Why Do I Care About Healed Pics?

     True story; YOLO so GET TATTOOED!  Spontaneity is a beautiful thing; so we understand just ‘having the itch’ to get a tattoo.  We have all been there.  Maybe it is something you thought of in the moment, the day before, or you have been thinking about for a while and you finally decided to make it happen.  

     Regardless of the reason, we encourage you to look at the artists work BEFORE you sit in their chair.  Look past the pics that are freshly taken - because ALL of those will (…or should…) look good…IF the artist knows their craft…right?  The REAL test in getting a quality tattoo is being able to identify how good the artists’ tattoos look when they are fully healed & have aged.

     Ask for a side by side pic of tattoos the artist has completed, and compare what the tattoo looks like FRESH vs. HEALED.   When the tattoo is freshly completed, the fine lines, small details, soft colors, and low contrast designs WILL look great…for a while.  Understanding that the medium the artists are working with is of the utmost importance.  The SKIN  INEVITABLY CHANGES over time, which means those same lines that once looked perfect in a picture, now look spread out, thicker, colors fade, & the black tones don’t seem as dark.  Keep in mind, there are many variables to what degree that these things may happen…such as skin type, placement, exposure to the sun, etc….BUT, it will happen. 

    All that said, it doesn’t mean you cannot have a tattoo that STILL looks great 5, 10, & 20 years down the line.  Artists who are TRULY dedicated & passionate about tattooing WANT to be PROUD of their work as they see it age.  They WILL advise you on aspects of the design that may be problematic or potentially may not age well, and SHOULD have examples of their work that are HEALED & AGED.  It is important to see this IN ADVANCE, so you can be confident that your tattoo will stand the test of time!

Check out one example done by @TOC_TATTOO here:

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lLC-Kwo6HTo

Cheers!