Give yourself an early Christmas present with a tattoo!

Merry Christmas!

People get tattoos for different reasons at all times of the year, but Christmas seems to be the perfect time to get your first ink.

Maybe you've been given a few bucks for the holidays, or perhaps you want to bring in the new year with a big change, but whatever your reasons for wanting a new tattoo, it always pays to do your research beforehand.

There are a few things you need to be aware of before getting your first tattoo. Things like...

Stay off the booze!

Having a wee drink before you get your first tattoo may seem like a good idea, just to give you that little bit of Dutch courage, but don’t be tempted.

Alcohol is an anti-coagulant, which means it thins the blood. This thinning makes you bleed more during the tattooing, making it more difficult for the ink to settle properly. This can skew your new design, and make the recovery process take longer.

Alcohol of course also impairs your judgment, so getting drunk before going into a tattoo parlour is never a good idea for obvious reasons.

Look after your new tattoo

Getting a tattoo isn’t like getting an injection; it’s not over once you leave the room. The next few days are extremely important for the healing process.

You may have seen people with cling wrap around a new tattoo, but this isn’t a good idea. Your skin needs oxygen to breathe and heal itself, and wrapping it in plastic turns it into a bacterial playground, which can lead to infection.

Clean and moisturise the tattoo the week after getting it, and you should be fine. Ask your Sunset tattooist about our range of aftercare creams.

Don't rush the decision

Many people have foreign words or symbols tattooed on their bodies, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Chinese, Japanese or Arabic characters can look amazing, but make sure you know what they translate as. No matter how good they look, if you’re new ink means “Right turn only” then you’re going to look like a bit of a dick in any language.

Come see us at Sunset Tattoo and we’ll make your first tattoo something special that you’ll never regret. 

Getting your first tattoo? Then read this

If you have been thinking about getting your first tattoo, then we can help.

Sunset Tattoo is a professional tattoo studio in Auckland. As one of the most respected studios in the city, we pride ourselves on giving good advice, especially to people who are considering their first tattoo.

Before you go under the needle, consider the following:

Tattoos are permanent

Yes, ok, we all know that, but understanding that is something completely different. If you’re 18 and want a tattoo of your partner’s name, we would really advise you to think about it. Because let’s be honest here, statistically, you’re not going to be together in a few years. Think about what you’re doing, and truly ask yourself if you’ll be happy with this same tattoo a decade from now.

Do your research

If you’re unsure about what type tattoo you want, research it. Talk to people, and read tattoo websites and forums. Your first tattoo is a big deal, so don’t get one just for the sake of getting one.

Once you’ve decided on a design, do your research on tattoo studios. Find somewhere that is clean and reputable (like us!), with a large portfolio of work (like us!), with a friendly and supportive environment (like us!).

Aftercare is essential

The process doesn’t stop once you leave the studio. Proper aftercare is a vital part of getting your first tattoo. Without it, you could run into some serious health issues. We offer a range of creams and advice for you in the weeks following your first tattoo.

We take our profession very seriously, least of all our Health & Safety responsibilities. Getting inked in our tattoo studio in Auckland is a safe experience. We practice the highest level of hygiene and meticulously adhere to the Auckland council Health & Safety guidelines.

So if you're interested in getting your first tattoo with us, give us a call or pop into the studio for a chat.

3 tips for getting a tattoo if you’re dark skinned

While there’s plenty of advice out there for white people getting tattoos, there’s not much for those with a higher melanin content.

People from African, Indian and Pacifica backgrounds are often forgotten about when it comes to information about getting a tattoo.

We’ve put together this short article to explain a couple of things about getting ink when you’ve got darker skin.

Make a consultation first

Good advice for anyone getting a tattoo, regardless of skin colour. Talking to your tattoo artist before going under the needle is always a good idea.

By booking a consultation, you can get a better feeling of what’s possible and understand the limitations involved.

If you have darker skin, your initial idea might not be plausible, or won’t come out as you’re expecting. Talk to your artist first, they are the ones with the experience, and can help you make the right choice.

Avoid lighter colours

Despite what bullshit you may read on the internet, there are NO special inks for dark skin. Tattoo ink isn’t made for skin types, but the quality of the ink can vary widely.

Tattoo ink is generally translucent, so the skin underneath will show through. This means, the darker your skin, then less lighter-colours will show.

Black or grey ink usually works best on darker skin, evidenced by this cool MF.

Genetics can affect scar tissue

If you're of African ancestry, your skin may be prone to keloids, which is an overgrowth of scar tissue.

Knowing whether or not you are prone to keloids can help before getting a tattoo, as your artist may need to use different techniques to limit the scar tissue, including reducing power to the tattoo gun, and not going over the same area twice.

Call us today at Sunset Tattoo, and we can help you with your first tattoo.

3 reasons not to copy someone else’s tattoo

For anyone wanting their first tattoo, it’s very tempting to see one you like and simply copy it, but this isn’t necessarily the best thing to do.

There are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t copy someone else’s design, and we’ve put together the top three for you in this short article.

It’s personal to someone else

Maybe the best reason not to copy someone else’s tattoo design is simply this; it’s not yours.

We don’t mean you didn’t create it, so you can’t use it (more on that later), we mean it’s nothing to do with you, and everything to do with someone else.

If someone has that design on their skin, it’s probably going to mean something to them on a personal level. It may have been specially designed to remind them of a person or a memory, so you taking it not only degrades that memory, but doesn’t fit with you and your life.

Find a design that suits you, that’s personal to you, and this way it’s yours.

It’s an insult to the tattooist

It’s one thing to sit down with an artist and design a tattoo, or even bring one in you’ve designed yourself. It’s quite another to bring a design in another artist has created and demand that.

It’s insulting to the tattoo artist. It’s like bringing a packed lunch into a restaurant and wondering why the chef is pissed at you.

Any tattoo artist worth their salt can create a design for you, so asking them to copy someone else’s is a big faux pas.

It’s intellectual property theft

This is more a moral issue, although sometimes it can be a legal one.

Stealing someone else’s design is no different than stealing their novel. It’s their creativity in a physical, material form, and it should be respected.

Copying their work is not only morally wrong, but disrespectful to the original artist. And it may also get you into legal trouble.

Stay clear of all these problems by simply designing your own tattoo or using your artists previous designs.

If you would like an original tattoo, then come see us here at Sunset.

Celebrate 2017 with your first tattoo!

New Year, new you! maybe you got some cash for Christmas from Granny, or maybe you've finally turned 18. People get tattoos for different reasons, but no matter what your motives, it always pays to do your research beforehand. There’s a few things you need to be aware of before getting your first tattoo. Things like...

Avoiding alcohol before and after

Having a wee drink before you get your first tattoo may seem like a good idea, just to give you that little bit of Dutch courage, but don’t be tempted. Alcohol is an anti-coagulant, which means it thins the blood. This thinning makes you bleed more during the tattooing, making it more difficult for the ink to settle properly. This can skew your new design, and make the recovery process take longer. Alcohol of course also impairs your judgment, so getting drunk before going into a tattoo parlour is never a good idea for obvious reasons.

Aftercare is everything!

Getting a tattoo isn’t like getting an injection; it’s not over once you leave the room. The next few days are extremely important for the healing process. You may have seen people with cling wrap around a new tattoo, but this isn’t a good idea. Your skin needs oxygen to breathe and heal itself, and wrapping it in plastic turns it into a bacterial playground, which can lead to infection. Clean and moisturise the tattoo the week after getting it, and you should be fine. Ask your Sunset tattooist about our range of aftercare creams.

Choose your tattoo wisely

Many people have foreign words or symbols tattooed on their bodies, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Chinese, Japanese or Arabic characters can look amazing, but make sure you know what they translate as. No matter how good they look, if you’re new ink means “Roundabout ahead” then you’re going to look like a bit of a dick in any language.

Come see us at Sunset Tattoo and we’ll make your first tattoo something special that you’ll never regret.