Deciding On The Right Tattoo

When you have decided that you really want a tattoo and you know of a tattoo artist you are going to use then the next step is deciding on a particular tattoo design that you want. From this point on is where the hard work starts. Finding the tattoo artist is the easy part but deciding on what tattoo you want will take work. There are so many different kinds of tattoos to choose from it actually makes it harder to determine which tattoo to go with. It's also a lot of fun looking at tons of different possible tattoo designs. The type of artwork that you choose will be a personal preference but there are some designs that are more common than others. For example, an angel tattoo design is more popular with men than a rose or butterfly tattoo which is popular with women.

The colors to choose for a tattoo vary widely and all depend on personal preference. Rose tattoos do not have to necessarily be red, but can also be black or white as there are many different meanings with rose colors. Styles of the different tattoos will vary also depending on they type of tattoo.

The angel or devil tattoo will tend to be in larger format with bold dark colors, while a tribal tattoo will have many pieces and black color. A butterfly can be any different colors, sizes and shapes.

Choosing the location of the tattoo is also part of the process. You can have a tattoo put anywhere on the human body and some people will go overboard and place a tattoo in odd places such as the top of the head, under the neck, on fingers, feet and many other places you can think of. What is popular for women might not be as popular for men, such as women love to have tattoos placed on the lower back, upper back or on the ankle, while men tend to have tattoos placed on the upper arm, shoulder or back. It is all a matter of style and what the person likes best. There really is not a wrong place to put a tattoo as long as you like it.

As you can see, the choice of tattoo designs are endless and finding the right tattoo for you may seem like a huge task but of course there are many resources you can use to find the right tattoo.

Using the Internet to start your research may be a good idea as there are many different websites related to tattoo designs. There are many galleries and pictures that you can look through to get an idea of the kinds of tattoos out there. Most sites will try to sell you templates of tattoos, which might be of good use since you can take those templates to your tattoo artist, which in the long run will save you money from having a tattoo artist design a fresh tattoo. This does not mean you cannot have the template modified. The cost will depend on the size and complexity of the tattoo design that you decide to go with. So if you wish for a small tattoo, it might be worth the extra cost for a tattoo artist to create a unique design.

If you do not find any tattoo designs on the internet that you like, you can always go to your tattoo artist and ask for a sketch of a tattoo that you may be thinking about. This of course will cost extra but may be worth it in the long run as once a tattoo is put on the body it's very difficult to get rid of it. Be sure to spend time researching your tattoo and look through as many pictures and designs as possible as it will help you decide what you want.

After finding a tattoo artist you will need to do research to find the tattoo design. Start by looking through directories or galleries of tattoo designs. This will help you find the design you are looking for. Even if you don't know what kind of tattoo design you want, by looking through galleries you will get an idea of what is out there. Angel tattoos are becoming popular among men, along with devil tattoos. But for females you might want to look for rose tattoos or even any kind of lower back tattoo designs.

The Key Secret To Great Tattoos!

Tattooing is a booming industry and growing every single day. Now there are even TV shows dedicated to the art that are catching fire. When you look around, tattoos are everywhere! Now you see them on people you know, see them in advertisements, and even on famous celebrities. So what makes a great tattoo? Of course it is great design, but there is one very big component that is critical to a really stunning and beautiful tattoo.

What is this component to a great tattoo?

It is simple...

Tattoo Shading.

Tattoo shading is the part of the tattoo where a two dimensional tattoo becomes a three dimensional tattoo. It is the part of the tattoo where flat lines take shape and holds a certain degree of depth to make the tattoo "pop" out. There is even a whole style of tattoo shading now that focuses only on black and grey tattoos...no color, just black and white.

If a tattoo artist does not learn the technical yet critical aspect of tattoo shading, then a tattoo just falls flat. It is as simple as that. This one aspect of tattooing can be learned but it takes some real practice and some technical skill. Mastering tattoo shading and becoming known for doing great black and grey tattoos can really boost a tattoo artists reputation in the tattoo industry. Those who have mastered tattoo shading at an expert level are very well revered and respected.

Now there are great information resources online to help aspiring tattoo artists. Of course, the best way to really learn the skills is through an apprenticeship, but gaining the basic knowledge is first and foremost of importance. Learning all you can about tattoo shading and other steps in the tattoo process are key and luckily information is gaining in popularity. An example of a great source or brand for tattoo information is "The Ultimate Tattoo Guide" series. These guides help budding tattoo artists get the basic tattoo knowledge needed to start tattooing including aspects like tattoo shading, etc.

So if you want to break into doing great tattoos that will get make people turn their heads, it is CRITICAL to master the art of tattoo shading. Without it, a tattoo is just not a real tattoo...a piece of real art.

Tattoos - Finding the Right Tattoo

Whether you are getting your first tattoo or already have half your body covered with tattoos I am sure you will find some valuable information here. As a tattoo addict and someone who spends most of his waking hours coming up with tattoo ideas I would like to share some of what I have learnt over the years.

I have spent a great deal of time amongst tattoo artists in tattoo studios around the world and have encountered a wide variety of different people coming through the doors of the tattoo studio to permanently mark their bodies. Many times I have questioned why it is so many people go under the gun to get inked.

People get tattoos for lots of different reasons. Some people simply because they love them and think they look good or enhance their appearance, others to be a part of a 'tribe' or group, while others to mark a significant event in their lives such as a bereavement or to express love for another person. You could say that there are as many reasons for getting tattooed as there are human experiences. Because of the uniqueness of each persons life journey no two reasons are ever the same.

In these situations the person wanting a tattoo has probably put a great deal of thought into the tattoo and perhaps the tattoo itself will have some kind of psychological meaning; for example when someone gets a portrait tattoo of a loved one who has recently died that psychologically they want to keep close to them for the rest of their lives. Or maybe a person has been jilted by a spurned lover and wants a tattoo of a broken heart or caged bird to signify their loss.

Human beings have being modifying their bodies with ink and steel for many thousands of years. Many people see tattoos and body modification as a spiritual practice. Before the advent of modern pain management, pain was seen as a natural part of life carrying a variety of spiritual and social meanings. But as time rolled on we began to deny the very existence of anything beyond our physical bodies.

As a result many people without tattoos cannot see past the image etched onto the persons body to the deeper meaning or symbolism behind the tattoo. It can often cause a wide variety of reactions in the 'uninitiated' from mild curiosity to extreme disturbance resulting in fear and mistrust of the person. Tattoos by their very nature cause a reaction especially on those who do not have them.

This begs the question on why anyone would want to get a tattoo without considering the wider implications and deeper meaning behind the tattoo. So many people wander into a tattoo studio and have no idea why they want to get a tattoo other than seeing their favorite rap artist or basketball player and thinking it looked cool. So they waste the tattoo artists time by saying they want a Nike swoosh on their butt or a tattoo the size of a button on their back. Many tattoo artists will just put up and shut up because they see this as 'bread and butter' work.

The implications of this are two-fold. Firstly the person is left with a really 'dumb' tattoo that most likely will be regretted at some stage in their life. This can lead to many years of regret perhaps leading the person to be forced to cover up their bodies as a result. Ot it can result in many hours of painful tattoo removal costing ten times as much as the original tattoo.

Secondly getting a tattoo without due consideration can often lead to a badly placed tattoo or badly thought out tattoo design. The results of this are obvious but this is the number one reason why people get tattoo removal in worst case scenarios or tattoo cover-ups. Some tattoo artists are becoming renowned for their cover-up work as they are for their actual artistic skill. Yet people do not realise the placement of a small unambiguous tattoo may have later on if they want to get another tattoo or the social restrictions it may bring.

Finally before getting tattooed (either for the first time or the twentieth!) is important to deeply consider the design as well as the placement of the tattoo and how it may interact with other tattoos further down the track. Many people have gotten tribal armbands (when they were cool!) and later decided that tribal tattoos carry no meaning to them and that traditional style tattoos or celtic tattoos may have been more suitable. I myself have been guilty of this and as a result had a poorly thought out tattoo covered up.

Tribal Tattooed Designs

For centuries, tattoos symbolized the membership in groups, families, but for a few years, tattoos have become more popular. It is possible that many people have them not only for decorative purpose, so we must understand why more than thirty million people worldwide have submitted this type of self mutilation. The choice of a tattoo today can tell something about the soul of its owner; some believe that a tattoo is the graffiti for the soul...

We'll find many surprising stories about the tattoos significance and role: many sailors believe that a tattoo is a talisman against the possibility of drowning at sea. The American Indian believed tattoos protected them in battle and some Burmese people think even today that a tattoo over the heart can stop bullets.

The tribal tattoos history is a real kaleidoscope; each place of Earth where the tattoos are popular has a particular and many times surprising history, significance, tradition, and realization technique. But almost everywhere, the tattoos appeared a few hundred years ago.

The place where the word tattoo originated, were the tribal tattoo reached perfection for thousand of years is Tahiti. Here the tattoos applications are most painful, but it reached a high level of artistic endeavor. The habitants of Samoa still believe that the elaborate geometrical design of the traditional body suit is the way to show respect for the God-qualities, for others it is the rite of passage to manhood.

The ancient Maori warriors started their tattoos tradition painting their faces with charcoal before each battle. Then they began to make the design permanent, calling it "moko". It was said that a man without "moko" was a "papatea" (plain face) and was considered an outcast.

Celtic tattoos are one of the most attractive design choices. The design comes from ancient art from Ireland, Scotland and England. They are as old as the Celtic history is.
Some fifth century painted pictures are representing warriors having tattoos all over their body; the tattoos are indicating the rank or caste. Later they were also symbols of religious devotion, simply for decoration or appeal for fertility.

Celtic tattoos are not duplicating real things, they are made of sinuous lines interweaving to complete a cycle. Almost all the Celtic tattoo designs are complicated, there is neither end nor beginning to it. There are many intricate patterns too...

Celtic animal designs are unending, but some have the cords terminate in feet, heads, or tails. Many designs are presenting zoomorphic elements or spirals.

Tattoos are also largely considered the mark of the Yazuka - the Japanese Mafia. A full body tattoo can take many years to be made and costs about $50000; the tattoo complicated colored design seems to have mythic power and only some specialized masters can accomplish such a miraculous work of art.

In China the tattoos are made with designs of 2500 years old, and are representing a variety of fantastic beasts: fish, deer, dragoon. There are made for personal protection and like emblems of noble birth. Siberian tribesmen still ink symbols down their spine to cure the back pain.

In Russia, the tattoos tradition isn't so old: they were the prisoners' secret language. In Stalin's gulags, tattoos were a form of protest; today they are only a fancy accessory.

Borneo is an exotic and hard to reach place where tattoos ward off harm and disease. In the "heart of darkness" tattoos as protection gains some credibility.

Hawaii is home for some famous tattooist, like Norman Keith. He is well known "for giving the modern tattoo revolution a major boost." He began moving American tattooing towards more Japanese style, unified, custom design. He also changed the status of tattooists, bringing them out of the underground to the growing light of the artistic respectability.

In St. Lawrence Island the Asiatic Eskimo tribesmen can live past 100 and have, certainly, the last most authentic tattoos on this planet.
We can find spectacular tribal tattoos even in Queen Charlotte Islands, where the images are family history told in pictures. Animals' designs on the hands are announcing the family name.

In Mackenzie Delta small crosses on the cheeks or shoulders are keeping a tally of the taken whales. Netsilik women were tattooed in order to gain admittance to the afterworld.

In the northern Kalinga (Philippines) the tribesmen are the most ornamented people of the region; their body art is resurrected one more time.

Now let see the tribal tattoo tradition in US. Since the 18th century, merchant sailors acquired tribal skin art returning from voyages in the South Seas. Because members of the British aristocracy traditionally took to the sea, and returned with tattoos (discreetly hidden) some western tattooist set up shop near the docks. The tattoos become exotica for the upper classes. Later, the port city tattooist began inking criminals, fiefs and prostitutes and tattoo became mark of lowlifes. This is the reason way for hundred of years the tattoo remained underground. The tattooist was considered as an outlaw and the tattoo was imprisoned by persecutions and prohibitions born of myriad fears.

Now the tattoos are made using modern and secure devices, capable of 125 pricks per second. The designs are presented worldwide using the most spectacular advertising tools.

Celebrity Tattoo Removal - Stories of Tattoo Regret

Today, more than ever, celebrities are running to tattoo parlors in an effort to express themselves. Body art has become an accessory to many such as teacup dogs and expensive purses. The number of celebrities with tattoos is on the rise. In the old days, it was prominently the metal and punk rockers and athletes that were heavily inked.

Nowadays, ink can be found on celebrity bodies from the cat walk, to the small screen, and to the red carpet and the big screen. However, not all celebrities heed the advice of picking the right tattoo that they won't one day regret. Therefore, as number of celebrities get tattoos rises, so does the number of tattoo regret and tattoo removal.

One of the main reasons that people, including celebrities, goes into see a laser tattoo removal specialist is because they have the name of a former lover inked on their body or they may have matching tattoos inspired by an ex. There are plenty of examples of celebrities that have had tattoo regret for just this reason. They have either had their tattoos removed by laser tattoo treatments or lightened to cover their unwanted tattoos.

Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton. Angelina had Billy Bob's name tattooed on her arm, while Billy Bob had Angelina's name inked on his bicep. They were married for 3 years and then divorced. Angelina decided on laser tattoo removal to lighten her tattoo and a cover-up tattoo shortly after their divorce and had her children's birthplaces inked in the same location. Billy Bob decided on a cover-up solution also. He had Angelina's name covered with an angel and the word "peace."

Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen. Denise decided to have Charlie tattooed on her ankle while Charlie had Denise tattooed on his wrist. They were married and later divorced. Denise had her "Charlie" tattoo transformed into a fairy, while Charlie had his "Denise" lasered away.

Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr. Tom tops the list for the most tattoos of an ex. He had a whooping 4 tattoos of Roseanne, his wife at the time, including a portrait of her on his chest. Roseanne had a "Property of Tom Arnold" tattooed on her hip. Once divorced, Tom had all of his tattoos laser removed. Roseanne opted for a cover-up of her "Tom" tattoo.

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. They decided after a short courtship to get married and also get matching tattoos. They both had dice tattooed on their arms, Britney's dice were pink while Kevin's were blue. Once their relationship sizzled and they were no longer seen together, both sets of dice disappeared as well with laser tattoo removal.

Nick Carter and Paris Hilton. They were only together for a short 7 months when these two love birds to have each others names inked on their bodies. Nick had "Paris" tattooed on his wrist while "Paris" had Nick tattooed on her bottom. Paris had her tattoo laser removed not long after she had the tattoo done. Nick decided to have his "Paris" covered up with a skull and the phrase "Old Habits Die Hard."

Some other celebrities that have donned their love by inking their skin include Pamela Anderson, Kathy Griffin, and Johnny Depp. Pamela Anderson had "Tommy" inked on her ring finger when they were together and later had it changed to read "Mommy" after they split. Kathy Griffin also had a wedding ring inked on her finger when she was married. Later when she was divorced, she decided it was time to have her tattoo laser removed. Johnny Depp who fell madly in love with Winona Ryder had no problem showing his love for her by having "Winona Forever" tattooed on his chest, only to later have it changed to "Wino Forever" after their love fizzled.

Having a lover's name, face,symbol, or matching tattoos are not the only tattoos celebrities have that they regret. They too have been guilty of getting certain images or sayings that represented who they were at a certain time in their lives. Tommy Lee and Tony Danza both had tattoos done early on in life that no longer represented who they are and therefore looked to laser tattoo removal. Tommy Lee had a swastika inked on his rib cage. He decided to remove the tattoo so it would no longer hinder his image. Tony Danza had "Keep on Truckin" tattooed on his body during his younger days. He decided on laser tattoo removal shortly after it was first readily available.

Two rappers whose images are widely known and recognized for their ink, Pharrell Williams and 50 Cent are both undergoing laser tattoo removal treatments. They are both looking into other opportunities than being rap stars and they both believe that removing their tattoos with improve their images. Even with all the musical talent and fame these two stars have, 50 cent's aspirations to act are cut short or he spends up to 4 hours covering his tattoos with make-up in order to do a movie scene. Pharrell is in the process of designing a clothing line and wants to be taken as a serious entrepreneur.

Whether these celebrities had gotten tattoos when they were young, in love, or for their simple love of tattoos, they all experienced tattoo regret and did something about it. Tattoos once thought to be permanent can be removed with laser tattoo removal treatments or even lightened with laser tattoo removal treatments and then covered with a new tattoo.

Get a Unique Custom Tattoo Design

Recently it was reported that tattoo related terms received more searches per month then most adult related keywords. This has spawned a huge growth of websites selling flash tattoo designs. You can go and visit these sites and for $10 or so find a tattoo design. You can then download this design and take it to your local tattoo parlor and get a new tattoo.

Well, for many this has become the Achilles heel so to speak of the tattoo art industry. Buying tattoos this way is definitely contrary to the main reasons people get tattoos. Tattoos and the tattoo industry has always held that tattoo art was the last bastion of personal expression and freedom in America. You see most tattoo enthusiast feel that the tattoo they get are very uniquely theirs and a tattoo, being something you have to live with for a long time, should say something about yourself. So these huge flash tattoo sites come along and sell thousands of the same tattoo to people. These same people go to their local tattoo parlor and get a new tattoo and soon they are sporting it around town feeling proud to assert their individuality. However in reality they have just copied a bunch of other people and probably ended up with a tattoo that says nothing interesting or unique about them. They just bought the design because it was popular.

The other sad part of this phenomena is that most tattoo artists are on the losing end of the proposition. The big websites that sell tons of designs often have had some graphic designer just create a bunch of low quality tattoo designs to sell. The designer was not even a tattoo artist in the first place. However, the tattoo artists out there are now losing tons of business to these larger companies. That is not to say all tattoo sites selling tattoo designs online are doing this. Of course there are some that have taken this into consideration have have worked hard to value the artists for their original ideas and work.

However it still leaves the tattoo enthusiast who just got the same tattoo as thousands of other people out in the dark. Think about what is going to happen when that person is at a concert of some large public event and a guy comes up to him and says, :hey cool man nice tat." The guy turns and the notices that the speaker is sporting the same exact tattoo. Here he thought he was unique and individual and doing something really cool. What is one to say in that kind of situation? Other then start looking at all the tattoo removal adds online there is not really much.

It is for these exact reasons that a few websites have started popping up on the internet that have solved these basic problems. At the time of this writing there are in fact only two sites on the internet that have effectively dealt with both of these problems. They are custom designed freelance tattoo art websites. That is kind of a mouthful so I will explain what each of those terms means. It means that a person wanting a unique tattoo design can go to the site and post a job. Then tattoo artists from around the globe can come and bid on the job to design a great custom tattoo to the individuals specifications.

This is really the best of all worlds as it encourages tattoo artists and pays them fairly for their abilities and skills. It also create a unique tattoo to the exact specifications and desires of the person getting the tattoo done. It is a really great way to solve the problem and these sites have had a high rate of customer satisfaction and repeat business from both the tattoo artists and the tattoo enthusiast.

Choosing the Right Tattoo For You

Nowadays there is a vast variety of tattoo design and body location combinations that make fantastic tattoos for girls and it can often be difficult to decide which tattoo design to ink, and where to site it. This article is dedicated to girls looking for ideas and advice to help them plan their next tattoo.

In the past it was mainly men who decorated their bodies with tattoos, however over the past 50 years or so tattoos for girls have also become incredibly popular. The rise in the popularity of tattoos among girls followed the women's rights movement, as social attitudes changed to embrace equality. While many girls still prefer the classic tattoo designs styles and body locations that are also popular among men, recent decades has also seen an explosion in incredibly feminine and elegant tattoo design styles that have been developed especially for female tattoo enthusiasts. There are so many different design styles around that there really is something for everyone.

There are so many options for girls planning a new tattoo that choosing a design and where to ink it can be rather daunting. It is incredibly important to really take your time making a decision. Tattoos are permanent and girls who get inked on the spare of the moment usually live to regret it.

The two biggest choices to make when planning a new tattoo are which design to ink, and where on the body to ink it. Some girls prefer to pick the design first, and then think about where best to have it tattooed, while other girls pick the body location first. There is no right or wrong way, although I personally recommend considering both the design and body area simultaneously when planning a new tattoo.

There are a wide range of tattoo designs available, and I strongly suggest you browse through as much top quality artwork as possible to get some initial ideas about what you like. A tattoo is a very personal thing, and I recommend choosing a design that not only looks fantastic, but also has some significance to you. Some of the most popular design styles that make for fantastic tattoos for girls include (in no particular order) bird, butterfly, Celtic, cross, dolphin, eagle, fairy, fish, flower, heart, rose, star, tiger, tribal, and zodiac tattoos, although many more design styles are widely available.

In addition to the design itself, it is also important to think about the colours that you want to incorporate in to your tattoo. Some girls love really colourful tattoos, and choose to ink designs such as butterflies, birds, and flowers. Other women prefer more classic tattoo designs inked in black, such as the very distinctive tribal and Celtic design styles.

Some of the most popular body areas for girls include the wrist, arm, back, lower back, belly button, foot, leg, neck, and shoulder. When choosing where to site a new tattoo, there are a number of factors that must be carefully considered. Firstly, many girls must consider how visible they want their tattoo be to. A large number of women have employers who enforce strict no tattoo policies, and will therefore need to select an area of the body that can be covered up easily. Other girls prefer to ink highly conspicuous designs that are easily shown off to the world.

Another factor that will greatly influence your body location options is the size of the tattoo that you plan to ink. Very large tattoos will obviously need a big canvas such as the back, chest, arms, or legs. Many girls, especially girls planning their first tattoos, prefer to ink relatively small designs, and these can be sited pretty much anywhere. Some areas of the body can only accommodate small tattoos, such as the wrist, ankle and foot.

Pain is another factor that is important to many people, especially newbies inking their first tattoos. Generally speaking, bony areas of the body, such as the ankle, are more painful to ink than more flesh areas such as the upper arm. The size of the design is also important, as larger designs take longer to ink, meaning that the associated pain has to be endured for longer.

I hope that you found the information in this article helpful, and that you will heed some of the advice given. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking your time to think about your options. Far too many people rush the planning stage and end up with tattoos that the don't like. Don't be one of these people, think long and hard about what you really want, and never be afraid to seek advice. Tattoo artists are great sources of advice, and I recommend that you talk with a reputable artist in your local area. I also strongly recommend browsing as many top quality designs as possible. By showing your artist some of your favourite designs, they will have a better idea for the sort of tattoo that you want. Carefully planning your new tattoo should ensure that you will ink a design that you will love forever.

For more information about planning a new tattoo, please visit the Tattoos For Girls section of the Premium Tattoo Designs website. For more information about ankle tattoos for girls, please check out the Ankle Tattoo Designs For Girls page of the Premium Tattoo Designs website.

Pete Wood is a passionate tattoo enthusiast. Pete's passion for the art of tattooing, combined with his anguish at the huge number of people that end up regretting their tattoos, lead Pete and a friend to create the Premium Tattoo Designs website. The ethos of the Premium Tattoo Designs website is to provide high quality information and advice so that people can make informed decisions when planning a new tattoo.

The premium tattoo designs website contains a vast amount of information and advice about a wide range of tattoo designs and commonly tattooed areas of the body. The website also contains detailed information about selecting tattoo artists and shops, tattoo safety considerations, tattoo aftercare, and much much more.