Tattoo artist reveals the biggest mistakes people make when getting inked for the first time

A tattoo artist has revealed the biggest mistakes people make when getting inked for the first time.

Katie Baker, who is famous on TikTok (@keeksandkooks), has been working as a tattooist for just over a year at Golden Skull Tattoo in Kennewick, Washington.

She regularly posts videos about her experiences, such as what tattoos she won't do, to why she believes finger tattoos aren't the best, while also using her platform to educate viewers about the tattoo industry.

Most recently, Baker shared tips and words of advice to tattoo newbies with Insider.

Check them out below.

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Don't get inked by artists who are mean and don't want to talk time to understand your design

Baker told the outlet that one of the biggest mistakes is hearing about people using a tattoo artist that they're not too keen on.

"Getting a tattoo is a very intimate thing, and you want to make sure that you gel well with them when you're trusting them with your skin," she said. "If you feel that your tattoo artist doesn't respect you, run."

Communication is a must

Baker told the outlet that she was most surprised by how much talking is incorporated into her job.

To understand what her clients expect from the design, she has to ensure "mutual trust" through communication.

"You really learn about people's hearts and who they are as people," Baker said before adding that it was one of the "scariest" parts of her job that she's "grown to love."

You have to do your research

Baker further told the outlet that some people want a tattoo so bad that they will visit any shop without reading reviews or thoroughly learning about their tattoo artist. She also said that some people would also overlook if the shop is clean or if the artists are drinking or taking drugs.

Having an open line of communication with an artist is definitely important when you're getting something that's quite permanent, although sometimes it doesn't always work out.

For example, a woman who got a tattoo of a Marvel character went viral after she noticed that part of the artwork had a phallic resemblance.

Someone else got angry with an artist who hid their initials within their design. They expressed to the artist that the design they wanted was sentimental and paid homage to their deceased grandfather.

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