2020 was a year of watching your friends try out new things while stuck indoors--from sourdough starters to Turkish whipped coffee, social media was flooded with dozens of multigrain loaves and over-sugared coffee. COVID-19 encouraged people to put themselves out there to try something new in order to stave off the boredom of isolation.

So now, in 2021, what’s going to be your next “thing”? If you were thinking of getting a tattoo now that you’re working from home (and HR can’t see you’ve been wearing the same pants for three days): well, that’s certainly bold. But unlike a deflated sourdough or a tangled knitting project, this is one pandemic-inspired decision that you shouldn’t jump in to blindly.

Before you make a very permanent decision, here are the Do’s and Don’ts of getting a tattoo: 

DON’T go to the first tattoo studio closest you where you live. 

Okay: so you're getting a tattoo! Eager to start, you Google "tattoo studios," and click on the very first tattoo studio you see on a street you recognize. Who knew that getting a tattoo was that simple? 

It isn't. 

Not all tattoo studios are created equal. Your local studio might be totally fine, or you might walk out with a design that looks like it was drawn by a jittery 5-year old on your bicep.

Or, your local studio could staffed by very competent artists...who all specialize in traditional-style tattoos, and won't do as great a job with your request for a realistic tattoo of your late and beloved dog.

To start off on the best possible foot when getting your first tattoo:

DO check out a tattoo studio's account on Instagram to find the perfect artist for the style you want. 

Every tattoo artist who wants their work to be discovered will have their portfolio on Instagram, or linked to their website. It's going to take a lot of work, but before taking off to the tattoo studio down the street, make sure to check out their website and social media first. There, you can get a good idea for the quality of the artists' work and what style they specialize in. 

There are many different styles that artists prefer to tattoo. Your portrait of dearly departed Rover will look totally different depending on the style an artist tattoos in, so take your time to look at many different artists and studios before landing on the one you'll visit.

After selecting your artist and studio, it's time to reach out to them to set up your very first tattoo appointment. 

DON’T steal another tattoo artist’s artwork. 

Now that you settled on the perfect artist for your tattoo, you screenshot a few tattoos that look like what you want. You collect the images mostly from Pinterest and Instagram, making sure to crop out any usernames or distracting text. 

You can't wait to show your artist the photos and say, "Make it look exactly like this!" 

They'll surely thank you for making their job that much easier, right?

Wrong:

DO look through your artist’s work and come in with ideas, or even a rough sketch, of what you want.

It can be easy to forget that tattoo artists are, well, artists. They're held to, and hold each other, to the same standards of integrity as any writer or painter. That means that copying another artist's design or flair is not looked upon kindly. A tattoo artist worth their salt will not be keen on copying another's work out of respect for themselves, the other artist's efforts, and the medium. 

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Instead of screenshotting a bunch of pictures of another artist's work, carefully work out what exactly you want. There's no such thing as being too precise. Even if you're no Picasso, a simple drawing of what you want your tattoo to look like can help your artist bring your idea to life. No matter what, your artist will first sketch out the design on paper before finalizing the image with you. 

DON’T cheap out on getting a tattoo.

Frugal does not equal smart when it comes to choosing your studio. If you shop for a cheap artist, you're going to get a cheap-looking tattoo. Avoid, too, the temptation of "Friday the 13th" Halloween tattoo specials. They're pre-selected, usually done quickly, and rarely look good--and it can get worse.

An inexperienced artist offering low prices for their work might tattoo your skin too deep, or even tattoo you under unsanitary conditions. You could walk out of your appointment with a gnarly infection, and trust me: the results are far from pretty. 

If price is a potential issue or deciding factor:

DO schedule a consultation with your artist. Most of the time, the size and intricacy of your tattoo will affect the price.

By scheduling some time (usually an hour or less) to talk with your artist, you can show them the tattoo you want to get, what colors to use, where you want it on your body, and how big you want your design. Not only can your artist give you some pointers on placement and tweaks to make your tattoo unique, many price based on how long they think it will take to actually draw the tattoo. 

DON’T show up drunk or late to your tattoo appointment. 

You've attended a consultation with the artist of your choice and are feeling nervous before the big appointment. You decide to quickly take a few shots of liquid courage (or, as it is more commonly known, tequila) to steel your resolve. Except now you can't drive yourself to your appointment, so instead of showing up on time and at your best, you come in half an hour late and more than a little bit wobbly and incoherent. 

Your tattoo artist will take one good look at you and promptly cancel your appointment on the spot. 

Instead:

DO make sure to be mentally prepared and arrive on time to your appointment.

Clear your schedule. Get a good night's rest. Please, please, please shower, and leave your house clean and sober before going to meet your tattoo artist. 

It goes without saying that you should respect your artist's time and schedule. If they're a popular artist, their time is not exactly unlimited. If you flake out, or mess up their next appointment by being late to yours, they might lose out on a client or feel rushed to complete your tattoo. 

As for showing up drunk or under the influence, certain drugs and alcohol can thin out your blood and make it much more difficult to tattoo. You will bleed during your session, but at least you can sort of control how much you bleed by abstaining from alcohol. Your courage will have to come from within, and not the bottle. 

DON’T neglect the tattoo aftercare your artist recommends! 

You've done it! You sat in the chair, gritted your teeth, and Rover's happy face and wagging tail now adorns your shoulder forevermore. You think your artist says something to you on your way out of the studio, but you're so overwhelmed with excitement that you ignore them. 

That night, you make plans to show off your tattoo to your friends by proposing a beach trip. You spend all day swimming in the ocean and tanning in the sun. A week later, after your sunburn has peeled, you notice that the once crisp and clear lines of your tattoo look muddled and faded.

How could this happen?

This situation could've been avoided:

DO wear sunscreen and maintain contact with your artist if something doesn’t look right. 

Let's rewind our hypothetical disaster to where it all went wrong: ignoring the critical aftercare instructions your artist gave you. 

A new tattoo is essentially an open wound on your skin. As such, your artist will wrap your fresh ink in plastic or similar to protect it from debris, moisture, and infection. They will advise against getting the tattoo wet in the shower or exposed to the sun. This means that you'll need to diligently apply sunscreen and moisturizer to keep your tattoo looking as good as the day you got it. 

If you follow all of the instructions and something still doesn't feel right in your healing process, don't hesitate to reach out to your artist to take a closer look at your tattoo and advise you from there.

DON’T get a tattoo if you don’t want one!

Your decision to get a tattoo should be entirely yours and yours alone. Don't get peer pressured by friends who are drunk on a night out, or act on a fanciful whim. Take the time to sit on your idea for at least a month before making the call to get inked. 

To help you come to terms with your choice:

DO be completely sure that you want something permanently on your body. 

This one is pretty simple. Wear a flashy bracelet or ring for a month. If you hate looking at it every day, you might not be ready to commit to something as permanent and eye-catching as a tattoo. Whatever it is you do, before you step in to a tattoo studio: make sure you really, really want to be there.