Free Ideas for Tattoos

Tattoo Designs and You

For most people, selecting the right tattoo design is a very important part of the tattoo process. Tats are meant to be permanent, and while laser tattoo removal is available, it's best to pick a design that you wouldn't imagine removing later on. It's a good idea to think about the tattoo you want to get for a while before jumping into the tattoo chair - that way you will have time to imagine yourself with the tat and think about the repercussions of getting this ink done.

There are many ways to come up with tat designs, from emulating the tattoos of celebrities to getting an image that you have always liked inked on your skin. Some people take their inspiration from fine art, and others take theirs from life, as is in the case of portrait tattoos. No matter what sort of tattoo you want done, however, chances are that there are free ideas for tattoos that can help you to find the right image.

Find a Design at a Tat Shop

One of the biggest resources for ideas, and one that also happens to be free, is your local tattoo shop. Most shops have an extensive collection of flash art - art that was specifically drawn for the purpose of being used as tattoos. This art may be hanging on the walls of the shop, or it can sometimes be found in portfolios that are set out for your perusal. Whichever way the tat parlor chooses to display them, these images are all free for your use. If you know what sort of tattoo you would like, for instance a butterfly or perhaps a flower, you can take a look through the different flash art images and choose one that goes along with your theme or style.

Find a Design Online

Of course, flash art is considered by some to be an inferior way to get a tattoo. While you can get your flash colored differently than the way it is shown in the example, you will still have the same image that hundreds of other people have gotten inked on their bodies. For free ideas for tattoos that are a little less common, you can turn to the Internet.

Free Ideas for Tattoos Online

These ideas for your next tattoo are still going to be seen on more than one person's body, but they might not be as common as the standard flash distributed to multiple studios throughout the world. Some of these websites offer thousands of free tattoo ideas, some of which are even printable, so you can take them as flash stencils right to your tattoo artist. These are often pay services, but you can still look at the ideas for free! Here is a list of free tattoo idea sites to get you started:

• Tattoodles has tons of flash to look at for great ideas! While you do have to pay for the images if you want to print out a stencil (via membership), you can definitely get some great free ideas.
• Tattoo Designs (free) offers a limited collection of tattoo flash for your perusal, and you can also print these out. Be aware that some of the images may be too fuzzy to be used as stencils.
• Tattoo Spot also offers free images for your ideas.

Other Ways to Get a Design

If you want an even more custom-made design, you can often go to a tattoo studio and ask if there is an apprentice who is willing to draw up a design for you, for free. Apprentices will often work for no (or little) pay in order to gain the tattooing and drawing experience, but the quality may not be as high as what you would expect from an experienced artist.