About Tattoos

I am starting at the beginning here, but feel free to scroll down if this is information you already know.

What are Tattoo's?

Tattoos are permanent markings on the body made by inserting ink into the layers of skin using special needles. Tattoos have been around for many centuries, and are a still very commonly used within tribes all over the world for religious beliefs. The four main reasons for tattoo today are: Decorative and Spiritual Uses, Identification, Cosmetic, and Medical.

The Procedure
According to Wikipedia, this is how its done. "Tattooing involves the placement of pigment into the skin's dermis, the layer of connective tissue underlying the epidermis. After initial injection, pigment is dispersed throughout a homogenized damaged layer down through the epidermis and upper dermis, in both of which the presence of foreign material activates the immune system's phagocytes to engulf the pigment particles. As healing proceeds, the damaged epidermis flakes away (eliminating surface pigment) while deeper in the skin granulation tissue forms, which is later converted to connective tissue by collagen growth. This mends the upper dermis, where pigment remains trapped within fibroblasts, ultimately concentrating in a layer just below the dermis/epidermis boundary. Its presence there is stable, but in the long term (decades) the pigment tends to migrate deeper into the dermis, accounting for the degraded detail of old tattoos."
Tattoo lasers / Histology, Suzanne Kilmer, eMedicine

First of all, you should ask yourself:
1. Why am I doing this?
2. What does it mean to me?
3. How will I feel when other people see my tattoo?

Getting a tattoo is one of those things that isn't easily undone. Yes you can get it removed via laser, but unfortunately it always leaves a trace. This said, getting a tattoo is a very personal decision and should never be done nonconsensually.

When asking yourself these questions make sure you are answering them for you and nobody else. This tattoo will be on YOUR body, so make sure you love it! :)

As for the third question, that is aimed towards parents, grand parents, spouses, kids. Those people who think they have a right to tell you what to do and what not to do really ;)
As long as you are prepared for them to ask you what the hell you were thinking, and you can back it up with something more than...."I dunno" then you are in the clear.

A good way to know for sure what tattoo you want and where is to experiment with temporary tattoos. I know I have done this many times, as well as drawn pretty much all over my body in places I think might be cool tattoo areas.

Also some food for thought. When getting a tattoo, I recommend getting something original. You may think just because you aren't much of an artists means you have to pick from a book, but know that if you have a vision, you can always ask the tattoo artists to draw something up for you. It may cost a little bit extra, but know that it might mean the difference between loving your tattoo for the rest of your life, or loving it until you see someone with the exact same one!

One of the problems people have when deciding on getting a tattoo is the price. There is usually a minimum price that no matter how small the tattoo is, it will cost that much. One of the reasons for this is because no matter how big or small the job, they will need certain supplies regardless. Tattooing is as invasive as a medical procedure. Keep in mind that you are asking the artists to create a unique piece of art that is intended to last the rest of your life. You expect them to do it without making any mistakes. These are just some things to think about when arguing about a fair price.