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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422 Questions

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Last Answer on May 23, 2014

Best Rated

How much would it cost to get a name done? Because I want to get my grandpas name and date of birth and death on me

Asked by Tabatha about 13 years ago

Check with your local tattoo shop. Pricing is different everywhere, and without being the one doing your tattoo, it wouldn't be right for me to give you an idea that's completely different than you local market. And, like I answered above, don't call a tattoo shop for a price quote. Go in and speak with them in person so they have a better idea of what you want. Calling shows the shop that you probably aren't serious about the tattoo and are price shopping, which also isn't something you want to do with a permanent piece of art on your body.

HELLO IAM LOOKING FOR A FOOT TATTOO STARTING ABOVE MY ANKLE GOING DOWN I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CHILDRENS NAME ERIC DESTENY IN BETWEEN PECOCK FEATHERS COLRFULL AND LIVELY COLORS ,I REALLY NEED IDEAS 8( PLISS HELP IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS.THANK YOU

Asked by michelle about 13 years ago

You should probably talk to a local tattoo artist so when the person draws up a tattoo for you, they'll be the ones actuallly doing the tattoo as well. You have a great idea, and enough information to take to a shop where you are and hand the idea over to them. 

What is the life expectancy for a tattoo? Obviously, I know its permanent. But, how long until it turns into an indecipherable blur like many old people I see?

Asked by bobby j about 13 years ago

It depends on how well the tattoo was done, the ink used, etc. If there's a lot of detail in a very small area, the tattoo will blur more than ones with lots of open area or clearly defined spaces. A lot of the older people out there with the blurry tattoos are just a victim of a bad quality of ink. 

I got a tattoo recently and discussed the coloring with the artist before doing the tattoo. A significant portion needed to be "white", he went with gray. Can it be fixed?

Asked by bob about 13 years ago

Maybe. You have to understand that white is just an accent color, best used in small areas to highlight something, and only stands out when directly next to a dark, contrasting area. If there was a big space of the tattoo that should have been white, the artist may have opted to go with a light gray wash to add dimension to the piece, without wasting white ink on a large area. In larger areas, white ink tends to just fade right into the skin, or even worse, turn yellow over time.

It might be possible to add white highlights here and there to trick the eye into perceiving the whole area as white. Without seeing the tattoo, it's hard to advise you.

Are there different inks or techniques you have to use for people with dark skin? I notice that black people typically only have very dark tattoos; is it just because colors won't stand out enough?

Asked by c_adams over 13 years ago

Generally speaking, that's exactly why. In darker skin, usually the only colors that show up well are black, green, red and blue. The rest of them are too overpowered by the skin tone. In medium toned skin, purples and pinks can show up too, but it's hard to get orange and yellow to really show up.

For a person who's getting a tattoo for the first time. Is it best to get a small or big tattoo?

Asked by Rivera almost 13 years ago

I recommend starting small, but I've seen people start with huge rib pieces as their first tattoo. It all depends on your mindset. If you start getting tattooed, though, and find you absolutely hate it, would you rather sit there for maybe 30 more minutes, or 3 hours, before what you've chosen is finished?

I want a really small tattoo but I want it executed perfectly by a real artist. How do I ask someone good to do something so insignificant without upsetting her?

Asked by Heather about 13 years ago

Flattery usually works. No matter how small the tattoo, I found it very hard to turn a new client down if they told me that they did their research, loved my portfolio and only want me to do their tattoo. It's almost a guarantee they'll take an hour or so to do your tattoo.