The artist's portfolio is the book of designs he or she has done that will be shown to you when you are looking for a tattoo. Check to see if anything in the portfolio represents the flash on display (either on the walls or in a flashbook). Do you like the style? Does he or she do anything that you would want on your skin? What about the clientele in the portfolio? Do they represent a part of society that you feel comfortable with? Or do you even care about that? These are some of the questions to ask yourself.

Once you've found an artist whose style or styles you like, check the execution of the designs more carefully. How do the actual tattoos in the portfolio compare to the flash? Are the lines drawn clearly? Is there any fuzzing or fading? Are the colors bright and true? If you like what you see, and if the parlor is safe and hygienic, you've probably found an artist you can deal with.