Yes, I have tattoos! I get that question a lot, so if you'd like to see the ink I currently have, you can take a look at my tattoos. So, needless to say, I was once a newbie, feeling the vibration and the sting of the needle against my skin for the first time.
I try to never forget my first experience, and how nervous I was when I first started thinking about getting a tattoo. I had so many questions, and no one could seem to answer them to my satisfaction. The answers I got only led me to more questions.
I was told to make sure my artist used an autoclave...what the heck is that? And I read somewhere that the machine and clipcord should be covered with plastic...the whoosywhatsit? I started realizing I had so very much to learn before I was going to let anyone touch my skin with that noisy little contraption.
The more I learned, the more I loved. I became engrossed in all body art had to offer, and decided it was something I wanted to be on the inside circle of, not just a passerby. I wasn't satisfied with the idea of just getting a tattoo anymore - I wanted to learn more about the actual process and how to do them myself. As I entered my apprenticeship, I discovered a whole world of information I never saw from the outside.
I decided to make it my personal mission to share this information with everyone I come in contact with that has even had a fleeting thought of getting a tattoo. I want to preserve the longevity and respect of an artform to be truly admired, not feared. But in order to do that, people need to be educated on how to keep themselves safe, and how to identify the difference between a good tattooist and a bad one. My beginner's guide is part of my mission of spreading that information. Please don't keep this information to yourself. Pssst...pass it on.
