CaitlinBurnett10

@GlaryMilberg Thank you! I rather like it!! You'll be fine in your sessions, I think it can be mind over matter a bit.. Take stuff to keep you occupied, music or iPad or book or whatever. It helped me keeping my brain focussed on something other than the pain :) I drank a lot of water, are chocolate & had ibuprofen on hand to keep swelling down - that was a lifesaver on days two & three!! Good luck! Post up some pics & updates :)

Hi guys! Sorry I've been so slack & inactive lately! Work / study has been killing me! I do lurk from time to time however :P I flew to Auckland (another city within New Zealand) to catch Erin Chance while she was in the country & I took up all her free time here outside of the Tattoo Festival, because I'm greedy. We tattooed all day Thursday Friday Saturday, around 10hr days.. But I started & finished a full back piece.. Not including butt haha as said above ^^ I think it must finish about an inch or two lower than tailbone. Haven't decided whether I'll extend down further, probably not at this stage! It sucked, but it was worth it! Photos on my profile xD

You'll do fine :) I just did my back in three consecutive days, and although it was tough it is definitely doable. The way we did it, was to split up the areas being worked on so we didn't have to go over open skin on the second and third days, I would definitely recommend that approach as even getting close to previously worked on areas really really sucked. Stupid back of my ribs began to bruise up and working over them wasn't fun. Pretty much, just eat well, rest up beforehand, plenty of fluids, and some form of distraction is always helpful, willpower is the one thing you'll need. I put my head down in some parts and just tried to imagine I was a big piece of paper that had to hold still so she could draw (a big, meaty, piece of paper lol). Oh, and allow your body to heal afterwards. I went into mild shock the night after my third day.. And I admittedly did try to push myself a bit hard with commitments outside of tattoo sessions on my trip. My mum is a nurse, and the way she phrased it was "the amount of pain you've just put your body through with that many hours tattooing, you've effectively run a marathon.. So just allow yourself to fucking rest!" Haha. Anyway, I feel like I have rambled enough - sorry everyone! Side note; @SeeSea .. How's your progress??

Hope you're doing okay!!! I focussed on my breathing in the tough bits, and tried to focus on the music playing.. I'm sure you're well versed, but it's definitely all about attitude! I'm sure you smashed your session! Enjoy the bruising and swelling that follows! :)

Thanks to everyone for the awesome advice & encouragement! I am proud to say that my back piece is now finished!! Woohoo! Did my full back in three days! Here's a pic for those interested :) Artist: Erin Chance, Guest tattooing at: Sacred Tattoo, Auckland, New Zealand

I'm sure yours is going well! Sending you vibes! I finished today, here's the final photo.. Hope it brings motivation! We did a final 9 hours today to finish up :) So happy! Full back in three days - boom!

Day two finished! Here's a full progress pic! Erin Chance is the artist :)

Best shot I could take myself.. Will get a full one soon :)

Yeah haha ambitious, I know! But totally getting there! We are three hours into day two atm, and Erin is smashing it! She's got some pace on her for being so detail focussed! I'm feeling good, tomorrow will be a struggle I think, and last night toward the end my pain threshold was at zero.. But worth it!! :) More pics to come

Thanks all! It's definitely a large undertaking! Currently into day two, about an hour in.. Here is a photo taken this morning of yesterday's progress.. Excuse the undies & the angle - my friend took this photo when I got out of the shower! Will add more as I can take them, working on upper back today so can be difficult to get good action shots via selfie!

Day one down! Started at noon, had a half hour dinner break at 8pm, then finished at 1030pm. Got so much done, but so exhausted! Will post a progress shot in the morning, I've gotta get some sleep - day two starts at 11am tomorrow! Sending you all "sit long stay strong" vibes for your sessions too!

Okay, we are six hours in of day 1 of 3.. Here are the first few shots. We're doing full back in three days, a third at a time, so we don't have to keep going over fresh ink from previous days :) Artist: Erin Chance, tattooing at Sacred Tattoo in Auckland, New Zealand

We are splitting my back into three sections, so will complete a third today, then a third tomorrow, then final third Saturday.. That way we won't keep going over half done areas, phew! So exciting! Am under the needle now.. And it's okay so far, but ya know how it goes!!

Haha back isn't entirely pleasant, but not too bad so far. Except for the top of my butt.. That sucked

Awesome!! Totally sending those vibes your way! We are starting at noon today (NZ time), so in about 3 hours.. I'll take some progress shots & let you know how I'm getting on - day one of three, pumped!!

Sorry, been super busy lately & haven't had a chance to spend my usual time allotment of lurking, reading, and generally enjoying this site! I have just got the first draft sketches through from Erin today, and WOW! I am very excited!!!! This Wednesday I fly up to Auckland, and we are tattooing Thursday Friday Saturday - she's pretty certain she can get it finished in three days still, so that's rad. I am arming myself with the usual session requirements, as well as with some tramadol to help keep me still, and a sweet playlist to zone out to.. Bring on a back piece :)

I also hated those parts of my arms.. But my worst so far would definitely have to be the front side of my ribcage. Honestly I could hardly speak for a day afterwards because my face hurt so bad from having gritted my teeth & clenched jaw for four hours. Good news is though, now every time I book some more ink and realise it'll hurt, I just think to myself "nothing will be as bad as those ribs".. It always cheers me up!

Hi all! I have a question for you ladies who have done a full back piece.. How did you manage your front whilst being tattooed, did you use tape? I'm a 10E, so am trying to find a solution before I get to the tattoo shop and boob all over the place! Also, with healing.. How long until you were able to comfortably wear a bra again? I should note that I am not doing a short session.. I've booked my full back to be completed in three full days sitting (because the artist is only in NZ for a short amount of time, not because I enjoy that amount of punishment). So will likely be a swollen/bruised/bloody/inky mess by the end of day three! Any advice would be appreciated x

Yeah I am excited to see what she draws up! She is currently drawing at the moment, so will no doubt hear from her in a week or two with an image! Now that I have booked the days, and about to book flights to get up to Auckland to see her, I am frantically budgeting to make sure I have enough dollars to cover everything - first world problems for sure. Glad to hear there are others who also give their artists free reign! My (virgin skin) friends think I am crazy! Hahaha yeah 'half ass' tattoos could be the new thing! Should start a trend! Does anyone have any extra awesome hints for sitting for long periods of time? My longest session so far has only been six hours, and I think that if Erin wants to finish my back in three days I may be sitting for 8hour days (or hopefully 10!). Being a girl sucks in this respect, gotta work out how not to 'boob all over the place' (for lack of a better term) in the shop!

Yeah haha hence the 'may have bitten off more than I can chew' part! Erin seems to think she'll be able to finish in the three days, and I'm stoked. Though I did say I was prepared to wait half-finished until next time she is in New Zealand. Luckily I'm not a large girl, so there's not a huge amount of actual back area to tattoo, which will mean less hours; and we aren't doing down to back of thighs, just top of shoulders to below trouser line (half ass?) .. I don't really know though, she can do what she wants haha. Her work is amazing, and I'm so excited that she's able to find time to tattoo me! I emailed her last November after seeing her at the NZ Tattoo Festival asking when she would next be here and if I could book a bunch of time, so have been patiently waiting for her return (while finishing my left sleeve with my local artist). The finished back piece will definitely be worth the pain! I don't know entirely what I'm getting yet, I have given her a bunch of subject matter to work from in terms of images etc.. A bunch of old Salvador Dali sketches, some Greek mythology imagery, and stuff.. But basically I told her that she has free reign. It would be a shame to tell her what to draw I think, she's so talented that I trust it'll be amazing whatever she comes up with!