Anyone think of an impulsive tattoo idea and just go out and get it right away?

[Genie of the West]

I had my first itch to get an impulsive tattoo yesterday. I usually try to sit on an idea for a piece for at least a year before committing to getting it. Also I'm trying to be wise about how and where I place my tattoos because I know I'll have a body suit soon. I have a sleeve pretty much complete and my chest totally done and I'm 21 so I'm not sure if I want to move too fast in covering my body.

I thought of a pretty cool political tattoo yesterday and I really want it now. I want a pig in a suit behind a podium, with two wolves/wolfheads in cop uniforms next to him, speaking to a congregation of sheep. A nation of sheep, run by wolves, owned by pigs.

Part of me wants to go out this weekend and get it at a local shop. The rational part of me says to wait and sit on the idea for a year. The last time I was impulsive about a tattoo I regretted the placement (peaks onto my throat whoops!). If I got this I'd get it on my right thigh.

Anyone got impulse buy stories?

[Graeme]

I have three that I got impulsively. One is a wolf head that I got from Eli at Smith Street. I was in the area and thought that I'd drop in and see if there was any availabilities and just check out the shop and he had a cancellation because it was a cold, miserable, and snowy October day. Didn't really know what I wanted going in the door, but the wolf head flash was cool. Got a swallow from Bert at Tattoomania in Montreal for similar reasons...it was my birthday, I was feeling bummed about being a year older, thought that a tattoo would cheer me up so called up Tattoomania to see if they had an opening and they did. He did a great job on it, and tattoos are great cures when you're feeling down. The last is a rose and snake that Tony D'Annessa did. I had a consult at the shop he owns (owned?), didn't know if he still tattooed, but asked and picked a rose and a snake off one of his old roll-up flash sheets because it looked cool and I figured that if I was going to get tattooed by a guy from the real old school that something involving a rose was fitting. He said the last time he tattooed that design was in 1963. I am happy with all of them, but they're all pretty classic and timeless designs. I have plans for more spontaneous tattoos in the future as well (maybe not spontaneous exactly, because I plan on booking with an artist, but choosing the design off the wall the day of) because that can be a fun way of getting tattooed. I also have tattoos that I've put a lot more thought and planning into. Both ways are cool with me.

[Johannes]

well my latest, a rose with my daughters name was pretty impulsive. was going to get some sneakers...never made it to the shoestore...

[Lori Todd]

Before my fifth tattoo, I felt like I had to really want the image for at least a year and that the tattoo had to have significant meaning to me. That worked for the first ten years after my 18th birthday tattoo. Oh, how that has changed ...

My first real spontaneous tattoo was when I took advantage of a cancellation one of my artists had while I was driving home from work. I came home that night with a gorgeous Rose of No Mans Land and she's one of my most favorite tattoos.

Now I like booking in with an artist and coming up with the imagery with them once I arrive. I'll be doing that tomorrow.

Granted what I'm going for is mostly traditional tattoos and I want to make have a lot of those iconic images in my collection.

[Mark Bee]

I have a history of impulsive tattoos. (Story of my life in general!) I have several that I planned out and thought about for months. I've been happier with some of the more recent, more impulsive choices I've made. Like Lori, I am getting mostly traditional tattoos, which I think (IMHO) lend themselves to more impulsive choices. I guess it depends on your personality. What works for me is certainly not going to work with everyone else. That said, I would not change any of the decisions I've made over the decades. (In relation to tattoos that is...other choices I've made? Yeah, well, can't win 'em all I guess.)

[JeffK]

At Taylor Street Tattooo they have a "Get What You Get" deal where you pay $50, get a token, slide it into a capsule machine (like at grocery stores for toys and candy) and whatever flash is in that capsule you get. I've done it and got a "Hot Stuff" tattoo and was thrilled. It's all classic stuff and fun.

I may not go out and get it "right away" but like within a week or 2. In fact most of mine are like that. My most recent "Morning Star" tattoo was booked only a week in advance and it came to me right before I called to get the appointment.

I've learned stuff I thought of too long I always eventually scrap then come up with something out of no where and it's way better and just run to get it. It's how I work I guess. I like to keep things loose. Sometimes it's fun to just roll in and pick some awesome wall art. I remember a time where that was looked down on vs. "custom" tattoos but as someone once said to me about wall art "it's done by guys who've been tattooing for years and years and know what'll look good so you can't lose."

[real meta]

My first tattoo was a completely impulsive decision. I woke up hungover one Sunday morning and thought, "What should I do today?" The idea to get tattooed popped into my head, it felt right, and I pretty much immediately decided I wanted a traditional diamond because I've always liked the design. There's a shop really close to my house and I had heard good things about one of the guys who worked there, so I walked over and sure enough, he was working that day and had walk-in availability. The rest, as they say, is history.

[hollyjoybee]

The Swallow tattoo on my forearm was an impulsive tattoo.. i'd had a really crappy day at work and everything seemed to be going wrong.. i walked passed the same shop i've visited several times and thought what the hell i'll go in and pay a deposit. Alec was free for a walk in and that's how the swallow came in to being. It's one of my favourites and it also started a great relatioinship with my Artist..

I love it when things like that happen.. i'm not a great believer in fate but sometimes two coincidences happen at the same time and the results are usually fantastic :)

[Just Alex]

The closest I have come to being impulsive about a tattoo is knowing for a while I wanted a cat head, but not a tiger, panther or lion.....and deciding to book a consultation on the spur of the moment. 1 month wait for the consult, followed by another several months on a wait list. Oh yes, very impulsive. haha!

[Cookiehound]

I would love to be able to do this.

However, living in a town with no even half decent studios kinda stops that from happening :(

[slayer9019]

All of my tattoos save my first have been pretty much impulses. Started with my gypsy lady on my arm and just came up with the other ones while at my previous tattoo sessions.

[gougetheeyes]

Got a Smashing Pumpkins heart with my wife for our birthdays last year, though we'd been talking about it forever. @Perez did a surprise lil' snake tattoo on me in Philly last time (not a Lee Roy stencil, turned out to be a _____ stencil.. help me out here, Perez, blanking) right after I popped up from a brutal rib session. Best surprise/spur of the moment one! After the ribs, I didn't feel it at all..

2b09b310550711e19896123138142014 7 Tattoo Picture | Last Sparrow Tattoo

[Just Alex]

I would love to be able to do this.

However, living in a town with no even half decent studios kinda stops that from happening :(

I kinda have the same issue as this, I live in West Yorkshire... close to good studios in and near Leeds and Manchester - but I spend the working week in London. Not many places would have time for walk-ins at the weekends, and the places in London I would consider are just too highly priced for a spur of the moment job!

[TheLance]

I think everybody associates impulsive with "right then and there", so mine may not be as impulsive. A friend of mine says, "you should get something that says i'm from florida, like the gators logo". i say, "that would be mad cheesy, but id get a sick gator tat!".......a month later i have a giant gator on half of my body by Seth Wood

[Just Alex]

I think everybody associates impulsive with "right then and there", so mine may not be as impulsive. A friend of mine says, "you should get something that says i'm from florida, like the gators logo". i say, "that would be mad cheesy, but id get a sick gator tat!".......a month later i have a giant gator on half of my body by Seth Wood

That sounds mint, any pics?

[TheLance]

That sounds mint, any pics?

if you have instagram check @sethwoodtattoo. i'll figure a way out to post some shots on here at some point........it is SO mint

[Graeme]

if you have instagram check @sethwoodtattoo. i'll figure a way out to post some shots on here at some point........it is SO mint

Whoooaaaa that's a good one. Seth's large tattoos are so great. His smaller ones are too, but his large work is especially amazing.

[TheLance]

Whoooaaaa that's a good one. Seth's large tattoos are so great. His smaller ones are too, but his large work is especially amazing.

indeed! i knew right away he had to do it and he was stoked with the idea so i let him have as much as he wanted.

[Lance]

I think everybody associates impulsive with "right then and there", so mine may not be as impulsive. A friend of mine says, "you should get something that says i'm from florida, like the gators logo". i say, "that would be mad cheesy, but id get a sick gator tat!".......a month later i have a giant gator on half of my body by Seth Wood

Woah! Saw that on IG. You do not joke around!

NICE!!!

[Therinx]

I was in the city with my wife and sis-in-law this past Sunday and one of them wanted to hit a bar before we went home. I said "i know a bar around the corner, we're not too far from Kings Ave. so i know the area a bit". That led to "hey lets go there, i want to ask about an idea i have" from my untatttooed sis-in-law.

Long story short, i wound up getting a sparrow just because one of the guys i've already worked with wasn't doing anything. She chickened out. And Oliver Peck was there! After 5 hours of eating, shopping and wandering around, that little impromput visit was the best part of the day. And then we hit a bar anyways. :p

[jayessebee]

I do that all the time, feels more authentic to me- plan a few big pieces, have fun with the rest

[Aussie Tom]

On a family trip to the states I had organised an appointment with Tomas Garcia at Sid's in Santa Ana. While we were at the shop my mum, dad and little sister all got spontaneous tattoos from the other guys while they weren't busy. So cool having a family who digs tattoos!

[David Flores]

I do that all the time, feels more authentic to me- plan a few big pieces, have fun with the rest

Even when i plan a tattoo, it usually doesn't have that much thought involved, you know I just pick an image and then add the names of every person I know below it and then we are good to go. But seriously I have been planning a pretty tattoo for some time now and am for once proud for coming up with my own idea, I just haven't been able to get around to doing it, I have been starting at line drawing for months, just need to get started. But at this point I still have a dragon to finish on my thigh and an appoinment Matt Arriola in late June before I can even get started.

[Eskimette]

My impulse tattoo was huge lol

I went to a great artist an got "stay true" in bigswirly custom script form hip bone to hip bone across my front, with two cotton candy colored swallows , one on each hip bone, holding the ends of the letters in their beaks...its huge and goes pretty damn low...and its my fav tat on my whole body.lol if I ever have children I am screwed.

[CABS]

I impulsively get tattoos on the regular. I'll just go into a shop not knowing what I want and pick something off the wall, so to speak. It's more fun that way.