Tattoos Part Dieu

[RachelR]

OK, I know tattoos have been discussed many a time in here but I'm too lazy to look up the threads.

For my birthday in May (send presents please!), I am treating myself to my very first tattoo. It will be my own design, very symbolic of something in my life, and will be on the small of my back as I have heard this area is the less prone to stretching and it can be easily covered (and it looks cool if you wear hip hugger pants!).

So anyway, seeing as I have a very low pain tolerance level.. how much will it hurt? Also, what do I look for in choosing a tat artist? I have ZERO experience with tattoos ever so I have no clue where to begin.

[Piper]

Your birthday is in May? So is mine; I think we have had this discussion before!

As for the tattoo, yes Rach, they do hurt. When I got mine, the outline hurt more than the color (it's a rose).

The next one I'm getting will be all black. It's a symbol that means so much to me. The rose was a sorority thing.

A place I recommend is Tattoo Charlies, here in Louisville. They do excellent work. You want a place that is clean and uses sterile equipment. And hey, I can hold your hand while it's being done - then we can go have a beer or two!

[ 01-09-2003, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: Piper ]

[TexReserve]

I just got my third tattoo over the holidays. I might have a higher pain tolerance than others, but I have been stung by yellowjackets that hurt a lot more than getting a tattoo does! Placement does have an effect on pain involved. Anywhere that bone is close to skin, i.e. ankle area, spinal area, supposedly hurts more than others. My son has tats on his ankle and feet, and he said that it was rather painful. The one across the middle of his back was the most painful. He had to stop about three or four times due to the pain.

Mine are on both shoulders, and on one calf. I just had the chinese symbol for eternity tattooed on my left calf, and it was not very painful. As Piper said, the outline was worse than the shading and filling in.

Ditto what Piper said about choosing a location. Make sure it is clean and a sterile environment. Our local tat shop is not a very clean looking place, so I drove 70 miles to get the third one over the holidays. The place was very clean, and I wasn't concerned about catching anything there!

Good luck getting your first tattoo. Be forewarned however, they are addicting. I am already planning my fourth one!

[CopInNY]

Look for a place littered with dirty syringes, paper towels, and crack viles lying around. Also, be sure tha tatoo artist doesn't sterilize or clean anything before he begins working. Just kidding.

Look for a place that's extremely clean. A tatoo artists shop and workplace should be just as clean as a doctors examination room. Be sure he uses a NEW needle, that you witness him remove from it's packaging. Be sure everything is sterilized, and don't be afraid to ask.

Here is my latest tatoo. 9/11/01 tribute. Fire Department of NY shield, NY Police Department Shield, and Port Authority Police Department shield.

Here is another. "Stu." Don't even ask how he got that name.

and another. "Juggalo". It's the logo for Psychopathic Records which is the label of a favorite group of mine; ICP or Insane Clown Posse.

Good luck, raych

[Deputy Joe]

I found a tat kit outside of a house that I was searching the other night. It had all kinds of ink pens and a motor. If you want, I can see if I can get it loaned to you for a couple of weeks.

I don't have any tatoos, I guess I can't help you.

[jellybean40]

i'm excited for you! i have 3 large ones. yes they hurt. but, be forewarned, my tattoo artist said the small of the back hurts the second worst of anyplace! (you can figure out the first lol)

you will make it thru tho. you get into this "pain zone" and its kind of fun to test yourself. i would get to a point where i wanted to make a noise or say something (like "STOP!") but just then the pen would move off my skin for a sec. it's really fun lol

two of mine were designed for me, and i LOVE my tattoo guy. he went to college for art and was an artist before he ever got into tattooing.

i'm still trying to figure out something for my back... i want something in the lower back and something on the shouder that kind of go together...

anyhow... YES they're addicting! have fun and let us know how it goes.

[RachelR]

quote:

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"Juggalo".

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Err.. you sure you didn't mean to have "jigalow" tattooed? lol

Thanks for all the advice guys and Piper, I may check that place out! I only want the one tattoo.. don't really care for a ton of them. I just have this fear of what they will all look like when I am 80 yrs old or something, lol.

[GRACE]

Rachel,

Everyone has given good advice so far, so I am just going to add that the two I have are very personal to me and represent dramatic times in my life. I personally have stayed with the same theme with mine (i.e. hearts and roses). I love them and have had both of mine designed for me. As was stated earlier, they are addicting and I plan to get my third and final one here soon.

The coolest tat shop I had ever been to was in Elizabeth City, NC.....you could eat of the floor. I liked the layout. Any of you tat regulars know how it feels to have customers oggling over the tat artist as he is carving up your body parts......I hate it. At this place they had three seperate rooms: one where all the art work was, one waiting room, and the room were the actual tatooing took place.....kept people out of the way!

It is a cool experience--I am sure you will find something that will look good on you.

Gracie

[jellybean40]

quote:

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Originally posted by GRACE:
Any of you tat regulars know how it feels to have customers oggling over the tat artist as he is carving up your body parts......I hate it. At this place they had three seperate rooms: one where all the art work was, one waiting room, and the room were the actual tatooing took place.....kept people out of the way!

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ew, i wouldnt want any customers watching! it's personal LOL. the place i go to has 4 rooms in the back, they have cloth curtains over the doorways. he might call one of the other artists in to check it out a couple times, but he lets me know first. you can hear people tho... i could hear my friend cursing up a storm while she was getting her's!

[Traffic_Goddess]

Hey, Rach-
Maybe we can do it,together. I've doing some thinking and I want to get mine in the same place as yours.
I haven't figured out what to get, though.
Any suggestions?

[RachelR]

Well mine is going to represent a very important aspect of my life, an accomplishment of sorts. I'll post it when I finally finish the design. I'd kinda recommend getting a design that means something to you.

[jellybean40]

quote:

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Originally posted by RachelR:
I'd kinda recommend getting a design that means something to you.

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i agree. that's what i did, and i took many months to decide on them. and i did them for ME i've never regretted it.

[Traffic_Goddess]

No doubt, Jellybean...this will be for ME. I just need to figure out what I want...LOL

[SpecOpsWarrior]

quote:

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Originally posted by RachelR:

For my birthday in May (send presents please!), I am treating myself to my very first tattoo. It will be my own design, very symbolic of something in my life, and will be on the small of my back as I have heard this area is the less prone to stretching and it can be easily covered (and it looks cool if you wear hip hugger pants!).

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Just make sure the guy spells my name right!

[CopInNY]

quote:

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Originally posted by SpecOpsWarrior:

quote:

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Originally posted by RachelR:

For my birthday in May (send presents please!), I am treating myself to my very first tattoo. It will be my own design, very symbolic of something in my life, and will be on the small of my back as I have heard this area is the less prone to stretching and it can be easily covered (and it looks cool if you wear hip hugger pants!).

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Just make sure the guy spells my name right!

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There's a porn "star" named Max Hardcore, who, on all "his" women that work with him, he has "Max Hardcore" tatooed on their lower back. His reason? "I enjoy reading my name while plowing them from behind".