THE DECISION PROCESS--MAKING THE BIG PLUNGE: WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD ARTIST, AND WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A TATTOO ARTIST?

The bane of the tattoo world is the shadowy, unprofessional person
called the "scratcher." A scratcher is somebody who:
--Does not have the proper training in either tattoo art or of running
  a professional operation;
--Does not know and/or care to use responsible sterilization methods;
--Promises to provide tattooing services for an incredibly low fee, for
  free, or in exchange for drugs (ack!);
--Chooses not to apprentice through a legitimate tattoo shop because of 
  one excuse or another (but lacks the knowledge one needs to work in or
  run a professional shop);
--Will hurt you because they don't know what they're doing;
--Will give you a permanent tattoo you will regret for the rest of your 
  life;
--You should stay away with a ten-foot pole.

Never, never, never get work from a scratcher unless you are willing to
accept all the hazards listed above.More than two-thirds 

of them regretted their tattoo because of poor quality!

Looking for an artist can be as easy as checking the Yellow Pages, or as
complex as checking references, magazine photos, and reading RAB. There
are a number of ways to find good artists, including (but certainly not
limited to):

--Perusing tattoo magazines. While not all tattoo magazines are of the
National Geographic quality, the photos will speak for themselves. Some
issues highlight specific artists' works; a good way see the type of
work someone does. Use the photos in the magazines to compare with those
of the artist you are interested in. These magazines have done a lot to
show what is *possible*.

Some things to look for in magazines:
  -Style (realistic, black & gray work, tribal, etc.)
  -Placement on your body
  -Ideas for images
  -Size in proportion to your body
  -Artists whose work you like.

You can approach this one of two ways. You can either go to a shop
because someone recommended the artist to you, or you can go in cold.
For obvious reasons, you will have a little more information with you if
you already know something about the artist. This may make you feel more
at ease when going into a shop for the first time.

The most important aspects
of a good result are to:
 o Choose an experienced, knowledgeable performer who knows about 
   sterilization and avoidance of infection.
 o Avoid infection during the healing process.

With both of those bases covered, healing of either should be
non-eventful and the desired appearance should be guaranteed.