Now, don’t get us wrong: 2D tattoos are majestic, too. But if you want to push the boundaries of your art and professional life, you can’t keep doing the same things over and over again.

You need to expand, experiment, and try different approaches. Some tattoo artists decide to specialize in the use of colors. Others go for more abstract art. Still, others hone their attention to detail to perfection. And some decide that 3D ink is going to be their forte.

Creating the illusion of 3D, whether you’re inking another person or a piece of parchment, comes down to your skills in working with light and shadows, as well as perspective. These create a sense of depth and give the entire design a real-life quality.

You can’t do this by winging it. You need to know how light falls and shadows work in the real world, how objects overlap, and how big or small something looks the closer and further it is from the viewer.

Truly good tattoos require a mix of several things. They don’t happen by accident (well, maybe once in a blue moon…). For one, you need your tattoo artist to be skilled, capable, and cool as a cucumber under stress.

On top of that, unless you’re fine with completely experimental tats, you need to clearly know what design you want and constantly communicate with the artist.

Fundamentally, though, there needs to be mutual trust between the artist and their client. If it’s missing, the results are going to pale in comparison to what could have been. You need to be comfortable with the artist and their work.

And that means doing some proper background research before you’ve even set foot in their salon.

Meeting an artist in person is going to tell you a lot about their character. You’ll learn even more about their work ethic, passion for ink, and artistic talents when they start working on your skin. But before all of that happens, you need to sit down and do some research.

Many artists have both business and social media pages these days. They’re absolutely great for clients who want to get to grips with their level of skill, taste, and specialization.

For instance, if you want a 3D tattoo done, you probably shouldn’t head to any random local salon and ask for one. Sure, the artist might know what they’re doing or they’ll just try their best even if they don’t have the right skills. But what you want to do is find a person whose specialty is working with 3D designs.

You need to know for a fact that the tattooist has some experience in this area and feels comfortable with these sorts of designs. They might not live in your neighborhood, so mentally prepare yourself for a possible trip.

While you’re doing your internet research, consider talking to your friends who have tattoos about the artists whom they trust. People who are truly satisfied with the results will be happy to recommend these artists. Meanwhile, you can call up the salon or even pop in for a quick chat in person to see how viable your design is. Most good artists are happy to answer your questions.

You’ll also get a feel for the atmosphere. It’s actually quite important that you feel comfortable. Trust your gut on this one.

Another thing to consider is the cost of the design. Clients generally want to get awesome designs done as cheaply as possible. Meanwhile, artists who take pride in their work and are practical know that detailed work requires time, which requires money because we all have to eat and pay rent.

Broadly speaking, you tend to get what you pay for. If you want high-quality ink, instead of a doodle, you have to be willing to splurge. 

As ‘Inked’ magazine points out, the best tattoo artists put stock in health and safety precautions. That means that they’ll wear gloves, have their certification up to date, and they’ll keep their workplace clean and neat. Hygiene is vital.

If you feel uncomfortable about being in a dirty and dingy salon, don’t be shy and speak up about it. It’s better to make things slightly awkward than to put your health in danger.

Trustworthy artists will also give credit where it’s due and will avoid outright copying other designers’ work. It’s one thing to feel inspired by someone and put your own spin on things. It’s another thing entirely to duplicate someone’s ideas and claim them as your own.

Which of the designs in this list caught your eye the most, Pandas? Do you have any 3D tattoos yourselves? Let us know in the comments! In the meantime, for some more awesome 3D tattoo inspo, take a peek at Bored Panda’s earlier articles.