I love art. Any type of art is beautiful and there are so many different types and different ways to interpret it and express art. For years, I've been in awe of the art of tattooing. The time, talent, and patience that goes into a work is truly amazing to me. I looked up some history about it and found out that tattooing has been around since the Neolithic (Stone) Age. Ancient art and also mummified skin provides this evidence. Direct evidence for tattooing of mummified skin is found on Ötzi the Iceman, dating back to 4th millennium BC. More mummies with tattoos have been found in places like Greenland, Alaska, Mongolia, western China, the Sudan, Siberia, the Philippines, Egypt and the Andes. Tattooing has been found all over the world, dating back millions of years.

My first "encounter" with tattooing was watching Kat Von D, on her show "LA Ink", with my dad. I loved her tattoos and loved how many she had. I remember thinking that they were the most beautiful things in the world. I knew my dad had one and my mom also had a tattoo but they aren't anything that is super flashy and that you see every day. Watching shows like "Bad Ink", "Inked" and "LA Ink" sparked my interest in them even more. I started doing my own research and doing small sketches of what I'd love to have on my body for the rest of my life. I made an entire Pinterest board of possible 'Tattoo Ideas' but at the time they were only ideas.

For the past few years, I've been very set on getting many, many tattoos. However, expense wise, I do not believe that will happen, sadly. But, over the weekend, my mom, sister, and I made the decision to put some of this lovely ink art on our bodies. It was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. I had mine done on my upper thigh, my sister's on her ribs/side, and my mom's on her back. The guy who did our tattoos did an outstanding job and the end result is amazing. Sitting for hours in the uncomfortable position and the weird feeling of the needle was all worth it.

After getting my tattoo, a bunch of people asked me, "What's the meaning?" "Does it mean something special to you?" And yeah, it does. My mom, sister, and I were able to get these beautiful works of art put on our bodies permanently and we love them. Each one has a little bit of each of us in it and it is really stunning.

I've heard that people call tattoos "unprofessional" and wonder "why would you ever get that on your body?" and even been told, "You'll regret that when you're older." I might, because my skin won't be what it is now but it's beautiful now and I'm happy now and who knows, maybe I'll age gracefully.

To answer some general questions, yes it did hurt. It's numerous needles stabbed in your skin, so yeah, it hurts a bit. My mother will love it also because she went with me and loved the design and also trusts me because I'm an adult and can make decisions. I got mine because I wanted to. Period. And for the unprofessional thing; many 'professional people have tattoos. From Presidents to doctors to scientists. Just look at Matt Taylor, he successfully landed a probe on a comet and he has tattoos!

However, another factor with getting this piece of art on my body comes the aftercare. I was told a bunch of things to do and not to do after getting your tattoo. I thought it'd be smart to come up with a helpful list of some general aftercare that I've looked up and/or was told.

AFTERCARE:

1) Leave Bandage: Leave the bandage/tattoo covering on for 2-3 hours. Your artist should recommend a time period. This will collect excess blood and even ink that will run. You don't want to ruin your clothes.

2) Wash Tattoo: Wash tattoo several times a day with soft non-scented soap to keep it clean. Do this for two to three weeks. When washing, DO NOT scrub it. This will ruin the tattoo. Only touch tattoo after you've thoroughly washed your hands.

3) After Washing: After washing, pat dry and apply either A+D ointment or Aquaphor. These are great and recommended to start with. DON'T use baby oil, Vaseline, any lotions with Aloe Vera or any scents for the first few weeks.

4) Avoid: Don't wear tight clothing. This could result in ink loss from when the ink is rubbed up against the fabric. And If possible, avoid sleeping on it so it doesn't agitate the healing process.

5) Avoid: Going into large bodies of water (pools, the ocean, hot tubs, etc.) DONOT expose to direct sunlight. Showers are fine, as long as they're quick and not too hot. As long as the water is not directly pointed at your tattoo, you're fine.

6) DON'T PICK: Do not pick it! Don't pick the scabs, don't peel it or scratch it. It might be itchy, but avoid touching it. The scabs will come off naturally and picking them could damage or remove the color.