Start prowling bookstores too. Look at tattoo books and magazines, art books, particularly Asian Art.

Failing all that, go to a tattoo shop and tell them what you want and where you want it. Chances are, they will either have some flash or a picture in a book of what you want. Or they can draw it up for you. A good artist will take into account things like your skin tone and how your body flows in the area you want the tattoo. A good tattoo in the wrong place still looks like hell.

I've been under the needle somewhere around 15 times in 4 different states and I've never seen an artist that wouldn't draw the design on you first so you can see how it'll look before things get permanent.

My wife and I are planning a big piece for my left thigh. A tiger with a dragon and three monkeys in a particular Asian style. The animals are based on our signs in the Chinese Zodiac. My wife is a tiger, our son is a dragon. My son from my first marriage, my daughter and I are all monkeys. The tiger will be the center of the piece and will have one of the monkeys caught by the tail (that'd be me).