Video:How to Choose a Tattoo Artist

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Transcript:How to Choose a Tattoo Artist

Hey - I'm Berry Konijiski from Artistic Skin Designs and this is for About.com and we're talking about what to look for in a tattoo artist.

How Tattoo Artists Are Hired

When we hire someone, we usually look for references - and we'll call those references - for someone who comes into our studio. We also have them bring in a portfolio or their previous artwork - a portfolio is what each artist would have to show his artwork and his abilities - and then after I research that, and they might have a certain style or technique that I really find that I'm comfortable with, and I felt I had a comfortable rapport with him and he understood exactly what I wanted, then I would probably go forward.

Think Your Tattoo Through

If you're thinking about getting a tattoo, one of the things is that you should really think it well through. If it's something personal - a portrait of a family member that's maybe passed away, or something in school that you grew up with - it just needs to be well though out. It cannot be that if you're on vacation in Florida and you decide to get a dolphin, because you're in Florida that day - that's a bad choice.

Find a Hygienic Tattoo Artist

If you're picking your own tattoo artist, one of the things I would look for is hygiene - you want someone that's clean and presentable. You want to make sure somebody doesn't look like they might be under the influence of something they're not supposed to be under - it's very important.

Make Sure the Artist Values Your Tattoo

And you also want to make sure the artist that you're going to have do your work is into your work, that he fully understands you, and what you want to do. Sometimes artists aren't honest, and they'll just take you back there, tattoo you, and throw you out the door. You want to make sure this guy understands that this is going to be on you for life - that this means a lot to you and this is what you want.

Customize the Tattoo With the Artist

We do have flats on the walls - people can choose that or they might bring their own design in. People do want custom drawings, and they'll come in and they'll talk to you, and give you an idea of what they want, and then give you a little time - a week or two - to sit down and draw it up, and then come back and maybe look at it and say yea or nay, change this, or that's fine, and they'll set an appointment up and get it done.

Think about what you get before you get it - really give it some time, don't do it on a whim - and that's about it.

Thanks for watching! To learn more, visit us at About.com.