Tattoo Artist

Tattoo Artist

Tatted Mom

Tucson, AZ

Female, 32

I'm a tattoo artist who underwent a standard apprenticeship under a certified tattoo artist. I am an artist first, tattooer second, which means I put creativity and art into my tattoos, not just the 'you pick it, we stick it' type of tattooer. Apprenticeships for tattooing vary by state, according to the laws. I'm also a trained body piercer, as well. Any questions about the job or apprenticing, I'd be happy to help!

PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT price tattoos. Seek a shop for that.

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Last Answer on May 23, 2014

Best Rated

I've been looking for info on Autoclaves and Ultrasonic cleaners, some forum said you don't need one if everything about your machine is disposable. Is that true?

Asked by julia over 11 years ago

It depends on the laws in the state where you are tattooing. If your tubes are disposable, you generally do not need an autoclave or ultrasonic cleaner. There are no disposable machines, though. Those are always some sort of metal, and they are NOT autoclavable. Only single use needles should ever be used, so you wouldn't need to autoclave them. Look into the laws for your state, because every state is different.

Would it be really unusual to ask a tattoo artist to do another sitting? I'm not happy with the quality of the coloring of the tattoo I just got.

Asked by Caroline over 11 years ago

You can always ask. If a tattoo artist is proud of their work, and wants to keep a customer happy, they will color it in. Their name is on that tattoo, and if it looks like crap, and you tell all of your friends who did it and that you aren't happy, it's not good for them.

I have a butterfly tattoo on my lower back. It is a cover up. I expected it to be dark, but it looks almost solid black. Can anything be done to "lighten" it up? I believe another cover up would be impossible. I hate it!! Please help. :-(

Asked by Jamie over 11 years ago

You can't lighten a dark tattoo. Once the ink is there, it's there. In order to lighten it, you'd need to do some sort of tattoo removal. Even one session with a laser remover should lighten it enough to have a cover up be more effective.

What's your opinion on which is a better form of tattoo removal out of the 2 options below:

Laser or Tattoo Vanish

Also, is it possible to ink a 'skin colour' over an old tattoo, as a form of cover up?

Asked by Erin over 11 years ago

I've never heard of Tattoo Vanish, so I looked it up. It looks sketchy to me; most of the photos look photoshopped, sorry to say. It could work, but it's been my experience with clients who have used topical ointments for tattoo removal, that they just don't work. I've never used one, though, so I can't fully say one way or another.

If the ink that the skin color is going over is darker than skin color, then no, it's not possible. I get asked that a lot, though.

Hey what's going on? So I've been thinking about getting a tribal tattoo on my shoulder but i wanted one that meant something. I was wondering if there's any kind of tribal that means perseverance?

Asked by Connor over 11 years ago

If you are getting tribal, then I assume you are a part of a tribe. In that case, ask the person who is the head of your tribe. If you are not part of a tribe, it's my opinion that you shouldn't get tribal.

i was wondering if a tattoo artist realizes a line is straight and the ink is fresh, like they are still doing the tattoo, can they some how remove the ink and redo the line

Asked by mitch over 11 years ago

Once the ink is in the skin, it's in there. There is no eraser in tattooing.

Will numbing creams ruin your tattoo? Does it prevent proper healing?

Asked by Natalie over 11 years ago

Numbing creams change the surface texture of the skin, and make tattooing much more difficult. Somehow, they make the skin squishier (for lack of a better word), and they affect how the surface of the skin bleeds, which isn't good for a tattoo artist. We base a lot of how we are tattooing a customer on the look and feel of the skin- if it's been compromised with a numbing agent, it makes our job much harder. I know artists who won't tattoo if you've put on a numbing agent, and because of this, I've become one of those artists.