How to Choose a Tattoo Artist – 6 Top Factors to Look

Have you decided to get your first tattoo design on your body? What is next? To find a good tattoo artist in your area. And when it comes to choosing a tattooist, it’s important to choose a professional and experienced artist.
After all, a tattoo is a permanent artwork that will remain permanent on your body. Unlike temporary tattoo designs, these symbols stay with you for a lifetime.
Therefore, it’s necessary to choose the right design and select the best artist to get a perfect new tattoo. So you feel happy after getting your desired ink artwork.
Therefore, this article will guide you on how to choose a tattoo artist. After reading this blog post, you’ll clearly understand the main factors to consider when choosing a tattoo artist.
How to Choose a Tattoo Artist
Don’t Be Harry
The first step in getting a new tattoo is to carefully consider the tattoo’s location, design, size, and colour pattern. However, this does not mean rushing into a decision. If you want a perfect piece of ink design, you need enough time to think about these things in detail before choosing the artist.
Once you select your desired tattoo design, search for an artist. However, if you need clarification about choosing an ink design, check out our guide on girly tattoo designs, chest tattoos, and shoulder tattoos.12 Best Shoulder Tattoos Designs for Men and Women
Take Recommendations from Your Friends and Family Members
As we often enjoy discussing various aspects of life with our friends and family, applying the same principle when selecting a tattoo artist is important. If you have a friend or family member with a tattoo, they can be a valuable resource for finding the right artist.
They’ll guide you through their experience in getting a tattoo design, whether good or bad. Also, go in public places, and if you find someone with good tattoos, don’t hesitate to ask from which artist they got a tattoo. Even most people love to talk about their body artwork.
Go to Several Tattoo Shops
Many people, including myself, compare prices at various shops before purchasing. You can do the same when choosing an artist. Visit different tattoo studios in your local area, inquire about the artist’s previous work and pricing, and discuss your tattoo design idea.
Moreover, ask various questions to check whether the artist is friendly. Through this, you can find a perfect beginner or experience tattoo artist.
Use Social Media Sites
Social media sites are for more than just spending some spare time. But they’re also a good source to find artists.
Most professional tattoo artists have their social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram. Instagram is especially the best social media site to find a tattoo artist.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to find a tattoo artist on Instagram:
- Open the Instagram app and make sure you have an account.
- Search relevant hashtags on Instagram, such as #tattooartist, #tattoo, #inked or used a hashtag finder tool.
- Once you find a post that catches your attention, open a profile to find more information about the artist.
- After opening your profile, remember to check reviews about that tattoo artist. For this, you can browse different posts on the profile and limit comments on the artist’s posts to see if clients have left feedback or reviews about their experience.
- Check additional information: Most artists include personal information about their location, studio name, and contact details on their Instagram profiles. You can use that detail to contact or email the tattoo artist for the booking process.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Tattooing is not a simple process like applying a temporary tattoo that can be easily put on and removed at will. Instead, it involves breaking the skin to inject tattoo ink into a deep layer of the skin.
As a result, this creates an open wound, and if the studio fails to follow cleanliness and hygiene protocols, these wounds of tattoo can be susceptible to infections.
Therefore, ensuring that the artist uses a clean tattoo machine, wears gloves, and utilizes single-use tattoo needles is crucial.
Furthermore, confirming that the studio properly sanitizes other tattoo equipment to prevent infections is important.
Moreover, it is essential to mention that after getting an ink design, one should follow the proper tattoo guidelines to protect it from infections.
Don’t Forget About Tattoo Pricing
Price is an essential factor to consider when selecting an artist. Typically, artists charge the price of a tattoo depending on their experience and studio location. Additionally, the cost is influenced by the ink design’s size and level of detail. For example, the price of a spine tattoo differs from that of a half-sleeve tattoo.
Therefore, when choosing a tattoo artist, it is important to inquire about the pricing for your desired design from different artists and visit various studios to compare prices. This will help you find an artist who fits your budget.
How do I choose my first tattoo artist?
There are several ways to choose an artist, for example, by taking suggestions from friends, visiting different tattoo shops, and browsing social media.
Do tattoo artists design for you?
Yes, many artists have the skill to design custom tattoos. Discuss your design idea or concept with the artist when you visit a tattoo studio.
An artist can create perfect and personalized body artwork based on your given details.
What should I look for when choosing a tattoo shop?
You need to look at the overall workplace setup, hygiene practices, licensing, and certification of tattoo shops.
How do I know if a tattoo artist is good?
There are several ways to confirm an artist’s professionalism. For example, you can consider factors such as:
- Artist’s portfolio
- Experience and qualifications
- Cleanliness and professionalism
- Attitude towards aftercare
- Artist reputation
What are the Signs of a Bad Tattoo Artist?
Various things can indicate a bad tattoo artist, such as:
- Poor Portfolio
- Unsanitary Conditions
- Lack of Communication
- Limited Design Abilities
- Rushed or Careless Approach
- Negative Reviews or Reputation

Flora Jones is a licensed professional tattoo artist with over 5 years of experience working at various studios in Arizona. In addition to her artistry, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise on various tattoo-related topics through her writing.