Tattoo virgin/ "plainskin" (but not for long!)

[Ashley76]

My name is Ashley, and as you can see I'm very new here. After years of vowing to never get a tattoo, a simple conversation with a friend about what kind of tattoo I would get if I ever did get one has now sparked interest in me. Six months later and the idea has grown on me so much that I hope to have my first tattoo by the end of February.

I joined this forum to poke around and get some insight from others about getting your first tattoo. I'm a little nervous, but not because of the pain. I'm more concerned about how my family will react, as tattoos are considered to be taboo in my family. I'm about to turn 19 and would be paying for the piece myself, but I've yet to figure out a way to tell my family about the tattoo once I've got it. I've researched tattoo parlors in my area, and after looking at a few pieces that my friends have by different artists, have chosen the place I want to get it done. Now all that is left is to make the appointment and save the money!

[SStu]

welcome.

what shop?

[Ashley76]

Carter's Tattoo Company in Bowling Green, KY. It's a very simple tattoo design wise (two lines from Hamlet and a few magnolia flowers on my rib cage) and I've seen his work on several different people, including text pieces similar to what I want.

[Hands On]

I'm more concerned about how my family will react, as tattoos are considered to be taboo in my family. I'm about to turn 19 and would be paying for the piece myself, but I've yet to figure out a way to tell my family about the tattoo once I've got it. I've researched tattoo parlors in my area, and after looking at a few pieces that my friends have by different artists, have chosen the place I want to get it done. Now all that is left is to make the appointment and save the money!

welcome!

I might switch those last two around and save the money THEN book the appointment... unless your artist has a long wait and you know you have a steady income with enough to set aside and have enough in time. either way, I'm sure you'll figure that part out.

As for the other part of letting your family know, here's a couple good threads you can peruse for some thoughts and ideas...

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/crazy-tattoo-stories/549-dropping-bomb-how-your-parents-found-out-about-your-first-tattoo.html

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/6158-cant-shake-insecurity-over-loved-ones-perceptions-%5Bmy%5D-tattoos.html

good luck!

[Graeme]

I really like Cole Dunn's tattoos from there and it looks like the rest of them do really good work as well, I'm sure whoever tattoos you is going to do a great job. Welcome.

[Ashley76]

welcome!

I might switch those last two around and save the money THEN book the appointment... unless your artist has a long wait and you know you have a steady income with enough to set aside and have enough in time. either way, I'm sure you'll figure that part out.

As for the other part of letting your family know, here's a couple good threads you can peruse for some thoughts and ideas...

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/crazy-tattoo-stories/549-dropping-bomb-how-your-parents-found-out-about-your-first-tattoo.html

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/6158-cant-shake-insecurity-over-loved-ones-perceptions-%5Bmy%5D-tattoos.html

good luck!

Thank you for the links! I'll definitely read those. And I probably should swap the order of money and appointment. I'm expecting it to be a medium sized tattoo, so I'm assuming I'm looking at two or three hours of work; gotta save a good chunk of change.

[pidjones]

From an old man who is a tattooed father, take this for whatever value you see in it.... 'tis better to ask forgiveness than ask permission' is a lie. It's easier - maybe - but not better to 'spring' a new tattoo on your family. And, I'm not suggesting that you need permission, you are old enough to make that decision. But you might find the acceptance easier if they know in advance.

For your design, please ask for the font to be legible. Fancy fonts are great for the first letter of a book chapter, but make text a blur of grey even when fresh.

So, wishing you the best in this. I know the attitudes of the area (I grew up in South Central KY).

[SeeSea]

Welcome! Ditto on the legible font and the threads that @Hands On beat me in quoting. At least you are choosing an area where you can hide the tattoo when needed. Keep us updated on your progress!

[Graeme]

I could not disagree more on the font thing above. Above all, take your tattooer's advice about what is going to work best. That said, fonts are for the screen and the printed page. I'm not saying you necessarily need something super ornate and fancy but you should at least be looking at some nice hand-drawn script. Text tattoos are still tattoos and should follow the same principles as good non-text tattoos in terms of placement and flow and you won't get that from something printed from a computer.

[pidjones]

We'll just disagree on that, then. If you don't care that others can't read it then why get text anyway? Just get a good tattoo that represents it. I'm not implying Helvetica, Courier, Times New Roman, but I've seen some that were supposedly in English that we`re brand new and impossible to figure out. Not including things like copies of hand-written messages from loved ones, of course but I've seen some less legible than my handwriting, and I've printed since high school.

[SeeSea]

We'll just disagree on that, then. If you don't care that others can't read it then why get text anyway? Just get a good tattoo that represents it. I'm not implying Helvetica, Courier, Times New Roman, but I've seen some that were supposedly in English that we`re brand new and impossible to figure out. Not including things like copies of hand-written messages from loved ones, of course but I've seen some less legible than my handwriting, and I've printed since high school.

I think we both just stepped into the same hole. I believe that @Graeme is referring to a common confusion - "fonts" are for displaying letters on screens and on printers and not for putting letters on skin, and he is thrashing us for misuse of the term. What she is looking for is hand-drawn "script."

If she really wants words in the tattoo, then the advice to get very readable script is the right way to say it. I've seen some script that is beautiful and very readable. Now, if @Ashley76 wants entire lines or paragraphs, then the tattoo will get pretty big to make it legible, and then yeah, it will completely overshadow the flowers. And since she wants a medium sized tattoo, it could be hard to make it readable.

So @Ashley76, the message is - if you want to get words in the tattoo, let your tattooer choose a script that will work with your overall goal.

[Ashley76]

I'll be letting the tattoo artist doing a freehand script. Nine words should fit easily across my ribs and still leave room for the flowers. If I show people my tattoo I want them to be able to read it!

Have any of you had experience with having a tattoo done over an old injury? I broke a rib a few years ago on that side and I'm concerned when he goes across that rib it might hurt a bit more due to the calcification that had developed on it.

[pidjones]

For your rubbing concern, consider a light microfiber top UNDER the bra. Equestrian must be almost as bad as dirt bike (worse if you must trot a lot) on a well-endowed lady. But, Kentucky girls take to it naturally!

[Mick Weder]

I could not disagree more on the font thing above. Above all, take your tattooer's advice about what is going to work best. That said, fonts are for the screen and the printed page. I'm not saying you necessarily need something super ornate and fancy but you should at least be looking at some nice hand-drawn script. Text tattoos are still tattoos and should follow the same principles as good non-text tattoos in terms of placement and flow and you won't get that from something printed from a computer.

Well said.

Tattoo script and font are two completely different subjects.

The principles of flow & placement. That's the shit.

I don't have any script, not my style. Not heavy enough. But there's individual reasoning behind any tattoo and its meaning. Not all script is meant to be so eligible to the non reader. Just like my back tattoo design. Its significance and meaning isn't as obvious as the design may represent. Exactly what it was designed for.

That's the spirit of tattooing for me. Only the wearer knows it's true significance. That's why we should never judge another persons interpretation of their own. The meaning far out weighs reasoning.

[Ashley76]

It's official: I need to stay off this site for a while! Not only do I have plans for my first tattoo, but I'm starting to get ideas for other ones! This is a dilemma I wasn't expecting...

[SeeSea]

It's official: I need to stay off this site for a while! Not only do I have plans for my first tattoo, but I'm starting to get ideas for other ones! This is a dilemma I wasn't expecting...

Yeah, me too. I swore when I came here it was just for one tattoo.

This is a very bad forum to belong to. It isn't necessarily the peer pressure, but the exposure to awesome tattoo artists, great ideas and solid information that plant all those extra ideas in your head.

[Patrick Bateman]

It's official: I need to stay off this site for a while! Not only do I have plans for my first tattoo, but I'm starting to get ideas for other ones! This is a dilemma I wasn't expecting...

oh trust me this site WILL keep the gears well oiled for thoughts.

[Vaas]

I'll be letting the tattoo artist doing a freehand script. Nine words should fit easily across my ribs and still leave room for the flowers. If I show people my tattoo I want them to be able to read it!

Have any of you had experience with having a tattoo done over an old injury? I broke a rib a few years ago on that side and I'm concerned when he goes across that rib it might hurt a bit more due to the calcification that had developed on it.

Yup, I took a good spill on a dirt bike years ago, and then tattooed over the scarring later. It did hurt worse than any other spot, but apparently ribs are tender anyhow. In any case, it was bearable. You'll be fine. :)

[Ashley76]

I'm excited to announce that sometime next week I'll be going for a consultation with either Cole Dunn or Brad Ausbrooks at Carter's. If things go as planned, I should have my first tattoo by the second week of February. I think this will be a great gift "to me, from me" for my birthday. I can't wait to post pictures when its done!

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm excited to announce that sometime next week I'll be going for a consultation with either Cole Dunn or Brad Ausbrooks at Carter's. If things go as planned, I should have my first tattoo by the second week of February. I think this will be a great gift "to me, from me" for my birthday. I can't wait to post pictures when its done!

Make sure you post pics. Still going for the lettering on ribs?

[Ashley76]

Yes, still planning to get the lettering. I'm having a friend of mine come along as a distraction, so he'll be taking a few pictures of it being done and the final product.