So you want a Tattoo .....

[DarrylB]

I didn't know that.......*mutters to herself*

Still......the fear of pain!!!!

 

[esra_candy]

I have my avatar as a tattoo across my back. You might recognise it from Akuma in the Street Fighter series! Yeah I'm sad..........anyway it took around 2 hours to do so thats a long time to put up with the pain! But I felt it was a purifying experience, anybody else feel that way or am I just a weirdo? :S

 

[Leeshaaee]

Mine took like 3 1/2 hrs. After the first few mins of pain, it feels incredible. Guess its the endorphins. Can see why people get addicted.

 

[Natandbump]

yup - I walked out the studio after my 1st one planning my 2nd

Ive been back 4 times since

As for the experience, I loved it, every one of them, I even fell asleep during one

 

[AuntAcid]

I agree. After getting over the anxiety of my first tattoo, like 10 minutes after, I was planning several! Not got around to getting my next two though. They can cost a lot of money! Anybody heard of Northside in Whitley Bay? I went there and they are supposed to be world famous, but I've never come across anybody outside Newcastle (UK) who has heard of them :S

 

[juang]

How about touching up the bright colors of an old one I have, heard they have to go over the whole tat. I was thinking just brighten it up but not so it looks new, sort of a fade shade.

Blue and grn are still there it is the red that is no more, I got it in 1962.

Is that a possibility?

Gary

 

[Eyeball]

Definately mate, you can just do over the coulours that are fading, but you may notice a difference between the new ones and the old ones then...

Often its just as easy to re do the whole tat, int he same colours as before.

 

[TNGIRL]

Yes what you are saying about the whole tat is what others have mentioned.

I have the card of a guy who is supposed to be really good. I'll call him and make an appointment. I was at a location and noticed this guy with some really nice ones and very fine lined and color's that went from dark to lighter shades.

I talked to him and he said he had a card of the guy he goes to, and gave it to me.

Thanks for the reply.

Gary

 

[divafashionista]

I wanted something interesting to do during my lunch break about 20 years ago, so I got a tat of a cannabis leaf in a puff of smoke about 3 inches across.

A few year later having growed up a bit and getting stopped by French Customs because of the tat (another story) I had it covered with an amended flash of Death (The Grim Reaper). I'll upload a pic to myspace and then across to here in the near future.

To me, it represents the Christian idea (although I am multi-theological in favour of Buddhism) that angels collect the souls of good people and guide them up to heaven and The Grim Reaper is the entity who comes to collect the souls of the evil when they die and thrusts them towards hell. If the world does all go wrong, I want to work for the skull-faced guy!

My tat is old now, and before I have anything new done I need to get the old one re-inked.

The advice in the article was great. I would only add that I was recommended to use Baby Oil on my work, like other treatments it prevents the scab from drying so that the tat heals from within. Dry scabs can draw the ink out of the skin and affect the richness of colour.

The other advice I would give is not to have more than one or two drinks before going to the parlour as alcohol thins your blood and there will be lots more of it for the artist to wipe off as they go along.

One last comment is a stange one that I wonder if anyone else has experienced. I haven't noticed it recently but for years after getting my tat I noticed that if I got too hot or cold the whole design raised slightly from the rest of my skin. What was that all about?

 

[trina_lahey]

That is common in the older inks... particularly when warm. There was miniscule particles of metal used in the ink making process, and when warm these would swell, often painfully.

Now the ink is made differently, so this is a lot less common, and narrowed to red ink. My red ink has it, and it it very sore in the surrounding area, and can be caused even from scratching, never mind heat.

 

[Kayla:t]

Hmm, thanks for putting my mind at rest...not

 

[mrabracadabra]

Hiya..mine has a lot of red (photo in post137)

I have never had a moments problem with it

 

[jmp101694]

lol - its only really the old school artists that use the old ink... if in doubt, ask them when you are talking to them....

Mine settled down a bit now, and only hurts/swells if I get really warm.... like on holiday or something.

 

[LordLokiGodofMischeif]

But youre a young man...so how long ago did this ink stop being used??

 

[TennisP]

Probably in mass use up to 10-15 yrs ago.... I got that tat about 6yrs ago, so probably the ends of the batches....

 

[iluvnickjonas]

I got mine at the millenium..so on the cusp...

Good...cos I want soooo many more!!

 

[Sapphire922]

shouldnt have any probs with it.... even when it does swell, its only by mm's and cooling the area will remove the swelling...

 

[Cielo]

Thanks...it good to get reliable advice...you Sir are a star.

 

[SheilaE]

You're welcome....