 How to Design Your Own Custom Tattoo?

Do you wish to have a beautiful tattoo that represents ‘YOU’ while staring in the mirror? Many of us do!

How about designing your very own custom tattoo? Sounds exciting, right?

Imagine your body as a canvas, waiting to be adorned with a story.

Custom tattoos are an excellent way to express yourself, but where do you even begin? Well, you can start by collaborating with a good tattoo studio. How about the best tattoo bern?

This blog is here to help you! It will share ways you can brainstorm ideas and recommend some tools and techniques. It will also discuss a few necessary things to consider before you get inked.

So, let’s unleash your inner artist and explore your personal story to bring that dream tattoo to life.

What Makes Your Tattoo "You"?

The first step is to find inspiration and understand what tattoo design will describe you. It is essential to brainstorm and ideate thoroughly to create a tattoo that resonates with you, tells your story, and makes it ‘YOU.’

Some ways that can help you ideate:

Self Exploration: Reflect on your passions, values, beliefs, and hobbies. Is there any challenge you’ve overcome or milestones you’ve achieved that you would like to commemorate? Or some cultural or religious factors that hold significance for you?

Symbolic Meanings: Research symbols or imagery that represent your chosen theme. For example, a phoenix symbolizes rebirth, while a compass signifies direction and purpose in life.

Quotes and Text Integration: How about significant phrases, lyrics, or mantras? You can use these in your design. Proper placement and font style is also very important.

Use References: Heard about Pinterest? It’s a great place for gathering ideas. Save photos of nature, artwork, etc.

Brainstorming: Discuss ideas with friends who understand you and your style. They can help you with designs that will really represent you.

From Idea to Sketch

Let’s change your ideas into a sketch:

Your Theme

Central Image: After deciding on a theme, select the main picture that illustrates it, such as an animal, person or symbol.
Combining Elements: Combine multiple elements to create a design of your choice. Also, make sure they match the overall theme.
Rough Drafts: Sketch rough drafts of your design. Rough drafts are essential to define the overall concept.

Style Selection

Tattoo Style Research: There are different styles of tattoo. Research them thoroughly to understand their characteristics and details. Choose one that suits your idea.
Matching Your Vision: Search for a tattoo artist who can bring your design to life. Their portfolios will help you determine if they are the right fit.
Placement Considerations: Now comes the part when you need to decide where you want your tattoo design on your body. Check the suitability of your design with the placement.

Tools and Techniques

Let’s know the tools and techniques that can be used to create a stunning design:

Sketching and Drawing

Traditional Tools: Start with pen and paper while brainstorming initial ideas. They are excellent tools for creating rough drafts.
Digital Art Tools: There are also various digital art softwares available, such as Adobe Photoshop. You can use these to enhance and edit your design.
Free Tattoo Design Apps: Research tattoo design apps to get templates, tools, and other required things.

Working with a Tattoo Artist

Consultation: While consulting your tattoo artist, talk about your concepts, reference materials, and style. Ask them for suggestions.
Collaborative Refinement: They might suggest adjustments for composition, flow, and needle techniques to achieve the desired outcome.
Creation: After you and your tattoo artist finalize the design, he will start his work to transfer the design to your skin.

Considerations Before You Get Inked

Things to consider before you get inked:

Placement & Body Suitability

Healing Times: As we all know, our body parts take time to heal, and different areas heal differently. So, know beforehand how much time your chosen placement will take to heal.
Pain Tolerance: How much pain you can tolerate? Be aware of your pain tolerance and also share your doubts and fears with your tattoo artist. He can help and guide you.
Aging with Your Body: Our body and skin change as we age with time. Learn how the tattoo will look as you age.

Cost and Budget

Tattoo Pricing: Prices of tattoos can vary depending on the design, style, and size. Artists charge according to hours, design complexity, etc. Discuss the prices with your tattoo artist before getting inked.
Budgeting: Research the overall budget of your tattoo considering your design and style. Also, do not compromise on quality for money because it’s a permanent thing you’re making on your body.

Choosing the Right Artist

Portfolio Research: Research various artists online and read their reviews. Also, check out their portfolios to see their works. Try to find someone whose style aligns with your vision.
Licensing: The very first step when searching for artists is to check whether they are properly licensed or not. They must also follow strict hygiene standards.