APT admits artists based on their desire to educate themselves in safe tattoo procedure rather than artistic merit. For that reason, we do not recommend specific artists. Not to mention, there are a number of excellent artists who, for whatever reason, have not joined APT. While we would like you to patronize one of our artists, it would be a shame to pass up an excellent artist simply because they did not belong to our organization. You can still assure yourself that you are in good hands by following a few simple guidelines.

Your concerns are twofold. You need to find an artist whose work you like, who will work on you safely. Ask people where they got tattooed, especially if you really like the work you see. Ask to see photographs of the artist's work. Most often, the pictures will have been taken right after the work was completed, so redness and swelling are common. In spite of that, there are things you can learn. Are the lines clean and smooth or broken and jagged? Do they meet up? Does the artist work in the style you are looking for? Taking time to check out a few artists and shops will ensure that you are happy with your results.

At the shop

Make sure the shop is neat and clean. What you see in the front room is a pretty good indication of what you will see elsewhere in the shop. Ask questions about the shop's safety procedures. What are they doing to ensure your health and well-being? The personnel should be willing and able to answer you questions. If you feel they are brushing your concerns aside or can't answer you, leave and seek out a *professional* shop.

What is single service equipment?

All equipment should be single service. This means that each needle and tube set is individually packaged, dated and sealed and autoclaved. The artist should open a fresh set of needles and tubes in front of you. Any ointments, pigments, needles, gloves, razors, plastic trays or containers used in applying your new tattoo are discarded after use. After the tattoo application, the artist will disinfect the work area with an EPA approved virucidal that will kill any surface bacteria or viruses.

Getting your first tattoo can be a very exciting experience and being prepared for what to expect can keep it fun. First, you should be well rested and well fed. If you are tired, or your blood sugar is low, you may experience a higher level of discomfort than you normally would. Drinking alcohol before getting tattooed is always a bad idea. Not only do you become dehydrated, it will also cause you to bleed more and consequently have a negative effect on your new tattoo.

There will be blood. The amount varies from person to person, but usually it is about what you would expect from a scraped knee or rug burn. The level of pain also varies from person to person, but most people don't find it unbearable. The best thing to do is just accept the discomfort and relax. Fighting or tensing will only increase your discomfort.

If you start to feel faint or a little "green," tell your artist right away instead of toughing it out. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a break. Your artist is prepared for this sort of thing and knows how to handle it.

If you need to change position or stretch, go to the bathroom, sneeze or wiggle for any reason, let your artist know BEFORE you do it.

Your new tattoo will get a patch of shiny skin over it or it may scab over. Leave the scab alone!~ This is a normal part of the healing process. Picking the scab may lead to infection or damage to your tattoo. The scab will slough off gradually in the course of a week or two. If you have any questions during the healing process, call your artist. Don't rely on stories told to you by your friends.

To view our pamphlet "Basic Guidelines for Getting a tattoo" please click here.