Every tattoo artist wants to stand out from other pros in the field, but only a handful establish a glowing local or national reputation. If you want to be one of them, you will need to develop a distinctive style, deliver stunning body art time and again, and have great attention to detail.
It’s the little things that will turn a standard design into a beautiful work of body art, and you must continue to hone your craft.

If you want to wow every client you meet, read these five top tips - every pro tattoo artist should do this!
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1. Always Tattoo Dark Colors First
Every tattoo artist should apply dark colors first to avoid unwanted staining. If you choose to tattoo with dark colors last, you’ll stain the lighter shades when wiping away excess ink, making a tattoo appear muddy. Wiping excess light ink over dark ink won’t leave an obvious stain, which is why you should always start with the darkest colors first.
Also, wipe excess ink away from a tattoo before applying a thin layer of Vaseline over the body art to protect its color.
2. Choose the Correct Cartridges
The cartridges you use will determine the accuracy and consistency of your tattoo designs. Create clean, concise body art by stocking up on high-quality tattoo cartridges from reputable brands, as they can deliver maximum color saturation and improve precision when creating an intricate tattoo.
Also, you must ensure the needles and cartridges you choose are individually wrapped in sterile housing to minimize your clients’ risk of infection.
3. Sterilize Your Clients’ Feet
No tattoo artist should have to sit through an unpleasant smell, and feet are known for being more than a little smelly. If a client needs to take their shoe off to receive a tattoo, spray their whole foot with isopropyl rubbing alcohol to disinfect it. It will ensure their feet won’t emit an unpleasant odor while you create the design.
If they ask why you are spraying their feet, state you need to create a sterile area to support healing and prevent infection. It will satisfy the customer while allowing you to work in comfort.
4. Use New Technologies to Create More Tattoos
New technologies are helping to change the tattoo industry, as they are helping artists to work faster, smarter, and more accurately. For example, more tattoo artists are creating tattoo designs in an instant via the Procreate app on an iPad.
Alternatively, you could use Adobe Fresco to create tattoo designs in almost any style, which is free to use on iPad, iPhone, and Windows tablets.
5. Always Wear Dark Clothing
Tattooing is a messy job, as excess ink can land on your clothes and shoes when in the chair. However, it is important to appear professional and clean to ensure clients feel in safe hands during their first or fiftieth tattoo. For this reason, you should always wear dark clothing to hide any ink stains that land on you – you could also always bring a spare pair of clothes if it gets really messy.
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