Tattoos: What Every Man Should Know

Tattoos: they’re not for every man.

But every man, in the market or not, should be aware of tattoo etiquette and options, if only to become a more engaging conversationalist.

So we’ve selected five local needlesmiths with different styles to show you what’s out there.

If you’re in the market, this is your jumping off point.

If not, consider it a tour through the current state of skin art.

For newbies, here’s a little advice from Broken Art’s Jeremy Swan:

• Find your style, then find your artist

• If a shop doesn’t give you a good feeling right away, then walk

• If they can’t do what you want, ask them if they know who can

• Pace yourself on big pieces — plan 2-3 sessions

And here’s some advice from our style editor, Danny Agnew, who has no fewer than 35 tattoos:

• Always book in advance

• Good artists are worth waiting for

• Good tattoos are always a negotiation

• Trust that the artists knows what they’re doing

Peruse away, friend.