You've checked out a few dozen artists portfolios, you've had the consultation and booked the appointment. The big day is finally here and you're getting ready to head to your tattoo session. So what do you do to get ready for it? If it's your first time getting a tattoo the experience and day leading up to it can be excited but also saddled with a bit of anxiety. So let me give some insight from the end of the artist on what are some good tips to do before hand to prepare yourself for the experience.
The best way to come right is by preparing the night before and getting a solid nights sleep. Don't go out partying or stay up later than you normally would. Your body is going to be happier and react better if you're feeling good. So rest up!
You should also make sure you eat a good meal before hand. Make a day of it and go out for a nice breakfast or lunch and treat yourself beforehand. I personally like to eat something a bit heavier than I normally would, as it tends to make me a bit sleepy and I have an easier time sitting still and zoning out while the artist is working on me. Just make sure you eat something. Getting a tattoo tends to increase your adrenaline levels, so it you have nothing in your stomach that's going to hit you harder and can make you more irritable, which causes you to not sit as well. With some people this can also increase the chances of lightheadedness and in extreme cases passing out. This is almost always avoided by having a good meal ahead of time.
Sleep and food are the two big things. If you really want to be prepared here's some other things to think about.
- Drink lots of water. Not just the day of, but for several days before hand. Having hydrated skin means having healthy skin. The healthier your skin is the easier the tattoo is going to go in, and the easier it's going to heal, and ultimately the better it's going to look. Heck, we should all probably drink more water anyways all the time.
- Make sure you're clean and showered. Don't make your artist mad by coming in stinky.
- Wear clothes that are loose and make it east to access the area that's going to be tattooed. Tight restrictive clothing can pull and stretch your skin in a way it doesn't normally sit, if we tattoo it in this position it may change when you take the clothing off. Clothing that we have to push or pull out of the way is distracting and will most likely get stained with ink. Also, don't wear anything you're worried about getting ink stains on!
- Shaving, sort of..... We recommend not shaving the area you're getting tattooed yourself, as this can lead to razor burn showing up by the time you get to the studio. However, it you are very hairy, and getting a larger piece, it is very appreciated it you knock the hair back a bit with a trimmer. If you're coming in for a sleeve session this can save a good amount of time. If you're not super hairy then just don't worry about it.
- Show up sober. If you're not a good friend of mine I probably don't want to deal with you inebriated while at work. If you are a good friend of mine, I definitely don't. You also need to be sober to sign your consent waiver, which brings us to....
-Make sure to bring a valid I.D. You will need this for the waiver. A state I.D. or passport are both acceptable for this.
- Bring a small snack and something to drink. Especially if it's a longer session. We are located within a block of several coffeeshops/restaurants/convenient stores so there's lot's of options if you need anything.
- Bring headphones if you want to listen to music or a movie. You won't be offending any of our artists if you just want to zone out.
Hopefully this is a helpful guide for everyone new to the tattoo process. Always, if you have any other questions please give our studio a call and we will be happy to answer them as best as we can.
-Gifford