Tattooing is much more common than it was a century ago, but that doesn’t necessarily take away from the permanence and initial fear of getting a tattoo. I always wanted a tattoo because why not have art pieces decorating my body? But, of course, I didn’t want to jump to a design that had a fleeting sparkle; I want my first tattoo to be something I would always love on my body.
I thought about which design I was going to get for over a year before actually getting the tattoo. Granted, I found the design when I was 17 and I had to wait until I was 18 since I live in California, but still I knew that was going to be the first tattoo on me. And, it also isn’t just the design I had to think about, the placement is almost more important than the image itself in my opinion. Even though younger generations are more progressive typically and this is the time we are getting tattoos, I also had to think about how easily I could be able to cover it up for job interviews or for my family gatherings with my old-school family.
Anyway, onto the fun stuff! So, I looked into a few places and I asked around to people I knew who had gotten tattooed before, and I ended up going to a tattoo shop in San Francisco, Haight and Ashbury Tattoo and Piercing. I had done some research on their website before I chose my tattoo artist. I really loved the other work he had done and I had looked to make sure his lines were clean and precise, which was important for my design which was entirely lines.
So when you go to a tattoo shop, usually you make an appointment first, and then they draw the design you want but with their twist. The only problem is that sometimes they try to make you change what you originally wanted because it doesn’t fit their aesthetic. But, stay strong and make sure what they’re going to tattoo on your body is something you’ll love. Also, make sure to secure the price before the service, most artists will confirm but make sure! You don’t want hidden fees after it’s all done.
The anticipation was the most painful. My tattoo artist was comforting along with my current boyfriend who was there as well. The artist could tell how terrified I was because of the expected pain but he said, “okay I’m just going to do one prick so you know how it feels” and after the prick, I realized it was not going to be as painful as I thought. I would describe the process as a sharp vibration and the vibration takes some focus away from the pain for sure. Try to eat before you get a tattoo because I nearly passed out but my tattoo artist was nice enough to give me a break and offer me some candy to get my blood sugar up. The whole tattoo took about 45 minutes.
After it was done, I loved it. I am so happy I have the design permanently on my body in an ideal place. Overall, just make sure you love it and really give the design and placement time on your mind before you jump to get something on you forever. And go with people you love so you can look back on a good experience. Tattoos are wonderful; don’t be afraid to decorate your body!
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