The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting a Tattoo Book

What Is a Tattoo?     1
The Beginning of Tattoos     3
The South Pacific; Polynesia     4
Borneo     4
Maori     4
Hawaii     5
Samoa     5
Africa     6
North and South America     6
Japan     7
The Ainu     7
Criminal Markings     8
Japanese Prints as Influence     8
The Beginning of Modern Electric Tattooing     9
The First Machine     10
The Circus     11
The Sailor Tattoo     12
The Tattoo Convention     12
Famous Patrons     13
Tattoo Commercialism     14
Prints and Paintings     15
Tattoos and Society     17
Old Attitudes     18
Not Just for Bikers Anymore     20
Rite of Passage     21
Tattoos in the Workplace     22
Becoming Heavily Tattooed     22
Job Stoppers     23
Military Regulations     25
Gang Tattoos     26
Different Styles of Tattooing     31
What Is Flash?     32
Lettering     33
Script     34
Old English     35
Graffiti     36
Computer Fonts     37
Small, Basic Lettering     37
Traditional Thick and Thin     38
Drop Shadows     38
Other Languages     39
Images     40
Tribal     41
Portraits/Realistic     42
Biomechanical     43
Traditional     44
New School     44
Japanese     45
Fine-Line Black and Gray     46
Quick Little Ones     47
The Nautical Star     47
The Rose     48
The Butterfly     48
Looking for Something Specific     48
Large Custom Tattoos     49
The Science     51
Your Skin     52
Epidermis     53
Dermis     53
Hypodermis     53
How Tattoos Work     54
Various Techniques     55
Hand Poked     55
Machine Work     57
The One-Point Tattoo     58
Serious Coverage     59
Yes, It Hurts     60
The Easy Spots      60
Everywhere Else     61
The More You Get, the More It Hurts     61
Allergies     61
Scars     62
Hypertrophic Scars     63
Keyloids     63
Stretch Marks     64
Giving Blood     65
What Makes the Mark     67
The Tattoo Machines     68
The Creators     69
How Modern Tattoo Machines Work     70
You Needn't Be Afraid of Needles     71
Liners     73
Shaders     73
Tubes     74
Those Nice Little Extras     75
Sterilization     76
Ultrasonic Cleaner     77
Autoclave     77
Ink     77
Black     78
Color     79
Gray     79
Getting Serious     81
The Release Form     81
Age and ID Requirements     82
Health Issues     82
Pregnancy     83
Diabetes     83
Skin Complications     83
Moles     84
Serious Health Risks     85
Scars     86
Price Range      87
Per Piece     88
Per Hour     89
Getting Started     90
Consultations     90
Tracings     91
Deposits     91
Drawings     92
Scheduling     93
Beginning the Tattoo Process     95
What Works and What Doesn't     97
Skin Is Not Paper     98
Skin Moves When You Move     98
Skin Ages     99
All Skin Is Different     100
Best if You Didn't     102
Perfect Circles and Parallel Lines     103
Geometrical Patterns     104
Too Small/Too Detailed     104
All Color     105
The White Tattoo     105
Fingers and Feet     106
Better That You Do ...     107
Better Design     108
Fit It to the Body     108
Facing the Right Direction     109
Planes of the Body     110
Choosing Your Tattooist     113
Where to Look     114
Shop Reputation and Experience     114
Availability     115
Appointments     115
Easy to Reach      116
Personality     116
Style     117
If the Idea Fits     117
Is the Tattooist Into Your Idea?     118
Cleanliness     119
Single-Use Needles     120
Quality Control     121
Looking at Portfolios     122
Presentation     122
All Those Wall Designs     123
Draftsmanship     124
Blurry Photos     125
Originality, Not Quantity     125
When Tattoos Look Worse Than the Originals     126
Are You Impressed?     127
Line Work     127
The Shakes     128
Blowouts     129
Not Deep Enough     130
Too Deep     130
Coloring and Shading     130
Solid     131
Chewed and Scarred     132
Is It Bright or Faded?     133
Too Light/Too Dark     134
Get in the Chair     137
Self-Preparation     139
Eat!     140
Why You Should Eat     140
No Caffeine!     141
Be Hydrated     142
Be Well Rested     143
Be Clean      144
No Drugs, No Alcohol     144
Spray Tan     145
No Sunburns     146
Leave Your Problems at Home     146
Children     147
Bring a Buddy     148
Personal Music Player     149
Something to Read     149
The Shop     151
Shop Set-Up     152
Front/Waiting Room     152
Tattoo Station     155
Drawing Room or Back Room     157
The Sterilization Area     157
The People     159
Floor Person     159
Piercer     160
Apprenticeship     160
Tattooist     161
The Moment of Truth     163
Putting on the Stencil     164
Skin Preparation     164
Double-Check     165
Stand Straight     166
One Last Look     167
Drawing It On     168
A Few Positions     168
Tattooing Process     169
Outlining     169
Shading     170
Tightening It Up     171
More Than a Feeling: The First Zap     172
Relax and Meditate      172
Sit Still     173
Passing Out     174
Signs of Passing Out     174
What to Do if You Pass Out     175
Taking Breaks     175
Bandages     176
Payment and Tipping     178
Now You Are Tattooed     181
Aftercare     182
What to Do     182
The Do Nots     185
Healing Time     187
Skin and Body Reactions     188
The Effects of the Sun     188
Tattoos Age in the Sun     189
Tanning Beds     189
Keeping Your Tattoo Healthy     189
Making the Next Appointment     190
Spreading the Word     190
Touch-Ups     191
Getting Rid of That Old Tattoo     192
Covering It Up     193
Lasering It Off     196
Appendixes
Glossary     199
Flash Designs     205
Where to Look for Tattooists and Designs     227
Index     229