Tattoo Artists Share 10 Mistakes People Make When Getting Small Tattoos
Small Tattoos!
The more I look around the more I see people getting tons of small tattoos rather than large pieces. Im not here to tell you the right or wrong way to get tattooed but with the use of the article "Tattoo Artists Share 10 Mistakes People Make When Getting Small Tattoos" the author Alyssa Swantkoski can give you tips on how to avoid some of those classic mistakes. This article has many great points from the color of the ink, to which artists you choose. Ive Linked the full article below, go check it out! Below i've inserted some highlights.
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Some Tattoos Are Simply too Small
Jesse Smith, celebrity tattoo artist, shop owner, and codirector of the Richmond Tattoo, Art & Music Festival, told Insider "one of the biggest mistakes people make when getting small tattoos is getting them too small."
Over time, ink tends to bleed, or expand, which can cause small tattoos to become blurry and lose detail.
"You can expect the lines to double, triple, and sometimes quadruple in width over time, so it's best to keep that in mind when choosing a design," Smith added.
Smith also recommends paying attention to your artist's concerns about size
Placing Small Tattoos in Large Areas of Skin Might Lead to Regret
Smith told Insider you should consider the placement of your small tattoo, as he's seen people put them on large patches of skin and end up wanting to fill up their body with something bigger.
"Throughout my career, I've seen many people start with a super small tattoo, and then, later, they decide that they want something bigger. This typically leads to having to cover up the little tattoo and/or odd placement within the body part," Smith said.
He recommends saving small tattoos for smaller surfaces such as the feet, ankles, and inside of wrists.
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Linework in Yellow or White Might not Last Long
Gianna Caranfa, tattoo artist and owner of Bee Inked Parlor, warns against choosing yellow or white ink for small linework tattoos since "your skin is naturally darker than these pigments" in most cases.
"Since tattoos are in the second layer of skin, the first few days of a tattoo in this pigment will look bright and visible; however, once the first layer grows back over, it will be hidden by your skin tone," she said.
Consider sticking with darker ink colors for the best results on small tattoos.
Not Researching Tattoo Artists in Advance can Lead to Disappointment
Some assume that just any artist can do a small tattoo, but Caranfa told Insider that's not always the case. Not researching your artist might lead to a poor-quality tattoo.
"Usually, when a tattoo artist can take you right away, there is a reason — whether they are still new/an apprentice or lack good work and are not busy," Caranfa said.
Plus doing small tattoos requires a lot of expertise. Someone without proper experience might end up using too-thick lines or creating unsteady, scratchy linework.
"A client should always research and find an artist with clean linework who specializes in smaller, thinner tattoos," Caranfa said.
