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. Guides are written and, where relevant, reviewed by working tattoo artists with named contributor profiles.
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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Large Tattoo Projects: How to Plan Them
How to plan a large tattoo project, including concept, composition, references, sessions, budget, healing, existing tattoos and long-term consistency.
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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.
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Tattoo Composition: Focal Point, Flow and Readability
How tattoo composition works, including focal points, hierarchy, negative space, contrast, edges, body flow and keeping complex designs readable.
Styles
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Tattoo Styles and How to Choose One
A plain guide to common tattoo styles, including realism, traditional, fine line, colour, floral, watercolour, blackwork and Japanese, plus how to choose.
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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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Portrait Tattoos: References, Size and Detail
How to plan a portrait tattoo, including reference photos, realistic sizing, placement, contrast, colour versus black and grey, and healed results.
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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.
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Floral Tattoos: Placement, Scale and Colour
How to plan a floral tattoo that stays readable, including flower references, scale, body flow, colour choices, placement and long-term ageing.
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Watercolour Tattoos: How They Work and How They Age
What makes a watercolour tattoo work, including structure, saturation, negative space, placement, references and what to expect as the tattoo ages.
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Colour Tattoos: What to Know Before You Book
A practical guide to colour tattoos, including saturation, contrast, skin tone, placement, references, scale and what to expect as colour settles.
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Do Colour Tattoos Fade Faster?
How colour tattoos change over time, why pale or low-contrast areas can soften sooner, and how scale, saturation, placement and sun exposure matter.
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 was created and is editorially maintained by Vladimir Vishar. Contributor profiles separate the professional subject areas of Vladimir Vishar and Kristina Vishar, while each guide keeps its own author and review credits. Read more about the site and editorial approach →