Hello from a tattoo-nervous person!!

[keekatzz]

Obviously I'm new to the forum. I honestly never thought I would get a tattoo, despite thinking they look really cool, simply because I have an intense fear of pain. Oddly enough I can handle getting shots for the most part, so long as I anticipate them to hurt like the dickens, so I'm assuming the same is true for tattoos.

Personally I only really want one tattoo, and it holds a lot of really special meaning to me, but it's sort of unconventional (in my opinion anyway) and I'm not sure how to go about getting it. I mean, I'm wondering how long people think it might take, or how complicated it is, etc. Plus it'd be nice to hear about this sort of thing from other people too, haha.

Anyway, what I want is a jaguar coat pattern down my back, but not just the simple rosettes, but like the actual pattern of a jaguar pelt as you would see it, but down my back:

I'd want it to just be black on my skin, without any coloring underneath it.

Though here are some other examples too.

https://24.media.tumblr.com/cf06ab3aed85e1e794bc4902b83584db/tumblr_n4y1g2chcE1s04wr8o3_500.jpg

https://24.media.tumblr.com/60f4bb7e7e3ebcefb17157a0d9002a3a/tumblr_n4y1g2chcE1s04wr8o4_1280.jpg

https://24.media.tumblr.com/7864e253f66805cd98d2b952b075a03d/tumblr_n4y1g2chcE1s04wr8o2_r1_250.jpg

So yeah! Hello everyone, and I hope I can get some feedback on getting this kind of tattoo. c:

[Joe Shit]

If you tell us what State you live in,then we can recommend a good tattooer so you can discuss your idea with them.

[Iwar]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

You can of course just get the pattern tattooed, but why would you want something like that on your whole back? I'm not judging here, I'm just curious. If I were you I'd just get a big ass, tough lookin' jaguar across my whole back.

[tatB]

fyi I think the jaguar pattern as a tattoo is fairly common so most good artists should have some idea of what you are imaging and whether or not it will work.

have you thought about getting the whole jaguar tattooed instead of just the pattern? big cats make very cool and powerful tattoos.

[CultExciter]

It's definitely a very common motif that people get. I agree wholly with @Iwar and think you should consider an illustration of a jauguar. Don't worry so much about how long it will take, etc, think mostly on who you'd want to do it and the quality of the work. All tattoo artists are not made equal.

I was listening to the Invisible Radio podcast and I heard something that resonated. You know, a lot of times, folks with no tattoos start out and get something giant for the first one. While I appreciate the fortitude, essentially, you're getting something giant, yet you don't have any idea how to heal it, take care for it, sit for it. Dip your toes in. Get something fun, learn the process, and then think on going larger.

[keekatzz]

I live in Washington near Seattle, but I'll probably get this done in Portland, away from my parents >.> I'm gonna be moving there during the summer.

I'm 18,and part of it IS rebelling against my parents, but the tattoo itself I've always sort of wanted but never got because my parents don't like tattoos. That's all I'd be rebelling against.

Anyway, I know you all suggest getting a big jaguar itself, but if I'm allowed to be a little personal, I have this...belief about myself where I identify as a jaguar (non-physically, and in my case it's just psychological though for other people like me it can be spiritual), and since I can't actually become a jaguar, I want to have the pattern of one going down my back. Plus I don't think it'd be a particularly difficult tattoo to hide anyway. But yeah, like I said, it means a lot to me and helps me feel more...well, like a jaguar since I'll never be able to actually be one in any shape or form.

Edit: I have a character who has these tattoos, and I did this terrible drawing of her so I could show off her tattoos.

http://37.media.tumblr.com/19ae78a29c1db1ccbea28d79ced86eeb/tumblr_n4rc3tVpH81s04wr8o1_500.jpg

Edit again: I read the lower part of your message CultExciter, and while I agree with you on the getting big tattoo things, the thing is, this is the only tattoo I want to get. I'm pansy enough as it is, and I'm gonna stomach my way through it so I have something that I feel better represents myself, but I don't have any urge to get any other tattoos elsewhere, that's all.

[MadeIndelible]

I'd urge you to go to Art Work Rebels in Portland and talk to Jason about your ideas. Be open to what he suggests, as this is what tattooers do for a living. They know what lasts through young adult hood and into your older years as far as tastes go, but also what works as a tattoo and what doesn't, in regards to the actual visual piece.

Also, I'd agree with @Iwar and @BrianH about the jaguar thing.

[keekatzz]

I'll keep that name logged away so I can look it up later.

And check my reply before yours so you can see what I said about the jaguar thing.

[MadeIndelible]

@keekatzz Oh, no, I saw what you posted; I just think that a jaguar would fit better as a tattoo than a bunch of jaguar spots.

[keekatzz]

@keekatzz Oh, no, I saw what you posted; I just think that a jaguar would fit better as a tattoo than a bunch of jaguar spots.

I trust your judgement on that, but I feel like a tattoo of a jaguar is just a jaguar tattoo, and I'd rather have a tattoo that makes me look more like a jaguar. That's the difference, really.

[CultExciter]

Everyone gets that tattoo they want. It's a true statement. However, you're young, and your back is a helluva lot of real estate. They put all sorts of "comeback" magic in tattoo pigment and I seriously doubt this will be your last tattoo. I don't know, maybe the BME forum would have better advice (:eek:)

[MadeIndelible]

Everyone gets that tattoo they want. It's a true statement. However, you're young, and your back is a helluva lot of real estate. They put all sorts of "comeback" magic in tattoo pigment and I seriously doubt this will be your last tattoo. I don't know, maybe the BME forum would have better advice (:eek:)

I prefer the statement, people get the tattoos that they deserve. If you're going to be stubborn, then you will probably end up with a tattoo that you won't like when you start getting more into tattoos. Or you will just keep getting dumb tattoos. God gave you two ears and one mouth. Use accordingly.

[keekatzz]

Well there's a reason I'm not being hasty about this haha. The only reason I say I don't think I won't get more tattoos after this is because of the pain. Hell maybe I'll see it's not so bad and then yeah end up getting more, but I don't know of anything else I'd get anyway. My tattoo is gonna be a representation of myself, that's the main reason I'm getting it, though I'm sure plenty of other people feel the same way haha.

[Renzie]

Personally I disagree that a jaguar in its entirety would look much better than the pattern. I tend to think big cat tattoos look a little tacky. To each his own.

That said, I do want to reiterate the cautions you've already gotten. A back piece is a pretty big commitment for someone who insists that pain will restrict them to one tattoo. What happens if you can't sit through it? Will you be okay with the partially done work in that case? And if you do sit through to the end of this one, are you REALLY sure you feel that strongly about this? People tend to mature a lot between 19 and 25 or so. How might your wants change by then?

Additionally, that's a lot to heal and hide? If you're a woman you're not going to want to wear a bra for a week or more so there's that to consider. And even without that particular problem just a shirt is going to be uncomfortable.

I highly recommend that you think this over a while. Like, a few months a while.

[tatB]

@Renzie delete that first paragraph! :)

[Renzie]

Ha. Like I said, to each his own! If your skin is the canvas you'd damn well better love the art, so I support anything a person REALLY wants.

[misterJ]

Well there's a reason I'm not being hasty about this haha. The only reason I say I don't think I won't get more tattoos after this is because of the pain. Hell maybe I'll see it's not so bad and then yeah end up getting more, but I don't know of anything else I'd get anyway. My tattoo is gonna be a representation of myself, that's the main reason I'm getting it, though I'm sure plenty of other people feel the same way haha.

I believe tattoos are like girlfriends (or in your case boyfriends) you want another the moment you forget how much the last one hurt lol. (happily married now don't read into it)

getting very large tattoos is such a young age is scary because your tastes will change drastically. please listen to the advice of those who have posted replies to you.

Why not discuss with your artist of choice something along the lines of an embodiment of a jaguar spirit from another culture such as Mayan? thoughts on that idea?

ALSO if it helps I have a very tacky back piece of a cat on my back :D:cool:

[SeeSea]

@keekatzz - it's clear you have your mind set on this, and I can appreciate it, and I echo previous advice to see a good tattooer as suggested above. That can only give you more information and not less to help you decide if this is the best way to help you feel like the jaguar.

I was listening to the Invisible Radio podcast and I heard something that resonated. You know, a lot of times, folks with no tattoos start out and get something giant for the first one. While I appreciate the fortitude, essentially, you're getting something giant, yet you don't have any idea how to heal it, take care for it, sit for it. Dip your toes in. Get something fun, learn the process, and then think on going larger.

I agree and disagree with this. I have one small tattoo, although I'm not sure it's even large enough to get a taste of things. But I, too, have dreamed of a single large piece that would be my only other tattoo. I jumped both feet into a full back - a sea scene of creatures I had photographed underwater. I found an artist who's done sea scenes, and he spent quite a bit of time explaining to me that what I wanted (and how I wanted it) wouldn't make a good tattoo. I couldn't visualize why not. He even took a picture of my back and used Illustrator or some drawing program to give an example of something that would work. (To his credit, he did an amazing amount of free up-front work for me because he was really into it.) Anyway, he finally helped me see how my idea could be done in a way that would be realistic, convey what I wanted, and also age well. I don't regret jumping into a full back (although I was spectacularly amazed at the pain and had many oh-shit moments of how-am-I-going-to-sit-through-a-full-back-of-this) although I could have waited longer to get the design. I was just lucky someone with a good eye got ahold of me and set me straight.

The point of this story is that I thought I knew what I wanted and I thought I understood how it would play out on my back, but I needed to be educated. My guy didn't ignore that, but made my vision work. The folks around here believe that an awesome panther (or jaguar in this case) is the solution to all life's ills ( :D ) but I think you don't have to be so obvious. I like the pattern you selected, but I'd suggest you think about if you really want that repeating pattern all over your back. I can imagine using that pattern for part of your back in conjunction with something else to break it up, but still convey that you are the jaguar ... like a jaguar looking to be camouflaged in foliage or something like that, with fan leaves and big drop shadows on the spots. Let the pattern flow underneath some other design element and use the pattern as a background to give more interest and depth to the piece, and perhaps convey an action that the jaguar is taking - slinking, hiding, etc. Idunno, I'm not an artist but you have me thinking of things that I would find more interesting to see than just seeing the pattern. Maybe you get it designed so that you can start it (e.g., upper back) and decide in the middle if you want full coverage after it settles in, and the initial part could be a complete design by itself if needed (h/t to @CultExciter).

Anyway, my $0.02.

And ... I came here thinking this would be my only tattoo. This back piece will take a while, but I already have #2 queued up in my mind :rolleyes:

- - - Updated - - -

IALSO if it helps I have a very tacky back piece of a cat on my back :D:cool:

Not unless you share!

- - - Updated - - -

Obviously Oddly enough I can handle getting shots for the most part, so long as I anticipate them to hurt like the dickens, so I'm assuming the same is true for tattoos.

Bad assumption. You can anticipate one injection and get over it. Imagine hours upon hours of anticipating the next time those needles hit your skin, and the "hurt like the dickens" goes on for several seconds. Then you get another handful of seconds for sweet release from the pain, only to anticipate the next round of pain. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Some people apparently aren't bothered by the pain, but if you go full back, you WILL find many areas that you will come to dread. I'm not saying this to scare you, ... well, yes I am. I'm also not trying to sound mean, just been-in-your-shoes.

[misterJ]

@SeeSea

Its in one of the 2 last pages of the full back piece thread. I didn't want to double post it. Not until its gets more work.

[SeeSea]

Its in one of the 2 last pages of the full back piece thread. I didn't want to double post it. Not until its gets more work.

I didn't think you were referring to that! Ahhh, now I get the sarcasm. ;)

[misterJ]

not so much sarcasm, just being playful i guess. I find a number of tattoo subjects really awful so I kind of respect that Renzie doesn't like big cats. Ironically it happens to be my favorite :D

[omeletta]

Lots of good input here already especially from @SeeSea. May I also throw in this idea:

Girl's head with cheetah

Also, have you tried googling or checking out Pinterest for cheetah tattoos? Just asking because I don't think it's really that unconventional...and it might show you more ways of incorporating the pattern into a more interesting tattoo. I'm aware that cheetah and jaguar are not quite the same. That said, they are very similar, just from different continents, aren't they?

[SeeSea]

Ahhh the Pinterest link is great!

[misterJ]

Lots of good input here already especially from @SeeSea. May I also throw in this idea:

Girl's head with cheetah

that is a great suggestion, those are cool as hell.

[Killercook76]

Yeah I agree with everyone here! My normal advice would be to wait until you can afford a high quality tattoo artist but not sure how they would feel about doing this sort of tattoo. Especially on a 18 year old with no tattoos... If you are really serious about it I would still wait and get a smaller tattoo first . Also think about who will be helping you with the after care because obviously you cannot do it yourself unless you have some crazy flexibility!!