If thinking about getting a portrait tattoo done of someone important to you, it's important you shop around for the right tattoo artist to avoid serious disappointment and embarrassment.
Despite tattoos growing more acceptable in society, the idea of getting tattooed just to be “cool” or fashionable is definitely going out of fashion. These days, people want to get tattoos that mean something, and more and more people are turning to tattoos as a way of commemorating something important in their lives, like their heritage, family, or events which have shaped or changed them. Tattoos of writing, such as a profound quotes or the name of an important person, are common choices – as are cultural or spiritual symbols, like Japanese tattoos or tribal tattoo designs. The even more daring tattoo devotee might get a portrait tattoo of someone close to them, especially if they have passed away.
However, finding a tattoo artist who can do accurate portrait tattoos is much harder than finding someone who will eagerly do a Japanese tattoo. Firstly, the level of expertise, confidence and experience required for portrait tattoos is extremely high, and often tattoo artists meeting this criteria are in short supply, incredibly expensive, and booked out months in advance. Secondly, even really good tattoo artists tend to shy away from requests for portrait tattoos, as they fear they won’t capture the person’s character properly. When looking for someone to do a portrait tattoo, it’s a good idea to research, ask questions, and find out which tattoo artists are comfortable doing one.
The reassuring part of shopping for portrait tattoos, is that substandard tattoo artists are quite unlikely to accept requests for portrait tattoos. This is because unlike other types of tattoo designs, and the results of one stray line or some bad shading can be much more shocking and disappointing than for other tattoo designs. Also, a bad portrait tattoo is not easily fixed. It will be with the person for ever, and will be a permanent bad advertisement for the tattoo artist responsible. A substandard portrait tattoo can be absolutely detrimental to a tattoo artist’s reputation and business. For these reasons, don’t be afraid to ask other tattoo artists to recommend the right person for the job. If they can’t do it themselves, they should be quite happy to pass you on to a more qualified artist.
A sure-fire way to tell the ability of a tattoo artist is if their portfolio contains portrait tattoos. It also speaks highly of their reputation as a tattoo artist, that people are willing to let them tattoo something so important on them. Before getting a portrait tattoo, or any tattoo design for that matter, make sure you do adequate research and shop around for the best artist.
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