How to Check an Artist's Portfolio

There are many qualities to look for in good tattoo artwork. But it doesn't take art expert to spot a few tell tale marks of a good/experienced tattoo artist. Here are five things to look for when you inspect a tattoo artist's portfolio:

1. Clean, solid, stable lines.

   Line-work is paramount in tattooing. Lines hold the design together; they also determine to a large extent the longevity of the tattoo. Here's what to look for in the lines:

   • Solid, connected lines.

     The lines should NOT be shaky. Shaky lines indicate inexperience. Solid lines require proper machine set-up and tuning, choice of needle configuration, and a stable hand.

   • No "foggy lines".

     Foggy lines in LINE-WORK and Blowouts put you at risk. If you see a hazy line, run. The tattoo artist went too deep or tilted his or her hand causing a blowout. You should NOT see blowouts or foggy lines in a portfolio.

   • Even line-weight.

     Uneven line-weight or variance in the thickness in the line, unless it's obviously intentional, usually means the artist is either lifting his or hand or failing to maintain a steady speed while inking. Either mistake leads to weak, unpredicable line-work.



2. Solid Fill.

   Fill should NOT be spotty or dotty; it should be evenly toned throughout the filled area. It should also connect to the line or color border. Some artists do fill in multiple sessions to ensure bright, vibrant color. An artist who uses that technique will include a picture of the tattoo AFTER it is healed. If you see lots of "weepy" oozing tattoos in the portfolio, choose another artist. Excessive weeping results from overworking the skin, wanting to put too much color in one sitting.



3. Smooth Color Blends and Shading.

   Uneven dotty blending of color patchy shading indicate a lazy or inexperienced artist. Color blends and shading should look airbrushed. Good color blends and shading aren't an accident. They require proper machine tuning, needle configuration choice, and a practiced hand. (There is an exception to this. Some Old Skool Art has "California spit", the shading is decoratively dotty, not sloppy. I'm guesing that if you know about California spit, you're a true connoisseur and know how to spot good work already.)



4. Good, quality artwork.

   Good lines, solid fills, and smooth gradients can't overcome a crappy design. You want to make sure that your artist knows how to create quality art. He or she should have a firm grasp of proportion, perspective, color theory and other artistic aspects of tattoo design.



5. Good Expression of Concept.

   This refers to how the artist interprets and translates the design request. It doesn't matter how technically proficient or even how talented he or she is artistically; if he or she cannot create a design that effectively communicates your idea, you'll end with a bad tattoo. In my opinion, tattoo designs should be simple, you should be able to recognize the design from half way across the room. If an artist can't translate your idea into a simple, effective design, it won't look good.

Are Your Tattoos Ruining the Planet?

Did you know that most plastic DOES NOT degrade? And even plastics that do such as LEXAN take a good long while to blend back into the earth. What does that have to do with your tattoo? A lot. Some shops use disposable tubes, which are thrown away after only ONE USE. Shops couldn't use them again if they tried BECAUSE Oregon only allows SINGLE USE of disposables tubes. These wasteful tubes stack-up fast. Think about it. Most tattoos require at least TWO TUBES: one for lining , the other for shading. That's piles of tubes at the end of the day.

So what's the solution? Unfortunately, in Oregon, some of the plastic waste is inevitable. The Oregon Health Licensing Agency for the most part, requires tattoo artists to dispose of anything that touches the skin during the tattoo procedure. This is, of course is for public safety: to prevent the spread of disease through cross contamination. BUT Oregon ALSO ALLOWS the use of REUSABLE, STAINLESS STEEL TUBES!!! These tubes can be used over and over again BECAUSE they can be STERILIZED with an AUTOCLAVE.

Ask your tattoo artist whether he uses disposable tubes or not. If he uses disposables, DISPOSE of HIM or HER.



Reusable tubes are SAFE and SANITARY. They are sterilized the same way dentists sterilize their mouth mirrors and periodontal probes. Oregon also requires that the tubes be sterilized with Indicator Tape, this tape changes color when the critical temperature has been reached for a prolonged period. The color changing tape ensures that all pathogens, spores, and anything else on or in the tubes has been completely destroyed.