Chapter One: Finding the right tattoo artist for you here in san diego.
Cowgirl Tattoo done single needle fine line by Daniel Collins at Rose Tattoo in Point Loma San Diego
With the rise in popularity of social media as a tool for artists to market their work, it can be extremely difficult to navigate the tattoo industry and find an artist that is right for you. Sure all artists can tattoo whatever you want, but the right artist will be able to translate your tattoo exactly how you envisioned or better. Here in San Diego alone, there’s a million different artists and shops, but with a little bit of research you can find an artist you trust. Here are some steps to guide you through the process:
1. Chapter One of your tattoo journey begins with an idea.
Take your time to think of a tattoo style you enjoy and works with your vision. There’s a wide variety of different styles ranging from fine line single needle, American traditional, Japanese, Neo-traditional, Sacred Geometry, Water Color, Abstract, Art Nouveau, and more. From there you can work on finding a tattoo that has meaning and encapsulates what you want your tattoo to symbolize. This could represent a significant event in your life, a personal value, a loved one, or even something as simple as finding a design you find aesthetically pleasing.
Websites like Pinterest have a large library of different designs and can be used as a tool to find the design you envisioned. In some cases it’s even helpful to just flip through artists Flash Books at the shop and see what designs they have predrawn and ready to be tattooed
Finally, the last step is where and how big you would like your tattoo. Sometimes it’s best to consult with an artist for this step as different parts of the body might not work well for the tattoo. Your Artist should work with you to size the tattoo to where you both feel comfortable and where it would flow best to compliment your body.
Virgin Mary Traditional Tattoo by Casey Sullivan here at Rose Tattoo in Point Loma San Diego
2. Research your Artist
We can’t stress this part enough. Tattooing is at a height of popularity right now, which brings in a lot of artists trying to make a career or a quick buck. Tattooing is a business and artists will be looking to sell their work, unfortunately that means that a lot of what’s being sold is often times embellished. Take a Quick Look on social media and you’ll find a lot of flashy videos, and tattoos that look so realistic or vibrant. It’s not to say that these aren’t good artists but if a tattoo looks overly smooth to where the skin looks fake, or the whites of a tattoo are glowing, then ya, there’s probably some photo editing going on.. same goes for artists that only post videos where you barely see the tattoo or it’s only flashing across the screen, then there’s probably something being hidden. It’s extremely important to see healed tattoos as well, this ensures that the artist knows what they’re doing and can execute the tattoo so it looks great for life. Not all artists take this into consideration so even though the tattoo looks amazing when first tattooed, 5 years later it could be horrible and would need to be reworked, covered, or removed which will end up costing you more in money and grief. Work that is 2 weeks healed doesn’t count, look for artist that will post or show you work well over a couple years healed.
Start by looking for reputable shops that aren’t over staffed with artists and apprentices. Shops like this are also trying to run a business and will often times push you into booking with an artist that needs the work and not always qualified to do the tattoo for you. Smaller shops will most times have artists selected for their talents and will know if your tattoo will work best for that specific artist or not. Look at the artists Instagram, do they post healed tattoos? Are their tattoos not heavily edited and you’re able to see the details? Another good thing to look for is, who’s following them? If you follow a handful of big name tattoo artists, see if they follow each other, artists will be selective and if someone has a huge social media following but barely gets any likes and no other artist follow them then there’s a high possibility the followers were purchased.
3. Consultations
Another good piece of advice is to book a consultation. Consultations should be complimentary and used as a time to go over the design with the artist you would like to work with. Discuss your ideas and get their professional input on design, size, and placement. It never hurts to ask as many questions as possible to help you feel comfortable and ensure you’re both ready for the appointment once it’s booked. If the artist isn’t 100% positive in their ability to do the tattoo for you, reputable shops will work with you to find another artist in-house that can help bring your ideas to reality.
Big Cat Tiger Tattoo done Neo Traditional by Gary Dunn, originally tattooed over at Chapter One Tattoo in Ocean Beach, but he’s working with us now at Rose Tattoo.
5. Final Decision
If you have now found an artist and a shop you are comfortable with, you’ll be able to schedule an appointment and sometimes put down a deposit to hold your booking. Not all artists take deposits, but for the ones that do just make sure you are aware of any hidden things like cancellation and rescheduling policies.
And that’s it! Don’t fall for fake tattooers, this decision is permanent so work with an artist you trust and someone you enjoy working with. You’ll be spending a lot of time around this artist during the tattoo experience and you’ll be carrying their work with you so make sure you get tattooed by someone you like.
By following these steps, you can find an artist and tattoo that you'll love and cherish for years to come. Got any other questions? Feel free to reach out to us here at Rose Tattoo. Our shop has artists that are absolutely trusted in the industry and picked for their reputation as well as artistry to work here. We pride ourselves on our work ethic here in Point Loma San Diego.
We’ll see ya out there!
