A Guide to getting custom tattoos: How you can help your artist get you what you want!
Many people now are looking for custom tattooing! That’s a great thing, in western culture tattoos are an expression of individualism after all. The problem is not many people know how to go about getting what they want, or how to explain what they are looking for well enough for a tattooist to do their best. This is a guide for you, so you can find and provide your artist with what they need to create the tattoo you are looking for!
There are lots of factors involved in getting custom tattooing right. I could write pages and pages on the whats and hows and just confuse you. So for simplicities sake I have broken it down into three main steps.
The three Main things you need to have an idea of are : What? Where? and How much?

What?
Seems fairly straight forward, but I couldn’t count the amount of times people have asked for “ something different?” or “ anything you think!” with a blank expression.
The Best best way to find what you want, as with all things, is to look. Come into the studio, look through our designs, tattoo magazines, and art books. Remember you are not limited to what we have in the studio. You can bring us images from any source. You can bring us sketches you have done. Don’t worry if you feel you can’t draw, that's our job. All we are looking for is the idea. A great tool for hunting down images is the internet.. on our links page is a list of good reference sites for tattoos and art. Some site you will have to pay for the images but it’s on you forever, so it will be worth it!
A great internet source is google: images Just type a description of what you are looking for and it should provide you with plenty of images to choose from. ( tip: try looking for your image with and without the word tattoo in the description.)
Also it is important to remember, at this time you are only looking for the Ideas. Basic images and styles of tattoos you like, NOT your finished tattoo. You might like the shape of a dragons head, or the colour of a butterflies wings. it’s just reference material for your artist, to show them what you like.
When possible bring hard copes of the images, on a memory stick, or you can e-mail them to us. Please don't bring them on your phone as the artist will have to have a copy of the images to work from.
When you have pulled together “what” you should move on to the next step “ where”
 

Where?
This not only covers where on the body you want tattooed, But also where you go to get it!
First Placement:
Give a thought to the area of you body you want your Tattoo to adorn! A well done Tattoo, badly placed, will always look wrong... So take your time to decide where, and as always, listen to your artist...
Here are some TEMPLATES to help you.
You can use them to sketch on and give your artist a basic idea of the area you want to cover. The grayed out areas on the templates are areas we recommend you try and stay clear of. Certain parts of the body don't take ink well and others you just should NOT get tattooed. The grayed out areas on the templates are a good guide for theses areas.
Second Where you go to get it?
Where you go to get Tattooed is as important as what you get. NOT all Tattooist are the same! They all have there strengths and there weaknesses. The best way to get the artist you need for the job is research. Always see the work, see as much of it as you can. The work can't lie. Ask for a portfolio or better yet see the work in the flesh.
As with all things in Tattooing take your time, and remember you may need to travel to get the Tattoo Artist that can do what you want properly. Here at the Comedian Tattoo we have artists that specialize in many different styles of Tattooing. We try to accommodate most of your Tattooing needs, but if we can help source an artist for you, we will.
Now you have worked out, What and where now on to how much?

How Much? The last of the three!
TATTOOS COST!
They not only cost in money...........they cost in time! Try to give your artist a rough idea of what you are willing to spend on your tattoo, both in time and money!
Most studios charge on an hourly basis. Roughly any where between £30 -£100 per hour. But prices can be very subjective ( some tattooist will charge less for work they enjoy! ).
But please be REALISTIC.....!
For larger work.. back pieces, full sleeves, etc. Try and have an idea of a monthly budget, in both time and money, so you can get what you want.
Remember : Some work can take a LONG time to complete!
Time is one of the most important factors in getting good tattoos.... The more time you spend researching the images and styles. Looking for the right artist to do it, and giving the artist enough time complete it!
The better your tattoo will be!