An important thing for you to find out is how experienced the tattoo artist is. Obviously you want to pick someone who has done a lot of tattoos and has a good reputation in the community. You want someone with good artistic talent as well as someone who uses proper technique so the chances for infection and unnecessary pain will be minimized. If possible, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if anyone has lodged any complaints against him. Also ask among your friends and family for a recommendation as word of mouth recommendation is a good way to find any kind of new service provider, tattoo artists included.

Ask the tattoo artist about his hygiene practices. He should use all disposable equipment on you including the gloves, needles and ink. He should use good hand washing practices. Since the tattoo needle pierces your skin, you can easily get infections or disease if good hygiene is not practiced. Be sure to ask him about the sanitary conditions he will use along with how you are to care for your tattoo afterwards to prevent infection.

The tattoo artist should also offer a guarantee if you do not like the tattoo. He could either offer a refund or the option for fixing what you don’t like about the tattoo. Also inquire about the prices. Tattoos are pretty expensive and of course the bigger the tattoo or the more intricate the design and colors used, the more it will cost. Be sure you know the total cost up front.

Be sure to let the tattoo artist know if you are afraid of needles or have a very low pain tolerance. He will appreciate knowing this beforehand and might suggest doing a small practice area to make sure you can tolerate the procedure.

Ask to see examples of previous work if you are wanting an elaborate design. The artist will probably have a portfolio of past customer photos he can show you.

Before you get your tattoo, be sure to get all your questions answered from the tattoo artist who will do the job. After all, tattoos are expensive and they are permanent so you want to make sure the job is done by someone who is highly qualified and does it right the first time.