Before getting your new tattoo, you should book a tattoo consultation appointment with your tattoo artist. A tattoo consultation helps you learn more about your new tattoo and what you must consider before going in for your tattoo appointment.
This consultation will also give you a chance to assess your medical background with your artists, and if they feel like you’re physically vulnerable to get a tattoo, they will advise you accordingly.
You can also discuss your design and gain a personalized touch from the tattoo artist. Booking a consultation can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first time getting a tattoo.
So to clear any confusion and help you achieve a fun and informative consultation with your tattoo artist, read further below.
What Happens During The Session?
A tattoo consultation is a one-on-one sit-down with your tattoo artist before going in for the tattooing process. This consultation could take place weeks before the tattoo appointments or even on the same day.
The moment you book your tattoo appointment, you will get notified of a tattoo consultation where the tattoo artist will sit down with you and discuss everything that will go into your next tattoo.
This mainly includes future aspects and how the tat will affect you in your daily lives. At the same time, they will look at your medical history. There are many things your tattoo artist will discuss
with you regarding your tattoo, but this is also a good chance for you to clear any confusion and curiosity about getting a tattoo.
Make sure to ask questions to help you understand the process better. This way, you’ll feel confident that you’re making the right decision about getting a tattoo from here.
Your tattoo artist will discuss a few things regarding the tattooing process, and how it works so you know what you’re getting into. Your artist will also discuss the pricing, depending on the design you go for, and consult you regarding the designs if it’s the appropriate one.
Deciding the placement is harder than selecting the right design, so your tattoo artist will discuss different options. Ultimately, you can choose the best place for your tattoo design.
Other things you should discuss include the features of the tattoo and if any changes need to be made to it, as well as the timeframe of your tattoo process and the importance of being there on time.
Do Artists Charge For Consultations? Should I Tip?
Depending on the tattoo parlor you’re going to, your artist may charge you for the tattoo consultation. To make sure that you have to pay for a consultation or not, you must check the studio policies.
In some tattoo parlors, if the artist has agreed to go ahead with your tattoo process, you’ll have to pay a deposit fee.
When it comes to tipping your artist, there is no such rule but rather etiquette. If you feel like they earned it for the consultation, you can tip them however you’re satisfied.
You may want to save your tip money for the day of your tattoo appointment as it seems more appropriate to tip them for their hard work. Tipping isn’t a forced law, but it is one of the basic tattoo etiquettes you must follow.
How Do You Prepare For A Consultation?
A tattoo consultation is one of the first steps towards your tattoo. Hence, you must make sure that you’re well-prepared for the consultation to be a success and not change the artist’s mind about not tattooing you.
For the perfect tattoo consultation experience, there are a few things you must know. That way, you can prepare yourself and know exactly what to expect during the consultation.
Knowing what to expect means you don’t feel lost or confused. Mentioned below are a few preparation tips for your tattoo consultation:
Know What Your Tattoo Artist Specializes In
There are a million tattooing techniques out there, from portrait tattooing to realistic monochrome tattooing. If you’re approaching a tattoo artist who specializes in a specific style, you must go for a design that matches your design needs.
More importantly, plan out some questions that allow them to consider performing other tattooing techniques. Knowing their techniques will also give you more scope to discuss your tattoo design with them and improve its appearance.
Keep Yourself Open to Advice
Some people are quite stubborn to take anyone else’s advice once they have made their decision. Tattoo artists are professionals who have been catering to clients for years, and they give the best advice when it comes to choosing the right design and placement.
This will allow you to achieve the best tattoo design along with the tattoo artist’s personalization.
Know What You Want To Incorporate In Your Tattoo
To prepare yourself well, you must know what you want to see in your tattoo. For this, you have to research different tattoo techniques and identify which one will suit you best.
You can start gathering different ideas from the internet or sketch them out. There will be many designs you may find eye-catching. So collect all of them and bring them to your tattoo consultation.
You could also email these ideas and pictures beforehand so that your tattoo artist has a slight idea of what you’re looking for before you come in.
Keep Yourself Financially Equipped
You must start saving up for your tattoo before you go in for your tattoo consultation. Many tattoo parlors require you to make a deposit on the day of the consultation if your tattoo artist agrees to tattoo you.
The pricing differs in every tattoo parlor and also varies according to your tattoo design. You can discuss the price during your consultation.
What Questions Should You Ask?
During the tattoo consultation, it’s important to ask as many questions as you can to have a good idea of what you’re getting into.
After all, you should feel confident that getting a tattoo is the right decision for you. Sometimes, your tattoo artist might miss out on important details, so you must keep a list of questions that you can ask your tattoo artist during the consultation.
Mentioned below are a few questions you must not forget to ask your tattoo artist:
1. Ask About the Measures to Ensure Hygiene
A clean and hygienic tattoo parlor is essential, and you don’t want to step into a dirty one that will end up leaving you with an infected tattoo.
Ask your tattoo artist about the cleaning process and if they regularly sterilize all their tattooing procedure products. Ensure they practice effective disinfection, especially with the rise of the Coronavirus.
2. Ask about Aftercare Instructions
Aftercare is one of the most crucial steps to practice after your tattoo appointment. Obviously, you’ll want your tattoo to look the best and go through a smooth healing process.
In that case, you will have to follow all tattoo aftercare instructions provided by your tattoo artist. You must not forget to ask this.
3. Ask About Any Health Concerns
You should discuss your medical history or any previous illnesses with your tattoo artist. You then must ask them if it’s risky for you to continue with getting tatted. Your tattoo artist will talk about all the possibilities with you, especially if you are under medication.
For the best response and guidance, you must talk about all your health conditions with your tattoo artist and be honest at all times if you want the correct answers.
4. Ask About Payment and Pricing Methods
Every tattoo parlor has a different payment and pricing process. So during the consultation, ask your tattoo artist what the different ways to pay are. Is it through cash or card?
Also, ask about their pricing methods, if they charge hourly or directly according to the design and size of your tattoo.
5. Ask About Their Tattooing process
Knowing how the tattoo process will start will train your mind on what to expect and might also reduce any fallings of stress and anxiety before your tattoo appointment.
6. Ask If You Can Bring Someone with You
Sometimes you need that extra support during your tattoo appointment. Before taking anyone with you on the day of your tattoo appointment, it’s best to ask the artist beforehand if you’re allowed to bring a plus one for extra support.
What’s Tattoo Consultation Etiquette?
Tattoo consultation etiquette is when you ask your tattoo artist what they prefer during the tattooing process and what they don’t like that might cause disturb them. It’s important to follow tattoo etiquette to respect the efforts your tattoo artist puts in.
Some tattoo artists don’t like it when the client keeps talking during the procedure or eats as well. To ensure a smooth process for your tattoo artist, you must be aware of all sorts of tattoo etiquette.
Takeaway
Even if your tattoo parlor doesn’t make it mandatory to go through tattoo consultation, you must ask them for one.
Tattoo consultations are very important for first-timers and keep you more prepared for your tattoo. Make sure to prepare yourself well with this article’s help before going in for your tattoo consultation.