Choosing a Tattoo Design
There are more designs, more styles, more studios, more artists -- more choices than ever before! A virtual buffet of tempting tattoo possibilities! So, where do you start? How about at the beginning...
First, why do you want a tattoo?
Seems like a pretty basic question. Do you have a good answer?
Tattoos are art.
So are posters, paintings and prints. If your interests or tastes happen to change, those pieces of art can be taken off your walls. Art that’s “in your skin” is a lifetime commitment and well worth careful consideration before becoming a “tattoo art” collector.
Everybody is getting one.
It may be true that a lot of people you know have tattoos, but if most of your friends have a cold would you want one too? Peer influence or pressure can be powerful, but it is a poor reason to get tattooed. Getting a tattoo should be a personal decision, not a peer reaction.
Well, if I change my mind, I can always get it removed.
The time to change your mind is before you get tattooed, not after. Laser therapy is the only method that offers generally satisfactory results and minimal scarring. It is extremely painful and very, very expensive. A $100 tattoo “mistake” can cost several thousand dollars to correct -- and not all inks respond well to laser treatments.
I’ve always wanted one.
Okay, you’ve wanted a tattoo for a long time now. If that’s really true, it means you have thought a lot about it and have carefully considered the rewards and risks, the commitment and consequences, of your decision. You also probably have a pretty good idea of exactly what you want.
Just as the decision to get a tattoo must be a personal choice, the design you choose must also be a personal choice. Make certain it is what you want and not what someone else wants you to get -- friends, siblings, or even the tattooist you’ve chosen to work with. (Professional tattooists will point out legitimate concerns or considerations you should be aware of regarding your design choice or its placement, but they will also respect that it is ultimately your decision.) Your tattoo will be with you for the rest of your life. It needs to be a design you’ll love tomorrow just as much as you love it today.
Don’t base your choice of a design on “price” -- meaning how much it will cost to have it actually tattooed. While cost may be a consideration, it should never be the deciding factor in choosing something that will literally last a lifetime. Get the design you really want, even if you have to save up for it.
Finding your “Just Right” tattoo design...
Finding your “just right” design can be a rewarding adventure. It can also seem pretty overwhelming. The choices are almost limitless. That’s why Cherry Creek is such a great resource and a convenient tool for you to use in the search for your “just right” design. At Cherry Creek, you will find one of the internet’s largest collections of fine tattoo art -- right at your fingertips! Our searchable on-line gallery of professional tattoo designs offer you some of the best art, by the best artists, from around the world -- and all in the privacy of your home.
Searching the Cherry Creek collection is quick and easy. Designs that catch your eye can be placed in your personal Gallery of Favorites. You can add to, or delete, designs at any time. You can even “save” your personal gallery results and return at another time or another day to continue. We’re always adding new art!
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...with a clean and accurate Line Art Stencil
Every tattoo design has a matching “line art stencil”. It is an exact copy of the tattoo design, but without any color or shading -- just the black line work that makes up the design. As the name suggests, this is the “line art” your tattooist will use to produce an accurate “stencil” of your design which will be transferred directly to your skin prior to beginning the tattoo process.
Once you’ve found your perfect design, go through Checkout and you will be able to download your choice directly to your computer. You will receive both a “line art stencil” of your design (the outline of your design that your tattooist will use to create a transfer stencil) and a “color reference copy” of your design (the color and shading reference referred to by your tattooist in the actual tattoo process). You will need to take both of your tattoo design printouts to the studio/tattooist you’ve decided to trust with doing your tattoo. (see Choosing a Studio/Tattooist for more info) If you have decided you want your design a little larger or a little smaller, be sure to print out both the “color reference copy” and the “line art stencil” of your design at the correct size you want it.