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.
Every tattoo artist is different. Some get their drawings done ahead of time, some wait until the day of the tattoo to produce their artwork. Just ask your tattoo artist and see how they do things.
You tell the shop manager that the artist screwed up. This is on your body forever. You won't know the tattoo artist forever, and if it goes unmentioned, he may screw up again in the future.
Some tattoo artists are fine with that, and other's aren't. It depends on the drawing, too. Some people want a drawing done just the way it is, but the drawing isn't tattooable. Drawings for tattoos are way different than most drawings. So, talk to your artist and see what they say.
You definitely need to wait until the tattoo is finished healing. If a tattoo is gone back into before it's ready, it's like dragging a needle on the outside of a filled water balloon; things may go fine, but you may hit that sweet spot that causes the skin to break open and bleed out, resulting in loss of ink, too.
Bar Mitzvah DJ
iPhone & iPad Technician
The IT Guy
Sunscreen is a tattoo's best friend. =)
Swelling isn't permanent. If a piercing is still swollen and hurts weeks after it's done, it needs to be taken out. Chance are, it's infected, or wasn't pierced correctly. If there is swelling around the entry sites, it may be a keloid, or a pocket of oil that sometimes develops after a piercing. Keloids shouldn't be popped, and they can be treated with tea tree oil, but there's a chance they may never go away.
Pain is relative to the person. I have that section of my body tattooed and I couldn't stop laughing. I've seen people almost come off the table while getting that area tattooed, and I had one customer fall asleep.
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