Thinking about getting a tattoo? Here’s the one thing you really need to get right!
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It seems that we Kiwis, really love our tattoos.
Around one-quarter of our adult population have at least one tattoo (the stats show that most people who get a tattoo, go back for at least one more), and that number appears to be growing.
It’s certainly what professional tattoo artist Alex Heart is seeing out there, as her services become increasingly in demand.
She’s noticed what many other tattoo artists are seeing too – that more people are choosing to get a tattoo to commemorate something major in their life, whether that’s the passing of a loved one, marking the end of a serious illness or just generally to process a big life event.
“Yes, I think as tattooing is becoming more popular and the stigma around it drops away, we’re seeing more people dip their toe in tattoos,” she says. “This means smaller, simpler designs that really speak to them. Usually around something they love or are passionate about or family and friends. Tattooing has always been about self-expression and its awesome to see people who may have never thought about getting a tattoo in the past, lean into the idea of wearing what they love on their skin.”
But of course, getting a tattoo isn’t something you’d recommend getting on a whim. While yes, you can get many tattoos laser removed now, it’s a costly (and pretty darn painful) process, it’s obviously better to make sure you’re not going to be left with regrets after getting one.
If you’ve been thinking about one for a long time now, and wondering if now is the time to give it a go… what do you really need to know.
Alex says if there’s one thing you really need to get right, it’s choosing your artist.
“Find an artist you can trust and vibe with,” she says. “The more you feel like you can open up to us and share your vision with us the better the tattoo will be and the greater experience it will be too!”
Beyond that, the thing she’d really implore you to do once you’ve chosen your trusted artist (who has a great track record!) – it’s to lean into that trust, and really listen and consider their advice.
“When it comes to what will work best size, placement and design wise, let there be some room for compromise,” she says. “Good artists always want you to have the best tattoo and we’ll always do the best job we can for you and help steer you in the right direction.”
Alex says tattooing is such an incredible job – often because she quickly gets to build a real, deep relationship with someone in just a short amount of time.
“It’s such an amazing experience to spend a full day with someone working on a large project that really means a lot to them,” she says. “There’s always a sense of connection and team work that goes into these moments together. You very rarely spend 6-8 hours straight with someone, especially not in pain, haha. We definitely form a unique friendship and understanding during larger scale tattoos and it’s a real honour and privilege to be trusted with someone’s journey and feelings surrounding the final piece.”
Alex specialises in pop culture tattoos – something she loves herself – so when people walk in the door, they already have a shared interest.
“We connect over the books, movies, games, anime and shows we love. I have a back-piece I’m working on at the moment for a fire-fighter. We’re representing her love for the fire element and her journey through working in the fire department with a anime style Phoenix girl. This symbolises not only her work and passion but also her journey through life and the rebirth moments we can often find ourselves in during different phases of her life. The tattoo represents her so well as a whole, and we have so much fun working on it. It’s a real honour.”
Alex is one of the artists appearing at the Roots Auckland Tattoo Convention that’s taking place on Saturday March 14 and 15 at The Cloud in Auckland.
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