Sunday, July 22, 2012

Pretty Foot Tattoos

Foot tattoos are not only adorned by women but men too follow this fashion trend. If your work environment frowns upon tattoos, the foot is a great place to get one. Tattoos on the feet are inconspicuous and if you don't wish to share your tattoo with everyone, this is one region that is usually covered. But they can be quite painful as it is a bony region with very little fat content. They can be unisex as well, so if you wish to ink something meaningful or symbolic for your other half, both of you can get one each on the foot. This way, not everyone gets to see it and it remains a sexy secret between the two of you.

But before you decide to get inked on your foot, remember that foot tattoos are particularly painful. Also, foot tattoos require extra precautions when compared to other part of your body. The healing period for a foot tattoo is considerable. You can't cover the part of the foot which has the tattoo or anything that will rub against in constantly like socks or shoes. If you have to go out, the foot should be covered and a sunscreen lotion should be applied on it, with very less exposure to the sun. Utmost care has to be taken to keep your foot clean with regular warm water foot baths. You can't scrub your foot; it has to be patted dry. Also, they tend to fade more easily than tattoos inked on other parts of the body. So you have to keep in mind that re-inking might be required regularly to keep you tattoo constantly looking attractive and a lot of care has to be taken of the tattoo as well as your foot.

But, if you are one of those people who need striking and unique art which is less common than these tattoos is the way to go as very few people get it done and it usually stands out when on display. Also, if you are a private person and don't wish to put your personal body art on display, a tattoo on foot is a good option. Usually they are inked from the upper foot going down, some prefer ankle tattoos as well. One of the common designs that are done on the foot is stars - nautical or plain, a group of small stars starting from the upper corner of the foot till mid foot look really cool. A skeleton of the foot bones looks really cool and not at all macabre. Tribal designs, chains, skulls and flames are some common designs men prefer to ink onto their foot.

Male foot tattoos have become quite common and popular as well. To find out more about male foot tattoos, visit the following men tattoo designs gallery site to know more and get some ideas for unique male foot tattoos. Male foot tattoos are unique but require much care.


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Your First Tattoo: A Look At The Most Common Tattoo Styles For Men

Deciding your first tattoo is a rewarding experience, however it isn't one that should be rushed into on a whim. You must be certain to take time to think about it carefully, since a tattoo should be a lifetime commitment. You must be fully certain that you're getting a tattoo that fits into your life. You need to think about how your tattoo will have an effect on your friends' and family's perception of you, how it will affect your current job position and future career prospects, and most importantly how you, personally, will see yourself.

Deciding On The Body Location

Once you're sure you want to continue forward, the next step is to determine body region where your tattoo should be applied. You have got many options here, as nearly any part of your body makes an acceptable canvas.

Arm tattoos are definitely the most popular choice for your first tattoo. Here you've got many decisions - full arm (also referred to as a sleeve, named for the resemblance to a full-length shirt sleeve), higher-half sleeve from shoulder to elbow, bottom-half sleeve from elbow to wrist, or one-fourth sleeve commonly from mid-upper arm to shoulder. Bigger arm pieces typically mix a number of thematic parts, while the smaller and medium-sized tattoos usually only concentrate on one thing.

The shoulder space is a common spot as well, covering the area from the joint to the rear shoulder blade. The shoulder is a common choice for smaller designs that can be easily covered when necessary.

Back tattoos are for the most bold, since this may be where the biggest tattoo can be inked. Any or all of the back is accessible, from the top of your shoulders to your waist, and around to your love handles beneath your arms. Tattoos on the back are usually made up of one large element, but can often integrate a couple aesthetic elements into a single cohesive scene as well.

The chest area is becoming a more and more well-liked as well as individuals have become more adventurous. Typically a chest tattoo is fairly large and spread full length, or is smaller and limited to the pectoral space over the heart. Like one-fourth sleeve tattoos, back tattoos are often reserved for only one look.

Other body positions such as the stomach, legs, neck, and hands are less popular areas to have work done. It is important to realize that getting body art completed on any of those areas may be troublesome to cover if necessary.

Design Styles

Once a body space and approximate size has been determined, the subsequent step is to search out a design for your tattoo's look. There are several aspects to this, with the most necessary being subject, style, and use of color. Whereas the final choice is up to you, there are several popular and common styles and designs to contemplate.

Tribal pieces are the among most well-liked tattoo designs for men. Typically uncolored, these designs feature thick angular black lines in dramatic patterns representing strength and masculinity. The first tattoos of this kind were from Polynesian, Maori, and Aztec tribes and commonly worn by their fighters, though nowadays the fashion is worn by anyone.

Crosses and other religious symbols are traditional subjects, as they serve as enduring symbols of hope, faith, affection, or remembrance. They are typically thought to provide a relaxing spiritual assurance and a link to divine protection.

Tattoos honoring heritage, such a Celtic knots or alternative Celtic design, are symbols representing one's history, making sure that family roots are never forgotten. Design-wise, they're usually richly coloured and highly detailed.

Skull art designs represent the dark aspect of tattoo culture. they typically signify death and danger and anger and toughness, and evoke stereotypical images of bad dudes in motorcycle gangs whom it is best to steer clear from. Or, additionally, skulls might represent the philosophical symbolism of one's own life and are, in a way, a celebration of life.

Tattoos of pin-up girls, those scantily-clad or naked girls in alluring poses, are usually used to represent an appreciation toward confident and brash females who exude sex appeal. These tattoos were first in style among soldiers away at war, reminding them of who was anticipating them back on the home front.

Asian styles, such as Kanji symbols or dragons or koi fish, celebrate the culture and mysticism of the Orient. These styles symbolize guardianship, empowerment, wisdom, and freedom.

Words, like names, sayings, and quotes are all highly personal designs that have unique meaning the person who wears the art. They are typically meant to bring inspiration, celebrate a milestone life event such as a marriage or the birth of a child, or to honor the memory of a passed love one.

Picking The Designer

So now you've finally made sure that you are ready get a tattoo design, have an idea where you would like it to be placed, and what style of style you want it to be, it is time to go visit your chosen tattoo parlor and talk over with the artist who is liable for adding a permanent and personal piece of art to your body.

Liam Swafford is a self-described "badass boy who loves badass tats." He is a regular contributor to BadassTattooDesign.com, a gallery and information site for tattoo designs for men and women.


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How To Make Money Designing Custom Tattoos?

To make money designing custom tattoos, you can either set up your own tattoo design website, compete with the thousands that are out there, or you can search for an existing site and sign up with one or more of them. It will help you build up your business and position your site at the top and improve rankings.

Many sites are looking for good designers and some of the sites also offer tattoo design contests allowing participants to make good money. You can also opt for the old fashioned way and open a tattoo studio to start your business. However, this would be a much riskier proposition since there will be tremendous costs involved with opening your own business and then you have to attract clients and maintain their patronage in order to see profits flowing.

If you choose to work online, check with sites that you find interesting, the ones that offer best deals for designers offering custom tattoo designs. You may have to provide some samples of your work with a view to prove how skill and creativity as a tattooist. Custom tattoo designs have a large market and by joining an online business, you can offer them to customers across the globe.

Once you have signed up with companies online, you may submit your work on their site and as customers choose to buy your designs, you'll get the payment and those designs will be displayed on the site to promote your work. Additionally, if you have signed up with a site that offers tattoo design contests, you can earn way more by creating designs that win and best match the client expectations. This way you don't just get good money but also come to be known as the winning designer and become a renowned artist within the tattoo industry.

Creativity is the key to designing successful custom tattoo designs. The ability to work with your customer to provide them with a tattoo that matches their ideas and preferences well will bring you more customers. By consistently doing good work and offering some of your best creations to the tattoo enthusiasts, you will build a larger following for you, your services will always be in demand and you will always make good money.

At the time of displaying your work in an online tattoo gallery, determine the prices of your tattoos carefully. The custom tattoo designs are unique and popular but don't make the mistake of overpricing them for that reason. If your tattoos are too expensive, you may get very little business because of the severe competition online.

As a new tattoo designer, you will need to do a little research to see where your tattoos fit within the overall picture. Even seasoned designers adjust their prices to fit the market. Unless you have a collection of incredible custom tattoo designs that no one else has, there is a moderate price structure that needs to be followed. And as you build a good clientele by doing more work, and exposing your skills, you can start adjusting your prices to generate more income.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.


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Do You Know the Pros and Cons of Tattoo Design Contests?

Tattoos are a form of body art that people have been using for self expression around the world for ages now. Though there are endless tattoo designs available on almost every possible subject, tattoo enthusiasts prefer to have something which is more personal and truly reflects their individual personality. Since every client's personality and their requirements in a tattoo are different, having a tattoo design contest can be a great idea.

Before you plan to start a design contest or participate in such contests in the capacity of a designer, you must be aware of the pros and cons of having a tattoo design contest. There are some great advantages of having a design contest but there are some things that one must know when starting the contest.

Following are the pros of a tattoo design contest:

1. New Designs - A contest like this allows the designers to come up with their best designs that are not only original, but also take in every single requirement of the client. Every contest has a theme and all designs are based on the tattoo ideas and personal preferences of the client. So, if you're looking for a range of freshly created designs to choose from, starting a tattoo design contest is the best deal for you.

2. Creativity - The designers bring out the best in them in terms of creativity and experience while designing tattoos for their clients. It is a great opportunity for them to showcase their creative genius keeping in mind every single requirement of the client.

3. Classes - Since a tattoo design contest is started by individuals with specific requirements, contest holders are free to define even the location on the body where the tattoo needs to be placed. For example; tattoos for the ankle, upper shoulder, neck, lower back, and arms and it can be quite interesting and a lot of fun to see the various types of tattoo designs that participants come up with.

4. Color - Use of colors in a tattoo is another skill that comes from knowledge and experience. If the client has specified colors that the designer thinks will not look good or may cause problems on the skin, the designer can discuss this with the client and convince them to make subtle changes in the color scheme. For example; pastel colors, vibrant colors, monotones or black and white; whichever goes well with the concept of the design.

5. Prizes - A pre determined prize money is an incentive for the designer to present his best work of art. The designer can use the winning design to promote his work and the client can show the winning designs to recommend the designer to friends or those interested in getting tattooed.

6. Judges - The people judging the contests are unbiased and are not told about either the designer's forte or which design is created by which designer.

7. Sponsors - Many contests are sponsored by agencies that promote their own tattoo studios/ designers. They even encourage the artists to do some really creative work.

Here are the Cons:

1. Cost - The cost of hosting a contest can be very expensive depending on where it is held.

2. Disputes on unique designs - With millions of designs available, it can be difficult to prove that a certain design is completely unique. It is virtually impossible to go through all the designs that are in the market.

3. Judging - It can be difficult to find unbiased and professional judges. It can also be expensive to have to pay their travel and living expenses.

4. Organization - The contest must be well organized and the classes and categories must be clearly defined in the rules. It can be a lot of work to ensure that every aspect of the contest is fair and has no appearance of being biased to one artist's work over another.

It's a lot of work to host a tattoo design contest, but it can be a huge success when everything is well planned and thought out. Before the contest, make sure you know the pros and cons of hosting a tattoo design contest and take a look at all the aspects to make sure it's completely worthwhile.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.


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Easy Ways To Get Tattoo Designers For Less Money

There are a number of studios across the country that offers inexpensive services by tattoo designers. You should be very careful when searching for a custom tattoo design in these kinds of studios. Everyone wants a bargain when looking for a tattoo, but in this case, getting a bargain just to save a little bit of money may not be the smartest thing to do.

You want a designer who is skilled enough to create you a custom tattoo design that will be something you can wear with pride. If you want something that has vivid colors, sharp delineation of the drawing, and something that fits your personality and body type, custom tattoos are the best option for you.

Not only are there concerns about the quality of a custom tattoo design, there could also be severe health concerns when going in for a 'low budget' traditional studio services. Have the used needles been thrown out? Is the studio clean?

There are a number of issues that could become problematic if you are seeking a tattoo designer by price alone. This is, obviously, not to say that all artists who don't charge higher prices are bad, but as a consumer, you need to be aware of the pitfalls associated with the lower spectrum of designers. Some are not as scrupulous as others so don't let price be the only factor in deciding where to go. You need quality and professionalism; don't sacrifice any of that for money. It might be easy to get a designer for less money this way, but it certainly isn't the smartest.

Another option for getting a designer for less is the online tattoo sites. Many sites offer design contests where you are the one who determines the price of the winning design. Designers submit their work to you and you get to choose the winning design. This is the most effective way to get a custom tattoo design at a very competitive price and pretty much ensures that you get a high quality design from a professional tattoo artist at the best price.

Most of the tattoo sites have over thousands of artists working with them to provide their clients; with the best that tattooing as an art has to offer. With so many tattoo artists they have, you literally have access to thousands of options when searching for that 'perfect' custom design. And, if you've created your own tattoo design contest, you have professionals giving you their best to get your business.

When thinking about options for finding a talented designer for the best price, consider all the options you have. You may find the best tattoo designer at a traditional studio if you're lucky, but that way, you will be limited to a physical location. Sometimes it could be a shot of luck to find a professional tattoo artist that is not only inexpensive, but also does high quality work.

Using an online tattoo website gives you access to more designers and if you start a tattoo design contest, you have designers from across the world, creating their best designs for you to select.

You are more likely to get a fantastic custom tattoo design when you have as many options as you do online with hundreds of designers to choose from.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.


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Matching Tattoos: How to Get It Right

Agree on a design and stick with it. Picking out a great design that everyone in your group will like is a tall order. Each individual has his own criteria for beauty and even friends don't agree on everything all the time. When getting matching tattoos, it's important to get a unanimous vote on which pattern to use as each member of the group is staking his own flesh and skin in the process. And once a design has been agreed on, it's essential that everybody stick to it. It's pretty common for people getting tattoos to change their minds in the last minute especially when they see other artworks.

Pick a symbolic design. Tattoos were originally done to represent tribal membership or a personal characteristic like bravery and wisdom. It's still practiced today and it's a wise move for people getting matching tattoos to pick a design that symbolizes what the group is all about. If you pride yourselves as a free spirited bunch then choosing a bird tattoo sounds perfect.

Use the same artist for everyone. Consistency is the name of the game when trying to duplicate an artwork or a drawing which is ingrained in every tattoo artist's mind. This is why it's really important that only a single pair of hands should be allowed to do the inking on your hides. Why? It's because you don't want to have matching tattoos that barely resemble each other or worse end up with different versions of your chosen design.

Choose a professional tattoo artist. Getting ink done on your body the proper way takes special skills and the right knowledge. It's why you should let a professional skin artist do the job. Before choosing a design or letting anyone touch your skin, you should see to it that you've entered a licensed tattoo clinic and not some dim apartment with a tiny sign outside.

Also be wary of artists that charge way below the standard rates. They may be using recycled needles and dirty instruments that can give you lethal diseases like HIV and hepatitis. You may want to save a few bucks but it's not worth your life or your friends'.

Pick matching tattoos that look great on you. And by great we mean beautiful; a design that you and your buddies can still admire even after 20 years. If you have no clue on what a beautiful tattoo looks like try browsing the bird feathers design pages; ornate patterns can look amazing on the skin more so if a tattoo master is going to do it. And you can be sure everyone will like it as these designs are practically timeless - a real classic beauty.

You would not want to settle for less when it comes to matching tattoos. Visit my site now to view more matching tattoos ideas: http://matchingtattoos4u.com/


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Saturday, July 21, 2012

How To Win Tattoo Design Contests In 5 Easy Steps

Tattoo design contests are gaining huge popularity among tattoo enthusiasts these days with the rising trend of flaunting custom tattoo designs. Celebrities from the sports worlds, fashion industry and Hollywood are coming up with tattoos that display their success, despair, budding relationships and even break ups are fast catching people's eyes. This has led to a healthy competition between tattoo artists as they are getting requests to create designs that are unique to an individual's taste but also in line with the latest tattoo trend.

Not only are such competitions convenient means to discover fresh and unique custom tattoo designs, they also serve as a platform for the tattoo designers to showcase their talent and earn good money. If you are a tattoo artist who engages in such online challenges, take into consideration these five tips to keep you ahead in online tattoo competitions.

Stay creative - Just because the idea is not originally yours, it doesn't give you the right to dish out unoriginal artwork. The people who set up tattoo design contests know their stuff, and believe me, they know the meaning of the word "unoriginal art". Don't just join an online contest for the sake of monetary gain. You are a tattoo designer because you love what you do and you are good at your chosen field. Don't let greed and love of money ruin your artistic expression.

Stick with the prize - This means never charge extra. Almost all custom tattoo sites have already become popular web destinations for tattoo design contests. Contest creators may stipulate prize money from 35$ to 500$. Winning $35 by submitting a custom tattoo design is a pretty decent amount. Whatever amount you win, never ask for more.

Be knowledgeable with different tattoo styles - As a tattoo artist, you should hold yourself responsible for training yourself in various tattoo forms such as Celtic and Tribal. If you're only good at making butterfly impressions why not expand your expertise by training with other zoomorphic designs. Moving away from your comfort zone will allow you to evolve into a much better artist.

Be open to online criticisms - The person who created the online challenge is free to leave comments about the piece you have uploaded. If you don't like what he said, don't get your war face on and engage in an online testimonial battle against the person who has the power to give you the prize. Take all criticisms constructively. These guys are not talking about your personal life, they are commenting about your artwork. So to win a tattoo design competition, you need to stay humble.

Stay connected with the person who chose your design - If ever you got to be chosen among the hundreds of entries; do not congratulate yourself too much. That same person who chose you as the winner might hold another online tattoo contest in the future. Instead of pulling a "now you know me now you don't" act, stay connected with the person who spearheaded the contest. Follow up on him after having your tattoo imprinted on his skin. Who knows, he might choose you again on his next contest after recalling how sincere you have been in dealing with him post-competition.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.


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