Things Tattoo Artist Hate - Dont’ be this customer!

I’m sure this blog will enlighten, amuse and even agitate some people. But, this is our way to vent on those lacking common sense. Tattoo Artists out there please feel free to leave a comment on your most resent issue in your shop. Hopefully people will try not to be one of these customers after reading.

*CLIENTS THAT CAN’T SIT STILL DURING THEIR TATTOO. People come in to get tattooed and think it’s a joke or we actually enjoy working on someone that complains and moves the whole time.

*THE FAMOUS WORDS: “MY FRIEND SAID”. Artists constantly hear people being mislead by their so called friend giving false information on aftercare, the procedure, etc. Tattoo Artist have lived it and seen it all - so they are your best bet not your friend who may have accumulated 8 tattoos over the past 5 years and now believes he/ or she is an expert.
*LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION. This is sometimes a real emergency and this is not meant for those clients. The rest of you - that make it a habit to waste our time. Your one of those customers we would not miss at all if you decided to go elsewhere. If you stop and think about that appointment you had set up with your artist and the cost of that tattoo…….

*NO SHOWS. When you don’t even bother to call and don’t show up for your appointment. Considering how we feel about people canceling at the last minute, you should know where these people fall on a scale of 1 to 10.

*CRYBABIES. When were given a description of how every line feels throughout the whole Session. And if you do actually cry, please - for god sake, don’t scream. We did not ask you to come in and get a tattoo, you wanted it - so man up.

*POOR AFTERCARE. The clients that always pick their tattoos, or where shoes right after getting their foot tattooed. The one’s that go swimming that afternoon. And then want a free touch up.

*TAKE A SHOWER BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT. No one wants to sit in a room with you for a couple hours when you stayed up all night partying and wore the same clothes in to get your tattoo. Or drove right from work when your out in the sun sweating for 8 hrs. at work all day.

*WHEN YOU CALL OUR TATTOO MACHINES “GUNS”. No professional Tattoo Artist calls their machine a gun.

*CLIENTS FRIENDS THAT MAKE OUR JOB HARDER. These people usually tag along with their friend just to laugh and harass them. In these cases where the client is not sitting well during the tattoo, the nagging friend makes them even more on edge and our job that much harder.

*DON’T GET DRUNK THE NIGHT BEFORE. Not only are these customers usually very irritable and don’t sit well, but they usually bleed more than usual and smell like their sweating out everything they drank the night before.

*RUDE PEOPLE. stay home- you don’t even like yourself, why bother everyone else.

*LAST MINUTE CHANGES. When the customer changes the design the day of the appointment. There’s a reason we give estimates on time. So we can fit what we need to do in that day, not spend and extra hour deciding if your really sure about the design you had already approved days before.

*PRICE SHOPPERS. If you walk into a Studio to get a quote and find that you can’t afford their prices then smile, say thank you anyway and roll on. I’ve never had one price shopper do that, it’s always a rude comment as their walking out the door or a list of who’s cheaper in town. To all those people - you deserve to have the cheapest guy in town mark your body permanently.

*”IF I DON’T GET TATTOOED RIGHT NOW, THEN I WON’T GET IT DONE!”. This line is used in the Studio on a regular basis. If the artist is good they have plenty of people lined up in advance, waiting to be tattooed. Most unwanted tattoos were a quick and not planned out.

How to make your first tattoo experience a pleasant one…….

Getting your first tattoo can sometimes be a little stressful. We’ve ( http://www.tattoogizmo.com/ )listed some things you can do to make your experience much easier.

1 ) Take time to visit the studio more than once. Hang out watch the artists work and ask questions. This way when you walk in the day of your appointment you feel familiar with your surroundings and the artists.
2 ) Talk with your artist, make sure you’ll be comfortable being tattooed by this person.
3 ) Take time in choosing a design. MAKE SURE it’s something you will love for a lifetime. A lot of people come in and want a tattoo and don’t know what they want. It should be the other way around, know what you want and then go get it.
4 ) Ask what position you’ll be in when tattooed. Make sure it’s something you can physically handle. (Example: If you’ve had an injury in the past and have painful joints or nerve damage - some positions for long periods of time may cause more pain or cause more damage to that area. )
5 ) Using lotion everyday for 1 week prior to getting your tattoo will better prepare that area to be tattooed. Dry or unhealthy skin is bad canvas. Do not use the lotion the day of your appointment.
6 ) Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds a least one week prior to being tattooed.
7 ) Avoid Alcohol the day prior to and of your appointment. Thin blood causes more bleeding, this can affect the time it takes to tattoo you and slow healing.
8 ) Avoid taking any medication that thins the blood. If you are, consult your doctor before being tattooed and ask if you can skip a day or two to be tattooed.
9 ) Make sure you allow healing time when you schedule your appointment. Don’t plan this a week before you plan to go away to a sunny beach for vacation.
10 ) If getting tattooed in an area where there is a lot of hair. Shave ahead of time - artist use disposable razors and this can be an unpleasant experience for some.
11 ) Get a good nights sleep prior to your appointment.
12 ) Eat a good meal before your appointment, an empty stomach raises the risk of passing out or feeling dizzy and sick if nervous. Take bottled water with you to stay hydrated.
13 ) Wear comfortable clothing (No new clothes or favorite outfits, there is a possibility of your clothes becoming stained with ink)
14 ) Ladies, avoid being tattooed the week prior to and of your period. You are more sensitive during this time.
15 ) Avoid being tattooed if your not feeling well or recovering from an illness. Your immune system has enough to deal with, you should not be tattooed.
16 ) If your worried about the pain, EXPECT THE WORST. Usually you’ll be anticipating much worse so it won’t seem so bad when you start.
17 ) If you’ll be sitting for a long session take a book or ipod to pass the time.
18 ) You can ask a friend to keep you company. Although, if they’re likely to poke and make fun the whole time - you may want to come alone. (These situations can sometimes make it harder on you and the artist)
19 ) Do not wear anything that will rub or irritate the tattooed area. (Examples: Shoes, socks, belts, waistbands, jewelry or bra, shoulder straps)
20 ) Don’t listen to your friends. Sometimes a couple tattoos will make them feel like they’ve experienced it all but, in truth - everyone’s experience is different and healing can be different. Follow your artist aftercare instructions, this can vary with some clients depending on the location of the tattoo, skin quality, age, and overall health.
BEST OF LUCK! if we’ve missed anything and you would like us to add an experience you had during your first tattoo please let us know at www.tattoogizmo.com

How to Become a Tattoo Artist

In India with the tattoo industry becoming ever more popular, the opportunity for making a career from tattooing has opened up for a lot of people. If you are an artistic individual who can see themselves working as a tattoo artist, then there are some things you need to know first.
Learning how to become a tattoo artist isn’t easy. And it isn’t the career for everyone. The first requirement would be raw artistic talent. If art isn't one of your strengths then a career in tattooing isn’t the job for you. The first step is to exercise and practice your artistic skill. Books, classes and fellow artists can help you do this. Once you feel you've honed your skills and practiced, practiced, practiced - put together a portfolio of your work. This is collection of your best art work put together in a professional presentation to show to shop owners.
The typical next step in the learning process is getting an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is like an internship, normally you work for free or tips, and you observe and learn from the artists in the shop as you go. Apprenticing will give you valuable knowledge about the art of tattooing. Getting an apprenticeship is accomplished by networking and persistence. Ask us at http://www.tattoogizmo.com/ for a shop willing to take on a apprentice. You have to pound the pavement and visit tattoo shop owners with your portfolio and propose an arrangement.
The apprenticeship normally ends when the teacher decides that the apprentice is ready to tattoo professionally. Sometimes a contract is signed by both parties at the beginning of the apprenticeship. Sometimes, you may be hired at the end of the apprenticeship. Once you have learned how to become a tattoo artist, you will be free to look for a job elsewhere.
Another option that is gaining popularity is attendance of tattoo classes at a tattoo school of body art. This can be done in a productive, efficient course with hands on practice in some cases. For people that are unable to commit a long period of time to the apprenticeship plan, then tattoo school can be the answer.
Learning how to become a tattoo artist is never really over. As time goes on, you’ll learn new techniques and processes from fellow artists, workshops, and conventions. As a tattoo artist, you should always be evolving and developing your skill. This is the best way to become and remain successful artist.

What is a Cross-Contamination? Tips to Prevent it.

Every idiot that thinks they can buy a tattoo machine and start inking up their friends always seems to forgets one key element - the prevention of cross-contamination. This is the part that can make your "clients" really sick or even kill them, but your average scratcher usually doesn't pay any attention to it. As long as they've got a working machine, a needle and some ink, that's all they need to become the next great tattoo artist, right? It's time for a wake-up call, folks.

This tech tip on cross-contamination I think will be the most important tech tip that I will ever write, because cross-contamination is something that should not be overlooked and should be taken very serious by everyone involved in the tattoo and piercing industry. For those who don't already know, cross-contamination is the spread of micro-organisms from one surface to another or from something that is contaminated to something that is not. One of the biggest mistakes that I see when I visit a tattoo shop now don't get me wrong, but the fact is in India very few tattoo shops do follow strict methods to prevent cross-contamination..But others need to clean up their act now. All the sterilization in the world is not going to make a difference to your client or to you if things are getting cross-contaminated. Cross-contamination is a very serious and a very deadly situation. The situation shall be call as a UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS. A universal precaution is a system that prevents the spread of infections from person to person. Simply put, it means that I treat all blood and other body fluids as potentially infectious. Treat every client as if they have every known disease to mankind. With this in mind you tend to take every precaution and you are much more aware of cross-contamination. Some of the ways that cross-contamination can occur is as follows:
* if strict attention to hand washing is not observed
* if clean instruments are placed on unclean surfaces
* if contaminated and clean instruments come into contact with one another
* if one or more tattooist use the same equipment or materials

Here are the most common observations that I have noticed:
1. Answering the telephone with soiled gloves
2. Adjusting overhead light with soiled gloves
3. Adjusting power supply with soiled gloves
4. Touching ink bottles or ink tray with soiled gloves
5. Adjusting or handling furniture or equipment with soiled gloves
6. Stuffing garbage into the garbage can without changing gloves

Simple things you can do to prevent cross-contamination. Preparation of the work area is the key. It is very important that you completely prepare your work area so as to avoid having to leave the work area in the middle of a tattoo to get something that may be needed. Interrupting your procedure increases the risk of cross-contaminating surfaces.

Mail me at tattoogizmo.com@gmail.com, if you want to know more about Cross Contamination.

Things you must know about body tattoo in India

How to Insist on infections free tattooing!!!
1. Do you, a family member or friend have a tattoo or piercing that is not what you hoped for? Well here are some tips you may not have considered or been aware of to ensure your health, safety and the outcome of your tattoo or piercing.
2. Look at the overall appearance of the studio, is it clean? Is it maintained well? This is a direct reflection of the owner.
3. Take your time. Ask to see portfolios of tattoos done by each artist. Ask to see their sketchbook to see if their style of art appeals to you.
4. Ask to speak with the artist of your choice. You will be spending some time together, make sure you feel comfortable with this person.
5. Look for references, ask around. Most everyone has an opinion, if it’s an overwhelming one, then its most likely true.
6. Ask to watch a tattoo or piercing being performed. Look at the way each artist has set up their environment. Red Cross standards require everything the artist comes in contact with to be covered, unless it is disposable or able to be sterilized. Next,everything should be wiped down with a solution that is able to kill any transmissible disease. This will ensure you will not obtain what the previous client may have had. The artist should also wash their hands before and after each procedure. The artist should have short finger nails, no nail polish, rings or bracelets. All of these hold bacteria. Make sure they check their needles! Checking the tip of the needle through an eye loop before each set up will ensure you are not being tattooed with a damaged needle.
7. Ask the artist to show you where the indicator has changed on the sterile packs of Needles. These packs should also have an expiration date. (Beware some pre-made needles are shipped in packs to prevent damage. Not because they are sterile.)
8. You can’t price shop and expect quality at the same time. This is not a pair of shoes or a loaf of bread; this is a life changing alteration to your body. Make it one to be proud of.
9. Look for studios that are owned and operated by an artist. This way the owner is familiar with all aspects of the business and is able to hire people capable of performing a professional tattoo or piercing.
10. Most importantly, take your time! Rushing into anything may result in a bad choice. Tattoos are permanent unless you can afford a costly laser removal. Body piercings are a constant commitment. Both of these will affect your appearance and the way people look at you. Consider your future, your job and your safety when making a decision.