Most of us wanted them at one point, their unique designs, the meaning behind each artistic detail, and words that have meaning attracts all kind of people. Usually we all have different perspectives on them and many people get tattoos or want tattoos for different reasons. Among the most common two are, tattoos are more than just permanent ink, they are artistic expressions that show each individual. On the other hand, some people misinterpret those who have them, they see them as gang symbols, and a means for kids to show their rebelliousness.
Kat Von D, a well known tattoo artist, recently wrote a book, High Voltage which was all about tattoos, her personal ones, and her experiences. Now she is opening her own tattoo shop in L.A called High Voltage Tattoo. As you may have known her from the TV shows Miami and L.A ink, she does amazing work and is favored by many.
Recently, she was on the show Rachel Ray, this episode was about parents not letting their kids get tattoos. Three sisters ages 16 to 21 wanted to get approval from their parents but they viewed it as a permanent decision and not a good choice. The girls wanted Kat Von D’s help on persuading their parents to consider getting it done. Kat explains that the first step is to decide if it is truly the right thing for you.
“We are constantly trying to talk people out of getting tattoos sometimes because they really rush into it or are doing it for the wrong reasons. It’s something that people notice right off the bat so you’ve got to make sure that you’re stable with your career and stuff.”
The next step is making sure you find the right tattoo artist, and not a random shop that you and your friends will find. Kat suggests that you shop around for the artist and can not stress the importance of this enough. “I think a lot of people make the common mistake of just going to any random tattoo shop,” she says. “You really have to seek out your artist because there’s a lot of great talent out there but they might not get your idea or your vision.”
And when it comes to tattoo placement, Kat has some very picky thoughts on this one.
“You don’t want to just stick stuff on like stickers. Once you have one, be extra careful to use sun block. The sun is like the worst enemy for your tattoo. It will fade your tattoo double time as much as would if you just put sun block on it.”
And if you ultimately regret your tattoo, you can reverse the decision with laser removal, but it’s not an easy fix. “It is just very painful,” Kat says. “The process is long; you have to go repeated amounts of time. It’s not fun.”
Whether your thinking about getting a tattoo or not, they are represented by who you are. This may well be the most unique and personal experience of your life. If you are thinking about getting one and want to know even more about tattoos or ideas, check out Kat Von D’s new book!