So you want to get a tattoo!
Apr. 27th, 2012 09:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
algIt seems that recently I crossed an apparent line from "person with a few tattoos" to "tattooed person" and that means that now strangers approach me when I'm out and ask me not just about my own tattoos but about theirs. They show me tattoos and ask what I think about the design, the placement, how it's healing; they eye my tattoos and ask, "Do you think I'll get a disease?" and "Will it hurt a lot?" and "Do you think a tattoo artist will make fun of me?" People want to know what the words say -- or they want me to know they recognize the words.
(The other day at the mall, a teenage girl came up to me and interrogated me on getting her first tattoo; when she was done, she said, "I knew I could trust you when I saw you had a Fall Out Boy lyric on your arm.")
To me, there are two great things about this:
1. I can give people information and advice! I love giving advice, and I love helping people be informed so they can make the decisions that are best for them.
2. When I had just a few tattoos, people would touch me without my permission to look at my tattoos. However, I have realized that the more tattoos I have, the more people are afraid that I will hurt them if they touch me without permission. They don't know I am a pacifist and am much more likely to snap irritably, "KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF." Yay, cultural stereotypes working in my favor! \o/
Here are the questions I hear the most, and the answers I usually give, and some unsolicited advice I always try to work in. I am the kind of person who prefers more detail to less, so... there's a lot of detail here. And, of course, if you have questions when you're done reading (or you want to jump in with something I've missed), go for it!
Disclaimer: IANATP (I am not a tattoo professional!) -- I am just a person who has a lot of tattoos, who has sat for a lot of tattoo sessions. I'm at the "I can't even count anymore" point. So this is all what I know, what I've picked up; it's not the one true way or medical advice, blah blah blah. I also want to shout out to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
belladonnalin, bessyboo, and sassbandit for pre-reading this and giving me some invaluable suggestions.
Figuring out how to organize this was a little complicated, so I've organized it the way I would want to read it. Feel free to skip around. Additionally, note that this is US-centric; I've never gotten a tattoo outside the US, so I can't speak to how that works. However, I've been tattooed all across the US (from MA to WA!), so this speaks to my experiences throughout the country, not just on the East Coast.
I. How do tattoos work?
A tattoo is done by taking ink and pushing it under the top layers of skin. Usually a tattoo artist will use a tattoo "gun," which pushes one or more needles that have been dipped in ink into the skin.
Basically, a tattoo is a bunch of puncture wounds with ink shoved into them; making sure you go to a clean shop with sterilized tools is a big big big deal.
II. Aren't they dangerous? I am going to get a disease!
For the most part, tattoo paraphernalia is single-use -- needles, ink, gloves, etc. The tattoo gun is used over and over again, and sterilized between each use in an autoclave.
If you ask your tattoo artist to see their autoclave, and they won't let you, run away.
If you ask your tattoo artist to open the sterile packaging with the single-use needle in front of you, and they won't, run away.
You do not want to get tattooed at a shop that doesn't take safety seriously.
III. Does it hurt?
YES. Yeah, it hurts. You're having a needle poked into your skin.
For some people, the pain is mild. For others, whatever it feels like, it's worth it for the end result. I've had excruciatingly painful tattoos (the snake on my foot, wow, so much pain), but I've also had tattoos that felt like nothing. I know people who can shrug off hours of coloring but wince through simple black outlines. I have a tattoo on the top front of one calf, and another tattoo on the lower back of the same calf -- the top front was a breeze, the lower back felt awful, and when I told one of my tattoo artists about that, he told me his experience had been the exact reverse.
There's no real way to tell what it's going to feel like or how painful it's going to be until you're under the needle.
(Every time I go to a new dentist or doctor and they say, "You must have a high pain tolerance, look at all those tattoos!" I want to punch them in the face. There's a huge difference between having a root canal and getting a tattoo. I can't believe I even need to explain that.)
There's a lot of folk wisdom about getting a tattoo, how to make it hurt less, etc. -- don't get it on your wrist! Get it on your wrist! Don't get it on muscle! Get it on muscle! Don't get it on fatty tissue! Get it on fatty tissue!
I think the only real advice I have about this is try to stay away from (1) the foot and (2) any close-to-the-surface bone, at least for your first tattoo. Anything else is a crapshoot.
Here's the thing, though. If you sit down in that chair and the first touch of the needle hurts so bad that you have to get up and walk out? Get up and walk out. Your tattoo artist will understand. Shit happens! If your appointment is for four hours and you can only make it through two... Well, shit happens. Actually, that exact thing happened to me a few weeks ago -- my appointment was for four hours, and by hour two, despite 1000 mg of ibuprofen, my arm was so sore and swollen that I was miserable and all the endorphins were gone. So my artist and I agreed that we'd stop after the second hour, and I'd just come back the next week to finish. It wasn't a big deal.
(If you say to your tattooist, "I don't know how I'm going to handle this pain; will it be a big deal if we only do half of it today?" and your tattooist makes fun of you or laughs at you or is a douchebag, you may want to reconsider having that tattooist do your work. You might lose your deposit, but that's a small price to pay, IMO.)
IV. What kind of tattoo do you want?
Some people have really clear ideas about what tattoos they want. They have a design picked out, or a name, or a picture, or a general image. Some people have no clue. I've gone in with a design and asked for it to be replicated as-is; I've gone in and picked an image off the wall (from the "flash"); I've said, "Here's my concept, can you sketch it out?"; I've said, "Just do whatever you have to in order to cover this up"; I've said, "I want a nightmare, can you draw that?"
I suggest having at least a vague idea of what you want, and of what style you're into. An artist who does most of their work in Japanese traditional style might not be so comfortable rendering art deco concepts for you -- or they might. Make sure you ask.
If you don't care so much about the style, that's not important, but if you have a clear idea of what you're looking for, you're going to want to be able to convey that to the artist.
If you want a butterfly, or a couple of words, or a horseshoe, your artist's personal style isn't going to be as important as if you want a big piece of specialized art.
A tattoo artist who is an artist is going to ask you a lot of questions. If you don't care, you can say that -- but if you do care, give them a lot of detail! You are paying for the art; you should get something that is exactly what you want.
V. I want a tattoo but I don't know what I want.
I hear this a lot from people. They want something meaningful, but can't find anything that "means enough."
Listen, people get tattoos for a lot of reasons. And there are a lot of meaningful things in your life. Whether it's a song lyric (I have four song lyric tattoos), or a takeoff of the shirt your ex-girlfriend designed for you, a giant star on your arm, or an umbrella to remind you that it can't rain all the time... lots of things have meaning. And what has meaning to you doesn't have to mean anything to anyone else, so there's no reason why you should be fretting about getting something other people will understand when they see it. If you're embarrassed that you want something specific as a tattoo, that says a lot more about you than about the tattoo itself.
If you are really intent on getting something meaningful, sit down and think about the events, people, and symbols in your life you find truly meaningful. Some people find meaning in four leaf clovers or unicorns; some people find meaning in abstract designs.
Another way to find inspiration is to look at tattoo blogs and Tumblrs and pictures people upload to Flickr. See what other people are getting, how they interpret events in their lives. The connections have to be there for you, that's the important part.
And, frankly, what's important to you now may not be important to you in 10 years. So what? You can still look at the tattoo you got 10 years ago and remember why you got it and what it meant to you then. (Or you can decide to cover it up with something else!)
VI. What if the artist is drawing something for me?
After the tattoo artist works up the piece of artwork, there are three options:
1. It's perfect! Yay!
2. It's not quite perfect, but you like most of it and/or the artist's style, so you're willing to work with them to refine or redraw the idea.
3. It sucks and you hate it. You and the artist are fundamentally incompatible and you don't like it. If this happens, it is perfectly okay to say you don't want the tattoo after all -- but then offer to compensate the artist for the time spent working on the drawing. This is their job, you hired them to do something you decided you didn't want after all. It's polite to offer some kind of compensation. When you go to a new tattoo artist, do your best to explain what the previous artist did that didn't work for you (if you can snap a cell phone picture, that will be useful). This way, your new artist will have less of a chance of making the same mistake(s)!
VII. Where do you want your tattoo?
A lot of people have very specific ideas about where they want their tattoos. The other day, I talked to a woman who explained that she wanted a tattoo on her ribs so that when she's old, no one will know it's there and it won't matter if it's saggy or faded; many years ago, when I got my tattoo of leaves, the woman who did the leaves was absolutely covered with tattoos, right up her neck. When I asked her, "Are you worried about the way the tiny designs will blur together when you're older?" she said, "No, I'll just be really colorful."
When I got the stars on my wrists, one of my friends was really surprised. She called everything below the elbow "the blue collar line" -- as in, only people who are blue collar (i.e., people who don't work in offices) get tattoos there, because they're very visible. So, for example, I'm pretty much never going to be able to get a job in an office where they have a strict "no visible tattoos" rule as part of their dress code. (I imagine an office like that would take offense at my nose ring and 4g tunnels, too.)
Something to keep in mind is that your tattoo artist might have thoughts about the positioning and placement of your tattoo. These people are professionals; they do this pretty much all day, every day. The way something looks on paper (or a computer screen) is very much not what it's going to look like on skin. Tattoo artists can (should) take this into account.
My Fall Out Boy tattoo is actually a great example of this. Right above that tattoo is an Oasis lyric that I had done when I was 25. The tattoo artist (a guy in Nashville) just put the tattoo on in one piece, and it looked fine to me at the time. But when I went and had the next tattoo done, my artist pointed out to me that the Oasis lyric doesn't follow the natural curves of my arm, and therefore looks like it's uneven. Look for yourself.
(I have words on my left arm, too, and they have the exact same problem -- they don't follow the natural curve of my arm, and therefore look "uneven" even though they are perfectly straight! So the second set of words that curve around the first are also "uneven" looking, because they follow the natural curve of my arm instead of the "straight" curves of the first tattoo.)
Anyway, all that is to say... if your tattoo artist tells you, "That won't look right," please listen. But also don't be afraid to say, "Wait, that looks wrong to my eyes, what's going on?"
VIII. Finding a tattoo artist.
Finding a tattoo artist is as easy or difficult as you want to make it. If you have a design you want, what you need is an artist who's willing to replicate it (or create it). If you don't know what you want, but have some ideas, you need an artist who can actually draw. If you just want to pick a picture off the wall, you still can't just go anywhere -- you need to go someplace where they're really good at those pictures.
If you see someone whose tattoo(s) you like, ask them where they got tattooed! (I have been asked about my venus fly trap tattoo so many times that I carry around my tattoo artist's business cards and hand them out to people.) If you are polite and courteous, most people won't mind talking to you about their tattoos. Do not touch their tattoos unless invited. That is rude.
You might be on vacation and looking for a tattoo artist based out of your home town -- don't let that stop you. I myself have been tattooed in eight different cities, in seven different states, and I know people who have been to even more tattoo artists than that. Most people who have a lot of tattoos will be able to recommend more than one shop (or tell you who to talk to for a recommendation).
The internet is also awesome for this. The way I found my tattoo artist in MA was to get on Yelp, search for tattoo artists in my area, and go through every website until I found one that was appealing. Then I drove out to that artist's shop and went through the portfolios and grilled the artist.
What I wanted:
Not everyone wants the same things. You may not care about any of the above! I've had tattoo artists who didn't respect my body, who touched me without permission or pulled on my clothes or made comments about my boobs. I've had tattoo artists make fun of what I want (or what I already have). I've had tattoo artists completely change demeanor once I stripped off my clothes to demonstrate that, yeah, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to getting tattoos, thanks. When I was younger, I was less inclined to make a fuss about those things, because I thought it was just how getting tattooed works -- but it's not, and I'm at the point now where I don't just want to pay for service, I also want to pay for customer service.
(If you don't care about customer service, then go anywhere you want!)
To me, talking to a tattoo artist about the other stuff in this post is just a way to get at the answers to unaskable questions. Asking, "Are you going to make fun of my tattoos?" isn't often a question people answer honestly. But if you stand around a tattoo shop for about a half hour, asking questions about their procedures and safety mechanisms and artistic vision(s), you'll also get to see how they interact with apprentices, other artists, and other customers who come in, and you can put the pieces together.
(For example, if another customer comes in and the artist makes fun of that person after they leave... well, how do you feel about that?)
IX. How much is it going to cost?
The cost of a tattoo depends on a lot of factors -- the location of the shop, the length of time the artist has been tattooing, whether or not the artist is famous, the size and shape of the piece you want, the placement... If you're asking for a complicated design the tattoo artist has to draw out and then revise several times, you may also have to pay for drawing time.
Most shops have a shop minimum you have to meet as well. The shop minimum is usually an hour -- so even if your tattoo only takes 15 minutes, you pay for the full hour. The shop minimum can be anywhere from $60 - $300. Most shops will tell you what their hourly rate is if you call and ask. They'll also charge by the project instead of by the hour. Small pieces often get charged by the project; big pieces, especially ones with a lot of coloring or shading, are usually done hourly, because the client will go in and sit for 1 - 2 hours of coloring or shading at a time, over the course of several weeks or months.
I have, in fact, paid thousands of dollars for a tattoo; I have also paid $50. You'll never know what any given tattoo will cost until you ask.
If your tattoo is simple and straightforward, shopping around for a good price at the tattoo shops in your area isn't a big deal; however, I do not recommend shopping around for the best price for complicated art. You want the best artist you can get for that, and you're only cheating yourself by going for the cheapest. (Sometimes the cheapest is the best! But judge by the portfolio, not the hourly rate.)
Most tattoo shops require a deposit, especially if the artist is creating a piece for you. Usually, the deposit is a set amount of money (I don't think I've ever left more than $40), but I've heard some shops require a percentage of the estimated total. You pretty much only lose your deposit if you don't show up for your appointment -- otherwise, it's folded into your payment for the tattoo.
X. What do I do to prepare before I get a tattoo?
It's important to go in clean, both so the ink will settle into your skin more easily and because everyone reacts to tattoo endorphins differently. Take a shower. Don't wear strong scent. If the area you're planning to have tattooed is hairy, shave it. (If you skip this step, the tattoo artist will shave you; if you're a person who doesn't want someone else shaving you, don't skip this step.) Don't wear clothing that's going to bind or rub over the area once it's been tattooed; don't wear clothing you're going to be uncomfortable in for the time it takes to get tattooed.
Eat something, preferably something not too heavy. Drink something, preferably something that will hydrate you. (The ink will go better into your skin if you're hydrated. I also have several friends who say that tattooing hurts less when they are hydrated.)
Go to the bathroom beforehand, because nothing sucks like having to get up in the middle of a tattoo to pee.
If you're the kind of person who gets dizzy when you give blood, bring some juice or a piece of fruit with you. At the end of the session, you'll have the opportunity to drink/eat before getting up. (Also, let the tattoo artist know you tend to get dizzy.)
Some tattoo artists don't care if you eat or drink during a session. (I once drank my way through an extra-large coffee from Dunkin' Donuts during a 5-hour tattoo session.) Many tattoo artists are totally willing to take a food/drink break if you need one, but some don't like to have their groove interrupted, so ask first if you think you're going to need something during.
If you are the kind of person who enjoys pain, be prepared for enjoyment to occur. Your tattoo artist will ignore pretty much all signs of pain or enjoyment (unless your body is moving in a way that interferes with the tattoo gun). Just try not to be creepy about it.
DO NOT take recreational drugs or drink alcohol before going to get tattooed. Most responsible tattoo professionals will not work on a client who is in an altered state. Also, you don't want to get tattooed if you've been drinking -- you will bleed a lot. The thinner your blood is when you go in, the more likely it is that the tattoo ink won't "stick" properly and your tattoo will have a harder time healing.
(If you are on blood thinners or anything that will make you bleed or swell more than usual, talk to the tattoo artist beforehand.)
XI. Can I bring someone with me?
Yup! Most tattoo shops allow at least one other person to be in the room. Some tattoo shops allow more than one -- I've been tattooed with a pretty big group, but that was at a shop with a very open floor plan, so all eight of us fit relatively easily. Some shops have very small, private rooms that might not even fit one guest. Tell your tattooist beforehand if you want to bring someone with you; definitely make sure you mention if you're bringing your whole crew. If you want to be alone, that's okay, too; tattooing can be an intensely private, personal experience, and you don't have to share it with other people if you don't want to.
XII. Tattoo procedure
When you go in for your tattoo appointment, the artist will bring you to the tattoo area and let you watch them set up. They'll put paper down over everything (the blue stuff used in hospitals, usually), and they'll wear gloves while touching anything sterile (like the needles and gun). They'll lay out everything they'll need to do your tattoo -- every color, every needle, the ointment (usually A&D or Vaseline) that is used to make the needle glide over your skin smoothly, the antiseptic soap for cleaning your skin, the single-use razor to shave the hair off the area that will be tattooed.
(Once, my tattoo artist realized he needed another color after we'd started. He stripped off his gloves, went to get the color, put on a new pair of gloves to set up the color, and then changed gloves again before restarting my tattoo.)
Depending on the area that will be tattooed, the artist may or may not shave you. (When I got a tattoo on my calf, the tattoo artist shaved my calf; when I got a tattoo on my foot, the artist didn't bother to shave my foot first.) After shaving comes washing with a sterile solution (usually something antibacterial). Then: placement of the stencil. Of course, you might work with an artist who doesn't use stencils; the flowers on my back were drawn on with a Sharpie and a ball point! (Here's the finished tattoo.)
If the placement of the stencil doesn't look right to the artist, they will take it off, wipe down the area, and put the stencil on again. This can be done over and over until the stencil looks right. If you don't like the way the stencil looks, speak up. If the tattoo artist gives you a hard time, either speak up or walk out. I'm not kidding. This is the placement of a permanent piece of art on your body; if the stencil has to be placed six times to get it to look a way you're happy with, then that's what has to be done.
Outlines are usually done with one needle, while shading, coloring, and filling are done with bunches. The bunches of needles can be arranged in different ways -- they can be all in a straight line, or in a circle, etc. If you're curious about what's going on, talk to your artist! Most tattoo artists are happy to talk clients through the procedure. (Heck, when I got the outline of my venus fly trap tattoo done, my baby sister came along and quizzed my tattoo artist throughout, and he kindly answered every single one of her questions.)
As the tattoo takes shape, the artist will smear it with ointment regularly (scooped out of a jar with a one-time use tongue depressor, usually), to keep the needle moving through your skin smoothly, and will sometimes spritz clean paper towels with the antibacterial fluid to wipe away excess ink and blood. Tattoo artists will never spray directly on the skin, as the blood can become airborne and cross-contaminate the fluid.
(Some tattoos bleed more than others. Some body parts bleed more than others. There's no rule for how it works -- my wrist tattoos didn't bleed at all, but the flowers on my back bled copiously.)
After your tattoo is finished, it will be cleaned again, and left uncovered to "rest" for a few minutes while the artist cleans up the work area. This is when you relax and admire the artwork and take deep breaths and daydream about cups of coffee as big as your head (maybe this is just me). The artist will come back to you and smear more ointment on (or, sometimes, a specialty salve or lotion), and then often cover your tattoo with something. Every tattoo artist has a different procedure. I've had artists who didn't believe in covering tattoos at all, ones who used plastic wrap, ones who used sterile gauze, ones who used masking tape and paper towels. There's no "one true way" of dealing with a fresh tattoo. Most artists will tell you, though, to give it about two hours to rest, then wash it and put some more salve/lotion/whatever on it.
XIII. What about when it's healing? What do I do?
Every tattoo shop has a piece of paper they hand to each client with aftercare procedures. Even clients who have a million tattoos. Even clients who are at the shop once a month. Everyone gets the aftercare procedures. Follow what it says.
...or don't.
My personal preferred tattoo procedure is to keep it covered for two hours with plastic wrap, then wash it with mild soap (anything unscented and undyed is fine), and then slather on the Aquaphor. (That's my preferred brand, but pretty much any unscented, undyed lotion is fine to use.) Wash and lotion up every morning and evening, and also sometimes during the day if it feels tight or itchy, but otherwise leave it alone -- too much lotion can cause the colors to fade, or the ink to be rejected.
If you "pick" at the tattoo while it's healing, you can "pull" the ink right out of your skin. Not recommended! However, some amount of ink ending up "missing" is totally normal, and also why tattoo shops offer free touch ups -- six to eight weeks after healing is complete, you can go back to the shop and they'll make sure that all the color and lines are where they're supposed to be, and fix anything broken.
Some parts of the body heal quickly and easily, while others don't. There's no rule for how it works. (For ex., tattoos on my legs heal really fast and easily; the tattoo on my upper inner arm is killing me, and part of it has even scarred, which is really unusual for me!)
While your tattoo is healing, do not:
Even post-healing, too much sunlight or soaking in water can fade your tattoo more rapidly, so give up tanning and keep your soaks in the hot tub minimal (if you care).
XIV. It's normal when your tattoo...
Sometimes tattoos do things that make people feel worried. For the most part, you don't need to worry about your tattoos. Things that are normal include:
My best advice is to treat it much the way you'd treat a sunburn -- hydrate your body, keep the area clean and lotioned up, and let it heal without picking, scratching, or rubbing it. (Do not exfoliate the area!! Ever!!) If it still looks ashy, it's not healed completely. Let it keep healing. The more healed it is, the more lotion you can use.
XV. What about paying and tipping?
These days, many tattoo shops accept credit cards. It's not a big deal if you pay by card, but please... if you can, pay in cash. And always always tip in cash.
The artist should be able to give you a total cost estimate when you leave a deposit. Some shops require a flat deposit, others a percentage of the estimated total cost.
Tattoos are like anything else -- you tip if you liked the service. I personally am a tipper, and I come from a culture of tippers. I don't buy a cup of coffee at Sbux without tipping the barista, much less get a tattoo without tipping the artist. (A couple of months ago, my car had to be towed 25 miles, and I tipped the tow truck driver; I thought he was going to swallow his tongue. I guess they don't do that in MA!)
My recommendation to you is that unless the tattoo artist is a heinous douchebag, you should be prepared to tip at least 20 - 25 %. If you are thrilled with the tattoo artist and love the work, you can tip even more. I've gone as high as 50% for amazing work. If you plan to return to the artist for more work, definitely tip at least 25% if you can.
And I say "if you can" because, well, tattoo artists understand being broke. But, frankly, if you can't afford to tip at least 20%, you might want to think about holding off until you can save a bit more money; in a lot of ways, tattoo artists are like wait staff -- the tips are important.
Additionally, if you love the work, spread the word -- take a picture of the work and upload it to the social networking site of your choice, with the artist's name and the shop's name and a link to their website. Review them on Yelp (or wherever). Take some of their business cards, and when people ask where you got your tattoo, give them a card and an enthusiastic review.
(You may live in a place where tipping is not a cultural norm; in that case, either (1) find someone with a tattoo and ask what you're supposed to do; (2) hit up Ask MetaFilter, as surely someone there has been tattooed where you're thinking about going; (3) call the shop and just straight up ask what's appropriate.)
XVI. I had a terrible experience with my tattoo artist.
That sucks! I'm so sorry! Unfortunately, it happens. I've had some terrible experiences too. I've also gotten some truly terrible tattoos. Even the most careful vetting can sometimes let some bad apples through. If you really hated the experience, well, post a negative review! Explain what went wrong to other people so they can be prepared. But unless the needle breaks off in your arm (doesn't happen) or the artist does the tattoo in neon pink when you'd agreed on black and grey (doesn't happen), don't expect to walk away without paying. You can walk away without tipping, but I don't recommend that unless it's an extreme case. (For example, the one time I walked away without tipping was when the tattoo artist was a complete jerk and said some incredibly inappropriate things to me during and after the tattoo.)
Mostly, just like anything else, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
I do recommend that you try not to let a negative experience with a tattoo artist affect how you see the tattoo you received. If the tattoo is messed up somehow, that sucks -- but if the tattoo is great, try not to think, "But that person was a jerk!" every time you look at it.
XVII. But won't people think --
Fuck 'em. Who cares what people think?
Just have an explanation ready, because even if you get the most obvious symbols in the world (a Star of David! A heart that says MOM!), people will ask.
For ex:
"Why did you get Captain America's shield tattooed on your stomach?!!!"
"Because shut your face, that's why."
Alternately: "Because of reasons."
Or: "It has a special meaning to me that I'd rather not discuss."
Also, if your tattoo happens to be in a visible place and you present as female, be prepared for people to touch you. (I know this happens to people who present as male as well, but it is much much much less common.) If you have words on your arms, people will come up to you and grab your arm and twist it so they can read the words; if you have a tattoo on the back of your neck, people will grab your shirt and tug it down to look. Your body becomes public property when it has artwork on it, and it is awful. Practice saying, "PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ME!" at the top of your lungs.
So there you go, that's my two cents and 6200 words on the subject. I do, in fact, run through pretty much all of this with people, which is why when I went to Sephora, I spent 10 minutes trying on tinted moisturizer and 45 minutes giving a tattoo tutorial to the salespeople.
Go forth and have needles poked into you! Enjoy!
(And, as I said above, feel free to leave questions in the comments, or add your own experiences/thoughts.)
(The other day at the mall, a teenage girl came up to me and interrogated me on getting her first tattoo; when she was done, she said, "I knew I could trust you when I saw you had a Fall Out Boy lyric on your arm.")
To me, there are two great things about this:
1. I can give people information and advice! I love giving advice, and I love helping people be informed so they can make the decisions that are best for them.
2. When I had just a few tattoos, people would touch me without my permission to look at my tattoos. However, I have realized that the more tattoos I have, the more people are afraid that I will hurt them if they touch me without permission. They don't know I am a pacifist and am much more likely to snap irritably, "KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF." Yay, cultural stereotypes working in my favor! \o/
Here are the questions I hear the most, and the answers I usually give, and some unsolicited advice I always try to work in. I am the kind of person who prefers more detail to less, so... there's a lot of detail here. And, of course, if you have questions when you're done reading (or you want to jump in with something I've missed), go for it!
Disclaimer: IANATP (I am not a tattoo professional!) -- I am just a person who has a lot of tattoos, who has sat for a lot of tattoo sessions. I'm at the "I can't even count anymore" point. So this is all what I know, what I've picked up; it's not the one true way or medical advice, blah blah blah. I also want to shout out to
belladonnalin, bessyboo, and sassbandit for pre-reading this and giving me some invaluable suggestions.Figuring out how to organize this was a little complicated, so I've organized it the way I would want to read it. Feel free to skip around. Additionally, note that this is US-centric; I've never gotten a tattoo outside the US, so I can't speak to how that works. However, I've been tattooed all across the US (from MA to WA!), so this speaks to my experiences throughout the country, not just on the East Coast.
I. How do tattoos work?
A tattoo is done by taking ink and pushing it under the top layers of skin. Usually a tattoo artist will use a tattoo "gun," which pushes one or more needles that have been dipped in ink into the skin.
Basically, a tattoo is a bunch of puncture wounds with ink shoved into them; making sure you go to a clean shop with sterilized tools is a big big big deal.
II. Aren't they dangerous? I am going to get a disease!
For the most part, tattoo paraphernalia is single-use -- needles, ink, gloves, etc. The tattoo gun is used over and over again, and sterilized between each use in an autoclave.
If you ask your tattoo artist to see their autoclave, and they won't let you, run away.
If you ask your tattoo artist to open the sterile packaging with the single-use needle in front of you, and they won't, run away.
You do not want to get tattooed at a shop that doesn't take safety seriously.
III. Does it hurt?
YES. Yeah, it hurts. You're having a needle poked into your skin.
For some people, the pain is mild. For others, whatever it feels like, it's worth it for the end result. I've had excruciatingly painful tattoos (the snake on my foot, wow, so much pain), but I've also had tattoos that felt like nothing. I know people who can shrug off hours of coloring but wince through simple black outlines. I have a tattoo on the top front of one calf, and another tattoo on the lower back of the same calf -- the top front was a breeze, the lower back felt awful, and when I told one of my tattoo artists about that, he told me his experience had been the exact reverse.
There's no real way to tell what it's going to feel like or how painful it's going to be until you're under the needle.
(Every time I go to a new dentist or doctor and they say, "You must have a high pain tolerance, look at all those tattoos!" I want to punch them in the face. There's a huge difference between having a root canal and getting a tattoo. I can't believe I even need to explain that.)
There's a lot of folk wisdom about getting a tattoo, how to make it hurt less, etc. -- don't get it on your wrist! Get it on your wrist! Don't get it on muscle! Get it on muscle! Don't get it on fatty tissue! Get it on fatty tissue!
I think the only real advice I have about this is try to stay away from (1) the foot and (2) any close-to-the-surface bone, at least for your first tattoo. Anything else is a crapshoot.
Here's the thing, though. If you sit down in that chair and the first touch of the needle hurts so bad that you have to get up and walk out? Get up and walk out. Your tattoo artist will understand. Shit happens! If your appointment is for four hours and you can only make it through two... Well, shit happens. Actually, that exact thing happened to me a few weeks ago -- my appointment was for four hours, and by hour two, despite 1000 mg of ibuprofen, my arm was so sore and swollen that I was miserable and all the endorphins were gone. So my artist and I agreed that we'd stop after the second hour, and I'd just come back the next week to finish. It wasn't a big deal.
(If you say to your tattooist, "I don't know how I'm going to handle this pain; will it be a big deal if we only do half of it today?" and your tattooist makes fun of you or laughs at you or is a douchebag, you may want to reconsider having that tattooist do your work. You might lose your deposit, but that's a small price to pay, IMO.)
IV. What kind of tattoo do you want?
Some people have really clear ideas about what tattoos they want. They have a design picked out, or a name, or a picture, or a general image. Some people have no clue. I've gone in with a design and asked for it to be replicated as-is; I've gone in and picked an image off the wall (from the "flash"); I've said, "Here's my concept, can you sketch it out?"; I've said, "Just do whatever you have to in order to cover this up"; I've said, "I want a nightmare, can you draw that?"
I suggest having at least a vague idea of what you want, and of what style you're into. An artist who does most of their work in Japanese traditional style might not be so comfortable rendering art deco concepts for you -- or they might. Make sure you ask.
If you don't care so much about the style, that's not important, but if you have a clear idea of what you're looking for, you're going to want to be able to convey that to the artist.
If you want a butterfly, or a couple of words, or a horseshoe, your artist's personal style isn't going to be as important as if you want a big piece of specialized art.
A tattoo artist who is an artist is going to ask you a lot of questions. If you don't care, you can say that -- but if you do care, give them a lot of detail! You are paying for the art; you should get something that is exactly what you want.
V. I want a tattoo but I don't know what I want.
I hear this a lot from people. They want something meaningful, but can't find anything that "means enough."
Listen, people get tattoos for a lot of reasons. And there are a lot of meaningful things in your life. Whether it's a song lyric (I have four song lyric tattoos), or a takeoff of the shirt your ex-girlfriend designed for you, a giant star on your arm, or an umbrella to remind you that it can't rain all the time... lots of things have meaning. And what has meaning to you doesn't have to mean anything to anyone else, so there's no reason why you should be fretting about getting something other people will understand when they see it. If you're embarrassed that you want something specific as a tattoo, that says a lot more about you than about the tattoo itself.
If you are really intent on getting something meaningful, sit down and think about the events, people, and symbols in your life you find truly meaningful. Some people find meaning in four leaf clovers or unicorns; some people find meaning in abstract designs.
Another way to find inspiration is to look at tattoo blogs and Tumblrs and pictures people upload to Flickr. See what other people are getting, how they interpret events in their lives. The connections have to be there for you, that's the important part.
And, frankly, what's important to you now may not be important to you in 10 years. So what? You can still look at the tattoo you got 10 years ago and remember why you got it and what it meant to you then. (Or you can decide to cover it up with something else!)
VI. What if the artist is drawing something for me?
After the tattoo artist works up the piece of artwork, there are three options:
1. It's perfect! Yay!
2. It's not quite perfect, but you like most of it and/or the artist's style, so you're willing to work with them to refine or redraw the idea.
3. It sucks and you hate it. You and the artist are fundamentally incompatible and you don't like it. If this happens, it is perfectly okay to say you don't want the tattoo after all -- but then offer to compensate the artist for the time spent working on the drawing. This is their job, you hired them to do something you decided you didn't want after all. It's polite to offer some kind of compensation. When you go to a new tattoo artist, do your best to explain what the previous artist did that didn't work for you (if you can snap a cell phone picture, that will be useful). This way, your new artist will have less of a chance of making the same mistake(s)!
VII. Where do you want your tattoo?
A lot of people have very specific ideas about where they want their tattoos. The other day, I talked to a woman who explained that she wanted a tattoo on her ribs so that when she's old, no one will know it's there and it won't matter if it's saggy or faded; many years ago, when I got my tattoo of leaves, the woman who did the leaves was absolutely covered with tattoos, right up her neck. When I asked her, "Are you worried about the way the tiny designs will blur together when you're older?" she said, "No, I'll just be really colorful."
When I got the stars on my wrists, one of my friends was really surprised. She called everything below the elbow "the blue collar line" -- as in, only people who are blue collar (i.e., people who don't work in offices) get tattoos there, because they're very visible. So, for example, I'm pretty much never going to be able to get a job in an office where they have a strict "no visible tattoos" rule as part of their dress code. (I imagine an office like that would take offense at my nose ring and 4g tunnels, too.)
Something to keep in mind is that your tattoo artist might have thoughts about the positioning and placement of your tattoo. These people are professionals; they do this pretty much all day, every day. The way something looks on paper (or a computer screen) is very much not what it's going to look like on skin. Tattoo artists can (should) take this into account.
My Fall Out Boy tattoo is actually a great example of this. Right above that tattoo is an Oasis lyric that I had done when I was 25. The tattoo artist (a guy in Nashville) just put the tattoo on in one piece, and it looked fine to me at the time. But when I went and had the next tattoo done, my artist pointed out to me that the Oasis lyric doesn't follow the natural curves of my arm, and therefore looks like it's uneven. Look for yourself.
(I have words on my left arm, too, and they have the exact same problem -- they don't follow the natural curve of my arm, and therefore look "uneven" even though they are perfectly straight! So the second set of words that curve around the first are also "uneven" looking, because they follow the natural curve of my arm instead of the "straight" curves of the first tattoo.)
Anyway, all that is to say... if your tattoo artist tells you, "That won't look right," please listen. But also don't be afraid to say, "Wait, that looks wrong to my eyes, what's going on?"
VIII. Finding a tattoo artist.
Finding a tattoo artist is as easy or difficult as you want to make it. If you have a design you want, what you need is an artist who's willing to replicate it (or create it). If you don't know what you want, but have some ideas, you need an artist who can actually draw. If you just want to pick a picture off the wall, you still can't just go anywhere -- you need to go someplace where they're really good at those pictures.
If you see someone whose tattoo(s) you like, ask them where they got tattooed! (I have been asked about my venus fly trap tattoo so many times that I carry around my tattoo artist's business cards and hand them out to people.) If you are polite and courteous, most people won't mind talking to you about their tattoos. Do not touch their tattoos unless invited. That is rude.
You might be on vacation and looking for a tattoo artist based out of your home town -- don't let that stop you. I myself have been tattooed in eight different cities, in seven different states, and I know people who have been to even more tattoo artists than that. Most people who have a lot of tattoos will be able to recommend more than one shop (or tell you who to talk to for a recommendation).
The internet is also awesome for this. The way I found my tattoo artist in MA was to get on Yelp, search for tattoo artists in my area, and go through every website until I found one that was appealing. Then I drove out to that artist's shop and went through the portfolios and grilled the artist.
What I wanted:
- Someone who would not make fun of the text I wanted
- Someone who would respect my body
- Someone who would not make fun of the tattoos I already had
- Someone who would treat me the same before and after I displayed my tattoos
Not everyone wants the same things. You may not care about any of the above! I've had tattoo artists who didn't respect my body, who touched me without permission or pulled on my clothes or made comments about my boobs. I've had tattoo artists make fun of what I want (or what I already have). I've had tattoo artists completely change demeanor once I stripped off my clothes to demonstrate that, yeah, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to getting tattoos, thanks. When I was younger, I was less inclined to make a fuss about those things, because I thought it was just how getting tattooed works -- but it's not, and I'm at the point now where I don't just want to pay for service, I also want to pay for customer service.
(If you don't care about customer service, then go anywhere you want!)
To me, talking to a tattoo artist about the other stuff in this post is just a way to get at the answers to unaskable questions. Asking, "Are you going to make fun of my tattoos?" isn't often a question people answer honestly. But if you stand around a tattoo shop for about a half hour, asking questions about their procedures and safety mechanisms and artistic vision(s), you'll also get to see how they interact with apprentices, other artists, and other customers who come in, and you can put the pieces together.
(For example, if another customer comes in and the artist makes fun of that person after they leave... well, how do you feel about that?)
IX. How much is it going to cost?
The cost of a tattoo depends on a lot of factors -- the location of the shop, the length of time the artist has been tattooing, whether or not the artist is famous, the size and shape of the piece you want, the placement... If you're asking for a complicated design the tattoo artist has to draw out and then revise several times, you may also have to pay for drawing time.
Most shops have a shop minimum you have to meet as well. The shop minimum is usually an hour -- so even if your tattoo only takes 15 minutes, you pay for the full hour. The shop minimum can be anywhere from $60 - $300. Most shops will tell you what their hourly rate is if you call and ask. They'll also charge by the project instead of by the hour. Small pieces often get charged by the project; big pieces, especially ones with a lot of coloring or shading, are usually done hourly, because the client will go in and sit for 1 - 2 hours of coloring or shading at a time, over the course of several weeks or months.
I have, in fact, paid thousands of dollars for a tattoo; I have also paid $50. You'll never know what any given tattoo will cost until you ask.
If your tattoo is simple and straightforward, shopping around for a good price at the tattoo shops in your area isn't a big deal; however, I do not recommend shopping around for the best price for complicated art. You want the best artist you can get for that, and you're only cheating yourself by going for the cheapest. (Sometimes the cheapest is the best! But judge by the portfolio, not the hourly rate.)
Most tattoo shops require a deposit, especially if the artist is creating a piece for you. Usually, the deposit is a set amount of money (I don't think I've ever left more than $40), but I've heard some shops require a percentage of the estimated total. You pretty much only lose your deposit if you don't show up for your appointment -- otherwise, it's folded into your payment for the tattoo.
X. What do I do to prepare before I get a tattoo?
It's important to go in clean, both so the ink will settle into your skin more easily and because everyone reacts to tattoo endorphins differently. Take a shower. Don't wear strong scent. If the area you're planning to have tattooed is hairy, shave it. (If you skip this step, the tattoo artist will shave you; if you're a person who doesn't want someone else shaving you, don't skip this step.) Don't wear clothing that's going to bind or rub over the area once it's been tattooed; don't wear clothing you're going to be uncomfortable in for the time it takes to get tattooed.
Eat something, preferably something not too heavy. Drink something, preferably something that will hydrate you. (The ink will go better into your skin if you're hydrated. I also have several friends who say that tattooing hurts less when they are hydrated.)
Go to the bathroom beforehand, because nothing sucks like having to get up in the middle of a tattoo to pee.
If you're the kind of person who gets dizzy when you give blood, bring some juice or a piece of fruit with you. At the end of the session, you'll have the opportunity to drink/eat before getting up. (Also, let the tattoo artist know you tend to get dizzy.)
Some tattoo artists don't care if you eat or drink during a session. (I once drank my way through an extra-large coffee from Dunkin' Donuts during a 5-hour tattoo session.) Many tattoo artists are totally willing to take a food/drink break if you need one, but some don't like to have their groove interrupted, so ask first if you think you're going to need something during.
If you are the kind of person who enjoys pain, be prepared for enjoyment to occur. Your tattoo artist will ignore pretty much all signs of pain or enjoyment (unless your body is moving in a way that interferes with the tattoo gun). Just try not to be creepy about it.
DO NOT take recreational drugs or drink alcohol before going to get tattooed. Most responsible tattoo professionals will not work on a client who is in an altered state. Also, you don't want to get tattooed if you've been drinking -- you will bleed a lot. The thinner your blood is when you go in, the more likely it is that the tattoo ink won't "stick" properly and your tattoo will have a harder time healing.
(If you are on blood thinners or anything that will make you bleed or swell more than usual, talk to the tattoo artist beforehand.)
XI. Can I bring someone with me?
Yup! Most tattoo shops allow at least one other person to be in the room. Some tattoo shops allow more than one -- I've been tattooed with a pretty big group, but that was at a shop with a very open floor plan, so all eight of us fit relatively easily. Some shops have very small, private rooms that might not even fit one guest. Tell your tattooist beforehand if you want to bring someone with you; definitely make sure you mention if you're bringing your whole crew. If you want to be alone, that's okay, too; tattooing can be an intensely private, personal experience, and you don't have to share it with other people if you don't want to.
XII. Tattoo procedure
When you go in for your tattoo appointment, the artist will bring you to the tattoo area and let you watch them set up. They'll put paper down over everything (the blue stuff used in hospitals, usually), and they'll wear gloves while touching anything sterile (like the needles and gun). They'll lay out everything they'll need to do your tattoo -- every color, every needle, the ointment (usually A&D or Vaseline) that is used to make the needle glide over your skin smoothly, the antiseptic soap for cleaning your skin, the single-use razor to shave the hair off the area that will be tattooed.
(Once, my tattoo artist realized he needed another color after we'd started. He stripped off his gloves, went to get the color, put on a new pair of gloves to set up the color, and then changed gloves again before restarting my tattoo.)
Depending on the area that will be tattooed, the artist may or may not shave you. (When I got a tattoo on my calf, the tattoo artist shaved my calf; when I got a tattoo on my foot, the artist didn't bother to shave my foot first.) After shaving comes washing with a sterile solution (usually something antibacterial). Then: placement of the stencil. Of course, you might work with an artist who doesn't use stencils; the flowers on my back were drawn on with a Sharpie and a ball point! (Here's the finished tattoo.)
If the placement of the stencil doesn't look right to the artist, they will take it off, wipe down the area, and put the stencil on again. This can be done over and over until the stencil looks right. If you don't like the way the stencil looks, speak up. If the tattoo artist gives you a hard time, either speak up or walk out. I'm not kidding. This is the placement of a permanent piece of art on your body; if the stencil has to be placed six times to get it to look a way you're happy with, then that's what has to be done.
Outlines are usually done with one needle, while shading, coloring, and filling are done with bunches. The bunches of needles can be arranged in different ways -- they can be all in a straight line, or in a circle, etc. If you're curious about what's going on, talk to your artist! Most tattoo artists are happy to talk clients through the procedure. (Heck, when I got the outline of my venus fly trap tattoo done, my baby sister came along and quizzed my tattoo artist throughout, and he kindly answered every single one of her questions.)
As the tattoo takes shape, the artist will smear it with ointment regularly (scooped out of a jar with a one-time use tongue depressor, usually), to keep the needle moving through your skin smoothly, and will sometimes spritz clean paper towels with the antibacterial fluid to wipe away excess ink and blood. Tattoo artists will never spray directly on the skin, as the blood can become airborne and cross-contaminate the fluid.
(Some tattoos bleed more than others. Some body parts bleed more than others. There's no rule for how it works -- my wrist tattoos didn't bleed at all, but the flowers on my back bled copiously.)
After your tattoo is finished, it will be cleaned again, and left uncovered to "rest" for a few minutes while the artist cleans up the work area. This is when you relax and admire the artwork and take deep breaths and daydream about cups of coffee as big as your head (maybe this is just me). The artist will come back to you and smear more ointment on (or, sometimes, a specialty salve or lotion), and then often cover your tattoo with something. Every tattoo artist has a different procedure. I've had artists who didn't believe in covering tattoos at all, ones who used plastic wrap, ones who used sterile gauze, ones who used masking tape and paper towels. There's no "one true way" of dealing with a fresh tattoo. Most artists will tell you, though, to give it about two hours to rest, then wash it and put some more salve/lotion/whatever on it.
XIII. What about when it's healing? What do I do?
Every tattoo shop has a piece of paper they hand to each client with aftercare procedures. Even clients who have a million tattoos. Even clients who are at the shop once a month. Everyone gets the aftercare procedures. Follow what it says.
...or don't.
My personal preferred tattoo procedure is to keep it covered for two hours with plastic wrap, then wash it with mild soap (anything unscented and undyed is fine), and then slather on the Aquaphor. (That's my preferred brand, but pretty much any unscented, undyed lotion is fine to use.) Wash and lotion up every morning and evening, and also sometimes during the day if it feels tight or itchy, but otherwise leave it alone -- too much lotion can cause the colors to fade, or the ink to be rejected.
If you "pick" at the tattoo while it's healing, you can "pull" the ink right out of your skin. Not recommended! However, some amount of ink ending up "missing" is totally normal, and also why tattoo shops offer free touch ups -- six to eight weeks after healing is complete, you can go back to the shop and they'll make sure that all the color and lines are where they're supposed to be, and fix anything broken.
Some parts of the body heal quickly and easily, while others don't. There's no rule for how it works. (For ex., tattoos on my legs heal really fast and easily; the tattoo on my upper inner arm is killing me, and part of it has even scarred, which is really unusual for me!)
While your tattoo is healing, do not:
- let sunlight hit the tattoo directly
- use sunblock; just stay indoors for the first week
- go swimming, soak in a hot tub, or take a bath
- put Vaseline or any kind of antibiotic ointment on the tattoo; this can actually slow down the healing process
Even post-healing, too much sunlight or soaking in water can fade your tattoo more rapidly, so give up tanning and keep your soaks in the hot tub minimal (if you care).
XIV. It's normal when your tattoo...
Sometimes tattoos do things that make people feel worried. For the most part, you don't need to worry about your tattoos. Things that are normal include:
- Flaking
- Peeling
- Bruising (even if you're a person who normally doesn't bruise at all, like me, you may still bruise around your tattoo)
- Getting "scabby"
- Looking "ashy"
- Healing perfectly and quickly except for one specific spot that ends up looking like it's going to scar
- Feeling tight
- Feeling itchy
- Feeling sore or raw
My best advice is to treat it much the way you'd treat a sunburn -- hydrate your body, keep the area clean and lotioned up, and let it heal without picking, scratching, or rubbing it. (Do not exfoliate the area!! Ever!!) If it still looks ashy, it's not healed completely. Let it keep healing. The more healed it is, the more lotion you can use.
XV. What about paying and tipping?
These days, many tattoo shops accept credit cards. It's not a big deal if you pay by card, but please... if you can, pay in cash. And always always tip in cash.
The artist should be able to give you a total cost estimate when you leave a deposit. Some shops require a flat deposit, others a percentage of the estimated total cost.
Tattoos are like anything else -- you tip if you liked the service. I personally am a tipper, and I come from a culture of tippers. I don't buy a cup of coffee at Sbux without tipping the barista, much less get a tattoo without tipping the artist. (A couple of months ago, my car had to be towed 25 miles, and I tipped the tow truck driver; I thought he was going to swallow his tongue. I guess they don't do that in MA!)
My recommendation to you is that unless the tattoo artist is a heinous douchebag, you should be prepared to tip at least 20 - 25 %. If you are thrilled with the tattoo artist and love the work, you can tip even more. I've gone as high as 50% for amazing work. If you plan to return to the artist for more work, definitely tip at least 25% if you can.
And I say "if you can" because, well, tattoo artists understand being broke. But, frankly, if you can't afford to tip at least 20%, you might want to think about holding off until you can save a bit more money; in a lot of ways, tattoo artists are like wait staff -- the tips are important.
Additionally, if you love the work, spread the word -- take a picture of the work and upload it to the social networking site of your choice, with the artist's name and the shop's name and a link to their website. Review them on Yelp (or wherever). Take some of their business cards, and when people ask where you got your tattoo, give them a card and an enthusiastic review.
(You may live in a place where tipping is not a cultural norm; in that case, either (1) find someone with a tattoo and ask what you're supposed to do; (2) hit up Ask MetaFilter, as surely someone there has been tattooed where you're thinking about going; (3) call the shop and just straight up ask what's appropriate.)
XVI. I had a terrible experience with my tattoo artist.
That sucks! I'm so sorry! Unfortunately, it happens. I've had some terrible experiences too. I've also gotten some truly terrible tattoos. Even the most careful vetting can sometimes let some bad apples through. If you really hated the experience, well, post a negative review! Explain what went wrong to other people so they can be prepared. But unless the needle breaks off in your arm (doesn't happen) or the artist does the tattoo in neon pink when you'd agreed on black and grey (doesn't happen), don't expect to walk away without paying. You can walk away without tipping, but I don't recommend that unless it's an extreme case. (For example, the one time I walked away without tipping was when the tattoo artist was a complete jerk and said some incredibly inappropriate things to me during and after the tattoo.)
Mostly, just like anything else, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
I do recommend that you try not to let a negative experience with a tattoo artist affect how you see the tattoo you received. If the tattoo is messed up somehow, that sucks -- but if the tattoo is great, try not to think, "But that person was a jerk!" every time you look at it.
XVII. But won't people think --
Fuck 'em. Who cares what people think?
Just have an explanation ready, because even if you get the most obvious symbols in the world (a Star of David! A heart that says MOM!), people will ask.
For ex:
"Why did you get Captain America's shield tattooed on your stomach?!!!"
"Because shut your face, that's why."
Alternately: "Because of reasons."
Or: "It has a special meaning to me that I'd rather not discuss."
Also, if your tattoo happens to be in a visible place and you present as female, be prepared for people to touch you. (I know this happens to people who present as male as well, but it is much much much less common.) If you have words on your arms, people will come up to you and grab your arm and twist it so they can read the words; if you have a tattoo on the back of your neck, people will grab your shirt and tug it down to look. Your body becomes public property when it has artwork on it, and it is awful. Practice saying, "PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ME!" at the top of your lungs.
So there you go, that's my two cents and 6200 words on the subject. I do, in fact, run through pretty much all of this with people, which is why when I went to Sephora, I spent 10 minutes trying on tinted moisturizer and 45 minutes giving a tattoo tutorial to the salespeople.
Go forth and have needles poked into you! Enjoy!
(And, as I said above, feel free to leave questions in the comments, or add your own experiences/thoughts.)
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Date: 2012-05-08 03:36 am (UTC)