My First Tattoo - Go Big Or Go Home

Last Friday, I made the best decision I've made in a long time: I finally went to go get my very first tattoo. I'm no tattoo expert, but I had a fantastic experience, so hopefully what worked for me will help you have a good experience as well.

1. Know exactly what you want, and why. 

Like a blueprint for an architect, your idea for your tattoo design is going to influence every single part of the process, from choosing a shop and artist, to seeing the idea on paper, to dealing with the pain of tattooing, to being comfortable with the fact that it's now permanent. Knowing what you want keeps you focused on the end result, and trust me, you're going to need all the focus you can get.

2. Trust your instincts. 

I got a bad feeling from the first shop we went to: there was no one at the front to even acknowledge that I was there, it looked grungy, and the woman who was available to do my tattoo outright told me she wouldn't even attempt the whole thing at once (then tried to admonish me for not making an appointment due to the size). I knew someone else would be willing to at least try, even if they couldn't finish, so we left. It was a good call. We stopped at a shop by the house on a whim, where I found an artist who specifically does the kind of work I was looking for, everyone was sociable and nice, and it was a bright and clean atmosphere. He wasn't able to finish but he at least tried, and that's what matters. I doubt I would have been as excited about my tattoo had I stayed at the other shop - and I doubt I'd have gotten the great work I did if I didn't know what I was looking for in the first place.

3. Eat first, and don't get drunk. 

Alcohol thins your blood, and also, you don't sit as still as you think you do when you're drunk. (the artist himself told me that one) Eating will also keep your body balanced. Given the intrusion you're about to welcome in, everything else needs to be kept as constant as possible. 

4. Tattoos fucking hurt, but you'll deal with the pain.

They just do - there's no two ways about it. You're going to go in thinking that it's going to hurt like hell, and you think that like everything else in the world it won't be as bad as you imagined. But it IS just as bad as you imagine. I'll be honest though, I got mine in a very sensitive and ticklish place, so the instinctive jerking every time he came close to touching me was worse than the pain itself. It got so bad I had to apologize. Thankfully, it subsided after about 30 minutes or so. 

I also think a mix of a few things helped me deal with the pain of the tattoo. First, I thought of it as an initiation of sorts, so mentally I was ready to take any pain it gave me. Second, the vibrations of the machine seemed to put me in a sort of trance, so as long as I was laying under the needle, I felt like I was almost in another world. I even fell asleep, probably more times than I'm aware of, since time seemed to fly. Either I was super calm, or my body went into shock from the pain and my brain's unwillingness to relent, and numbed my senses so that I could handle it. Who knows.

6. The aftermath sucks. 

Talk to anyone who has tattoos, and they'll give you the basics of aftercare, but they usually don't tell you just how much it's going to suck. First, when you leave the shop, you're going to feel sick as shit and completely out of it. You're also likely to feel exhausted. You can't touch that area for a few days, which for me meant no sitting back, no sleeping on my back or even on that side, no bra, no tight clothes - nothing. And then after the pain comes the ITCH. A burning, urgent itch that you can only slap lotion on. Oh, it's so bad. But...

6. It's SO worth it. 

I'm glad I waited. But I'm even more glad I did it. I have a beautiful, symbolic piece of original artwork on my body, that speaks volumes to who I am as a person. It's like having a chapter of my life story right there on me, a chapter that can be read long after I've lost the ability to tell it myself. It's an overwhelmingly proud and significant thing to have. 

Getting a tattoo is an entirely unique, bold experience, one that I truly think everyone should experience at least once (even if you get something very small). Putting your body to the test like this reminds you that you're capable of accomplishing anything you put your mind to!

Now that the talking is done, have a look at my first ink. Go big or go home, right? 

Work in progress: the snake represents the year of my Chinese zodiac, and the lilies, my favorite, represent the national flower of my birthplace in Weisbaden, Germany.

I'd like to give a special thanks to John for the amazing work, and to Cookie and everyone over at Armitage Ink for the camaraderie, laughs, and the best first tattoo a girl could ask for. We'll see you all next Friday to finish the rest!