Media and their
influence on world of tattoos

INTERNET

Internet has done a lot for the tattoo industry. If it wasn’t for the internet, the world would have never known for so many good tattoo artists. Tattoos all around the world have improved drastically because of it. You can find everything you need to know about the tattoo industry online. From professional services, artists and gear, to “do it yourself” guides. But there lies a big problem. In this vast sea of information it’s easy to get lost and people fail to find the right information and end up with raw and incomplete answers.

WHERE TO LOOK

• Tattoo portals and magazines
• Web sites of professional tattoo artists

Here are a couple of examples:

• http://www.facebook.com/inkArmy?ref=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/tattoosandtattooart?ref=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/QualityTattoos?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/boundbyink?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/InkFREAKZ.Networking?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/SoTattooed?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
• http://www.facebook.com/tattoos1?ref=stream&hc_location=stream

WHAT TO AVOID

FORUMS ON NON-TATTOO PORTALS, on which a whole bunch of laymen put false information.

Here is an explanation why it isn’t good:

• Instructions differ from studio to studio. Where you get your tattoo, you get the information on how to maintain your tattoo and keep it healthy and clean.
• Pain is individual. Where some laugh, others cry.
• I know you want to know all, but some answers are only confusing, not helping.
• There is a lot of so self taught tattoo artists who send you in the wrong direction.

NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND YELLOW PRESS

Today in every printed media, you can find at least twice a year something on tattooing.

Subjects are mostly:

• What did famous people tattoo?
• Dumbest tattoos in the world
• Most extreme examples of tattooed people
• Viewpoints of conservative media that tend to stick their nose where it doesn’t belong
• Etc., etc.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR?

Specialized tattoo magazines

• where they publish only quality work (tattoos)
• where the reporters are informed and involved in the world of tattooing
• where you can get information and answers on all your questions
• where you can read an interview with a good tattoo artist.

WHAT TO AVOID

Creating your own opinion based on the information from the media which know nothing on the subject. In every aspect of life there are bad situations, bad moves and extreme personalities. Exposing yourself to that sort of news only inspired creating a bad image on the world of tattoos.

TELEVISION

Television is the biggest media in the world. It’s amazing how prone people are to believing everything they see on television. It’s been long known that television kills the old and brings in the new trends, opinions, … The same is happening to the tattoo world. Tattooing can’t be for the wrong reasons. It is not a trend, it’s something you do for a lifetime.

WHAT TO WATCH

It’s very difficult to answer this question.

Specialized TV shows about tattoos have good messages, but they are presented in such a way that it is best not to watch them. Here are some examples:

MIAMI INK, LA INK…

Most viewers saw these shows and got so many of the information wrong.

• Now a lot of people think that tattooing your whole arm lasts 45 minutes.
• That a tattoo artist can make a design in 15 minutes that will make you feel eternally satisfied.
• That tattooing is normal only if you’re doing it as a memorial to someone, or if you have a touching story to tell.
• That it is perfectly fine to cry during tattooing and that it’s ok that someone holds your hand while it’s being done.
• The message is completely different.
• You get into a tattoo studio and tell your tattoo artist what you want and what it means to you.
• He prepares a design for you in his own liking and how he thinks it’s the best.
• You don’t ask about the price.