Social Media Is The Number One Tattoo Resource
Photo: Freshly Inked
“Be prepared,” says Dan Catron, tattoo artist and co-owner of Electric Hand Tattoo in Nashville, Tennessee. So, why should we listen to him? Well, he has been tattooing for 20 years and is completely immersed in tattoo culture. He knows his stuff. He has about a billion tattoos, rough estimate. He even knew he wanted to be a tattoo artist in High School, drawing tattoos in class with magic marker.
Okay, so what exactly are we preparing for? Your next tattoo! Your first tattoo! Your 8am meeting! Tonight’s date (switch it up for once!) That hurricane heading this way! Okay, in general you should always try and be prepared for what’s coming down the pike. But, let’s talk being prepared for a tattoo.
“These days people come in and don't know what they want. There is no excuse for not knowing what you want,” says Catron. Why? Social media. Tattoo artists use Instagram as a portfolio for their work. You have such easy access to millions of artists, so you can really narrow down the technique and style you’re drawn to as well as who you should be working with. The beauty of Instagram is you can follow someone from anywhere in the world. Lucky for us, Instagram has a "See translation" button! To help you out here are a few artists that we love to follow on Instagram:
Ryan Ashley Malarkey, @ryanashleymalarkey
Her black and white work is incredible. Because of the white highlighting, some of her pieces actually look three dimensional. This shoulder piece is like permanent jewelry!
Tea Leigh, @tealeigh
If you’re looking for “stick and poke” style, she does some truly amazing work. We really dig her inky nature and astrology vibes.
Johnny Gloom, @johnnygloom
Talk about your seductive tattoos! If you’re looking for something sexy with a hint of mystery, you need to check out his Insta. Be warned, you might need a glass of wine when looking at these ones… if you know what we mean.
Dr. Woo, @_dr_woo_
The insta-famous Dr. Woo is known for his thin line work and ultra small details. He does have quite the waiting list and celebrity clientele, but get inspired!
Also, Pinterest is your best friend. Just type in the idea you have and you’ll have inspiration galore. You should see our feed… it’s a lot of bats. (Halloween bat tattoos anyone?!) Catron comments, "Come with an idea and let the artist take control. We want to hear 'I trust you and I trust your work.'" The artist appreciates having some freedom.
Be prepared with payment. If you want a cheap tattoo, it will most likely look like a cheap tattoo. Pay the money for what you really want to be permanently on your skin. Catron perfectly put it, "Don’t bitch about price if it’s what you want."
Also, it’s probably going to hurt a little. So, be prepared for that. We suggest creating your own playlist to help distract you. Some soothing ocean noises or death metal can really help the process along. How's that for polar opposite suggestions?!
We hope this helps you prepare yourself for your upcoming inkage (it’s going to catch on sooner or later.) Make sure you follow Dan at @dancatron66 or swing by @electric.hand.tattoo when you’re in Nashville!
xx,
The OCDivas
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