Karen Hudson

The tattoo process involves much more than simply deciding on a design and getting stuck with needles. A myriad of paperwork must be completed before the client even sits down in the chair. Then the skin is shaved, the implements are disinfected, and a stencil is drawn-all before a needle ever meets the patron's skin.

Tattoo enthusiast Karen Hudson has learned much about the complex process of tattooing during her tutelage under a master tattoo artist. In the following article for About.com, Hudson guides the reader through the steps she has become so familiar with.

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT GETTING YOUR first tattoo, but are unfamiliar with the process, the thought might meet you with anticipation. Fear of the unknown can sometimes hold us back from doing things we really want to do. You might...