Walker012

I want to get another tattoo, but probably won't be getting anything for awhile at the rate I make decisions. The two ideas I have are both super-nautical. Either something featuring shields with the flags of Maryland, Maine (1901 or Merchant Marine, and Alaska with various chains, cogs, pistons, and anchors about them. Orrrrr something bafflingly complex that I would have no idea how to go about getting. I was looking at biomechanical tattoos, and something LIKE that, but with the planking of a ship broken open to reveal engines and boilers and such; around my upper arm and shoulder. Is that the Flying Tigers as in the American volunteer pilots in China ca WWII? I'm not familiar with their logos and such, but that's pretty sweet design.

I'm technically not a tattoo person, and the one that I got isn't somewhere that's visible; but "Why did you want that permanently etched on your skin?" honestly doesn't seem like an unreasonable question. Even if the answer IS just "because it's badass." I've only asked this question once, because I was stuck in a small room with four other people and had to make small talk about SOMETHING. Personally, my format was "so, is there some signifance to your sleeve, or do you just think skulls and medieval knights are badass?" Of course, then the person I was talking to said something about Knights Templar and we segued neatly into an argument about the differences in symbolism associated with the Teutonic and Templar orders. So, that was fun.

I just got my first tattoo, and I didn't even know that tattoo artists customarily got tipped here until someone mentioned it here. Then, the guy who actually did my tattoo was British. And I'm pretty sure he'd been here for awhile, but he seemed a bit startled that I tipped him. Just a completely awkward experience there. More so since I do most things awkwardly.

Woot! First tattoo had been got! Very satisfied with how it turned out, though I forgot to take pics before bandaging it up. I still kinda feel like I was overcharged $300, and I tipped $40) but I liked the artist and think he did a good job. Though there were a couple awkward moments, like when I was asking if it was possible to get an idea of how it would be shaded ahead of time. I mean, I felt super-awkward in general, as a first-timer, but it was a good experience. He also seemed surprised that I tipped. Edit: here it is! Http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/gallery/member/19144-first-tattoo.html&imageuser=59622

I admit that's one of the other things I worry about. I was told I can only see the design when I get there, which is... worrying. Really easy for me to get there and go "what the heck is this." Okay, let's be honest, I have a lot of things I'm worrying about with this.

It's okay, you can be honest. Just throw out a nice, forthright "TL;DR," or an irascible "woah, defensive, much?" :-p See, good thing I came in here, cause I'm sitting here like... "tip? Shit, you tip your tattoo artist? Dammit, that never occurred to me." Yeah, the "picking an artist" ship has sailed. Chalk it up to a valuable learning experience with my own permanently redecorated skin. B-more is kind of... not out of my way; but my preference would be to patronize somewhere in the DC area. Unless there was someone's art I saw that I thought was really badass. (That being said, if I do continue to get tattoos, my preference would probably be somewhere in MD over somewhere wherever I happen to be living at the time.)

Long story-- I wanted to get it in 2013, then I started doing paperwork with my recruiter, who said "don't get any tattoos, that will make this harder." Then it took me until 2014 to get to boot camp. I wasn't going to get it on leave after boot camp, because there was no time. Since it's a memorial tattoo, I didn't want to get it without my other siblings. So I didn't get it at my first duty station (and there was only one tattoo artist within an hour and a half drive anyway, and not many more in two hours). After my first unit I was at A school, and I could have got it then, but life was busy enough with school. Then I only took a week of leave before my next unit, and again no time. Then I got sent somewhere with 1 (seasonal) tattoo artist within a three and a half hour drive, and again my siblings unavailable. (Note: There are now two tattoo artists. Yay.) This is my only leave between now and August at the earliest. I've been procrastinating for going on three years since I made the decision that I actually wanted the tattoo. So I just said "fuck it" and pulled the trigger. Which yes, is a lot of factors completely unrelated to my tattoo design, artist, shop, etc. Probably foolish of me. But it WILL end with me actually having my tattoo, so there's that. That would make sense. They were initially saying I would have to come in, talk to them, and make the deposit just to make the appointment. They let me do it all over the phone when I said I was coming in from Alaska. I'm not sure if Bethesda counts as a military town, though. I mean, sure, the Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed are there, but it's always seemed more like "Pricey DC suburb #164/50 billion" to me. To everyone else, thank you for the rationales. They do make me feel mildly better. I'm a cheap SOB, so I'm still kind of uneasy, but on the other hand... when someone is sticking needles in my skin to make permanent artistic alterations to my physical appearance, being cheap seems like an AWFUL idea.

Aw, come on stinkybutt. I want some of that sweet $20 tattoo action. I'm in Homer, tc. And I have faith in the trip, just not sure about the tattoo experience. They didn't give me an estimate on time, and it didn't occur to me to ask... I spent all my planning time looking at different shops and portfolios and completely blanked on pricing. Marley, I looked at a bunch of shops (online) and went with one where I liked all the art they had posted and I saw good reviews-- Bethesda Tattoo. My schedule for my week in MD wasn't as flexible as I'd like, so I was basically down to whichever artist was available when I could come in. A guy named Christian.

Hello! You can call me Walker, and I just made the appointment to get my first tattoo and made a deposit. I live in Alaska, am getting the tattoo in Maryland, and may or may not end up getting addicted. Member of the Coast Guard, and if is kind of traditional after all. I immediately started freaking that it was more than I should be paying $300-$350 for a tattoo roughly 3" x 4" depicting an anchor, gold ribbon, and 16 letters of text? Custom designed? Help? Advice? Opinions? Is this just going to end up being a $300 learning experience?