@yodaddynukka 127400 wrote:

first, research online for artists in your area and pick styles you like. then go in and talk to them if they arent busy. lucky for you there are a shit ton of quality artists in the uk.

Thanks for the reply. But I have already have an idea of some artists as I said. I have been searching for artists based on their work not their location. I will travel I
necessary. Vincent Hocquet is probably top in the list at the moment of someone I would like to ask and he is in Belgium. But so far I could not agree more with you about the UK.

@msmercury 127401 wrote:

Hello and welcome to the forum. I’ll be brief: First of all, take your time and shop around. I looked at portfolios of tattoo artists in my area when I was planning my first tattoo. I had the tattoo in mind that I wanted, but I needed to find someone capable of doing the type of tattoo I was looking to get, so I looked until I narrowed it down to a few that had portfolios & a style that I liked & then I talked to them personally until I found the right match.

If you have friends with tattoos that have any recommendations, check them out as well, assuming you are impressed with their tattoos! Choosing the artist is not something you want to rush through. You will have your tattoo for life, you want it represented as you envision, you want an artist that can deliver. If you can’t afford a good artist right now, keep saving until you can. This isn’t the time to pinch pennies.

You can stop in any tattoo shop and talk to artists and look at their portfolios and maybe even catch a glimpse of them working if they don’t mind. You can get a good feel about the artists and the shop just by stopping in. Browse, hang out a bit, ask questions, look at examples of their work etc.

I paid my artist to do my sketches and then once I approved of one, I scheduled the appointment. I assume all or most artists are going to charge for their time and you should expect to pay something for their time.

You should do a lot of research online about tattoos and getting tattooed etc. Be educated as much as possible. There’s a lot you can be doing right now to learn before you proceed. Talk to others with tattoos and get online. Everything you need to know about getting a tattoo is there and you can watch videos of tattoo artists at work. I’d wait until I had the funds before I started asking artists to sketch out my ideas.

I know this is brief and only covers a little, but I am sure you will get plenty of detailed help from others on this forum who are way more experienced than I am.

Good luck and keep us posted and do post pictures when you finally do get your tattoo! 🙂

Thank you! I have thought about it alot and what I would be looking for in the artist.
This is the thing, I am the type of person that knows what they want, secondly I do know people with tattoos, some family members but most were disappointments or carelessly chosen, or they just went so guy up the road. Not something I would do. I never really rush into things, especially something like this.
And so true, I won’t be pinching any pennies haha.

That is exactly what I meant, I wanted to go visit some places so see what you described. Their are a few places who I wouldn’t ask for this tat but I want to go see because I like their work so much.

I would always expect to pay for their time.

Well I have plenty of time and so much still to learn and explore. But thanks for the advise.

And sure! I will make a thread when there is some progress

@Call_me_Lola 127417 wrote:

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you are going to have lots of time to plan your tattoo and research artists while you are saving up, and this is a good thing. Warning: A good artist will probably cost more than you are expecting, but will be well worth it in the end. Don’t look for the best deal, look for the best tattoo.

All artists have their portfolio out for people to look at in their shop. It might seem weird to you to just stop by to flip through it, but to them that is perfectly normal. Look through lots of them, and lots of online ones, too. It is only by looking at a lot of them that you can start to be able to tell really well executed tattoos from the not very good ones.

Good luck! And have fun researching. There is some amazing eye-candy out there to enjoy.

Thank you! I have already guessed it will be very expensive, but I am happy to pay. I would never look for the best deal.

I don’t want this to sound bad but I have loved art for a long time, so I am confident I have a good eye. That is why I wasn’t massively interested before because I never saw ink that blew me away.
I would love to go and look through some of their work like that. Would be so sweet.

Thanks, I am excited to see what else is out there!

@GrayCatLove 127421 wrote:

Listen to these folks, kiddo.

And welcome. 🙂 Happy to have you.

Thanks alot, I am happy to be here!