I've never had a tattoo, but I'm contemplating getting one. I have no experience or knowledge of the process, all I know is that once they're on, they're on for good. If you guys could give me some suggestions on what to get, what to expect, and the price range I would very much appreciate it.
Get what you want. Don't just walk into a tattoo shop and get the tattoo by some random guy. Check out sites online, check out the artists and their tattoos they have already done on other people (usually have pictures in books for you to see), if you can walk in and can sit down and get the tattoo right away chances are the artist isn't good. All good artists are booked for awhile, so make an appointment, probably will be a few weeks wait. Price range can depend on a few things. Size of tattoo, color(s) used, and skill/demand for artist.
You do not want to go on the cheap with tattoos. You basically get what you pay for. Depending on the size, the tattoo may end up costing several hundred dollars. For an example of quality, check out these guys: http://www.13rosestattoo.com http://www.russabbott.com/
I will try to talk you out of it. Nothing nicer than bare, unscarred, healthy skin. They stretch, fade and I find them unattractive. There is a select minority that can pull off a nice accent tattoo, the rest of the time I find the tattoos too blatant and uncreative. The post on getting a good artist is also key. Like all art, their is a lot to be said for quality inks and technical skill. Do your research, the belt sander hurts if you want to take it off. Good luck.
Here's another thread that could also help with information. Go for it! I'll echo what atlianz and b_ack51 said - except that you could go into the thousands of dollars for just one. There's a tattoo for everyone out there - sometimes you just have to put a little effort into getting the right one. And it's always worth it. I will say this - the days of tattoos being hard or painful to remove are over, with the exception of the money involved - but never have this as a part of your mindset when you get one. If you have any doubts - other than the pain factor - don't get one.
A good tattoo artist will work with you too. Just make sure you have something in mind before you go in, because nothing will bug them more than a really ambiguous description of what you want (I went in for touch-ups yesterday and my artist was telling me about this girl in before me that just couldn't convey verbally what she wanted). Try and have at least a general idea on paper; even if you're not an artist, they are (or should be) and should at least get the gist from a visual concept. Trying to describe something like, "Well, I want a star with lines but not too big but not too small and I want some yellow with some red and some orange and maybe some blue..." without any solid visuals will frustrate the artist to no end. That's what I did for my last ones and while my printed design was nowhere near what the final tattoo came out to be, it gave him the general idea and he made it art instead of a cut-and-paste hack job.
Also observe cleanliness of the parlour, make sure they have a "autoclave" (I am unsure how to spell it), gloves, wipe down chairs, ETC. This is abit earlier for this info, but..... Hourly, tattoos range from 100-125 per hour plus tip (I tip atleast). Make sure you eat before you get it done and have a sugary drink (soda or juice is good), do not take any drugs (even asprin etc) 24hr before your appointment, and if this is gonna be a big tattoo, try not to make longer than 3 hour sessions. I did a 6 hour session once and my god my arm burned when it was over.
One thing I forgot, don't get the tattoo on your lower back. Also where do you plan on getting this tattoo on your body? Think about later in life, if you go to a job interview to be a manager at an office I highly doubt the person holding the interview will be impressed if you have an autobot logo on your forehead or neck. Another thing, if you see someone with a nice looking tattoo just ask them where they go it and who their artist was. Most people that are into tattooing will have 1 artist that they recommend. Just a simple "Hey man, thats a nice tattoo, where'd you get it done?" It'll strike up a small few minute conversation where they might recommend where to go or not go. OP, where are you located? Maybe someone here can give you recommendations on where to go, who to see.
To answer your questions, I wanna get it done on my upper arm (basically the shoulder), and I'm about a half hour's drive from Indianapolis, IN.
The SI unit of electrical impedance, whose symbol is the greek character Omega? "OHM" would be a great name for a rag-tag band of guerillas fighting a dystopic near-future tyranny. "Why are you called OHM?" "Because we are the resistance."
http://www.fixedarmy.com/artists.php check this relatively new shop in Philly. Paul Acker and Mike Hill do some pretty sick work, check it out.