Your first tattoo: what to know before you sit down

Getting tattooed for the first time is daunting, and it should be: it is a decision that stays with you. The good news is that almost everything people worry about before a first session has an answer.

Idea first, size second

The most common mistake is doing it backwards: deciding “I want something small on my wrist” and then looking for what to fit in there. It works better the other way round. Think about what you want to represent, gather two or three visual references, and let the idea determine the size.

An image with a lot of detail needs centimetres. Compress it too much and, over the years, the ink spreads, details merge, and what was a portrait becomes a smudge. When we tell you an idea needs to be bigger it is not to charge you more — it is so it still reads ten years from now.

Choosing the placement

Three things to weigh up:

• Pain. Forearm, calf, thigh and shoulder are the most manageable. Ribs, sternum, neck, hands and feet are considerably more intense.
• Visibility. Think about your job and how much you want to show it. A tattoo can be covered, but it is better to decide that beforehand.
• Durability. Hands, fingers and feet take a lot of friction and usually need touch-ups. Not a problem, but worth knowing in advance.

Choosing a studio and an artist

Look at portfolios, not prices. One tattooist is not interchangeable with another: each has a style and things they are genuinely good at. If you like someone’s work, their version of your idea is very likely better than the one in your head.

Also check the basics: single-use material, clean surfaces, gloves, written informed consent. A serious studio will show you all of that without being asked.

On the day

• Eat properly beforehand. Turning up on an empty stomach is the number one cause of feeling faint.
• Bring your original ID, passport or NIE. No document, no tattoo.
• Comfortable clothes that leave the area accessible.
• Sleep the night before and do not come hungover: alcohol thins the blood and complicates the session.
• For a long session: water, a snack and headphones.

Before starting you will see the design and we will adjust it with you on the skin — size, placement, orientation. Nobody gets tattooed with something they have not seen and approved.

And afterwards

Aftercare is half the result. Wash with neutral soap, pat dry, thin layer of cream, no scratching, no pool or beach for two or three weeks, and sun protection for life. It is all laid out step by step in our aftercare guide.

If you have specific questions about your idea, message us: we would rather talk them through beforehand than fix them afterwards.