What you will find here are tattoo ideas for men like you. Not for your mother, your sister or your significant other, but for you. Yes, you can walk into many tattoo shops and find an artist that will happily guide you towards pre-drawn designs, or flash, and tattoo your choice on any part of your body. Don’t you want something more unique? When you take the time to choose the right tat, you aren’t filled with regret down the road. You aren’t paying for expensive cover-up designs. And you aren’t wasting your money on tinted creams that don’t hide freckles much less your body art.

There are three truths about tattoos: They are personal, they hurt and they are permanent. Taking these truths into consideration, it only makes sense that you pick out a tattoo that not only represents who you are and how you feel, but one that you can live with for the rest of your life.

So how do you choose tattoos for men?

The first place to start is in determining what you believe in and the things you are passionate about. Perhaps you are deeply involved in your religion, animal welfare, or your children. It’s important to consider whether the things you are passionate about today will still hold meaning to you 10, 20 or 30 years down the road. If the answer is yes, you are on the right track. As you can see there are many great tattoo ideas for guys to consider.

There is nothing wrong with looking for men’s tattoo ideas on the Internet or in magazines, but you will struggle to find an artist who will copy another’s work. Instead, make notes and gather ideas. Decide if you want a black and white tat or one filled with color. Take all of your ideas to your preferred tattoo artist and ask them to draw something for you. A great artist will be able to take your ideas and incorporate them into a fantastic piece.

Don’t get so hung up on the area of your body that your tat will be placed on. While you definitely have a say in whether or not your new artwork is visible, your artist can tell you wish part of your body will work the best for your new tattoo. Keep in mind that the more detail you desire, the larger your tattoo will need to be.

You want to be sure that your tattoo is as meaningful to you when you’re 80 as it is today. When you take the time to choose the right tattoo design for men, you can be more certain that you will love your personal artwork for the rest of your life.