There is a bit more controversy as to what makes a tattoo good or bad these days. I attribute it to the internet. everyone has easy access to share their opinions whether based in technical know-how, or not. People are bombarded with bad tattoos, and tattoos that will not last very long get thousands of likes on instagram, and they are everywhere on pintrest. The internet is the worst thing that could have happened to tattooing. There are a lot of people who don’t know right from wrong putting in their two cents making things look legit when they aren’t.
To some degree – all art is subject to perception, the thing is, not all perceptions are knowledgable ones.
A good tattoo –
- Has clean, solid linework
- Had clean, solid fill
- Has purposeful blends
- Flatters the body part it is on
- Makes you look twice
- Can be seen from across the room, it makes you want to take a closer look.
- Stands the test of time.
People in person and online vehemently defend bad tattoos and bad tattoo artists. Unfortunately, there are a lot more bad tattoos than there are good ones. It is a part of the politically correct society we live in to accept everyone. As a rule, if people are defending bad tattoos it’s probably because they have a bad one themselves or they just don’t know any better.
As humans we naturally want to protect the feelings of our fellow man. We like to boost each other up and cheer each other on. Unfortunately, this mentality allows a lot of bad things to happen. New people are exposed to this accepting nature, they accept a lower quality product, and that in turn breeds that quality, eventually making it the majority.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to perceive art in the same way. People who have gone to art school, people who have been tattooing for years, they have a trained eye. They can tell a lot easier when something is of high quality and when it is not.
Your perception changes as you mature. The 18 year old you and the 35 year old you will probably have very different tastes. Some people can’t see the difference between Mondrian and Rembrandt, the same way they can’t see the difference between a good tattoo and a bad tattoo.
I just hope that before you get a tattoo, you do your research.
- Don’t get a tattoo at the first shop you stop in research and look at portfolios of as many artists and shops as you can.
- Pick the tattoo artist who’s portfolio makes you smile the most.
- If it’s your first tattoo – think about it for at least a year before getting it, after all, it will be with you for the rest of your life,
- Educate yourself on how to heal tattoos properly, and on how tattoos age.
A good tattoo can be a memento, an emotion, a manifestation, it can be cool. Please just protect yourself. Do research, and don’t listen to the opinions of unlearned people who are spouting PC BS about how a tattoo is good when it’s not.
