Best Tattoos

One way that tattoo designers can market their designs is by doing freelance work from home. Tattoo design contest is something that will allow both designers as well as tattoo enthusiasts to create and market their designs. One can even let other artists know about the contest so that they too can participate in the contest. Another way to market designs is by putting them up on the websites where the designer is a registered member. This way their work of art will be visible on internet to the whole world.

When looking at freelancing, there are some other areas that are great to get more visibility in the marketplace. For example; websites which provide the designers and the clients with a platform to find work/ projects to create tattoos and offer jobs to create tattoo designs respectively. These websites have numerous fields/ areas where designers can bid for jobs as freelance designers. Once a prospective client sponsors a job on any such site, it marks the beginning of a great contest with applicants from all over the world.

Also, one can take a look on the internet for other contests that offer freelance tattoo designers to participate in them. Many of these are open to new artists but, they do have some rules that designers new to the world of freelancing must be aware of, such as:

1. The designs must be completely original designs. There are millions of designs available, but the one submitted should in no way be close to one already created in somebody else's name.

2. The designs fall into various classes for size, color, placement, and categories that could include tribal designs, caricatures, fantasy, abstract, and many others, (so make sure the designs are entered in the correct classes).

3. All entries have to be submitted within a specified size for each class in terms of both width and height of the tattoo.

4. All entries have to be submitted by a specified date, and most contests do not make exceptions for late entries.

5. Edging for the entries are decided within the contest rules, some require smooth edging; others can be indeterminate or uneven. So, one should be careful about these details.

6. All tattoos that are entered must be created by the artists at the time of the contest and should be based on client's tattoo ideas and personal preferences.

7. Judges are not told about the designer of the tattoo, the designer, or the customer being tattooed. In most contests, the judges are just shown the tattoos in the different classes. Some may even require a photograph of the body part prior to the tattoo being considered as a potential winner in order to verify that the tattoo design was conceived and completed at the contest itself.

8. Generally there are age limits for the clients in the contest; but some require the participants to be at least 18 years of age or older.

A great way for tattoo designers that are freelancing from home is to start considering participating in tattoo design contests. It could be by either participating in various tattoo design contests, and another can be to host the contests and display your portfolio so that the artists and participants in the contest can also see your designs for future use.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos have become a craze in teenagers and young adults in the past decade, although this art has been appreciated and sported by people belonging to different cultures for centuries now. For many years, tattoos were predominantly seen on merchant marines, sported by sailors who traveled to ports around the world where there were tattoo artists creating magnificent designs, long before they became popular in America.

However, when it comes to selecting tattoo designs and having them inked on your skin, there are five warnings from tattoo design experts that tattoos enthusiasts should be aware of.

Check upon the quality of the design and reputation of the tattoo designer - Make sure the tattoo artist is skilled and experienced and doesn't use outdated patterns or old ink. There may be some designs where the quality is very low and the image is hazy, which sometimes even resembles an ugly rash on the skin rather than a beautiful design. These designs are generally less expensive, but remember, a tattoo is a permanent mark on the body, and cannot be easily removed. Most of the people who get a low quality tattoo usually end up regretting it.

Pay attention to the words or lines used in your tattoo - Be careful and think at least 10 times before you decide to put certain words or phrases in the design of your tattoo. Attitudes generally change as people grow up and realize that some words or statements are inappropriate and immature. So, refrain from incorporating any word, phrase or a statement that is not a part of your true personality or something that might hurt the feelings of those in your community. It's one thing to be a rebellious teenager and want to put abusive, slanderous, or foul language on the body as a statement, but as an adult and in a professional environment, it's simply unacceptable.

Choose the part of your body for tattooing with utmost care - Most designers recommend various locations on the body for specific tattoos, but they rarely recommend getting your first tattoo on the face, the top of the hands, or on the neck. The reason is that tattoos on face and neck are very hard to cover up if the situation requires covering them, such as a job profile where in tattoos are not allowed.

Give your tattoo and your body sufficient time to heal and recover - Make sure the tattoo artist provides clear instructions on how to take care of your tattoo and your skin before the tattoo heals completely. These include recommending an antibiotic cream to use in the first week after the tattoo is done, as well as washing it five times a day to keep it clean and avoid infection. They should also recommend keeping it out of the sun, and a moisturizer to use after the first week to prevent the skin from drying out.

Discuss your skin conditions with the tattoo artist before getting it inked - People who have extremely sensitive skin may consider avoiding tattoos. If they have psoriasis, or scar easily, they should avoid tattoos because of the likelihood of keloid scars making the area ugly and prone to more infections. Some people think getting a tattoo to cover a birthmark is a good idea, but check with a dermatologist first, and if it's not recommended, don't do it.

Getting a tattoo can be a great expression of the person, but when it's done without understanding the pros and cons of having a cheap tattoo from an inexperienced tattoo artist; it can be a real disaster. Take these five warnings from tattoo designer experts to heart and have a tattoo that you will cherish forever.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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If there's one thing that tattoo enthusiasts hate about the tattoo industry, it is the inclination to the trends set forth by celebrities. Not that it's wrong to emulate their custom tattoo designs: but there are some people who think that just because celebrity X has a hot Marilyn Monroe tattoo on her thigh, getting that same tattoo on their thighs too will make them as gorgeous as their idol. As a result, there is no room for any creativity when a designer has to create a tattoo design for the client.

Today, people want to sport tattoos that look and feel different for the usual ones. They want designs that reflect who they truly are, what their typical personality traits are they also want to use their tattoos to signify an important event or a person very close to their heart.

Here are five hot custom tattoo trends that are sure to give you that "edge" that you have been looking for in a tattoo.

Japanese Tattoo designs - Hello Kitty doesn't qualify as a Japanese tattoo, nor are Dragon Ball and Samurai Ninja Gaiden characters considered to be Japanese designs. What we are talking about here are Japanese letters. For example; Janet Jackson has a few Japanese tattoos in her wrist and belly. The one in her belly reads "discipline" while the one on her wrist reads "respect and equality". Since Janet Jackson is a gay rights activist, she sure knows what she's talking about when she had imprinted what she's fighting for in her carpal tunnels.

Japanese characters are perfect for getting the values you believe in get alive in your skin. Through various custom tattoo sites, you may have tattoo designers modify the characters to be soft and feminine or bold and masculine.

Tribal - The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word tribal is the tribal dance. You can envision loud thumping noise along with wide and bold movements from the dancers garbed with tropical leaves and twigs while dancing around a bonfire.

Tribal tattoos have sharp edges, making them perfect for the nape and lower back. By creating a tribal tattoo design contest via any custom tattoo design site, you can receive hundreds of tribal tattoo interpretations based on your tattoo idea and personal preferences.

Celtic - Celtic tattoos are of European origin. These tattoos are usually composed of bold swirls and curls. Famous Celtic tattoo designs include armbands, clovers, and cross designs. If you would like to get hundreds of different take on your Celtic designs, just log on to any design contest site and create a design contest. Prize money awaits the tattoo designer's entry that is finally chosen as the winning design.

Hawaiian - Hawaiian tattoo designs are Polynesian in origin. Such tattoo art is composed of very heavy and intricate knot work. Only a few tattoo designers can execute Hawaiian designs perfectly.

Custom tattoo sites have hundreds of tattoo designers who can handle any Hawaiian knot work design. Hawaiian tattoo art for the female is expressed in various flower designs. Since Hawaii is the main source of almost all tropical flowers exported from the US, it is just fitting that Hawaiian women love imprinting flowers on their skins.

Butterfly - This colorful creature has an international appeal to it. There are also males who would like to get a butterfly's image tattooed on their skins. Despite its charm, butterfly tattoos have been so very common that such design doesn't attract that much attention anymore.

Log on to the custom tattoo site of your choice and create a contest for the best butterfly tattoo. Try and provide the designers with unique ideas that can be incorporate into the design to make it more personalized and different. For example; an alphabet or a date that holds a special place in your life. In just two weeks, you will be able to view hundreds of butterfly tattoo interpretations. You will surely find one butterfly custom tattoo design that will stand out from the rest.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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When it comes to finding that unique cool tattoo design idea that fits you the most, you may noticed it is like shopping in a huge shopping store. You see so many options, colors, and flavors, and that doesn't make it any easier to choose what you like the best.

Same with cool tattoo ideas, you have a wide variety of choices - from which body part you are going to apply the tattoo on, to which shape and colors to pick. So this free guide is going to help you through this process step by step and make it a whole lot easier for you.

So here are 3 steps to take when choose a cool unique idea for your tattoo design...

1. Animals or Symbols? It's Your Choice

The first step to finding your special tattoo idea, is to decide whether you'd like a symbol or an animal. These two are the most common styles you can choose from.

For example a cool animal tattoo could be a lion, wolf, scorpio, spider, or simple something cute like a butterfly tattoo design.

And a unique cool symbol design can be the yin yang peace sign, tribal symbols, zodiac signs, or a meaningful Chinese or Japanese character.

So once you choose which animal or symbol you like the most, here comes the next step...

2. Which Size Is the Best for Your Tattoo?

Depending on where you would like to have your tattoo, the size of the design plays a big role. For instance, when on your lower back, the tattoo shape can be quite large because there is plenty of space for it. But if on your wrist or neck, the tattoo should be quite small in order to look cool and great.

So the question is, where would you like to have your tattoo designed?

3. Find a Clear Stencil for Your Tattoo Idea

And here we reach the final part, which is a very important one. Nothing is more important when it comes to having a cool unique tattoo design, than a clear helpful stencil.

A stencil is the basic black and design that enables your tattoo artist to draw the shape perfectly and precisely. Without a clear stencil, designing more complex tattoos on your skin might turn out a bit tricky.

So it is recommended to always find your cool tattoo idea from a source that also provides you with the unique tattoo stencil to help make the process easier and safer.

Looking for creative unique Cool Tattoo Design Ideas You can take a look at this free photo gallery to find tens of new free tattoo patterns and stencils for your arm, leg, back, wrist, and more.

Simply check out these Unique Tattoo Designs to discover that special idea that fits you the most!

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Tattoos are trendy and stylish. This art form has become a regular part of today's generation's lifestyle and fashion. But before having a regular tattoos applied to your skin, you ought to have a look at some custom tattoo designs. Unlike regular designs, custom tattoos are unique and signify something/ someone special or important in your life. After all they are not called 'custom tattoos' for nothing.

Most tattoo hobbyists and enthusiasts have lots of tattoo ideas going on in their minds. More often than not, these ideas are either too many or too complex to interpret them in one single design. So, to make things a lot easier and to be fully satisfied, people turn to custom tattoo designs created for them and make their own stencil.

Yes! You can make your own stencil and it is a lot of fun. Creating a personalized design for your body gives you freedom to choose the location, the theme and the color of the tattoo. Of course, before you start making your design, you need to find inspiration. In fact, a tattoo becomes more relevant when there is something significant attached to it. Important events, special people or things and artistic ideas are just some of the common themes for custom tattoo designs.

So, how is custom tattoo design stencil made? Here are some simple steps to make your very own customized designs.

1. Draw out a template first - As mentioned above, you can use many different sources for your design. If you are making a tattoo design for the first time, you can check current tattoo styles and trends online. There are millions of designs out there where you can get the inspiration and ideas for your own tattoo. Take time to find out one and finalize your own design.

2. Scale the design so that it fits standard paper size and the part of the body to be tattooed - A design with intricate details is rather difficult to scale on paper. You need to make sure that all details are precisely laid out on the paper as this will become your stencil. If you are not comfortable with your artistic ability or you're not that gifted, you can ask for help from an expert tattoo designer.

3. Transfer the design onto transfer paper - To do this, you need to use carbon paper. Lay the transfer paper flat on a firm surface, then secure the carbon paper, ink side down, on the paper. Place your scaled design on top of the carbon paper. Carefully, using slight pressure, trace the design, not missing out any details. Make sure that the design and the carbon paper are secured in place to prevent misalignment on the final stencil. You can use tape to ensure that the carbon is placed accurately. This is important, as it ensures that your stencil is exactly the same as your design.

4. Transfer the design stencil onto your skin - Once you're done tracing the design, cut out the design, following its edges. Moisten the tattoo stencil with glycerin so that it sticks to the skin. For the stencil to stick onto the skin, you need to moisten it a little. Place the transfer paper over the part of the body to be tattooed. Rub the paper gently until it has completely transferred the design. You can now start following the stencil with tattoo ink.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Getting the perfect custom tattoo design is a lot easier today than it was in the old days. Today you can go online and get in touch with a number of tattoo designers who can work with you to create you that perfect tattoo. Some sites even allow their members to start design contests where artists work on a tattoo based on the client's description and specifications and submit their work samples until the client selects the final and winning design. The winning designer is then awarded with the pre determined prize money. The artist, on the other hand, sends the completed design and matching stencil. The client can then take the stencil/design to a local tattoo studio for tattooing.

So, finding the perfect custom tattoo design starts with finding a site that has a thriving community of talented designers. Some sites have thousands of artists who work with the client to provide them with a design that they have been looking for. Sometimes the designer may create a design that is way beyond the expectations of the client making him extremely happy and satisfied.

The designers, when working with their client, provide them with a few variations of their tattoo ideas so that they can provide feedback to help create a design that matches their preferences and personal style. Some sites even offer their clients up to ten different and exclusive variations of a design.

Being involved in a tattoo design contest can be a fun as well as a rewarding opportunity. The client may have an idea of what they are searching for, and a good designer can bring that idea to life. Experienced designers even make suggestions that clients may be overlooking and create a newer, and better looking custom tattoo design.

There are literally thousands of sites available for finding custom tattoo designs on the web. Each contest has a brief description of what is required in a tattoo and if the designers find the job challenging and the prize money attractive, they can participate and submit original designs created by them.

When searching for the best custom tattoo designs, don't forget to look into the sites that offer online contests where designers will be vying to provide you with the best looking tattoo based on your input and specifications. These contests offer not just best quality and unique designs but also give the client a choice to select the best design from among a collection of the most creatively designed tattoos totally based on individual personality and preferences.

There are a lot of talented tattoo designers out there waiting for an opportunity to provide tattoo enthusiasts with some of the best custom tattoos that they can create. With all the options available, any hobbyist can find a perfect custom tattoo that he or she can sport with elan.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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The sites that offer tattoo design contests are actually doing a great service to the budding as well as experienced professional tattoo designers. A design contest is where a site hosts a contest for a customer to offer prize money for a custom design that best matches their ideas and personal preferences.

Any number of artists can opt to join in and submit their designs. Once the person behind the contest selects the winning design, the contest is over and the prize money is handed out and the design and stencil is forwarded to the new owner. Not only does it test the abilities of a designer, it is a format that is both fun and informative.

If you aren't quite sure of what type of custom tattoo design you want, other than generally, you can list as many attributes you're looking for in a design and let the tattoo designers get to work. They are the ones with the creativity and if they are provided with enough information, a good designer can come up with a variety of things. Once the client sees a design drawn out, it gives you a clear idea to start with. They can recommend changes, share ideas and let them know the special features to tailor the custom tattoo design into a perfect design for them.

Since there is no limit to the number of designers who can participate in the contest, and the number of samples that they can submit to suit the client's taste and special requirements, the client gets to choose from a huge variety of designs. This is especially advantageous because one is offered so many options that they are bound to find the design they want.

Additionally, when a tattoo design contest is started, the customer selects the 'prize' money, or the amount that they're going to pay out to the winner. Obviously it needs to be attractive enough for the designers to take part and give their best to win the contest. So, when you're selecting the amount to pay as prize money, think about what you want the final outcome to be when the contest closes. A good, profitable amount will bring out the best work from designers and they will do their best to give the best custom designs they can create.

Using tattoo design contests is one of the smartest ways to find a tattoo designer who has similar tastes in designs that can also turn out to be a long term relationship with the clients. Once you find an artist that provides you style and designs you like, there begins to develop an understanding between the two becoming a fruitful working affiliation in the future.

Many of the contacts made at these contests can turn into long term relationships. Tattoo design contests can provide many things for both designers as well as tattoo enthusiasts. So, go online and check them out.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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People had been using marks on their body to represent number of things. At early times, peoples used these marks to denote their loyalty to the tribe they belong and for many other reasons. But now, tattooing is the reflection of one's personality. Tattooing is gaining popularity and becoming more accepted in the society. As a result, people are getting out in a rush to get permanent ink on their body with the first "idea" that comes to their mind. But, don't forget the fact that a tattoo design is forever, and you have to consider a few hints before making a permanent mark on your body that reflects your personality.

Choosing a tattoo design is a tough process. You have to keep in mind that the tattoo design you choose is forever, and the removal is very expensive. You have to be happy whenever you see that design on your body. So, think wisely before choosing the tattoo design, and don't forget to consider, where to put that tattoo.

Tips to choose your tattoo design:

No names - Try not to etch names of your loved one's in your body. You may not have the same feelings and attachment to that person after 10 or 20 years.

Think back - Think back 20 years and you then feel that you didn't need a tattoo, then don't get tattoo now. There is a chance that you may regret getting it after 20 years.

Stop following trends - Trends are subjected to change at any time. If you find something trendy at one point of your life, may not be so after 10 or 20 years.

Think forward - The tattoo design on your body may not look the same when you are old and wrinkled.

Choose tattoo designs that represent your personality. Consider your hobbies, career, talents, etc.

If you are choosing tattoo designs for appearance and trend, try to get traditional designs like stars, flowers, animals, and angels which never go out of trend.

Choose an artist who has a good experience in tattooing.

Asian characters are a good choice, if you like meanings in the design.

If you love a design too much which doesn't have an inner meaning, go get it. Even if it's Mickey mouse or Donald duck.

If you think of removing the tattoo before it's done, try to avoid multicolored tattoo designs. Colored inks are very hard to remove and require multiple treatments, more pain and more money. Black ink is the easiest to remove. Yellow is nearly impossible and green is very difficult to remove. So, go with black if you wish to remove it in future.

If you feel a bad impression on the design or the artist, don't go through with it.

Face, hand and feet require more time to heal properly and need more touch-ups. It will be more costly too.

Try temporary tattooing before going for the permanent.

Pain factor:

The most common question asked by the people before tattooing is "where does it hurt the most?". But there is no particular rule for this matter. According to the opinions of various people, I had listed some ideas:

Least painful areas;

Men - arm, back, buttocks

Women - abdomen, thigh, buttocks, shoulder Most painful areas;

Men - spine, chest, abdomen

Women - ankle, ribcage, spine

You can do research on finding the perfect tattoo design for you. There are many tattoo related magazines and number of pictures available on internet. Whatever design you get tattooed on your body, the impression of other people will be depended on it. So, if you like to make a good image in people's eyes, get a design that suits your personality.

More Recommended Tattoo Designs. http://best-tattoo-reviews.com/

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Tattoos are perhaps the most popular way for young people to make a style statement. A few years back, the tattooing arena was quite small, with common patterns and the inscription of names being the only designs or the most popular designs. However, there has been a significant change in the styles and tattooing techniques that have given tattoo enthusiasts as well as designers a bigger platform. Tattoos have also become unique.

Style, they say, is something unique/ special/ personal to every individual and everyone has personality traits or a certain lifestyle that they want should reflect in the tattoo designs they sport on various parts of their body. Following the designs/ patterns that have been on the scene for a long time, or blindly copying the tattoos of your favorite celebrities or football stars, is no longer the way. The latest trend is therefore custom design tattoos.

A custom design tattoo, as the name itself suggests, is a tattoo that you can customize to suit your personal preferences and tattoo ideas. The changes or alterations that you can effect in a design go far beyond simple color changes or its placement on your body. You can go for something that comes to mind and let the experts customize it to suit your looks. For example; you may want to have the initials of your kid/kids names incorporated into a tattoo design of your choice.

Online tattoo design sites have the option of providing one with a very original tattoo idea after asking for very few specifications from the client. Basic questions like where you want to place the tattoo, size of the area available, skin color, your main objective for getting the tattoo, whether you have any other tattoos on your body, etc. are asked. Based on this information, an experienced designer creates the best design for his/her client.

So, before you go about having a custom design tattoo, you should have some idea about the design and be very clear on what you want in a tattoo. The work thereafter becomes fairly simple. The designers that work with these sites are all individuals with a high quotient of creativity, and handpicked only after their flair in the tattoo designing field has been stringently tested. They understand exactly what the clients are looking for and can come up with an original design in a reasonably short period of time. Even though the price is a little higher than the regular ones that one gets in pattern books, they realize that clients wanting to get a custom design care more about exclusivity.

Now, you must be wondering as to how one can be sure that the design provided by the designer really suits them. Well, for every client who signs up to have a custom design tattoo, the tattoo design is not finalized until the client approves it. The rough drafts are made and are shown to the client, and are finally made only once they say a yes. So there is no chance of worrying about losing money over something you don't like. Once the design is finalized, it is mailed to you along with a list of names and addresses of tattoo designers who will help to get it tattooed onto you.

You can choose from the various categories like tribal art, butterflies, celestial motifs, ornamental and flowery patterns etc. If you wish to inscribe a name or a word, there are a wide range of fonts to choose from. So, go ahead and get yourself a beautiful custom tattoo design that reflects who you are.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos are very common these days, with nearly 1 in 4 people having at least one. Tattoos represent an art form, and allow people to broadcast who they are. Even though they are popular, most people will end up regretting them. In most cases, those who regret tattoos didn’t think about their design or take the time to choose the best tattoo for them. Even though it is possible to get a tattoo removed, the process is expensive and quite painful. To prevent this from happening, you should always take some time and find the perfect tattoo – your dream design.

Instead of trying to save some money, you should never choose a studio or artist based on how cheap they are. Cheaper artists and studios normally lack in work quality, which is why they are able to charge cheaper prices. Instead, you should look for the best studio and artist that you can find close to your area. Even though it may be expensive – the quality and design will be well worth it.

For some, their dream design is a person. This can be a loved one or someone who has passed on. You can always use a design or symbol that means something to you and reminds you of them or you can always use their face. Good tattoo artists can make magical tattoos with meaning, whether it is someone’s face or a symbol that brings out meaning.

Sometimes, it can be hard picking out your dream design. If you have an idea in mind but are still not sure what you want, you can always research. You can get tattoo books, theme books, magazines, or just research online. By looking at designs you may find something similar to what you are interested in. Once you have found it, all you need to do is sit down with your tattoo artists and come up with your dream tattoo design.

If you have a basic idea for something small in mind, you can always have it tattooed then come back later and have more added on. The best thing about tattoos is the fact that they can always be added to later. This can be a great thing if you want to try a smaller tattoo first, and then decide whether or not you want to get it bigger. If you start with a fraction of your dream design, you can always finish it up later on.

Whenever you get your dream tattoo you should always take time selecting the design. Tattoos will stay with you forever, which is why you should pick them carefully. If you put the necessary time and thought into it now, you won’t regret it later. Your dream design should be very important, and hold meaning. This way, every time you look at it – you’ll be reminded of that special moment in time and you’ll never forget about it.

If there's one thing that tattoo enthusiasts hate about the tattoo industry, it is the inclination to the trends set forth by celebrities. Not that it's wrong to emulate their custom tattoo designs: but there are some people who think that just because celebrity X has a hot Marilyn Monroe tattoo on her thigh, getting that same tattoo on their thighs too will make them as gorgeous as their idol. As a result, there is no room for any creativity when a designer has to create a tattoo design for the client.

Today, people want to sport tattoos that look and feel different for the usual ones. They want designs that reflect who they truly are, what their typical personality traits are they also want to use their tattoos to signify an important event or a person very close to their heart.

Here are five hot custom tattoo trends that are sure to give you that "edge" that you have been looking for in a tattoo.

Japanese Tattoo designs - Hello Kitty doesn't qualify as a Japanese tattoo, nor are Dragon Ball and Samurai Ninja Gaiden characters considered to be Japanese designs. What we are talking about here are Japanese letters. For example; Janet Jackson has a few Japanese tattoos in her wrist and belly. The one in her belly reads "discipline" while the one on her wrist reads "respect and equality". Since Janet Jackson is a gay rights activist, she sure knows what she's talking about when she had imprinted what she's fighting for in her carpal tunnels.

Japanese characters are perfect for getting the values you believe in get alive in your skin. Through various custom tattoo sites, you may have tattoo designers modify the characters to be soft and feminine or bold and masculine.

Tribal - The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word tribal is the tribal dance. You can envision loud thumping noise along with wide and bold movements from the dancers garbed with tropical leaves and twigs while dancing around a bonfire.

Tribal tattoos have sharp edges, making them perfect for the nape and lower back. By creating a tribal tattoo design contest via any custom tattoo design site, you can receive hundreds of tribal tattoo interpretations based on your tattoo idea and personal preferences.

Celtic - Celtic tattoos are of European origin. These tattoos are usually composed of bold swirls and curls. Famous Celtic tattoo designs include armbands, clovers, and cross designs. If you would like to get hundreds of different take on your Celtic designs, just log on to any design contest site and create a design contest. Prize money awaits the tattoo designer's entry that is finally chosen as the winning design.

Hawaiian - Hawaiian tattoo designs are Polynesian in origin. Such tattoo art is composed of very heavy and intricate knot work. Only a few tattoo designers can execute Hawaiian designs perfectly.

Custom tattoo sites have hundreds of tattoo designers who can handle any Hawaiian knot work design. Hawaiian tattoo art for the female is expressed in various flower designs. Since Hawaii is the main source of almost all tropical flowers exported from the US, it is just fitting that Hawaiian women love imprinting flowers on their skins.

Butterfly - This colorful creature has an international appeal to it. There are also males who would like to get a butterfly's image tattooed on their skins. Despite its charm, butterfly tattoos have been so very common that such design doesn't attract that much attention anymore.

Log on to the custom tattoo site of your choice and create a contest for the best butterfly tattoo. Try and provide the designers with unique ideas that can be incorporate into the design to make it more personalized and different. For example; an alphabet or a date that holds a special place in your life. In just two weeks, you will be able to view hundreds of butterfly tattoo interpretations. You will surely find one butterfly custom tattoo design that will stand out from the rest.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos are perhaps the most popular way for young people to make a style statement. A few years back, the tattooing arena was quite small, with common patterns and the inscription of names being the only designs or the most popular designs. However, there has been a significant change in the styles and tattooing techniques that have given tattoo enthusiasts as well as designers a bigger platform. Tattoos have also become unique.

Style, they say, is something unique/ special/ personal to every individual and everyone has personality traits or a certain lifestyle that they want should reflect in the tattoo designs they sport on various parts of their body. Following the designs/ patterns that have been on the scene for a long time, or blindly copying the tattoos of your favorite celebrities or football stars, is no longer the way. The latest trend is therefore custom design tattoos.

A custom design tattoo, as the name itself suggests, is a tattoo that you can customize to suit your personal preferences and tattoo ideas. The changes or alterations that you can effect in a design go far beyond simple color changes or its placement on your body. You can go for something that comes to mind and let the experts customize it to suit your looks. For example; you may want to have the initials of your kid/kids names incorporated into a tattoo design of your choice.

Online tattoo design sites have the option of providing one with a very original tattoo idea after asking for very few specifications from the client. Basic questions like where you want to place the tattoo, size of the area available, skin color, your main objective for getting the tattoo, whether you have any other tattoos on your body, etc. are asked. Based on this information, an experienced designer creates the best design for his/her client.

So, before you go about having a custom design tattoo, you should have some idea about the design and be very clear on what you want in a tattoo. The work thereafter becomes fairly simple. The designers that work with these sites are all individuals with a high quotient of creativity, and handpicked only after their flair in the tattoo designing field has been stringently tested. They understand exactly what the clients are looking for and can come up with an original design in a reasonably short period of time. Even though the price is a little higher than the regular ones that one gets in pattern books, they realize that clients wanting to get a custom design care more about exclusivity.

Now, you must be wondering as to how one can be sure that the design provided by the designer really suits them. Well, for every client who signs up to have a custom design tattoo, the tattoo design is not finalized until the client approves it. The rough drafts are made and are shown to the client, and are finally made only once they say a yes. So there is no chance of worrying about losing money over something you don't like. Once the design is finalized, it is mailed to you along with a list of names and addresses of tattoo designers who will help to get it tattooed onto you.

You can choose from the various categories like tribal art, butterflies, celestial motifs, ornamental and flowery patterns etc. If you wish to inscribe a name or a word, there are a wide range of fonts to choose from. So, go ahead and get yourself a beautiful custom tattoo design that reflects who you are.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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When it comes to finding that unique cool tattoo design idea that fits you the most, you may noticed it is like shopping in a huge shopping store. You see so many options, colors, and flavors, and that doesn't make it any easier to choose what you like the best.

Same with cool tattoo ideas, you have a wide variety of choices - from which body part you are going to apply the tattoo on, to which shape and colors to pick. So this free guide is going to help you through this process step by step and make it a whole lot easier for you.

So here are 3 steps to take when choose a cool unique idea for your tattoo design...

1. Animals or Symbols? It's Your Choice

The first step to finding your special tattoo idea, is to decide whether you'd like a symbol or an animal. These two are the most common styles you can choose from.

For example a cool animal tattoo could be a lion, wolf, scorpio, spider, or simple something cute like a butterfly tattoo design.

And a unique cool symbol design can be the yin yang peace sign, tribal symbols, zodiac signs, or a meaningful Chinese or Japanese character.

So once you choose which animal or symbol you like the most, here comes the next step...

2. Which Size Is the Best for Your Tattoo?

Depending on where you would like to have your tattoo, the size of the design plays a big role. For instance, when on your lower back, the tattoo shape can be quite large because there is plenty of space for it. But if on your wrist or neck, the tattoo should be quite small in order to look cool and great.

So the question is, where would you like to have your tattoo designed?

3. Find a Clear Stencil for Your Tattoo Idea

And here we reach the final part, which is a very important one. Nothing is more important when it comes to having a cool unique tattoo design, than a clear helpful stencil.

A stencil is the basic black and design that enables your tattoo artist to draw the shape perfectly and precisely. Without a clear stencil, designing more complex tattoos on your skin might turn out a bit tricky.

So it is recommended to always find your cool tattoo idea from a source that also provides you with the unique tattoo stencil to help make the process easier and safer.

Looking for creative unique Cool Tattoo Design Ideas You can take a look at this free photo gallery to find tens of new free tattoo patterns and stencils for your arm, leg, back, wrist, and more.

Simply check out these Unique Tattoo Designs to discover that special idea that fits you the most!

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Tattoo design contests are everywhere, especially all over the Internet. For tattoo hobbyists, arranging a design contest is a great of way to find the best designs at a very competitive price. For artists also, these contests are a very effective way of showing their skills to the tattoo enthusiasts across the globe.

If you are a tattoo designer, you may find tattoo contests quite frustrating. The reason is that there is no limit to the number of participants. Any number of artists can take part and submit designs based on the tattoo ideas of the client and their instructions. So, to help create award-winning designs, here are five effective tips from an expert tattoo artist:

Read the complete rules of the contest: Before anything else, you need to keep in mind the fact that you are required to make tattoos according to rules specified by the contest holder. Your tattoo design may be outstanding, but if it does not meet the contest's criteria, there's no point in submitting it because that is not what the client is looking for. Reading and understanding the complete rules will help you come up with a design that suits the judge's preferences. For example; check if they have to be traditional, tribal or contemporary. Knowing the theme of the tattoo contest will make your work stand out.

Make your work look unique and fresh: When someone starts a contest, it means that he or she is looking for a design that is other than regular and is uniquely creative and has everything that a client wants. Majority of tattoo contests put uniqueness at the top of the judging criteria. Everyone knows that there are millions of tattoo designs available. Some are used more often than the rest, so know which ones are common and try to avoid them. Remember, that while traditional tattoos are still appealing, contest holders want to see unique designs.

Put yourself in the judge's shoes: When making a design for a contest, always think of the contest judges. Since you're not the one who will be wearing your design, you need to follow the rules closely. Always look at it from the wearer's perspective. Ask yourself; will this design look great on my client's skin? Will the judge like this design? Tattoo design contests are just like a tattoo shop, where the client talks and you listen.

Do your own research: Whether you are doing a tattoo design for a contest or not, research is important. You can find lots of design ideas by checking out designs created by artists in various categories. Incorporate the most inspiring details into the design you have in mind. It is a good idea to think of all possible designs that fit the contest rules and then merge them into one. Contest-winning tattoo masterpieces are a decent mix of different ideas. Just remember that your designs must always retain uniqueness, and you should never compromise on it.

Take your time: Tattoo design contests, both online and offline, attract hundreds of entries. As such, the chances of winning can be very slim. Take your time designing your entry. You need to spend time in creating, reviewing and improving your contest entry. Only after several reviews and revisits will your design have a chance of winning a contest.

On a last note, practice is as equally important as these tips. Now that you are aware of these expert tips, you are definitely on your way to winning a tattoo design contest.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos have become a craze in teenagers and young adults in the past decade, although this art has been appreciated and sported by people belonging to different cultures for centuries now. For many years, tattoos were predominantly seen on merchant marines, sported by sailors who traveled to ports around the world where there were tattoo artists creating magnificent designs, long before they became popular in America.

However, when it comes to selecting tattoo designs and having them inked on your skin, there are five warnings from tattoo design experts that tattoos enthusiasts should be aware of.

Check upon the quality of the design and reputation of the tattoo designer - Make sure the tattoo artist is skilled and experienced and doesn't use outdated patterns or old ink. There may be some designs where the quality is very low and the image is hazy, which sometimes even resembles an ugly rash on the skin rather than a beautiful design. These designs are generally less expensive, but remember, a tattoo is a permanent mark on the body, and cannot be easily removed. Most of the people who get a low quality tattoo usually end up regretting it.

Pay attention to the words or lines used in your tattoo - Be careful and think at least 10 times before you decide to put certain words or phrases in the design of your tattoo. Attitudes generally change as people grow up and realize that some words or statements are inappropriate and immature. So, refrain from incorporating any word, phrase or a statement that is not a part of your true personality or something that might hurt the feelings of those in your community. It's one thing to be a rebellious teenager and want to put abusive, slanderous, or foul language on the body as a statement, but as an adult and in a professional environment, it's simply unacceptable.

Choose the part of your body for tattooing with utmost care - Most designers recommend various locations on the body for specific tattoos, but they rarely recommend getting your first tattoo on the face, the top of the hands, or on the neck. The reason is that tattoos on face and neck are very hard to cover up if the situation requires covering them, such as a job profile where in tattoos are not allowed.

Give your tattoo and your body sufficient time to heal and recover - Make sure the tattoo artist provides clear instructions on how to take care of your tattoo and your skin before the tattoo heals completely. These include recommending an antibiotic cream to use in the first week after the tattoo is done, as well as washing it five times a day to keep it clean and avoid infection. They should also recommend keeping it out of the sun, and a moisturizer to use after the first week to prevent the skin from drying out.

Discuss your skin conditions with the tattoo artist before getting it inked - People who have extremely sensitive skin may consider avoiding tattoos. If they have psoriasis, or scar easily, they should avoid tattoos because of the likelihood of keloid scars making the area ugly and prone to more infections. Some people think getting a tattoo to cover a birthmark is a good idea, but check with a dermatologist first, and if it's not recommended, don't do it.

Getting a tattoo can be a great expression of the person, but when it's done without understanding the pros and cons of having a cheap tattoo from an inexperienced tattoo artist; it can be a real disaster. Take these five warnings from tattoo designer experts to heart and have a tattoo that you will cherish forever.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoo design contests are gaining huge popularity among tattoo enthusiasts these days with the rising trend of flaunting custom tattoo designs. Celebrities from the sports worlds, fashion industry and Hollywood are coming up with tattoos that display their success, despair, budding relationships and even break ups are fast catching people's eyes. This has led to a healthy competition between tattoo artists as they are getting requests to create designs that are unique to an individual's taste but also in line with the latest tattoo trend.

Not only are such competitions convenient means to discover fresh and unique custom tattoo designs, they also serve as a platform for the tattoo designers to showcase their talent and earn good money. If you are a tattoo artist who engages in such online challenges, take into consideration these five tips to keep you ahead in online tattoo competitions.

Stay creative - Just because the idea is not originally yours, it doesn't give you the right to dish out unoriginal artwork. The people who set up tattoo design contests know their stuff, and believe me, they know the meaning of the word "unoriginal art". Don't just join an online contest for the sake of monetary gain. You are a tattoo designer because you love what you do and you are good at your chosen field. Don't let greed and love of money ruin your artistic expression.

Stick with the prize - This means never charge extra. Almost all custom tattoo sites have already become popular web destinations for tattoo design contests. Contest creators may stipulate prize money from 35$ to 500$. Winning $35 by submitting a custom tattoo design is a pretty decent amount. Whatever amount you win, never ask for more.

Be knowledgeable with different tattoo styles - As a tattoo artist, you should hold yourself responsible for training yourself in various tattoo forms such as Celtic and Tribal. If you're only good at making butterfly impressions why not expand your expertise by training with other zoomorphic designs. Moving away from your comfort zone will allow you to evolve into a much better artist.

Be open to online criticisms - The person who created the online challenge is free to leave comments about the piece you have uploaded. If you don't like what he said, don't get your war face on and engage in an online testimonial battle against the person who has the power to give you the prize. Take all criticisms constructively. These guys are not talking about your personal life, they are commenting about your artwork. So to win a tattoo design competition, you need to stay humble.

Stay connected with the person who chose your design - If ever you got to be chosen among the hundreds of entries; do not congratulate yourself too much. That same person who chose you as the winner might hold another online tattoo contest in the future. Instead of pulling a "now you know me now you don't" act, stay connected with the person who spearheaded the contest. Follow up on him after having your tattoo imprinted on his skin. Who knows, he might choose you again on his next contest after recalling how sincere you have been in dealing with him post-competition.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Getting the perfect custom tattoo design is a lot easier today than it was in the old days. Today you can go online and get in touch with a number of tattoo designers who can work with you to create you that perfect tattoo. Some sites even allow their members to start design contests where artists work on a tattoo based on the client's description and specifications and submit their work samples until the client selects the final and winning design. The winning designer is then awarded with the pre determined prize money. The artist, on the other hand, sends the completed design and matching stencil. The client can then take the stencil/design to a local tattoo studio for tattooing.

So, finding the perfect custom tattoo design starts with finding a site that has a thriving community of talented designers. Some sites have thousands of artists who work with the client to provide them with a design that they have been looking for. Sometimes the designer may create a design that is way beyond the expectations of the client making him extremely happy and satisfied.

The designers, when working with their client, provide them with a few variations of their tattoo ideas so that they can provide feedback to help create a design that matches their preferences and personal style. Some sites even offer their clients up to ten different and exclusive variations of a design.

Being involved in a tattoo design contest can be a fun as well as a rewarding opportunity. The client may have an idea of what they are searching for, and a good designer can bring that idea to life. Experienced designers even make suggestions that clients may be overlooking and create a newer, and better looking custom tattoo design.

There are literally thousands of sites available for finding custom tattoo designs on the web. Each contest has a brief description of what is required in a tattoo and if the designers find the job challenging and the prize money attractive, they can participate and submit original designs created by them.

When searching for the best custom tattoo designs, don't forget to look into the sites that offer online contests where designers will be vying to provide you with the best looking tattoo based on your input and specifications. These contests offer not just best quality and unique designs but also give the client a choice to select the best design from among a collection of the most creatively designed tattoos totally based on individual personality and preferences.

There are a lot of talented tattoo designers out there waiting for an opportunity to provide tattoo enthusiasts with some of the best custom tattoos that they can create. With all the options available, any hobbyist can find a perfect custom tattoo that he or she can sport with elan.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos are a form of body art that people have been using for self expression around the world for ages now. Though there are endless tattoo designs available on almost every possible subject, tattoo enthusiasts prefer to have something which is more personal and truly reflects their individual personality. Since every client's personality and their requirements in a tattoo are different, having a tattoo design contest can be a great idea.

Before you plan to start a design contest or participate in such contests in the capacity of a designer, you must be aware of the pros and cons of having a tattoo design contest. There are some great advantages of having a design contest but there are some things that one must know when starting the contest.

Following are the pros of a tattoo design contest:

1. New Designs - A contest like this allows the designers to come up with their best designs that are not only original, but also take in every single requirement of the client. Every contest has a theme and all designs are based on the tattoo ideas and personal preferences of the client. So, if you're looking for a range of freshly created designs to choose from, starting a tattoo design contest is the best deal for you.

2. Creativity - The designers bring out the best in them in terms of creativity and experience while designing tattoos for their clients. It is a great opportunity for them to showcase their creative genius keeping in mind every single requirement of the client.

3. Classes - Since a tattoo design contest is started by individuals with specific requirements, contest holders are free to define even the location on the body where the tattoo needs to be placed. For example; tattoos for the ankle, upper shoulder, neck, lower back, and arms and it can be quite interesting and a lot of fun to see the various types of tattoo designs that participants come up with.

4. Color - Use of colors in a tattoo is another skill that comes from knowledge and experience. If the client has specified colors that the designer thinks will not look good or may cause problems on the skin, the designer can discuss this with the client and convince them to make subtle changes in the color scheme. For example; pastel colors, vibrant colors, monotones or black and white; whichever goes well with the concept of the design.

5. Prizes - A pre determined prize money is an incentive for the designer to present his best work of art. The designer can use the winning design to promote his work and the client can show the winning designs to recommend the designer to friends or those interested in getting tattooed.

6. Judges - The people judging the contests are unbiased and are not told about either the designer's forte or which design is created by which designer.

7. Sponsors - Many contests are sponsored by agencies that promote their own tattoo studios/ designers. They even encourage the artists to do some really creative work.

Here are the Cons:

1. Cost - The cost of hosting a contest can be very expensive depending on where it is held.

2. Disputes on unique designs - With millions of designs available, it can be difficult to prove that a certain design is completely unique. It is virtually impossible to go through all the designs that are in the market.

3. Judging - It can be difficult to find unbiased and professional judges. It can also be expensive to have to pay their travel and living expenses.

4. Organization - The contest must be well organized and the classes and categories must be clearly defined in the rules. It can be a lot of work to ensure that every aspect of the contest is fair and has no appearance of being biased to one artist's work over another.

It's a lot of work to host a tattoo design contest, but it can be a huge success when everything is well planned and thought out. Before the contest, make sure you know the pros and cons of hosting a tattoo design contest and take a look at all the aspects to make sure it's completely worthwhile.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Tattoos are trendy and stylish. This art form has become a regular part of today's generation's lifestyle and fashion. But before having a regular tattoos applied to your skin, you ought to have a look at some custom tattoo designs. Unlike regular designs, custom tattoos are unique and signify something/ someone special or important in your life. After all they are not called 'custom tattoos' for nothing.

Most tattoo hobbyists and enthusiasts have lots of tattoo ideas going on in their minds. More often than not, these ideas are either too many or too complex to interpret them in one single design. So, to make things a lot easier and to be fully satisfied, people turn to custom tattoo designs created for them and make their own stencil.

Yes! You can make your own stencil and it is a lot of fun. Creating a personalized design for your body gives you freedom to choose the location, the theme and the color of the tattoo. Of course, before you start making your design, you need to find inspiration. In fact, a tattoo becomes more relevant when there is something significant attached to it. Important events, special people or things and artistic ideas are just some of the common themes for custom tattoo designs.

So, how is custom tattoo design stencil made? Here are some simple steps to make your very own customized designs.

1. Draw out a template first - As mentioned above, you can use many different sources for your design. If you are making a tattoo design for the first time, you can check current tattoo styles and trends online. There are millions of designs out there where you can get the inspiration and ideas for your own tattoo. Take time to find out one and finalize your own design.

2. Scale the design so that it fits standard paper size and the part of the body to be tattooed - A design with intricate details is rather difficult to scale on paper. You need to make sure that all details are precisely laid out on the paper as this will become your stencil. If you are not comfortable with your artistic ability or you're not that gifted, you can ask for help from an expert tattoo designer.

3. Transfer the design onto transfer paper - To do this, you need to use carbon paper. Lay the transfer paper flat on a firm surface, then secure the carbon paper, ink side down, on the paper. Place your scaled design on top of the carbon paper. Carefully, using slight pressure, trace the design, not missing out any details. Make sure that the design and the carbon paper are secured in place to prevent misalignment on the final stencil. You can use tape to ensure that the carbon is placed accurately. This is important, as it ensures that your stencil is exactly the same as your design.

4. Transfer the design stencil onto your skin - Once you're done tracing the design, cut out the design, following its edges. Moisten the tattoo stencil with glycerin so that it sticks to the skin. For the stencil to stick onto the skin, you need to moisten it a little. Place the transfer paper over the part of the body to be tattooed. Rub the paper gently until it has completely transferred the design. You can now start following the stencil with tattoo ink.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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