Today I want to talk about my tattoos, I get asked all the time about them and I've never talked about them much before on my blog. I've got seven tattoos so far and naturally I'm looking to get more in the future, but for now I've got one on each arm, one on my lower left leg and lower right leg, one on my right thigh and then two on either side of my lower stomach.
I got my first tattoo when I was 18, of course, I'd booked it a few months before my 18th birthday and I couldn't wait to get it. I think the main stigma with tattoos is that people tend to associate tattoos with prison, or looking 'thuggish'. This annoys me to no end because tattooing has evolved into such an impressive art form and it takes so much skill, the quality and safety of tattoos has increased tenfold and people still associate it with such terrible stigmas.
Personally I feel that there shouldn't be an issue with tattoos, it's an amazing way of expressing yourself and I don't see why it should be anyone's business what is on your own body, especially when people are denied jobs before the employer has even seen the tattoo. So many tattoos are tasteful and beautiful, and it seems so wrong to lump all tattooed individuals together into a category of 'thugs'.
So anyway onto the topic of the day, I want to talk through my tattoos, where I got them, why I got them, etc. I thought the easiest way to show you my tattoos and talk them through was with a video, so I've included my latest youtube video below where I give you the full tattoo tour!
I also wanted to address some common questions and misconceptions people tend to have about tattoos, so I've talked through a few questions at the end of the video - but - I'm also going to answer them here for anyone who wants the facts asap.
DOES IT HURT?
Pain is relative, it really depends on where you get the tattoo, how big it is, how detailed, many things. If you get your tattoo somewhere closer to the bone or with less fat/muscle around it, then it tends to sting a bit more I find, like when I got my hips done you could feel the difference on the inner side nearer my stomach vs the outer side nearer my hips. Of course your head and neck will hurt more than just your arm, as they have a lot more pushing back on the needle.
I'd describe the pain of a tattoo as more of an irritation than an actual pain, sure some people do have a better pain tolerance, but to me it's comparable to someone drawing over your sunburn with a ballpoint, it's annoying, and it's not particularly comfortable, but I have nearly feel asleep a few times when getting tattooed.
It tends to be more irritating when you get the lining, as the needle is more focused on one spot, whereas shading and colour tend to be more gentle as your needles are more spread out and it doesn't feel so sharp.
WHAT DO YOUR TATTOOS MEAN?
Some people get meaningful tattoos, and some don't, a lot of my tattoos I got done purely for my love of the artwork and design itself and wanting to have it on my body. I don't think you always need a deep and meaningful reason behind getting your tattoo, at the end of the day it's your body and your decision, just get what you want!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
With tattoos, you get what you pay for, sometimes you can get a great deal from artists who will discount specific designs that they want to tattoo for their portfolios, but a main rule of thumb is not to go for the cheapest option because it can lead to going to a dodgy place and can end up with bad looking results, or even worse: infection. That stuff is fairly permanent so it's best to just get it right the first time instead of having to spend more later on laser removal or a coverup/rework to fix what you didn't want to pay for the first time.
It truly depends on the tattooist and the tattoo shop on the pricing, there isn't a set price for all tattoos, some artists charge per hour, per day, or per design, so the best thing to do is just find some great artists with work in a style your interested in, do a little research, and if they seem reputable enough then drop them a message and get a quote, it all depends on size, detail, placement..
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TATTOOED?
Again, this depends entirely on the size and amount of detail in the design. My lady face tattoo on the inside of my arm took around four hours purely due to the detail in the hair, but then my rose on my shoulder took only around an hour to an hour and half.
If you're getting a big tattoo or something really detailed you might even need to split it into multiple sessions, say you get the lining the first session, and then come back another time to get shading and then colour. It truly depends on the piece and the artist, but most artists will be able to give you a rough guideline of how long it will take them once you've booked in and talked them through the design and details of where you want it, how big, etc.
HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF IT AFTER?
Keep it clean, keep it moisturised. Some artists say to leave it wrapped with cling film through the healing process and some say leave it to breathe. I tend to always keep the wrap on for the first few hours and then I'll take it off, wash it, put some coconut oil or something on it to moisturise it, and then leave it to heal openly without wrapping. But it depends on your personal preference and how you find you heal best, also where your tattoo is - you may want to keep it wrapped if it's somewhere that will be covered with clothing most of the time. Tattoos tend to leak a little ink the first day or so, so you might want to keep it wrapped a little so it doesn't get stuck to any clothes and lead to infection.
Tattoos take around two weeks to heal but it can take a little more or less time depending on the size and your own body, some people just heal faster than others.
So there you go guys, I hope this was helpful to you all, and if there's any more questions about my tattoos or tattoos in general feel free to leave them in the comments. Please remember that I am not a licensed tattooist, these are just my opinions and things I have picked up through having a few tattoos, but of course if you have a serious question or issue with a tattoo please please speak to your tattooist!
Check out my youtube video below to find out more about my tattoos and see them in all their beauty!
