Tattoo planning, styles and aftercare
TattooGuide
Clear, practical tattoo advice. No jargon, no sales pitch.
TattooGuide is a free, independent guide to the questions people actually ask before and after getting tattooed — from prices and styles to aftercare and healing. Everything here is written in plain English by a working tattoo artist.
New to tattoos? Start with our first tattoo guide →
Planning your tattoo
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Getting Your First Tattoo
A calm, practical guide to your first tattoo, from choosing a design and placement to booking, what to expect on the day, pain and aftercare.
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How Much Does a Tattoo Cost in the UK?
How UK tattoo pricing really works — hourly rates, minimum charges, deposits and what affects the final cost — so you can budget before you book.
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How to Choose a Tattoo Artist
How to choose the right tattoo artist — reading portfolios, checking healed work, hygiene and licensing, reviews, and the red flags to avoid.
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Tattoo Consultations Explained
What happens at a tattoo consultation, what to bring, the questions to ask, how deposits work, and how to prepare for your session.
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How to Choose Tattoo References
What tattoo references are, what to send before your consultation, why some images work better than others as tattoos, and how to build a useful reference pack.
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How a Tattoo Design Gets Made
How a tattoo idea becomes a finished design — covering references, consultation, placement, sizing, style, why artists adapt work, and what you can do to prepare.
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Tattoo Placement: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to choosing where your tattoo goes, covering visibility, size and flow, how placement affects ageing, and what it means for aftercare.
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Laser Tattoo Removal and Fading: What to Expect
How laser tattoo removal and fading work — full removal vs fading for a cover-up, why results vary, healing between sessions and how to choose a clinic.
Styles
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Tattoo Styles and How to Choose One
A plain guide to the most common tattoo styles — realism, traditional, fine line, blackwork, Japanese and more — and how to choose the right one for your idea.
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Realism Tattoos: What to Know Before You Book
What realism tattoos involve — black and grey versus colour, portraits, references, detail, size, ageing, placement and choosing the right artist.
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Cover-Up Tattoos: How They Really Work
How tattoo cover-ups work — when they are realistic, when laser removal helps first, why size and darkness matter, and what to expect from a consultation.
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Full Sleeve Tattoos: How to Plan One
Everything you need to plan a full sleeve tattoo, from the initial concept and first session through to budget, healing time and long-term consistency.
On the day & after
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How to Look After a New Tattoo
How to look after a new tattoo step by step — washing, moisturising, what to avoid while it heals, and the signs of infection to watch for.
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Tattoo Healing Stages Week by Week
The tattoo healing process week by week — peeling, scabbing, itching, the dull phase, and how long full healing really takes.
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Keeping a Tattoo Looking Good Long Term
How to keep a healed tattoo looking good for years — sun protection, moisturising, what ageing really means, and when a touch-up makes sense.
Who runs this site
TattooGuide is written and maintained by Vladimir Vishar, a working UK tattoo artist. Read more about the site and how it stays honest →