Although tattoos have been around for thousands of years, tattoo designs for men have become increasingly popular in the last ten years.
A decade ago, only one in ten people in the world had some ink. In 2013 that number has risen dramatically to 1 in 4!
The tattoo’s popularity has rocketed due to TV shows such as Miami Ink, LA Ink and London Ink where people who weren’t previously involved in the tattoo culture could access the tattooing world via their TV screens and of course with the explosion of broadband to enable browsers to display high resolution images in a matter of seconds, the internet has played a massive part in exposing people to the tattoo lifestyle and different tattoo designs for men and women.
Check out the trailer for Miami Ink below:
If you’re looking for some awesome tattoo designs and inspiration, there are several sites you can either view tattoos for free or you can easily buy whole books of different tattoo designs online. It’s often better to speak to an artist and perhaps get them to draw something up for you. Bear in mind, you probably will have to leave a deposit for them to get started otherwise they will be working for nothing – Of course if you decide you like their design the deposit should come off the price of the tattoo if you do decide to go ahead with their work.
Try to avoid copying something directly from places like Google Images, chances are that several people will already have this design tattooed on them and it’s always better to have something unique.
There is a wealth of amazing tattooists out there (and some not so good!) so take your time and book in for a consultation if you’re not 100% sure what you’re after.
Before you decide where to go to get a tattoo, make sure you see their portfolios. Most artists have these online or in a book at their studio and don’t feel pressured into getting something that isn’t EXACTLY what you’re after.
In general, tattoo designs for guys are larger pieces such as full or half sleeves, although there have been a few times when men have gone down the route of getting something small especially if it’s their first tattoo.
Above all, follow these simple tips:
- THINK about what you want – there is nothing more annoying to a tattoo artist than a customer coming in and asking for “a tattoo” and not knowing what they are after
- CHECK the artists portfolio and if possible check out the studio beforehand. Make sure you are happy with the surroundings – You could be spending a lot of time in that chair.
- DON’T phone for a quote – I’t hard to decide on a price when someone says “How much for a medium tattoo, not too big but not too small…” There is no such thing as an average sized tattoo 😉
- Be courteous to the receptionist and your artist. They will do their best to look after you, try and look after them (Tipping is not expected, but ALWAYS appreciated)
I hope you’ve got some more ideas about choosing a tattoo or a tattoo artist after reading this post. Please share the love by commenting or sharing. Thanks!
