Some frequently asked tattoo questions answered

This blog started life as a tattoo blog as it's one of my true passions in life but tattoos have had ro take a bit of a back burner in recent months due to falling pregnant with Henry.
However I still get asked lots of questions about tattoos which of course I'm always happy to answer.

As I haven't talked about tattoos for a while I thought I'd do a little Q&A from questions asked in person over the last few months and some from Twitter and put them together here for you.

TATTOOS: How I prepare for a tattoo session

So after many many tattoos in my seven year history of collecting, I've  learnt a few tricks of the trade when it comes to sitting through some of the longer, tougher sessions. 

I'm  pretty much a complete wuss when it comes to tattoos. My pain threshold is pretty minimal. I mean indigestion has me in tears... I am a huge cry baby. 

Anyway, in my time I have successfully sat for a number of tattoos lasting longer than three hours. In fact, I'm  currently writing this post whilst sitting through a three hour tattoo. My longest tattoo session was six hours. I'm  not going to lie to you.. it was f**king tough, and really hard work. I've  also cried during two tattoos (I did keep going) and have come close a number of times to just stopping midway through  a session (but I persevered through to the end!), so I do know what many of you will be thinking  and going through.

TATTOOS: Healing with Palmers Cocoa Butter

From my many years (OK seven) of getting tattooed I have been through the healing many, many times. From this post you can see I have a tried and tested process for healing my tattoos.
However, I'm  also quite happy  to try new techniques if advised by a knowledgeable person i.e. a tattooist. 

After my recent tattoo at Brighton Tattoo Convention, Jenna Kerr recommended using Palmer's Cocoa Butter (fragrance free) to heal colour tattoos. I decided to give it a try, and I'm really pleased I did.

Normally I  would go with the highly recommended Bepanthen and cling film combo, which does give the desired  outcome, but there were some big differences between Bepanthen and Palmers Cocoa Butter.

TATTOOS: Keeping your tattoo safe in the sun

After a couple of weekends of beautiful sunshine down on the coast in Hampshire, I got inspired to write about how to look after and protect your pretty ink from the sun.

As a pale girl who starts to resemble a lobster if left in the sun too long, I'm big on sun screen. Personally I usually start at 30SPF, especially at the start of the summer, or the start of a holiday, as my skin just can't take the heat. Or I cover up on my trouble areas - mostly my shoulders.

It's so important to protect your tattoos with sun screen to stop them burning. This could lead to peeling,  which could affect the overall colour of your tattoo. You know how the sun bleaches fabric left in the sun for a few days,  well, it will do the same to your skin, and fade the colour.

However, DO NOT use sun block on a fresh tattoo. Follow the after-care instructions given to you by your tattooist. Keep your new ink covered and shaded. You can use sun screen after the peeling stage, once you have that new layer of healed skin. And remember, a tattoo is classed as fully healed about three months after your tattoo. So don't take the risk in those three months especially.

Long term, well, the sun isn't fab for your skin if you're a sun worshipper. You know that leathery brown skin you see on the beach. Well picture that with dark blurred drawings on too! Not good. Now of course, its a fact of life that your tattoo isn't going to look as amazing as it did on the first day compared to 20, 30 or 40 years down the line.  But you can make it last so much longer with a little love and care.

Stay hydrated.  Dry skin isn't going to bode well in the sun. 

And remember, your tattoo is your investment. Treat it as such. It doesn't take a huge amount of effort to look after your tattoos in the sun, and it will be worth it to keep that vibrant look for years to come.   

TATTOOS: Should you let an apprentice ink you?

So we know the reasons not to visit a scratcher, but you don't have to find a tattooist with 10 years experience to get an amazing tattoo.

All tattooists have to start somewhere. Yes many in the industry probably did start in their kitchens,  because if they are old school enough, it was the only way in. 

However these days, the best way in is through an apprenticeship.

Thankfully with the help of Instagram, these lesser known individuals are to grow their own customer base and fans. And their talent is really something to watch out for.

Some of my favourite tattoos have been done by apprentices, or artists who have just finished apprenticeships. Saranna was an apprentice when I met her and she did this butterfly on me. And I was so happy with her work, she is currently working on my left lower arm sleeve.

Apprentices tend to charge slightly lower rates,  and will spend more time with you whilst they refine their technique, learn new skills and increase their speed and confidence.  None of this takes away from their natural talent. It can take several sessions to complete your tattoo, where normally it wouldn't/ For instance, my butterfly took two sessions totally around 3.5 hours, but Saranna was very new to tattooing - and I'm still over the moon with how bright and beautiful it still looks. 

Many apprentices start out by selling prints to get their name and art out there. Followed by flash sheets and some willing volunteers. If you're happy to sit a little longer, to get a real bargain, it can be a fabulous way to add to your tattoo collection from a budding tattooist. It can take over a year to complete an apprenticeship as a tattooist, so there's a lot of development (some would argue that you never stop learning or developing, but that's a philosophical discussion for another time).

My advice: keep an eye out for new talent,  based in a studio, with other talent. Any apprentice will be being mentored by someone,  so a good teacher will create a good student. 

Remember,  everyone has to start at the bottom.

Have you or would you get inked by an apprentice? 

Who are your current favourite apprentices?

TATTOOS: Why you should never visit a scratcher?

It's a subject that causes huge debate within the tattoo industry and makes the news on a near monthly basis. The debate of the scratcher.

A scratcher according to Urban Dictionary is:

"An untalented tattoo artist. A tattoo artist who scratches up your skin rather than applying a clean smooth looking tattoo."

TATTOOS: First Tattoo: Tips on breaking your tattoo cherry.

So as you may have seen I've been on a tattoo collecting mission over the past few days so I thought I'd share my tips and advice on getting that first tattoo.

Since the age of 18 I have had my fair share of tattoo studio encounters, and although the rules will vary from studio to studio, and you should always discuss any concerns with them specifically,  this guide should see you through your first tattoo, and ease a little of the nervousness, keeping you prepared and happy.

My first tattoo was on my 18th birthday at a local studio, Woody's Tattoo Studio in High Wycombe, Bucks. I had a swirly black 'R' on my ankle that I designed myself. I literally walked in, booked an appointment for later that day, and had it done. The studio sang Happy Birthday to me as well. To be honest, it was a fabulous start to my tattoo journey. 

TATTOOS: Tips on swollen legs and feet after a tattoo

As you may know I recently got a large lower leg tattoo. Unsurprisingly it swelled a touch the day after. Then it swelled a but more and spread into my foot. Needless to say, I was a little disconcerted, so I of course 'googled' it. This is where I hit a wall. There is loads of information on how to reduce swelling in your feet and ankles if you are pregnant.  Or if you have a sprained ankle. But not a lot specific to tattoos to placate my nervous mind, until I found this forum. 

So I thought I would post my findings, so I can share some knowledge on how to deal with swelling in the feet and ankles after a lower leg tattoo. 

This might not happen to you at all. I have a small tattoo on my ankle from my 18th birthday. (Yes I got inked on my birthday and the studio sang to me too!) And from memory, it didn't swell much at all and I do not remember being in any particular discomfort during the healing. However, it was relatively small.  Especially compared to my newest piece, which covers 90% of my outer calf.