What To Expect During Your Tattoo Session: A Step-by-Step Guide
You are finally standing outside your tattoo studio, excited and a little nervous. You have read our blog post on How To Prepare For A Tattoo so you feel confident and ready! You are prepared! But then, you realise you don’t know whether the artist has done their preparation…in fact…you don’t even know what they need to prepare. Panic ensues and your mind is flooded with thoughts….is this place safe? Is it sanitary? What will they do and is it part of the process?
Well, luckily you can grab your smartphone and read our What To Expect During Your Tattoo Session blog.
1. WELCOME…SIGN HERE
When you arrive at the studio, you will be greeted by either a receptionist or your tattoo artist. They will walk you through the process and the day ahead. You will need to sign a consent form, so please ensure you read and understand the conditions set out by the studio. Additionally, include any medical conditions or medications on the form.
Then, you will need to provide a valid form of ID - either driving licence or passport - as the minimum age of consent in the United Kingdom for tattoos is 18 years old. Sometimes, we get asked if you can get a tattoo under the age of 18 with parents consent, but that is against the law and parents cannot give children permission for tattoos.
2. DESIGN REVIEW
Prior to your tattoo appointment, you should have had a consultation with your tattoo artist regarding the design. You would have provided them with a description and potentially some reference images to explain what you want. On the day of your appointment, your tattoo artist would have created a design based on your wishes and you will be able to review it.
This is your opportunity to check whether you are happy with the design and request any changes you may want to make. Be mindful of any changes you make, as you may be using your tattooing time with the artist and if you end up making too many alterations, your artist may charge you extra for their time.
3. PLACEMENT AND PRINTING
Once you and your artist are happy with the final design, it is time to decide on the placement of the tattoo and the rough size. The tattoo artist will advice you on the best placement for your design and they will be able to print out the tattoo stencil in multiple sizes if you are not too sure on how big or small you may want your tattoo to be.
4. SETUP
Your artist may have already prepared their tattooing table with all their equipment prior to your arrival or they may prepare while you are in the studio. The tattoo station will be set up with sterilised equipment, and your artist will use a new needle and fresh ink for your session. In Devlin Ink Studio, we pour the fresh ink into the caps as well as remove the needle from the packaging right in front of you, so you can be certain that the equipment we use is sterile, clean and fresh.
Your artist should also be wearing gloves throughout the whole process, they should not be wearing long sleeve tops, their hair should be tied back if it is long and any equipment around them should be clean.
5. CLEAN, SHAVE, STICK
Now that you have decided on your design and your artists’ station is all setup and prepared, it is time to print and apply your stencil. Your artist will print the design within your preferred size, and measure it against your skin to confirm you are happy with the size and placement.
Then, your artist will clean your skin using specific tattoo soap mixed with distilled water and shave any excess hairs/dead-skin to create a clean, smooth and fresh surface. Once your skin is prepared, the artist will apply stencil cream onto your skin to help the stencil design stick to you. You will be able to see roughly the size and the design in the mirror to ensure you are 100% with the whole tattoo.
6. DRYING TIME
Your artist may ask you to relax for a while in order to allow the stencil to dry on your skin. Usually, depending on the size of the design, you may have to wait between 10-25 minutes.
7. TATTOOING TIME
Now that your stencil is dry, your tattoo artist will prepare their machine, apply a thin layer of Vaseline to your skin and begin tattoo. Your tattooing session may last from as little as 10 minutes to as much as 8 hours depending on the design and the previous agreement with the artist. You should be aware that if you are in the studio for a long time such as 6-8 hours, then the artist will take regular breaks where you are able to grab some food or drink.
During this time, you should try to relax as much as possible by listening to music, watching TV (available in Devlin Ink), reading or doing anything to help relax you while getting tattooed.
8. FINISHING
When the tattoo is finished, your artist will clean it with the tattooing soap as well as distilled water. They may ask to take pictures of the finished tattoo so be prepared to pose like the next Victoria Secret model.
9. WRAPPING UP & AFTERCARE
Once your photoshoot is over, your artist will apply a thin layer of tattoo moisturiser ( we use Ink Doctor!) and wrap the fresh tattoo with either clingfilm or second skin. They will advise you on how long you should keep this wrap on for and what you should do when you take it off.
Following this, your artist will give you detailed aftercare instructions to follow. These are crucial for proper healing and maintaining the quality of your tattoo.
Standard aftercare includes:
• Keeping the area clean and dry.
• Avoiding direct sunlight and soaking in water (like pools or baths).
• Using a recommended tattoo aftercare cream to keep the area
If you ever forget the aftercare advice provided by your artist, check out our blog where we discuss in detail how to take care of your new tattoo.
10. ASK, PAY, GOODBYE
Now you’re done. It is finally over. This is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have to the artist - don’t be shy we rather you ask us than go home feeling uncertain. Once you’ve asked all the questions that were tormenting your mind, you will have to pay for your tattoo session which will vary depending on what you have agreed with your artist.
If you’re ready to book your next tattoo session, contact us using the details below or visit our studio in Colchester town centre. Let’s bring your vision to life!