The tattoo decision making process challenges people since it involves a decision that will literally mark your body for life. This same challenge compels people to submit themselves to the ever daunting tattooing process and dare themselves to live up with the consequences of their actions whether the outcome is good or bad.

In reality, the hardest obstacle to a first timer would be the one to make or break the experience; that is the tattooing process itself. This is the point when there is no turning back. The tattoo gun which consists of the ink holder, ink tube and the needle, will inject the ink to the deep layer of the skin called the dermis.

It is always recommended that you do your research first to ensure that you will end up with a design you will be able to live with for a long time. Your research should include your design, the tattoo artist, the cost, and the tattoo parlor where it will all happen. You should establish a good connection with your artist so that  you are able to express your concerns, needs and expectations prior to the tattooing itself. Discuss your design and maintain an open mind for suggestions made by your artist. Bear in mind that this person knows what looks best on your skin so his or her advice is valuable. On the other hand, if you don’t have a design in mind, don’t hesitate to ask your artist for assistance. Make decisions with your tattoo artist regarding the color and size of your chosen design.

Once a design is agreed upon, your artist will make a stencil of the tattoo. This is, more or less what your tattoo should look like. If you don’t have any problems with it, the stencil will be traced directly to your skin and the tattooing process using the tattoo gun should begin from here. The client will be asked to sit still for the whole duration of the procedure which can be rather uncomfortable when your design takes time to complete. Small and simple designs are easily accomplished in an hour or less but larger, intricately designed artwork will require huge amounts of time and could even take several sessions to complete.

Prices depend on many factors such as the location of the tattoo studio, the service rendered, difficulty of the design and color variations. Generally, tattoo parlors charge $40-$150 per hour and more but sometimes the artist will set a flat-rate or fixed-price for the whole process. Instructions for care are given by the artist after tattooing.

Getting a tattoo can be daunting, especially if you think of the long and painful process you must go through in order to complete a well-made work of art. This thought alone frightens many from getting their own tattoos, therefore they discourage people around them from receiving one as well. Often, the decision against one is made based on the fact that the tattooing process seems painful and the instruments used for the process can quite scary to some.

For a normal person to overcome this feeling, she must familiarize herself with the procedure first and what’s involved in it’s entirety. Basically, the concept of tattooing is applying permanent ink to the skin by injection.

Our skin consists of two layers, namely the dermis and epidermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. This is the exposed part of the skin that we can touch and feel. Underneath it is the deeper layer called dermis; one cannot touch or feel it. In a tattooing process, the ink is injected straight into the dermis or the deeper layer and not on the surface or the epidermis. This is because the epidermis sheds cells regularly and the dermis won’t. In order for the tattoo to be permanent, it must be applied to a place that will not shed or peel so it is applied to the dermis. Tattoos have been done this way since the beginning, only the instruments have changed over the years. Today, the machines that are used for tattooing provide both better precision for the artist and less pain for the one who is being tattooed.

Tattooing is basically images that are formed by creating series of dots. By strategically spacing them apart, an artist can make the concentration either darker or lighter, depending on the demands of the design. The tattoo gun itself consists of three parts: the ink, the tube connecting the ink to the needle and of course, the needle. The needle injects the ink to the dermis. After a procedure is done, the needle is disposed of and the equipment is sterilized properly. This is done for each and every client that comes in for a tattoo to keep everyone safe from diseases and is strictly enforced.

Clients are encouraged to choose their own colors to go with their design but you can let your artist choose for you if you are having trouble choosing one. After you have chosen your colors, design and location of the tattoo, the procedure is ready to begin. The duration of the whole tattooing process depends on the size and complexity of the design.

It is normal to feel tolerable pain during the process but one will have to sit still and not move for the entire length of the procedure so that there are no mistakes made by a quick movement and slip of the tattoo gun. Pain depends on your own tolerance for pain; worse if you are afraid of needles but not at all bad as one might expect.