Being able to communicate clearly with your artist is crucial as it allows / her know exactly what you want with your tattoo design. A good artist must walk through every step of the tattoo and make you feel as comfortable as possible. Getting a tattoo for the first time can be pretty scary, because I do not know what to expect, but a good tattoo artist will all clear before starting the ink.
A good tattoo artist should be skilled and confident in signing a number of different designs, but more often they usually have some personal favorites like ink. I know of a tattoo artist, who said he enjoyed ink angel wing tattoo designs, and as a result had pictures to show some designs angel wings tattoo impressive than it did in the past that looked fantastic. Find out what your tattoo ink tattoos enjoy, but do not be discouraged if not mentioned the design you want. As I mentioned before, a good tattoo artist should be expert in all designs of ink, no matter what the type.
Finally, remember to consider a variety of factors in finding the best tattoo artist. Often comes down to personal preference, word of mouth from past experiences and you or others have had with different artists that will help you make your decision.