Be your own tattoo designer

Want to know how to design your own tattoo? A talented artist can make the art look easy. TV shows like Miami Ink, Ink Master, and L.A. Ink brought the world of custom tattoos up close and personal. Forget flash tattoos.

Whether this is your first, second, last, or any other number of tattoos, make it special and get it personalized with your own design. Come on! Be creative. You can do it.

At Yatatu we explain how you can do it

Location: Consider your body as prime real estate. Location, visibility, and discretion all play a key role in determining a tattoo design. When you start planning your tattoo, explore the available canvas on your body and keep these areas in mind. Do you want a tattoo that everyone can see, or just a select few? Semi-private areas include the lower back, shoulders, stomach, and neck, while high-visibility areas include the face, arms, fingers, and legs. Once you've determined your desired location, you can begin planning the perfect tattoo. That's the fun part.

Get inspired: Even if you have a theme in mind, stay open to new ideas before you start drawing. Tattoo magazines, art books, cultural symbols, and botanical images can all be sources of artistic inspiration. Spend a day browsing library books for style ideas. Look through magazines and newspapers for photos that spark your interest. Keep a journal and take notes. In other words, do your homework.

Stay grounded: Remember, no matter how cliché it sounds, a tattoo is permanent. Try not to choose a trendy image or style. Stay true to your hobbies, special interests, and beliefs when choosing your design. Are you interested in a culture or practicing a new religion? Make sure you'll maintain those same interests and beliefs in the future as a precaution. "Safe" tattoos often include zodiac symbols, floral designs, and tribal styles that don't signify a particular moment or trend in your life.

Draw it yourself: If you're creative, dedicate some time to sketching and let the paper come to life. Perhaps a simple cross with a few touches of your inspiration? A basic black tribal design could be enhanced with a rainbow of color. Instead of opting for a traditional, old-school flash tattoo design, why not draw your own in your own style? Even if you lack an artistic flair, you can still incorporate your ideas into a design. Start exploring images and consider colors. Gather some of your favorite tattoo styles and imagine how they would work best for you. Write your ideas down in a journal and start putting them together.

Choosing the color: Dreaming of color? Before you go all out with the color, make sure you can commit to future touch-ups, as they'll likely be necessary. While touch-ups certainly aren't a necessity during the lifetime of a tattoo, you might find a dull, old tattoo needs a color refresh. The more color you add now, the more you'll have to add later. Maintenance is something to always keep in mind.

Black and white: Many people choose solid black tattoos for good reason. Black is basic and looks clean. Black also serves as the primary color for most tribal and cultural tattoo designs. If you like a single-color theme but prefer to go muted, why not opt for a trendy white ink tattoo or add some shimmer to the dark ink? Colorless doesn't have to mean boring.

Test run: It's recommended to get a custom temporary tattoo to thoroughly test the design, size, and placement of a permanent tattoo. At Yatatu, we have the solution so you can do as many tests as you need until you achieve your final design.

Find the right artist: Once you've created the perfect design, it's time to find the artist who can bring it to life. Don't skimp on this. Take your design to several different studios to get professional feedback. Meet all the artists, check their portfolios, and make sure they're professional. They can modify your design as they see fit, and you should be grateful for their suggestions. Most offer free consultations by appointment, so sit down and start sketching. Creativity awaits!