In my previous article about Sacramento tattoo parlors, which you can access by clicking on the "storyline" tab on the right, I wrote about the business aspects of a tattoo parlor: how to get a license, laws about sterilization, etc.. To get a more rounded perspective on the typical tattoo parlor, I spoke with a couple of artists from different parlors around town.

The foundation of a successful tattoo parlor is its artists. So what sets an individual artist apart from all others? "What sets them apart would be style, the way they draw, and the way they lay out the tattoos," says American Graffiti tattoo artist Ryan Tanton.

Artists can also distinguish themselves by learning multiple styles. "One way [that sets them apart] would be their ability to be a chameleon in the different styles of tattooing," says Royal Peacock tattoo artist Jan Hill.

Both style and technique can contribute to the individual aesthetics of a tattoo. As for style, there is no one particular way. "There's all different styles," says Hill. "There's Japanese style, there's street style, there's black-and-grey style."

There are also different techniques an artist can incorporate while applying the tattoo, like holding the needle a certain way. "[Your technique] might come from where you learned, how you learned, what country you live in," explains Hill. "You can pick up different techniques as you learn."

As for methods of applying tattoos, there are only two. "There's hand tattooing which would be by hand with a stick, and there's the electric machine," describes Tanton. "Those are the two basic ways about it."

Hand tattooing with a stick and a hammer is the earliest form of tattooing, and is still practiced in the application of traditional Borneo tattoos. However, most established parlors use the electric machine.

What about quality? What constitutes a quality tattoo? "A quality tattoo is going to have a nice, crisp black outline where it's a consistent line throughout the whole tattoo," says Tanton.

"You can always tell by good line work," says Hill. "If it's real smooth and it has nice line weight. If it's consistent. If the color's real bright, solid."

Tattooing is a form of artistry. It may seem similar to other art forms like graphic design or painting, but, as Tanton says, "it's in a category all its own."

Royal Peacock is located at 2101 P Street. To check it out, click here.

American Graffiti is located at 16th and J Street. To check it out, click here.