So, last Sunday I got my second tattoo, and my first "big tattoo" according to the talented artist that I worked with.
My first tattoo, which I got in December 2015 as a gift for my 17th birthday, is considered a "simple" and "small" tattoo– it's black-and-white, consists entirely of words, was fairly inexpensive as tattoos go, and took only about twenty minutes to complete. Here's what it looks like:
The tattoo about which I'm about to write is not simple in the slightest! Expensive, time-consuming in several different ways, and requiring multiple appointments as well as a consultation: the process seemed daunting to me at first. So now that it's (partially!) over, I'm going to walk you through the tattooing experience (and give some tips along the way), in list-form!
1. Research, hone, and ensure that you are able to communicate with your artist about the design you want.
The research process here is twofold: you have to learn both about the artist you want to tattoo you, and about the design you wish to get. Word-of-mouth is honestly the best way to learn about great tattooists, so contacting a tattooed person near you gives you a good chance of finding a safe, sterile, and talented artist. Be sure to look up their style as well: you want to be sure that the artist's style is conducive to the tattoo you want, especially if it's intricate/complex.
The second part of the research process is much more fun– figuring out which design you want, how large you want it, and where you want it! I spent several weeks figuring out how exactly I wanted my tattoo to look. However, feel free to give your artist free-reign over certain details: remember, tattooists truly are artists, and if you leave them to their craft and don't micromanage, they're going to produce a design that's truly amazing.
2. Book and go to a consultation.
Your consultation is like a speed-date between you and your tattoo artist. You may be expected to pay a cash deposit (mine was $100) in order to give a sort of insurance: that the tattoo artist won't be wasting their time developing a design for you, and that you will indeed show up to your scheduled appointment and not flake on them.
In the consultation itself, you and your artist will discuss your concepts for the design, the size you want, the price of the design, and the length of time that the appointment will go. Generally, it's wise to plan nothing directly after your tattooing appointment– one, it may run longer than you expect (especially if you find you need a break from the tattooing process) and two, you're going to be sore and tired after the tattooing experience!
3. The big day!
Prior to your appointment, be sure to have eaten something substantial, and to stay hydrated– this will help the tattoo healing process. You may want to bring snacks / a meal with you, especially if the appointment takes several hours of the afternoon, as mine did (I got Subway, personally, but don't worry– food choice doesn't impact your tattooing experience!).
Before going into the studio, expect to present ID (and a parent's ID, if, like me, you are not yet 18). You are also required to sign a waiver (and if a minor, your parent is as well).
Your tattoo artist is going to bring you into their studio and help you settle in and get comfortable. They may offer to chat with you, play music you like, or put on a show you want to watch: all of these are great distractions from the needle injecting permanent ink into your flesh! They will confirm the design with you and line it up (they will've drawn it on a piece of paper or something similar) on your body, to be sure that it looks the way you want, and shave that body part so it's a smooth canvas.
Important: Be sure your tattoo artist uses top-notch hygiene: a clean needle, washed hands, fresh gloves, a sterile surface. This is not the time to play games with your health in the balance.
Then, the tattooing will begin! Depending on how long you're able to sit through the sunburn-like stinging pain of the inking, this process could last ten, twenty, or sixty + minutes at a time. My small tattoo, as I said earlier, took about twenty minutes. My large tattoo, pictured below, took an hour (no breaks).
The cost: This outline, altogether, was $150. I was able to use the $100 deposit as part of the cost, so I paid $50 the day of the tattoo itself.
4. Aftercare– you have options.
Tattoo shops will generally sell products such as "AquaTat" to moisturize and help the healing of your new ink. However, that isn't your only choice: coconut oil, available for less money and in bigger containers than specific tattoo moisturizers, works just as well (perhaps even better) than AquaTat, in my own experience.
Be sure to wrap your new tattoo in gauze during the night, because some of the ink is going to rub off of your skin initially. This is completely normal and won't ruin your tattoo– although it may stain your sheets and pajamas.
When showering, try not to touch your tattoo too much, and afterwards, pat it dry, don't rub. Never touch your tattoo unless you've just sanitized your hands: remember a new tattoo is a wound and is this especially prone to infection.
And that's a wrap, folks! It's been several days since the tattoo and I've been following the above aftercare guidelines– my tattoo is healing rapidly and healthily, and I'm thrilled with the way it looks.
I hope this helped anyone out there who's looking to get a tattoo, and wondering what it's like! Happy inking!
