Many tattoos include some form of lettering in them. Sometimes it's a name, date or scripture, tattoo lettering can make or break the piece. People assume because lettering is so common, it must be a rudimentary skill for any tattoo artist. The truth is some artists are better than others in lettering skills. Each artist has their strengths and weaknesses. There are some considerations a few key to ensure your tattoo lettering comes out just the way you want.
Do your research and ask to see previous samples of an artist's lettering and talk to former clients and see live sample of their work if possible. Question the artist and see if they "like" to do lettering. Some artists dislike doing lettering and others feel it is one of their strengths and enjoy doing this type of tattoo.
Once you've decided on a tattoo artist, your next area of research is the lettering. Look into the fonts and lettering styles. There are hundreds of choices and a hugh range of resources available - your computer is a wealth of resources. Once you've narrowed down your font choices, Make sure you write out what you want to have on write out your word with the font. Sometimes, you'll find individual letters can look quite different in different fonts. You may like the style of one letter but not another and eventually discard that font choice. Another consideration when it comes to font is the tone of the text. Some fonts are appropriate for say - memorial tattoos whereas playful script may be more appropriate for funny, light tats. You can also ask the artist for his input or suggestion but don't wait until the day of the tattoo to start asking questions. Be prepared and plan ahead.
Probably the most important consideration - spelling, spelling, spelling! There will be no bigger disappointment than getting your tattoo and later realizing you've misspelled a word or name and it happens all the time. This will totally ruin your entire experience. Another factor is color - although black is a the most common choice, it isn't your only choice. Just be sure that the color you do choose is easy to read.