This is mine:
Incredible.
The next two posts, however, just make it evident that this thread is destined to doom.
]]>I stained a shirt, but my tattoos were all solid colors and were oozing a lot. Happened to a couple of friends too. (Again with solid things, not with shading).
Sure, solids vs. shading could be the difference. My shading was all in grays, none of it too dark (as you can see, I guess).
]]>Sit on it for a few years. Tattoos last a lifetime.
^ This is the most concise, important suggestion here. I thought about mine for four years after I first visualized it -- never doubting it once the entire time.
.. but the kind of "should I get this tattoo?" or "what do you think of this design?" style questions usually indicate the customer needs to go home and think about the design for a bit longer. Basically, if you need other peoples opinion on whether to get a given design or not, you probably would be better advised not to get it until you are sure.
^ If you're solid enough on any image or design, you shouldn't need anyone else's input. It's supposed to be meaningful to you, so other people may not get it.
It seems kind of tall/narrow to have on your back..
^ [I'm assuming you're a guy.] I think this will make your naked-back look somewhat awkward. Consider the archetypal shape for each sex: V-shaped for men, hourglass for women. As with mine, a wider design at the shoulders helps a male to appear to fit in slightly moreso to "our" bodily-appearance.
[A] Chose your tattooist carefully. Really carefully.
[B] Don't have one thinking "if i really don't like it I could get it removed" - ten times the money and ten times the pain.
^ [A]: Start casually going around to your local shops & perusing the artists' portfoilos (thick notebooks, full of 8x10's). Eventually you should gravitate toward an artist who appears to specialize in the style of your intended piece. Many artists have open booths, some work in more-confined office-like spaces -- if you can, hang out for short periods & observe an artist's general vibe/personality. [I was with my artist for a total of 13 hours -- it would've sucked if he was a dickbag.] Jot down a few artists' names if you need to, as there might be a small handful that you like for different reasons.
^ [B]: This is why you should be 99% on whatever you choose. Having a tattoo "removed" is one of the most painful things I've ever experienced, and you have to go back X number of times. ... and then there's the bill.
[A] .. your body doesn't really like being tattooed very much so being very well rested, ie good nights sleep, and very well fed, as in a nice hearty meal before hand its a very good idea, it kind of cushions your system a bit against the trauma. I got my first tattoo horribly jet-lagged on an empty stomach and passed out. ... [B] While getting tattooed, take along a bunch of podcasts, nice and absorbing and kind of takes your mind off the pain.
^ [A]: Limit your caffeine intake beforehand, as it tends to thin the blood. This will make you bleed more during a session, which may not only frustrate your artist, but could also lessen the overall quality of your piece. Alcohol & painkillers also fit into this category -- avoid them as well. On the contrary, weed can temporarily increase blood-platelet size; I've occasionally heard of getting a light buzz just before you go in, for less overall bleeding.
^ [B]: Definitely bring some music to listen to, just to have as an option. But your artist may be a really neat person -- talk 'em up a little if you like! [..If they don't mind having a conversation while they're working, that is.].
[A] .. a tattoo on the middle of your back : you cannot care for it yourself. You will need someone to clean it and apply ointment on it at least 2 times a day. For 10 to 15 days. [B] You cannot expose a healing tattoo to hot water much : it makes the healing skin roll off, taking away the ink with it. That makes showering quite the daunting task.
^ [A]: If you're in a relationship, no problem. Guys are just more prone to being weird about helping other guys out with this; if you're single, maybe a female-friend wouldn't mind. It's a twice-a-day procedure, however, meaning roommates work best.
^ [B]: For showers, just decrease your usual water-temperature, and try to not allow the stream to pound directly on the tattoo. If a lower water-temp. doesn't sound great, get a small space-heater to plug in near the shower. Fifteen minutes before you'd like to shower, turn the heater on High, and close the door.
.. you'll be staining every t-shirt you'll be wearing for the first 3 to 5 days. And when you'll take them off it will hurt like a bitch. Usually you're not supposed to cover tattoos with any sort of clothing, if you want it to heal nice, and they need to always be covered in ointment. You'll be living with greasy shirts glued to your back for 2 weeks.
^ I've never had staining happen, or signif. shirt-removal-pain. Any tattoo-artist worth their salt absolutely should completely cover a new tattoo with gauze-material (lined w/ thin-plastic). This can stay on the rest of that first day, after which cocoa-butter is your friend (most tattoo shops stock their preferred lotions) . [You may even be able to negotiate the purchase of add'l lined-gauze from your tattoo shop.] Regular attention to lotion (post-shower, pre-dress) should minimize shirt-removal-pain. Avoid anything even remotely harsh in the shower for 3 weeks after your work (e.g., full-body acne-wash).
Other:
- Most likely, the outline & interior-shading will be done in separate sessions.
- Plan for a 2.5hrs as your maximum session-time. 1st hour: body's in shock. 2nd hour: you relax into it. 3rd hour: fidgeting begins.
- The shading isn't as painful as the outline. With an outline, the body has less time to inhibit pain in a specific region.
- The best seasons to get work done are in times of median outdoor-temperature. Otherwise, you may sweat or shiver more than you should.
This is mine:
Incredible.
The next two posts, however, just make it evident that this thread is destined to doom.
]]>this is a nice one...
]]>
There's already a lot of good discussion by others so far. I'll post my thoughts/suggestions once I take in everything here.
]]>neilbaldwin wrote:I've got loads!
pics or GTFO! let's see them bones and clams already!
Hey dd!
I didn't realise that was you.
I'll try to take one later. You're not getting the whole arm though - it's still not finished!
I've got loads!
pics or GTFO! let's see them bones and clams already!
]]>is that piece of artwork custom?
i have one tattoo that's a band logo
(my first tattoo -- the black flag bars)
that i got on my 18th birthday. i dont
really regret the ink, but it's easily
my least favorite.
all my other stuff is custom, and it feels
good knowing yew have a unique piece
of art permanently staining your skin.
i say go for it!
but really think about it first.
also,
i worked at a tattoo/piercing shop for years,
so i *HAVE* to throw this one out there...
yew git watcha pay fer...
and good tattoos aint cheap.