Free Tattoo Designs

Each and every one of us is always on the lookout for great deals and any way to save money that we can find.  With the Internet being so popular these days, many people often turn to the Internet for free tattoo designs. For most of us, free is always the way to go.  When you stop and think about it, a free tattoo design sounds a lot better than paying as much as $150.00 for one at a tattoo studio.  The fact about it is simple - someone could just as easily draw their tattoo design themselves and then pay the tattoo artist to put the tattoo on them.

If you give it some thought, you may begin to wonder if free tattoo designs are actually worth it in the end.  The fact of them being free is always great, although you may wonder if the design is something you would like to display permanently on your body.  When you show your new tattoo to friends, they may think negative thoughts when you tell them that you got the design free off the Internet.  Each and every time you show your tattoo people will want to know about the message and the design, which you’ll probably need to think about.

All of us are familiar with the old saying “you get what you pay for”, and it’s truly no different in this scenario.  Although there are hundreds and hundreds of websites on the Internet that provide free tattoo designs, few of them are really worth the interest.  Most of the free designs out there on the Internet are very poor quality.  Therefore, it would be in your best interest to wait and have a professional tattoo artist make the design for you.

Those who choose to go with free tattoo designs will tell you that tattoos are very expensive and they can’t afford to have a professional tattoo artists draw up the design.  Some people, when dealing with custom tattoo designs, will say that their tattoo artist doesn’t do custom designs or that he just don’t want to do theirs.  Although most of this may be true to an extent, there truly is no better way to get a tattoo than using a design made by a professional tattoo artist.

As most already know, free tattoo designs are normally made by those who know next to nothing about tattoo designing.  In most cases, these designs are made by someone who is looking to make a quick profit instead of a true professional tattoo artist.  You can easily tell that they aren’t professional quality simply by looking at them.  Most free designs have poor quality, poor lines, and often times the work appears to be made on a personal computer.  You certainly wouldn’t want to use something like this with your tattoo – simply because you will be showing it the rest of your life.

If you spend a lot of time searching on the Internet for free tattoo designs, you may be able to find a few with good quality.  There are some good quality designs out there, although you’ll probably have to search quite a bit to find them.  It’s best to have an idea in mind about the tattoo you want then look for it that way.  Although it may take you some time, you could very well find it.  If you do come across it as a free tattoo design – you should always triple check the quality before you decide to have it done.

Choosing Your Tattoo Parlor

Once you have made the decision to get a tattoo you’ll need to find a qualified tattoo parlor.  This is a very important decision, as it can easily make or break your tattoo.  Before you decide on a tattoo artist or tattoo parlor, you must first see if they are qualified.  There are hundreds of thousands of tattoo parlors out there, some better than others.  If you go to a less than perfect tattoo parlor, you could very well end up with an infection that can cause you more trouble than you ever thought possible.  Finding out how long a parlor has been in business is very important – as this will tell you how much business the parlor receives.

When you look for the best parlor you should always watch for those who have the best history with keeping their equipment clean.  Clean equipment and a clean studio is without a doubt the most important consideration when dealing with tattoos.  If the artist isn’t licensed or not a professional there will be little to no guarantee that the equipment is clean.  Health is a big concern with tattoos for most people, and for good reason.  If you are looking to get a tattoo you should always make sure that the artists are licensed, the parlor is clean – and the equipment is sanitized and cleaned after each and every tattoo.

The best tattoo parlors will welcome you in with open arms, anticipating your business.  When you meet the tattoo artist, he should be friendly and not intimidate you at all, nor should he at any time attempt to push a design on you.  Under no circumstances should the artist try and talk you into getting a more expensive tattoo design if all you want is something small and simple.

Pushy sales and unfriendly salesmen are common pitfalls with most businesses.  Tattoo parlors should always be friendly and open to what you want.  Although the more experienced tattoo artists will offer their opinions, they shouldn’t try to push you around.  If a tattoo artists thinks there will be a problem with your design or if he thinks he can do anything to improve it, he will more than likely let you know.   If he is able to save you some money, the higher quality tattoo artists won’t think twice about doing so.

Before you decide on a tattoo parlor to do your tattoo, you should always compare what’s available to you and weigh out your options.  The higher quality tattoo parlors will cost quite a bit of money, more than the other parlors.  This is to be expected, as the higher quality studios cost more to pay their artists and keep their parlor nice and clean.  These parlors are among the best in the world, with sparkling floors and a clean interior.  The tattoo artists here ensure that their rooms are clean, with most wiping down their equipment and materials every chance they get.  

The ideal way to find tattoo parlors in your area or close by is to use the Internet and search or just open a local phone book.  If you look for the keyword tattoos, you’ll find several that are relatively close to you.  Once you have found some addresses, simply drive out there and take a look around.  If you like what you see, you can always come back.  You shouldn’t rush your decision – but instead look at what each tattoo parlor has to offer you.

Celtic Tattoos

Celtic history goes back thousands and thousands of years.  Early Celtic people were well known for their skills in artwork of jewelry, metal, and even weapons. They were warriors as well, regarded as fierce fighters by the Romans.  Throughout Ireland, there are many examples and evidence of Celtic artwork and Celtic crosses.

Over the years, modern Celtics evolved and established symbols for themselves along the way. Throughout North America, Celtic people often wear these symbols to let others know that they are a Celtic descent.  The symbols and knowledge have been passed down through the years, as there is little no written history.  Tattooing however, keeps the Celtic tradition alive with the infamous Celtic cross and other popular Celtic designs.

Most Celtic tattoo designs come from Ireland, where the evidence of Celtic history is very strong indeed.  The Trinity College found in Dublin, Ireland, contains many manuscripts that document the Celtic heritage and symbols.  The height of Celtic tattooing however, occurred during the era when stone and metal work was really popular.

Celtic knot tattoos are some of the most popular and most common designs, featuring loops with no end that symbolize a never ending cycle of dying and rebirth.  There are also Celtic animal tattoo designs as well, which are similar in design to the knot tattoos, although the cords in the design normally terminate in heads, tails, and feet.  The pure knot tattoo designs are normally never ending, unless an individual adds an end to symbolize a spiral.

The meaning behind the knots in Celtic tattoos defies any type of literal translation and is found at a much deeper level.  The interlacing of the knots expresses the repeated crossing of both physical and spiritual elements.  The strands and their never ending path is a popular design for Celtic tattoos, representing life, faith, and love.  For many years, Celtics have used these designs for emotional as well as heritage purposes.

Those who are from a Celtic descent, Irish, Scots, or Welsh, normally find a Celtic tattoo to be a great way to express their heritage pride.  These tattoos help to reestablish pride, and give tribute to one’s ancestors.  The tattoos aren’t easy to do, most taking several hours.  Unlike other tattoo designs, Celtic tattoos are among the hardest designs in the world.

If you are from a Celtic descent and have decided to get a Celtic tattoo, the first thing to do is find an artist capable of doing the tattoo.  The designs are very difficult and not all tattoo artists can do them.  It’s always best to find a tattoo artist who has a background in Celtic designs, as this will ensure the tattoo is done correctly.  The artist who does the tattoo needs to have an eye for detail and exact line placement – which is a skill that not all tattoo artists possess.

Caring For A New Tattoo

When you finally decide to get a tattoo, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a reputable tattoo artist.  Most tattoo artists have several designs that you can pick from.  If you don’t find anything you like, you can always ask him to make a custom tattoo.  You should always be careful in what you choose, as you’ll have the tattoo for the rest of your life.  The design is very important, although not nearly as important as taking care of it.

Good tattoo artists will also clean and apply antiseptic ointment to your tattoo as they create it.  Expert artists know that this helps keep the tattoo healthy.  Once the tattoo is finished, the artists will wipe it down, clean it off good, and apply another coat of antiseptic ointment.  Once the ointment has been applied, he will put a piece of soft tissue or cellophane over the tattoo.

Once the tattoo is finished, the artists should tell you how to take care of your new tattoo.  Some of the better artists will talk to you and give you a detailed sheet with all of the information you need.  If you went to a tattoo artist who didn’t explain this to you, you may be wondering just what you should do.  Taking care of a tattoo isn’t hard – as long as you know what you can and can’t do.

When you first get home with your new tattoo, you should never hop right in the shower.  You should keep it dry for the first few days, but also clean it every few hours.  Before you touch the tattoo or clean it, you should always make sure that your hands are clean.  If you keep your hands clean, you won’t have to worry about an infection.  

You’ll also want to visit your local drugstore and purchase a tube of A&D ointment.  A&D ointment is the best to use.  A&D will keep your tattoo clean and shiny and should be used for the first few days. Once the ointment starts to dry on the tattoo, you should wipe the old application off and apply some more.  Don’t rub it too hard, or you could damage the healing process.  For the first few days, you should avoid using soap as well.

After 5 – 6 days, you can quit using the ointment.  A&D ointment will keep your tattoo healthy, which you’ll notice the first time you apply it.  After you stop using it, you should use an unscented body lotion.  You want to avoid body lotions that have scents, as they can easily irritate the tender skin that resides under your tattoo.

After you have used the lotion for a few days, you can stop using it.  Most tattoos, after they have healed, tend to leave a scab in some areas.  If your tattoo has a scab, you should be careful when you try to pick it.  If you aren’t careful, you could end up damaging your design.  The best thing to do is you have a scab is to leave it alone.  You can put A&D ointment on it if you want, as most of the time a scab will itch.

A tattoo can be a great thing to have providing you take care of it. Tattoos will stay with your for the rest of your life, unless you choose to get them surgically removed.  Taking care of your tattoo now will keep it healthy and infection free in the long run.  If you follow the above advice on how to take care of your tattoo – you won’t have anything to worry about.

Application Techniques Of Tattoos

Tattoos are more common these days than they have ever been in the past.  As we all know, tattoos are decorative markings in the skin, such as symbols, signs, and letters that are applied by puncturing the outer layer of the skin and injecting color.  Tattoo guns are the best instrument to use, as they move extremely fast and are sharp enough to easily puncture the skin.

There are several types of tattoo guns available, many of which use a very sharp needle.  There are guns out there that use more than needle, although they aren’t ideal for tattoos that require strict lines or designing.  Single needle tattoo guns are the best for tattoo applications, although the needles need to be changed out after each tattoo.  Tattoo needles can be very dangerous if they aren’t disposed of - possibly leading to serious infection if they are used over and over again without being disinfected or disposed of.

There are also tattoos out there known as “jailhouse tattoos”.  These types of tattoos are normally found in jails and prisons, using homemade material for tattoo guns.  Normally, tattoo artists in jails and prisons will make their own guns, using batteries and needles for ordinary ink pens.  These tattoos aren’t very safe, and normally lead to infection.  The skin is punctured to inject the ink, although with jailhouse tattoo guns the needle will literally pull and jerk at the skin, ripping it and normally going very deep with the ink.

If the skin is jerked or ripped, it can result in the tattoo looking horrible.  In most cases, if the ink goes too deep into the skin, it can lead to an infection.  Deep ink also looks terrible as well, especially if it penetrates the third layer of skin.  For that very reason, jailhouse tattoo applications aren’t recommended and should be avoided at all costs.

With any tattoo, color is very important.  Black and white are the most commonly used colors, although there are other colors used as well.  Tattoos need to have an equal balance of color, along with the right shape.  If the shapes used in your design follow the contours of your body, the tattoo will look even more impressive.  Therefore, you should always have your tattoo applied by someone with a lot of experience.

From a technical standpoint, tattoos involve micro pigment implantation, as they are a form of body modification.  Tattoos are a design in ink, normally symbolic or decorative, permanently placed under your skin.  Tattoos have been around for hundreds of years, although tattoos in the past used everyday needles and ink - with a very high risk of infection. Although they are very common and very popular, tattoos always have risks.  No matter what type of application method is involved, there will always be a risk of infection.

Today, electronic tattoo machines are the most common methods of tattooing.  With electronic tattoo guns, the ink is injected into the skin by a group of needles that are attached to a bar.  The electronic gun moves very fast, going in and out of the skin hundreds of thousand of times per minute.  If an experienced tattoo artist uses the gun, the results can be amazing.  Experienced tattoo artists are always the way to go, as they have the experience to give you the results you want.  With the right tattoo artist and the right application technique - you should have a tattoo that you can be proud of.