Stamps, tatts, ink... whatever you like to call them, we each have our own opinion of them and a list of prerequisites that must be checked, before the decision is made to give up a patch of virgin skin forever more. For some of us the prerequisites, or should I say prerequisite, is simply: Can I afford it? For others the list can be quite long, is it meaningful? How much will it hurt? Is this a wise investment at this point in my life? What will others think of it? Will this tattoo tie in with the others I have/will have? Will it still look good in 20 years? Will I still love it in 20 year? Etc, etc...
Lost in thought about all things ink, I sit here savouring my extra shot coconut milk cappuccino in a takeaway cup, always in a takeaway cup people, always... you get more, it stays warmer for longer and you dont have to worry about looking like a pompous twat with your little finger sticking out as you attempt to get a grip of the idiotically small and useless handle that is present on most regular sized coffee cups in the civilized world!
I'm getting distracted... back to ink.
Being lost in thought for a short while led to me finding my thoughts for a long while, which in turn led me to begin typing away at my iphone 6 keypad like a mad man. Is there right/wrong when it comes to tattoos? What have I learnt personally about choosing, designing, getting and living with my tattoos and do you agree or disagree with my findings?
Disclaimer: I am very aware that we are all unique individuals and that our personal opinions of this matter will change vastly. This is not my projection of what is right/wrong, it is merely my personal opinion at this stage of my life. I am also aware that my personal opinion is subject to change, as it has multiple times in the past.
- Choosing your tattoo and its location
This is perhaps the most difficult part of the entire process. You must make a decision that will compliment you, work with your body, age well and most of all that you will be happy to live with for the rest of your life. Granted, none of us know exactly what the future holds for us or whom we will become, making that last bit near impossible to know for sure.
What I have learnt is that there are more factors involved in choosing your tattoo and its location than you may originally think. When I first started being tattooed it was all the about whether I liked the idea of the tattoo itself at the time and just finding a place to put it so that it would look good. Four stamps into my collection and I had a learnt a few very valuable lessons…
Tattoo artists know best 99% of the time. If your artist suggests something/seems a little unenthusiastic about your tattoo, LISTEN/QUESTION him/her and CONSIDER what they have to say. A lot of the time the image or font that you want may look great on paper but will not suit skin/your desired location. These guys are pros, this is what they do. Listen to them.
I personally have 3 tattoos that had I known what I know now I would not have had done. Two of them are images, pictures that I liked and that I liked the meaning of however they do not suit their location, they look out of place and are going to be very very difficult to blend into more ink down the track! Spewing :(
The third is a sentence. A terrible, terrible "white girl quote" style tattoo which I hate with a passion... I learnt multiple lessons from this one. First of all, and this goes for ALL written tattoos, think about, think about it some more and then THINK THE FUCK ABOUT IT even more!! Pictures are one thing, but actually writing something on your body is an entirely different matter. If you are going to get a written tattoo please ensure the following:
- NO names (unless it is the name of your child or a lost loved one), you think nitroglycerin is unstable, try human emotion…
- NO "meaningful/inspirational" quotes, these things have been a MASSIVE trend over the past few years and so everyone is getting these tatts... it will end and you will feel silly... Like I do... Besides, it is simply not necessary to be a walking "inspirational" poster.
- Allow your artist to suggest fonts and choose one of their recommendations. They know which fonts tattoo well and which do not. Tattooing is not the same as writing in pen or pencil or typing on a computer, the ink will fade with time and even with the advancement in tattoo tech and artist’s skill the ink will also bleed to a degree, this causes delicate and intricate fonts to look terrible and at times indecipherable with age. On the other side of the coin, thick, bold and solid fonts can look good however are a nightmare to cover up/laser off so you’d better be damn sure about it if you go down that path.
- Location. Location isnt a huge thing with script, I personally find that script can look quite good almost anywhere on the body as long as it is a good style. My advice here would be to have a good, long, hard think about any future tattoos that you may want and ensure that, to the best of your knowledge, the chosen real estate isnt going to encroach upon your future plans, as mine has. I put my stupid quote on my ribs, something I really wanted at the time. However it didnt take me long to realize that I had made a terrible mistake. Not only does this tattoo get in the way of a future piece that I really want, it is also very unflattering to an athletic male physique. This in itself is a massive topic, one that I will touch on in more depth next....
So! Let us quickly recap…
ALWAYS think ahead, you may love it now, but will you love it later?
ALWAYS plan ahead, it may look good there, but will it encroach upon future plans?
ALWAYS think with you head not your heart, human emotion is unstable AF! Things change quickly.
ALWAYS listen to your artist, 99% of the time they know best!
- Designing your tattoo
In this topic I am going to once again stress the importance of listening to your tattoo artist however there are also other factors that can come into play here such as those of us who want to compliment our hard earned physiques with our tattoos. While the best artists around may have this in mind when designing a tattoo for a muscled body, a lot of them may not even consider it. Basic rules of complimenting a muscular physique include: Avoid dark/solid shading on full muscle bellies, shade in around/underneath muscle bellies instead. Eg. If you want your chest to pop, dont get a full chest piece, keep the chest relatively clean and tattoo the underside instead. Dark tones recede, light tones advance. If you did really want a chest piece there are ways around this though. Ensure that the tattoo covers the entire chest in order to exaggerate the shape and try to incorporate rounded/swirling designs that replicate the shape of the chest. Tattoos may be dark however if they are well designed they can also draw the eye, which at times will enhance the aesthetic of the given area. Design lines of the tattoo to compliment/run with the body’s natural muscle defining lines. James Grage’s tattoos are the perfect example of clever design and strategic placement and I am sure you will agree that they enhance his physique perfectly!
That’s about all I have to say when it comes to the topic of design. At the end of the day the tattoo is yours and it is about to be placed on your skin so it makes sense that you should have the most input when it comes to what it is going to look like! I would say, go to a good artist with a strong reputation, present them with your design and then see what they say. If they suggest a few changes I recommend strongly considering them.
Next!
- Being inked
The fun part!
Yeah… Na… Not really…
Do tattoos hurt? Yeh man, they do. There is certainly a variation in the intensity and type of pain depending on the location of the tattoo however the fact remains that you are being stabbed anywhere between 50 and 3000 times per minute by a/multiple needles. This will cause pain, especially when sitting for 2+ hours being stabbed hundreds of thousands of times in the same vicinity… Its worth it I promise ;)
Pain killers and numbing cream, yay or nay?
**First of all I am not a doctor! Nor do I know the technicalities/possible effects of taking pain killers whilst being tattooed. The following is simply my personal experience and my personal recommendations. I DO NOT recommend using any form of pain medication or any other form of drug whilst being tattooed.
This is a topic of much debate personally I have never used numbing cream, however I have only ever heard people say it is pretty much useless, and I only used a painkiller for the first time during my most recent tattoo. Do I think it was a good idea? Yeah I guess I do. Up until then I had the opinion that if you weren’t able to stand the pain then you should not be getting tattooed in the first place. I am still somewhat on the fence here and so I would like to hear your feedback on the subject. Put simply I would STRONGLY recommend avoiding pain killing drugs whenever possible in life, they are terrible for the body and boast a multitude of nasty effects when we become reliant on them to get through even a simple headache!!! 99% of the time you are merely dehydrated! DRINK MORE WATER PEOPLE. You’d be amazed how many ailments are caused by dehydration… Rant over. If you do choose to use pain killers whilst being tattooed you MUST A. Follow the recommended dosage strictly and B. Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the entire process. These rules are super important. It is dangerous to numb/block your pain receptors at the best of times so be careful and drink water!
Secondly, there is NO shame in asking for a break. If you are in a lot of pain you may be experiencing symptoms such as: excessive sweating, shaking, hot & cold flushes, numbness, cramps/clenching of muscles for prolonged periods of time etc… This is your body’s way of telling you it is in stress!
We all have different levels of pain tolerance and one of the biggest mistakes I see people making in tattoo parlors is getting into unspoken pain tolerance competition with the stranger on the table next to them! Extended periods of time in a high stress environment boosts Cortisol (the stress hormone) and can reduce immunoglobulin (an antibody), weakening your immune system and leaving you more vulnerable to illness.
Your body is an incredible machine and its ability to adapt is amazing so with time and tattoos it will become better and better at handling the pain and managing the stress, however if you are new to tattoos or still only have a small collection I strongly recommend listening to your body and having the strength to ask for a break when you feel that you need one.
- Healing & living with your tattoo
There is endless information out there in regards to tattoo aftercare so I wont baffle on about this for long however I’ll leave you with a couple of things I have found to be true for myself. Tattoos truly are an open wound and so they need and deserve to be treated as one. Cleanliness and care are of utmost importance if you wish to reduce the chance of an infection and increase the chance of your tattoo healing perfectly into the masterpiece that you paid such good money for!! As for my product recommendation… I have most recently been using Argan Oil and I have found it to be perfect. It has worked a treat for me, rubs in easily and is nice and gentle. Give it a crack :)
Now that you have healed your new tattoo the hard work is done and all you have to do is live with it! This is the easy part =D You will fall in love with it, usually the second you see it for the first time but just wait until it is all healed and comfortable, you wont be able to remember a time that you didn’t have it! Enjoy it, love it and plan your next one!
- Feedback!
I would love to hear your feedback on the article and your personal opinion of my personal opinion ☺ So please don’t hesitate to contact me >>here<<!
Big LOVE my fellow stamp collectors and enthusiasts,
Jeremy Strong
