Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Tattoo Information You May Need To Know

This article which you are about to read has been written because of a growing interest worldwide in tattoos of all types and designs, and I hope that by reading this you will be a bit better preparedbefore you actually have the tattoo.

Before you decide to get a tattoo, you should always take a little bit of time to talk to your tattoo artist. When you speak to him, you should be sure to ask questions and find out anything you can about your new decoration. You should also find out information about his background, and other important bits of information that will assist you in moving forward with your decision.

The first thing you should find out is how long the parlor has been in business. This will let you know just how professional the quality of work is and the overall reputation for the business. If the parlor belongs to the Better Business Bureau you can always check their record and see if any complaints have been filed about the business in the last few years.

You should also find out about his qualifications as well. Experience is a must here, as infections and other diseases can easily be contracted if the equipment is not clean. Tattoo artists deal with needles on a daily basis, making experience very important. Finding out how much experience and qualifications your artist has will tell you quite a bit about what you can expect from them.

You will also want to find out if the studio guarantees their work. In the unlikely event that you dont like the outcome of the tattoo, you will obviously want it to be fixed. The better studios will fix it without requiring any money. Refund policies are also important, especially if you dont like the quality or the workmanship of the tattoo.

The cost is also very important. Before you decide to get a tattoo or agree to anything, you will obviously want to know the full cost. The bigger tattoos can be quite expensive, although even the smallest of tattoos can be expensive as well, especially if you are on a budget. You can save yourself a lot of time and prevent any type of surprises by knowing the costs upfront.

Now just before we go any further let me just say that at the end of this article I will be giving you some ideas as to how you can find out more information on this subject, as the more that you know the better equipped you will be. So, having said that, lets continue.

Infection is also something you will want to find out about. The better tattoo artists can provide information about infections, and tell you how to prevent them. They will also tell you about their services, and how they can prevent you from getting an infection. When you ask for information he should also be able to tell you exactly what to do if you think you are developing an infection as well.

If you suffer from a fear of needles, you should always ask if there is a way to help you. You should never feel bad about asking, as many people are deathly afraid of needles. Needles are used with tattoos, as there is no other way to put the ink in the skin. If you are afraid of getting a tattoo due to the needles, you should make sure that you let your tattoo artist know. Chances are, he may be able to take extra steps to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Asking questions is never a bad thing when it comes to getting a tattoo. If a tattoo artist hesitates to answer any question you ask or acts hasty towards you, you should always leave and find another artist. Tattoos always have risks and concern, which is why the artist should be more than willing to answer any questions that you may have. Asking questions can help to ease your concern and make you feel better about the artist, which is why you should always make sure you write a list of questions before you visit the parlor.

Let me finish by saying that there is a lot of information out there on this subject just waiting for you to dig up. You could go to your local bookstore, or your local library and you will be amazed at what you will find. Also look out for some helpfull Blogs on this subject, and then last, but not least, spend a bit of time on the internet conducting your research.


http://www.add-articles.com/Article/Tattoo-Information-You-May-Need-To-Know/54290

Instantly Removable Tattoo Inks

Instantly Removable Tattoo Inks

Part of the attraction of getting a tattoo for some people has been the permanence of the body art that one chooses to place on their skin. If one tattoos a name on their body, it means that name has permanent meaning for them. Likewise, the designs they choose would be something they would never want to change. New tattoo ink technologies are threatening to change the whole concept of permanency of tattooing. Although there currently exist many methods of tattoo removal, their difficulty and cost make tattoos effectively permanent for most people. Likewise, older methods of removal, such as surgery may be painful and leave significant scarring. Laser tattoo removal, while usually effective, often requires multiple treatments and can be costly.

One company, Freedom-2, is bringing products to market that will change the paradigm of tattooing. Their ink is based on encapsulating bio-absorbable dyes in polymethylmethacrylate microspheres. The dyes in the ink are already FDA-approved for use in food, cosmetics, and medical devices. The ink is injected into the skin by standard tattooing techniques. At any time when removal of the pigment is desired, a single laser treatment disrupts the encapsulation, allowing the ink to flow out into the tissues and be absorbed. The tattoo then quickly fades without the need for further laser treatments. This ink is not yet available for general use, but has been tested in human subjects, according to the company's website. They indicate that it will be commercially available in early 2007.

They are also developing tattoo inks that will fade away on a predetermined schedule without the need for any laser treatments at all. The technology behind this is not elucidated, and there is no date of availability listed yet for this type of product.

The main difference between these two products is that the former is a permanent ink that can be removed anytime, while the latter will last a long time but then fade away, even if the owner prefers it to stay.

Tattoo artists may not instantly take to the new inks. The ability to remove a tattoo is not necessarily the foremost consideration when choosing tattoo inks. Some artists believe that tattoos should be permanent, or one is better off not getting a tattoo if he or she is unsure about them. However, some tattoo shops may choose to cater to the less-decisive. Also, it may encourage more experimentation and fanciful designs, if the recipient knows that they can get the tattoo quickly lasered off if they don't like it. The new ink will likely be significantly more expensive that standard ink, so cost will also be a consideration for artists.

Although a tattoo's ink may be temporary, there is often scarring left behind from the tattoo needle's penetration of the skin. Thus a textural image of the tattoo may remain permanently. Even so, the concept of tattoos as purely permanent body art may be replaced by tattoos as fashion. If a tattoo could be instantly removed, some people may choose to periodically change their tattoos as they would their style of clothing.


http://www.add-articles.com/Article/Instantly-Removable-Tattoo-Inks/105425

Girl Tattoos And What They Mean

How often, when admiring girl tattoos have you said - It suits you? It happens a lot with girls because, often without knowing, they choose a design that represents their personality and character.

Men tend to have tattoos as a spur of the moment decision that represent them at that particular stage of their life or perhaps because of a life changing experience such as falling in love or becoming a father. Girl tattoos on the other hand are usually given lots of consideration and thought and this is probably why the relationship between design and girl is so close.

A dragonfly has agility and speed and is confident in its ability. If you have ever tried to scare one away you will also know they are stubborn and persistent. For their size, they are very strong with lots of stamina. A girl with a dragonfy tattoo will have some of these qualities.

The beauty which is a butterfly emerges from the caterpiller and the girl who feels she has matured into a lady and is proud of what she has become will be attracted to a butterfly tattoo. A woman with a free spirit, with a love of the countryside and an understanding of mother nature will find the butterfly tattoo hard to resist.

Its not only the design choice that can represent a girls character. The positioning is also important when it comes to girl tattoos. A day dreamer and romantic will often wear her tattoo on the shoulder.

Girl tattoos on the chest of an animal such as the above two examples would mean she is at one with mother nature while on the lower back shows she has faith in her beliefs and will not be shaken from her path. Girl tattoos below the navel show a virginal quality or perhaps a return to innocence after coming through a bad time in life.

There are of course thousands of different girl tattoos and most will say something about the wearers personality. Even if she didn't know it at the time she will come to look back on the period of her life when she had it done and perhaps realize why she was drawn to that particular design.

If you know a girl well who has a tattoo, think about her personality and character and I bet the girls tattoo isn't far off the mark even if she doesn't know it!


http://www.add-articles.com/Article/Girl-Tattoos-And-What-They-Mean/111383

Sexiest Celebrity Tattoos

Tattoos have been showing up on thousands of the world's sexiest women including many celebrities.

Here is a fascinating glimpse of 10 world famous celebrities and their fabulous collection of body art. Check out more knockout photos and descriptions at: www.temporarytattoofactory.com

NICOLE RICHIE isn't shy about showing off her unique tattoos, which include wings on her back, "Virgin" on her inner wrist, a gorgeous chain & cross on her foot and ankle. Most interesting is the tattooed ballerina shoes that were inspired by a song her dad, Lionel Richie, wrote for her. VICTORIA BECKHAM, formerly "Posh Spice" of the Spice Girls, has 5 stars on her lower back to signify her 5 family members, her husband's initials on her inner wrist (David Beckhamworld famous soccer star) and a Hebrew script message on her upper back.

VICTORIA BECKHAM, formerly "Posh Spice" of the Spice Girls,is most famous for her husband David's initials on her inner wrist and the 5 stars on her lower back to signify family which includes her husband and 3 children. Also interesting is the Hebrew script on her upper back.

DREW BARRYMORE is known to be a "free spirit' which is reflected in uniques tattoos that she has collected over the last decade. She has a gorgeous angel on her lower back, an adorable butterfly on her belly, a moon & star on her foot...plus several more in hidden spots.

JENNA JAMISON is a world famous adult film star who has "Heartbreaker' tattooed on her gorgeous butt. Her body art collection also includes a flower on her ankle and several others in hidden spots.

MARY BLIGE is one hot and famous diva her back with a truly unique collection of tattoos. She is most famous for the long stemmed rose on her thigh, a band of mystereous letters on her left arm and a Chinese symbol for strength on her right hand...plus several other very interesting designs on her back.

CHER has a truly fabulous tattoo collection. She is known for the gorgeous flowers on her butt, black orchid on her stomach, black rose on her ankle, Chinese symbol for strength on her shoulder and quite a few others.

PAMELA ANDERSON'S barbed wire armband is one of the most copied tattoos in the world today. This gorgeous woman also has a fantastic tribal design covering her upper to lower back and "Mommy" on her finger that used to say "Tommy".

PINK's is one very famouos diva who is known for her super hot tattoo collection...to name a few..."Mr. Pink" on her thigh, Kanji letters for luck/happiness, Dad's dog tags, portrait of her dog, Elvis and quite a few more!


http://www.add-articles.com/Article/Sexiest-Celebrity-Tattoos/112366

First Tattoo Guide

Tattoos are wonderful expressions that are permanent fixtures on your body. Be sure that what you want to express today will be something you won't mind expressing permanently. Be sure that the image you select for your tattoo design is something that you truly want. Getting a tattoo on impulse may be a decision you regret for a lifetime. Be sure to think the process through first.

The most expensive tattoo is usually a custom design. A custom design tattoo is developed by bringing your tattoo artist an idea or a picture. Then your tattoo artist will begin the process of designing the actual tattoo. Time is money and the more time your artists spends creating your custom tattoo design the more you will pay. Simple stock tattoo designs will cost much less. Your artist is probably very familiar with the stock designs offered in their shop. They can probably do the designs in far less time than a custom design. If this is your first tattoo a stock design will take less time to apply and may be better for your pain tolerance level. Tattoos that are less time consuming will also be much easier on your pocket book.

After you have decided on a design you will need to choose color or grayscale. Black and shaded makes a tattoo really pop. There will be a definite contrast between skin color and the black ink. Color is good to. Color does costs more but gives you more design dimension. You can make your tattoo completely unique just by adding a few colors.

Location, location, location is not only important in real estate but equally important in tattoos. Where you put your tattoo will definitely tell your viewers a story. Put in a public place and advertise your attitude. Put it in a place hidden by clothing and keep it as a reminder of memories or know that the tattoo is just for that particular someone's eyes only.

Tattoos placed in areas where the skin is just going to hurt more than in areas where there is more muscle or fat. Decide on your pain tolerance level before you start the process. Your artist may be able to deliver a few small skin tests to determine if your pain tolerance for that particular location is acceptable. Areas with thinner skin include ankles, head, chest and lower back. Areas where pain may not be as intense include arms, legs, shoulders and your rear end.


http://www.add-articles.com/Article/First-Tattoo-Guide/121514

Butterfly Tattoos and Barbie

Did you know that Barbie has a tattoo? It’s true; one of the many incarnations of the Barbie doll was shipped with a butterfly tattoo adorned to her stomach. There were also other tattoo designs available to apply should Barbie ever become bored of the butterfly tattoo.

Now, it maybe a little irresponsible of the maker’s of Barbie to suggest to young children that you can pick and choose your tattoo as easily as peeling off a sticker, however the point remains that tattoos are now absolutely mainstream. If Barbie, the quintessential role model for young girls can have a butterfly tattoo, then anyone in the world can.

In the UK alone, there is believed to be a tattoo parlour in most major towns and cities, clearly showing the demand for tattoos is there. In the US, it is understood that as many as one in ten adults have a tattoo, that’s a phenomenal figure which many experts expect to rise further in the future.

Helping to lead this growth in tattoos and body art are young females in the 18-24 age brackets. You can probably guess the most popular design? A butterfly tattoo of course, it is hard to know what impact Barbie had on this, and of course no self respecting 18-24 year old girl will admit to being influenced by Barbie.

For the time being at least, it looks as though the sight of butterfly tattoos is here to stay. One can only hope those that do apply these designs to the bodies realise that the tattoo is there for life, unlike the butterfly tattoo worn by Barbie.


http://www.articlefair.com/Article/Butterfly-Tattoos-and-Barbie/1484

Sources for Free Tattoo Ideas and Tattoo Design Ideas

Have you been wanting to get a tattoo but don't have an exact idea or not sure what you want? Tattoos are so popular and there are so many ideas but many of us feel stuck at times on the exact tattoo we want to get. For me I often feel stuck when I think of how permanent a tattoo is. I see a lot of cool designs that I like at the time but when I start thinking about the having it permanently done I start to change my mind and look for something else.

Others have the idea or rough plan of what they want but they can't find any good source material or flash that matches what they want. Some of our customers state that they have spent months looking for a certain tattoo design. They look through all of the flash sites and etc. but still can not find what they are looking for.

This is a huge problem, you end up wasting a lot of time and feeling frustrated. However there are some simple ways around this problem.

1. First you should always pull ideas for tattoos from things that you like or are into. Don't go and get a tattoo just because you saw someone with one and you thought he or she was cool. A tattoo will be with you forever and so it should be something from you not from outside. Along these lines don't do the stupid thing of going out to get a tattoo with a friend and be pressured into getting the same thing he or she gets just because you don't want to look stupid. Tattoos are permanent and therefore should state something about you and what you love. Therefore if you spend time just thinking about the things you like and things that you identify yourself with you are likely to come up with some great ideas. For example for me I love being outdoor and nature and so I like star tattoos a lot and nature themes. I also like a lot of the native American and traditional Japanese designs. My wife is from Japan and she has this plan of getting a Cherry tree branch full of cherry blossoms across her back. These are very significant images for the Japanese. They symbolizes the new year and new life or even r
enewal of life. So as you can see your tattoo should be something you identify with.

2. Once you have some rough ideas it is typically time to go online and look for some images. Now lets take the Cherry blossom for example. Some place you could look for a tattoo would be clip art. You can search using Google's image search feature or go to Microsoft online clipart gallery. Either place you can find either a clip art drawn piece or actual source photos. Both will lead you to some good source materials that will help in the design stage.

3. Next you want to take you source materials (photos or clip art) and show them to a tattoo artists. You might also try some initial sketches if you are artistically inclined. Even something with simple line art or pigeon scratches can tell you tattoo artists a lot about what you are looking for. So take everything you got and show it to your tattoo artist and then let them design the tattoo for you. Remember the more accurate and detailed you can be with your description the more happy you are going to be with the results and the whole process will be much easier.

4. Most tattoo artists will then provide you with an actual design shaded in and with color and the line art of the design. If you are getting this done online then you can take that to your local tattoo parlor and find some one to do the actual tattoo for you. Often you can also ask for referrals from the original tattoo artists. Typically they can do the work themselves if you live within driving range.

If you take these steps into consideration and actually do a little bit of homework and find your source materials and provide lots of details about what you are looking for then you are sure to get the design of your dreams.


http://www.articlefair.com/Article/Sources-for-Free-Tattoo-Ideas-and-Tattoo-Design-Ideas/1711

Hawaiian Arm Tattoo and Hawaiian Armbands

One of the biggest and hottest growing trends in the art of tattoo design is Hawaiian arm or leg band tattoos. As this trend goes a lot of people think to themselves, well of course." At least that is what I said to myself at first. You can hardly drive more then 10 minutes on the freeway in southern California where I am from and not see a big SUV like a Lincoln Navigator or a Cadillac Escalade and not see a Hawaiian sticker. Things with flowers designs, or turtles, dolphins. Ya see it started off with the sticker and then the car seat covers with hibiscus flowers everywhere and it just grew from there.

This trend of Hawaiian design has then met it's match with the whole tribal tattoo movement. Tribal tattoos have been the hottest thing in the tattoo world since sliced bread or the old school WWII era Hula dancer. You see these influences have been all around us for a long time my grandpa even has one of those Hula Girls tattoos still. Granted it is a little saggy and faded now but he still has one on his forearm nonetheless.

So the whole tribal tattoo and the growth in interest for Hawaiian designs have combined to make a hot and growing market for Hawaiian tattoos. This is really an up and coming thing and it not huge yet. However many tattoo artists are spotting the trend and jumping on it already.

Of course there is a lot of controversy on this subject also like anything. If you look on the internet there is a controversy about getting Kanji and Japanese Tattoos also. Anytime you try and take the designs of a culture and do not depict them accurately it creates a sense of bastardization or what I call the "Disney Effect" towards the culture. I mean how would you feel if you were in China and someone said, oh you should try this hot new restaurant out it serves this great food that is really American. They have fried chicken and apple pie that is the best." Well, at first you would be excited right? Sure it would be nice for a good home cooked meal if you have been out of the US for a long time. However once you get there you see the place has really tacky and awful reproductions of 50's art and the all the food tastes kind of strange. It would probably bee kind of close or resemble what you were thinking of but it would be missing something or a few key ingredients. I bet this would leave you feeling a little sad and like your culture was not totally understood.

Well, I can not speak for you and maybe you will feel different but I was pretty sad when after staying in Japan for 3 months I was invited to a 1950's classic hamburger joint. When we got there it was Elvis with a funny accent playing on the jukebox and when my hamburger came it had a fried egg on top of it with teriyaki sauce. WOW what a surprise that was for me. I kind of felt weird about being in the place that had tried to recreate something from my own culture.

So, the same controversy rolls on in the world of tattoos. Anytime you get a tattoo design from another culture just make sure you go with a professional. Do not have your friend trace out some Kanji in a book for a tattoo and don't go and rip some design of the internet because it states that it is Hawaiian. Go to a real custom tattoo designer and have them do the research and come up with some designs. After all this is going to be on your body for the rest of your life and since Hawaiian arm band tattoos and leg tattoos are typically big it will be a significant investment in pain, time and money to get the thing done. So you should consult with a professional and get top notch work done.


http://www.articlefair.com/Article/Hawaiian-Arm-Tattoo-and-Hawaiian-Armbands/1774

Tattoo Design-Your Choice

How does it feel like to be tattooed? It is painful, alright. After all it is an art. Art needs emotions (which presumably cover pain!) to bring out the best from an art piece. The money aside, pain in tattooing is part of the investment. It makes you really appreciate what you are doing.

And depending on the design of your tattoo, the process will get on more painful and painful. So please bear with it.

The more decorative or the more symbolic your tattoo design is, the more artistic it will get. Tattoo is simply a means of self-expression. It is after all, used among wide scopes of culture and its history runs down from ages to ages. And understandably, as the 'ages' went, the tattoo designs became more elaborate that some developed more like living artworks rather than simple accentuations imbedded into human skin.

There are literally myriad of tattoo designs that often leave customers overwhelmed. Let us take a look on some more popular designs these days so you and other people planning to get tattooed would have more defined ideas of what design to punch into the skin. Note: This isn't easy and the process is equally not handy so focus on what you truly desire and work on it until the last point of the needle.

No culture in the world is more responsible with the development of the tattoo than the region of the Polynesia. The word itself came from its ancient language, which meant "to make a mark".

The designs patterned from ancient ideas spotted in this region are normally referred to as tribal, one of the most intuitive and versatile designs there are. Aggressive bold lines and symmetrical patterns, tribal tattoos remain to be popular (and constantly working its way to extreme popularity) because it primarily allows the influence of other cultures, artists' personal expression and fusion with other designs.

Like its tribal ancestors, designs patterned from Celtic ideas don't actually contain or convey a single concept, rather it communicates feelings and illustrations depending on the interpretation of the audience. Celtic concepts were typically borrowed from ancient Celtic culture tracing back from the 1st century. These designs don't present specific images, except for those that depict certain pieces of Celtic history and literature. Designs covered in this genre have no beginning and no end. They are composed of intertwining loops and knots. While unquestionably famous, Celtic tattoo designs should only be done by artists who have dedicated their profession in this single style.

Yet it is not only the looks that matter in tattoo designs. Because it is for self-expression, people often find themselves content with adding specific religious symbols that make their faith more pronounced. No wonder, the extreme prevalence of angels, crosses and other religious tokens can be seen throughout many regions.

Well, who would forget patriotism? (Or is it due to lack of choice? Probably not.)

The eagle, the eagle, the eagle. Well, that's stereotypical. How many times have we seen myriad of eagle designs that depict the Great America? We've already lost count actually.

Americans seem to have this special commitment towards the country that they are even willing to leave marks of its symbols into their skin. You may choose to follow after their practice but you may also not. That really depends on our preference. However, if you want to be unique, you can try looking for more seldomly used design rather than the American eagle or any other eagle of that sort.

The only key here is to ask yourself what really matters to you. Will I love Mary mean the same thing a few years from now? Think.


http://www.articlefair.com/Article/Tattoo-Design-Your-Choice/15232

Girl Tattoos - Their Meanings

Ever realized the tattoo a girl wears tends to match their personality? Even without realizing, a girl tends to be drawn to a tattoo design that suits their character.

While men tattoos are often chosen on the day, girl tattoos are usually thought over long and hard, perhaps for months. Men will decide to have a tattoo to mark a particular point in their lives like falling in love or becoming a parent or perhaps to mark a personal achievement such as finishing basic training or being selected for special forces, winning a sporting event etc.

Do you know a girl with a dragonfly tattoo? A dragonfly is confident in its agility and speed and they can be very stubborn, never giving up. Try scaring one off and you will see what I mean! They are also strong for their size and have lots of stamina. Girls with some of these traits will find themselves drawn to choosing dragonfly tattoos.

The beauty which is a butterfly emerges from the caterpiller and the girl who feels she has matured into a lady and is proud of what she has become will be attracted to a butterfly tattoo. A woman with a free spirit, with a love of the countryside and an understanding of mother nature will find the butterfly tattoo hard to resist.

Its not only the design choice that can represent a girls character. The positioning is also important when it comes to girl tattoos. A day dreamer and romantic will often wear her tattoo on the shoulder.

The dragonfly, butterfly or other animal tattood to a girls chest represent her strong motherly instincts and love of nature while girl tattoos below the navel may represent a return to innocence. On the lower back shows she has a strong faith and would never falter from her beliefs.

Girl tattoos come in many designs and once chosen many will represent a part of the girls character. Perhaps she doesn't yet know why she chose her tattoo but at some stage in her later life she will understand why she finally, after all that deliberation, chose the one she did.

Next time a girl shows you her tattoo think of her character and personality and test it out for yourself.


http://www.articlefair.com/Article/Girl-Tattoos---Their-Meanings/27582

A Guide to Getting Your First Tattoo

Tattoos are wonderful expressions that are permanent fixtures on your body. Be sure that what you want to express today will be something you won't mind expressing permanently. Be sure that the image you select for your tattoo design is something that you truly want. Getting a tattoo on impulse may be a decision you regret for a lifetime. Be sure to think the process through first.

The most expensive tattoo is usually a custom design. A custom design tattoo is developed by bringing your tattoo artist an idea or a picture. Then your tattoo artist will begin the process of designing the actual tattoo. Time is money and the more time your artists spends creating your custom tattoo design the more you will pay. Simple stock tattoo designs will cost much less. Your artist is probably very familiar with the stock designs offered in their shop. They can probably do the designs in far less time than a custom design. If this is your first tattoo a stock design will take less time to apply and may be better for your pain tolerance level. Tattoos that are less time consuming will also be much easier on your pocket book.

After you have decided on a design you will need to choose color or grayscale. Black and shaded makes a tattoo really pop. There will be a definite contrast between skin color and the black ink. Color is good to. Color does costs more but gives you more design dimension. You can make your tattoo completely unique just by adding a few colors.

Your next decision is to select your real estate. Where on your body will your tattoo be placed. You need to decide whether this tattoo is supposed to be visible for the public or just for you. You must decide if your lifestyle will fit with public placement of your tattoo. Careers and family perceptions of your tattoo can seriously affect your life. You are free to place that tattoo where you choose. The freedom of choice is definitely up to you but you must decide if you can live with the perceptions from others.

Tattoos placed in areas where the skin is just going to hurt more than in areas where there is more muscle or fat. Decide on your pain tolerance level before you start the process. Your artist may be able to deliver a few small skin tests to determine if your pain tolerance for that particular location is acceptable. Areas with thinner skin include ankles, head, chest and lower back. Areas where pain may not be as intense include arms, legs, shoulders and your rear end.



http://www.articlefair.com/Article/A-Guide-to-Getting-Your-First-Tattoo/32490