal and settle into the skin? 

Fresh vs Healed tattoo comparison by @foret_tattoo

Matching an artist’s style with your needs

Every tattoo, no matter the reason you’re getting it, has one or two main subjects and a story to convey. Even if you know exactly what you’d like to get tattooed on you, there are an infinite number of ways to capture said subjects and a multitude of tattoo styles via which you can do so. While reviewing artists, it’s important to evaluate which artist’s style would best portray the subject matter you have in mind, the vibe you are trying to bring across, and of course, your own personal aesthetic. 

Say you want a tattoo of a bunny. The possibilities are endless! The images below are an example of how you can achieve two completely different effects with the same or at least similar subject matter. 

Black and grey illustrative ninja bunny by @khai_the_tattooer

Bunny in cute illustrative tattoo style by @rufflemyink

While most artists are able to tackle a multitude of styles and are more than likely to give you a one-of-a-kind custom tattoo, why not engage an artist who is an expert in your desired style? They are likely to have poured years into honing their techniques which guarantees you walking away content with your unique tattoo for life. 

3. Arranging a consultation 

All’s good and done with checking them out online, but nothing beats a face-to-face tattoo consultation with your artist! Not only would you be able to suss out the vibe of your artists, you’d also be able to assess the space you could potentially be spending a lot of time in. 

During your tattoo consultation, see if the general hygiene of the studio is up to standard. A neat and orderly studio space usually translates to good hygiene practices during the actual tattoo appointment itself.

Getting a tattoo is a collaborative process that requires ample communication from both sides. You should be able to ask questions comfortably and feel safe speaking up. After all, the tattoo will be on your skin forever; advocate for yourself without fear of inconveniencing your tattoo artist.

Finally, take this opportunity to air out any concerns you might have with your artist, design-wise or process-wise. Make sure you are 100% clear on what the tattoo booking process is like and the artist’s T&Cs surrounding payments and rescheduling. 

Sabi Studio’s cosy lounge area where you (and your plus one, if any) can relax before your tattoo session and during breaks

All in all, trust your gut!

You are now well-equipped to make an informed decision, having taken the steps to research your artist, examine their work and speak to them directly. Remember to communicate your ideas, fears and expectations clearly to your chosen artist in order to keep the guesswork out of the process. 

Tattoos, even the ones we sometimes get on impulse, are deeply personal and permanent time stamps. We all want to look back on our tattoo experiences and remember the excitement of working together with your tattoo artist to create a piece that would be worth the pain. Hopefully with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to choosing the right artist for your next tattoo!