I highly suggest picking a local artist who is very professional. I can't stress a professional tattoo artist enough. I have seen people get some shoddy work done by "professionals" and because they got a "sweet deal". I am not saying expensive is better, but in some cases it will be. Tattoos are a work of art....and professional art can be expensive.
I picked my artist because of his popularity here in AZ (especially in our town) and because he displays all of his awards in his work space in the shop for every one to see. He has won numerous in-state and out of state awards at known tattoo conventions. His portfolio that he displays on the front desk space in the shop is simple, clean, and shows off his work. The pictures that he chooses to put in his book are unique and different tattoos that he has done. Tony (my artist) is known for his pin-up girls, traditional style tattoos, and portraits.
Also...my tattoo shop doesn't take walk-ins. If you think about it...you shouldn't be able to walk into a professional shop and get whatever you want. Personally, a real professional will have a meeting period with you to plan out you're tattoo, ask you to make you're appointment (which is usually 2+ weeks booked out), and ask you to pay a $40 or so non-refundable deposit for you're appointment (which that money goes towards the cost of you're tattoo if you show up for you're appt). During this time, the artist will call you and ask you to come in before you're appointment to check out the work he has drawn up. He can then make adjustments based on what you liked and didn't like.
If you bring in a picture of a tattoo that you want....a professional artist will ALWAYS draw up you're idea and make minor adjustments to make it his own piece of work. I'd be leary of any shop that will tattoo up the exact picture that you printed offline. Also....if I, personally, walked into a shop that had panels of "wall art" for you to chose from to be tattooed on you're body (that 8943958783 people may also have on their body)....I'd walk right out and cross them off on my list of potentional shops that I'd like to be tattooed at.
Oh, and the reason I say a local artist (within driving distance) is because what if you're skin reacts to the ink and some ink gets pulled out and you have a skin colored blotch where a colored area should be? This can happen during the healing process. When this happens, you're tattoo artist will do touch-ups for free...but if you are many miles away, then they obviously won't be able to do touch ups. At this point, you may have to pay another shop that is local to do the touch ups....if they can determine what color ink was used.
Many professional shops will charge $100 per hour. Most shops will also charge by piece of work. For instance....if you're tattoo is going to take 2 sessions at 3 hours each session with a month inbetween....realistically, if they charge $100 per hour...you should get charged $600...but some will "discount" and just charge you $400....but you should then expect to at least tip $50-$60 per session.
My tattoo, for instance....took 4 sessions...over a year's span of time. I sat in the chair for anywhere from 4 hours to 8 hours....I should have been charged around $1500 if my artist was basing off of hourly pay....but I was only charged $1000 including about $300 worth of tips...due to doing a whole huge piece of art. He even did my middle chest piece for free...since it was his idea and he thought it would look really cool in the center of my chest.
Here is the picture that I took into my artist. I wanted something like this on my chest with roses around it. This original design is from a necklace that I found on etsy.com...
Here is the outline (healed, took this picture before I went in for color). I did one side in 1 session and the other side in another session....
Partial color done in another session. I told Tony I wanted purple/lavender roses and he took over the rest of the colors to make it is one. Keep in mind, that I had full trust in him because I knew he was a professional and would do a good job....
Finished chest piece done in another session. I showed Tony a picture of a Champagne D' Argent rabbit and told him I wanted the side bunnies colored like the C D' A....and he did the coloring to still "match" the traditional style of my tattoo...
And here is the picture that Tony used to "free style" draw Morgan...
I think Tony really captured Morgan's eyes and his expressions. This was Tony's very first rabbit tattoo! When I think of Morgan, I always picture him the way he is picture in the above picture...and I will always remember him like that. It's like Morgan wants to tell a story with his eyes and his expressions....but I can't speak rabbit, so I don't know what he wants to tell me. I am so happy that the "story of Morgan" could be capture and tattooed perfectly on my chest.
My next tattoos from Tony will be a portrait of my Zaide kitty, who passed away on October 1st of last year. I am also wanted a rat portrait of my 3 year old heart rat, Spartan. I have full trust that Tony can yet again capture (with me taking the right picture) their stories and zest for life in his tattoos.
So....it really pays off to go the extra route researching a good artist and possibly paying extra money to work that you are happy with.
