Think about what kind of tattoos you like, whether intricate or simple, tribal or floral motifs. Is there a special reason behind your tattoo? Perhaps it is for a wedding or anniversary, or as a memorial to an important event in your life. Brainstorm some of the symbols you could use to represent your key ideas.
If you're an artist, you could start sketching out potential designs. If you're not an artist, you can purchase special software to design tribal tattoos, or talk to tattoo or other artists to commission a piece. (See Resources section for website) Alternatively, you can print out a design that you like and embellish it with your own personal touch. Use markers or pen to add lettering, colors or other designs to the printout to make the tattoo truly your own.
Keep in mind when designing your tattoo that colored inks tend to fade faster than blue or black inks. (see References 1) Also, strong lines make for sharper and more defined tattoos than very intricate or delicate designs.
Maybe you've heard stories of tattoos gone wrong. For example, the guy who wanted a tattoo in Greek characters. He emailed the text to his Greek professor to translate but didn't know that different fonts don't always use the same keystrokes for foreign alphabets. The professor's computer used a different Greek font than the student's, garbling the words. The student didn't bother to double-check the copy he printed out, leaving him with a very permanent Greek-looking (but meaningless) tattoo! The moral of this story is, if you're going to use Japanese or Chinese characters, a foreign language or a Bible verse, check and double-check with reputable sources that the words or letters or references you want actually say what you think they say. Don't assume that the text you emailed to a translator will come back correctly. Always use printed copies to verify the work.
Once you've made your ideal design, test-drive it with a temporary tattoo. You can buy temporary tattoo paper for home printers--see the Resources section for more information. Using a scanner if you've drawn the artwork by hand, scan the design into your computer. Adjust the design to the right size and then print it out on the special tattoo paper. With the temporary tattoo, you can experiment with what your tattoo would look like on different areas of your body. When you're ready to get the authentic tattoo, look for a qualified tattoo artist and take the best-quality printout of your design with you to the studio.