Intomyskin

In preparation for my Japanese back/sleeve/chest panel piece, I've actually been getting some hair removed on my pectoral area where part of my tattoo will be. I want the tattoo to read cleanly and clearly. To my eyes, hair over tattoos make them look somewhat indistinct.

I think the essence of tattooing is that it is permanent. It think that when you strip away all of the other motivations for tattooing: to symbolize something, memorialize someone, mark life's important moments, births, deaths, transitions... the the bottom line is that we choose a tattoo for those things because it will be there forever. In my thinking, if it is not permanent, it is not a tattoo.

So... I have a bit of a skewed thought on this: Occasionally I see someone wearing one of these sleeve cover things on one arm, and the first thing I think is, "Oh, he's covering a tattoo." Why else would someone wear one long sleeve? So it begs the thought: If someone wears something to cover a tattoo, and if everyone knows he/she is covering a tattoo, then why wear the cover? Maybe it is just because I am very "tattoo aware" that I think this. Perhaps the flaw in my logic is that I assume that everybody knows that the sleeve is covering a tattoo. Maybe instead they just think, "Gee, I wonder why that person is wearing that thing on one arm?" Yes, I know: people wear compression sleeves for medical conditions etc. Well, just something to provoke discussion...

Great advice @LizBee. I usually just to gloss over pictures of "bad tattoos," but I must say that I HAVE learned about what to look for regarding quality line work and shading by looking at bad tattoos. BTW, I saw your Darcy Nutt Angelfish Peony in your gallery. It is absolutely beautiful! Darcy has a really nice style, her Japanese work has her own personal stamp on it, and is quite striking. Wear it well!

Thanks for posting this review. As I look ahead to getting my sleeves (probably half-ish), I've been considering something like this for certain situations. Glad to see an actual detailed report here. I have read some reports that the tops stretch out quickly and then they won't stay up. Perhaps that is another brand. It would be great if you could update us on the long-term durability as you continue to use it.

@otisc- I originally wanted to do the sleeves first because I wanted to see something complete ASAP after waiting so long! But Cindy convinced me that I had an opportunity to really do something special that looked cohesive if we outlined everything (back, butt, sleeves, chest panels) first, so she could make it to flow and connect better. I realized she was right. The cohesiveness and flow is what attracted me to the Japanese style in the first place, and here I was trying to defeat it by making her do it in pieces. So that is what I will do. I'm traveling to get the tattoo so we will shoot for a two day session, but I doubt we can outline everything in that time (and I really don't know if I can handle two days), so I will probably have to go back a few months later to finish the outline. I see that like me you debated about how much sleeve you wanted, and I see that in the end you went full sleeve. Very cool. how did you finally decide to jump past the elbow? what were your thoughts? I'm having a similar debate. I have a rule that it must be covered with a short sleeve shirt for professional reasons, and because I don't want to freak out my friends. So I really didn't want to go beyond a quarter sleeve. Cindy understands, but is really prodding me to think bigger because she says most people that ask for a quarter eventually come back for a half, and people who want a half eventually come back for a 3/4 or full, and it is harder to extend gracefully. I would love to have a 3/4, but no, not going there. However I've practiced in front of a mirror and realize that even a quarter sleeve will be visible in short sleeves in certain arm positions anyway, so now I'm considering going for "almost but not quite half sleeves" (3/8?). I'm really struggling with this because my friends and colleagues will be totally aghast if/when they see that I have tattoos. How did you decide to go so visible after having reservations?

Thanks to all for your responses. They have have been heartwarming, and I am starting to feel like I have some brothers and sisters here, people who understand. It makes me feel very good. @otisc - Your recommendation to "look and look" is a good one. I have looked at countless artists over the years, dating beck to even before I made my decision to proceed. After I made the decision, I really researched artists. I am very picky, and I want the best Japanese tattoo I can get. In fact, at one point, (for about 18 seconds) I actually considered going to Japan, but quickly realized that the cost and time would be prohibitive. But I also want it to be an awesome experience, as well as a great tattoo. The "awesome experience" part is the toughest. I have seen a lot of artists whose Japanese work I love, have communicated with many, and visited the shops of some, and talked to them. There are many whose work I wanted, but I just didn't feel a connection with them. I can't really explain it, just a feeling, and "feeling" matters a lot to me. I've looked at every picture of Cindy's work that I could find online and I like her work a lot. Because I can be a bit OCD, yes, I might say that I like artist X's waves, and I like artist Y's wind bars, and oh yeah, artist Z really does nice poenies. But at some point that sort of analysis gets you going in circles because you are at a level where they are all good, but just have different styles or details. So this is where the "awesome experience" part kicks in. Cindy has responded to my emails in great detail. She patiently answered my questions, gave advice, educated me about the style, and process, and planning, and respectfully, but honestly pointed out some of the flaws in my ideas. I feel a really good vibe with her, and I feel like I need that sort of nurturing, guiding experience. It may sound overly dramatic, but I feel that not only will the tattoo be part of me forever, but in a sense the artist will also be part of me forever, as well as the experience. I want to feel good about that too.

Hi @otisc, and welcome! Sorry for the delayed response, but your story sounds much like mine (see my introduction HERE), that I HAD to respond. I’m older than you, (60+), but we have followed amazingly similar paths. I started when I and my girlfriend (now my wife) got small matching tattoos in verrrrry hidden locations in 1973 when I was 20. I added a little to it a few years later. I still wanted another, but life and a profession intervened, and tattooing went on the back burner. At some point I discovered Japanese tattooing, and realized that I wanted to be tattooed extensively like that, but couldn’t bring myself to do it for fear of how others - especially my employers - would judge me. I wrestled with this for over 30 years. Really. Finally a few years ago, like you I realized that I wasn’t getting any younger. I was well established in my profession, and moving toward retirement in a few years. I’d spent my whole life being the kind of person that my profession required, but realized I was not being the person that I wanted to be. And being heavily tattooed was part of what I wanted to be. As with you, I realized that most of my reasons for not being tattooed had either evaporated or were just downright stupid (when was the last time that I was shirtless in front of a client?). So I am in the planning stages for a back piece, partial sleeves, and chest panels. I am just ridiculously excited about this! I’m doing something that I’ve wanted for decades, and I’m giddy like a kid. But I’m also glad I waited because I now have the judgement and resources to get something appropriate, timeless, cohesive and well executed. I’m most likely going to be working with Cindy Maxwell in Seattle. I haven’t made and appointment yet because I want to sock away some money so I’ll be sure to have the resources to complete it. But Cindy and I have been communicating, and I’m solidifying my ideas. I love what you have done so far, and look forward to following your progress, as we have such similar paths. Good luck to you!

Throw air travel into the equation, across country, so hard to avoid time against the seat. This will be challenging.

Currently thinking about Cindy Maxwell at Dark Age Tattoo in Seattle. Anyone have any experience with her?

I’m new here, in my sixties, planning a back piece and partial sleeves (my introduction HERE). I’ve been doing a lot of research about healing here and elsewhere. I think I want to heal using Tegaderm or a similar product. I will be traveling for my back piece, and because of expenses and schedule, my wife may not be able to join me for all sessions, so I won't have any help for immediate aftercare. So is it reasonable for me to even consider using Tegaderm if I have to apply it myself? My understanding is that normal procedure would be for me to come back from my session, removed the artist’s dressing, wash the tattoo, and then apply the Tegaderm and leave it on for a few to several days. I’m fearing some sort of comedy scene result with me all wrapped up in saran wrap in my hotel room, unable to move, tapping out 911 with my nose on my cell phone to call someone to cut me free, followed by an article in local online press that goes viral.

In some ways I wish I had not waited so long to start this project, but on the other hand, I'm also glad that I didn't plunge in head first when I was young. Even though I struggled for way too many years with my decision, by the time I was in my 50s I pretty much knew where my life was going, and understood and accepted the implications and limitations of being tattooed in my world. So it allowed me to make better decisions on placement. I think if I was young, I would have made decisions that I would have regretted.

Hello All! I've been reading this site for some time to get information, and it has been really valuable in that way, so I decided to join and share. I'm a 60 something married male, an architect by profession, who got a very small, very hidden tattoo in the early 1970s, added a little to it several years later...and then stopped. However I became totally enamored with the art of tattooing, but couldn't bring myself to get what I really wanted until only the last few years. So, I'm about to embark on a full Japanese back piece, extending to my upper thighs, and quarter or half sleeves, extending partially onto my chest. How I got to this point is a long story, wrought with the angst of doubt, fear, and perhaps way too much self-analysis. But I love to write (even though I am a bit long-winded), so I started a blog. You can read my tattoo story here. This is a huge step for me. I exist in a world where I have no tattooed friends or colleagues – Zero (Well, actually one friend, a lady with two tiny tattoos on her wrists). But basically no one around me except my wife has any interest in tattoos, and generally everyone around me views tattooing negatively. I feel pretty alone in this interest. I'm hoping that here I can find a community, support, and some "tattoo friends" with whom I can share my love of the art. I view tattooing with great reverence. I think that the ability to transform your skin into a work of art that will be part of you forever is a pretty powerful concept. I could never say that to my friends without them thinking I'm insane, but I hope there are people here who feel similarly. Looking forward to communing with you all!