A First Tattoo?

Well Ladies and Gents...I am thinking of getting a tattoo...my first one....
A little background...I am 33 and have no distinguishing markings on me as of yet...unless you consider the roll around my middle...:D
My ears are pierced and have been since I've been 13 years old (it was the "thing" to do then)

I have been comtemplating a tattoo for a while now....Collin just got his second one for his b'day in June (a $200 Yankee symbol on his right arm, his other tattoo is the Gemini symbol on the back of his right calf.)
I have been thinking seriously about getting one myself...I am not nervous about the pain but about the visibility? Where can you get a tattoo that won't show in a wedding dress? I would hate to ruin my wedding with a tattoo showing.....just my personal thing....I was thinking...the top of my foot (which "they" said woud be extremely painful, or the back of my neck, also "painful") And I want it to relate to Duncan....I don't want his name because I'm not real happy with his name..but maybe a dog paw print on my foot? Does anyone have one there and was it painful? Or any suggestions?

I have a cat tattoo

Where is it Todd? Or would you rather not say? And what is it? I am thinking about getting a dog paw tattoo on the top of my foot but I want it to be unique in some way to reflect Duncan...Is yours specific to a cat or is it general?

I would love to get one, but I'm too much of a sissy:o

If I ever got a tattoo it would be on the small of my back or shoulder blade, places that won't be affected by sagging or stretch marks later in life. :D ;)

I think a dog paw on your foot would be cool. Maybe you could have Duncan step on an ink pad (non-toxic of course) and make a paw print on a piece of paper, then have the tatoo artist transfer that to your foot. That might be a little more expensive than a "standard" paw print tatoo, but it sounds like it's more of what you want.

As for the pain, when I had mine done they told me that the fleshy areas - arms and such - are less painful than the bony areas - feet. Mine is on my ankle and as I remember it, it really didn't "hurt" per se. It felt like a very sharp knife cutting my skin, but it really didn't "hurt"....maybe more of a sting would describe it.

The only thing I would recommend is that if you are going to do this on your foot, do it relatively soon so it can be good and healed before fall and the wearing of full blown shoes. I think it would be quite painful - and not good for healing - if you had to wear something like tie up shoes over a brand new tatoo.

Why not inside your ankle? No one would see that in a wedding dress, if you're planning on full length!

Forgive me for saying this but you don't seem 100% sure about getting a tattoo - why not go for a semi-permanent before taking the plunge......

Mine are on my left shoulder and my lower back. I am thinking about getting one on the inside my right ankle.

The most painful places are top of the foot, ankle, wrists, and neck. Any area that doesn't have a good layer of fat or muscle is the most painful place to put one. The needle has no place to "land" softly and smacks against your bone or tendons which is very painful for most people. I may get a wrist tattoo at some point, but for a first timer, I'd suggest another place on your body until you know how your body will react to the "pain" of a tattoo. I won't lie - yes, it does hurt.

I agree with Pit Chick that a non sagging place would be best. I got mine on my ankle, but fairly high up (more like on the side of my calf) because it was the least likely area to sag or be excruciating. Also, think about what might happen to a tattoo on your hiney or tummy if you gain a lot of weight. It will be stretched and distorted. I've seen pics of this & it's really ugly.

I have a tattoo. Its on my shoulder blade. It didnt hurt to bad when i had it done. I have a friend, she got a ring around her toe she said it hurt really bad. I think your toe has a lot of nerves.

Good luck with the tattoo. The paw print sounds really cool. :D

I want to get a small paw print on my lower hip. I think it would be adorable...and you can always cover it up.

I forgot-- I have a Papillon right now that is my "soul" dog. I am going to stick her paw on an ink pad, and then press it down on a peice of paper. When I go to the Tattoo shop, they will be able to hopefuly make a replica of it- or just do the tattoo the same size of her paw. :)

Jennifert,

I'm 52 and also have a "roll" around my middle. That's the one thing that MooShoo and I have in common. :p

Funny you should mention tattoos. I've been thinking about getting another one when I go to CT next week. My best friend and I are going to do it together. I got my first one when I was 45. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Of course, I've compared it to giving birth, which I guess isn't QUITE fair.

I have 4. A heart with "Dad" on my right shoulder, a purple and pink butterfly on my left shoulder, a daisy with a ladybug on my right hip, and of course, a kitty cat with a heart on my left hip. I didn't have them done all at once. But once you get one, it's like an addition.

I want my next one to be Casey's (RB, 2001) head with 1995-2001 underneath it. Not sure where yet.

Go for it, girl!!

Jen - Don't forget, there's always make-up to disguise it for your wedding. You could even practice that now - just draw something on you with a pen and see if you can get it to "vanish" with a good quality concealer stick.

PC - I hate to be the one to tell you this, but sooner or later, everything sags.:eek: ;)

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I hate to be the one to tell you this, but sooner or later, everything sags.

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Catland,

It's called gravity! :p

I really wouldn't suggest the top of the foot, mainly because it won't last very long. The top of your foot is constantly rubbed on by your socks and shoes. Even though a tattoo is permanant it can still rub off a little and not look as clear and nice as you want it. Meaning that you are going to have to get it touched up more often than you would like.

The ankle would be a better better place than the top of your foot. I have three tattoos, one on my hip one on my lower back and one on the back of my leg. The only one that really hurt was the back of my leg.

I think the back of the neck is always a nice place for a tattoo. I think the dog paw sounds great! Or even several small ones, like a walking pattern. ;) Someone's got one like that in Pet Talk, on their leg, and, now I can't remember who! A lot of people get them on their hips, I think they look pretty on a girl's side, too. There are a few places that you could get one that won't show in a pretty dress. Be sure to take pictures when you do get it!

When I wanted a tattoo, my dad told me to think about it for a year because it's gonna be on my body for the rest of my life. So I did. I got one on my ankle and I love it. I've never regretted getting it. However, the day I was getting it done, a friend came up to me and said, "Debby, let's get matching tatoos on our hands!" I said, "Sure, why not," and before you know it. It was done. I never really thought about it. Now I hate it! I look like a gangster. It is so unprofessional looking. I am currently looking into laser removal.

If you do get it on the back of your neck, just consider if you wear your hear up, or short as it will always show. The one on my ankle didn't show up on my wedding photos because of the long skirt, of course, but I did put a small band-aid over the one on my hand.

Good luck!

I concider myself kind of a tattoo hiding expert lol. I thought very siriously about where I put my tattoos and always asked myself before I got each one if I could cover it up if I needed to in a professional setting. I don't regret any of the art I have in any way, nor will I ever but I know that in some circles, tattoos are looked down upon. Think very carefully about the placement if that is a concern for you.

The only Tattoo that isn't covered up by my regular clothing is the cross on my left ring finger. It isn't vulgar or obcene or even really politically incorrect but I'll admit it has gotten me into a few situations with my employment but I figure that if they can't accept how strongly I feel about my faith then I don't want to be working for them :p

I remember once though that I went into a job interview with a low cut shirt on and the dagger and rose I have on my right shoulder was visable. I didn't even realize it, as I am so used to seeing it (I've had it since I was 19). At the end of the interview, the lady told me that she admired the fact that I had a tattoo and it wasn't something obcene and that she actually liked it! :D

The most painful one for me was the wings on my back, but only at the ends where its right at the base of my spine. That was excruciating! Every other one didn't hurt much at all going on, and it felt like a minor sunburn while it was healing.

Word of advice, whatever you do don't scratch at new artwork! (it will itch as it heals) I've seen great ink go really bad after someones been scratching at it.

*edit* For my wedding, I intentonally wore something to show my back off lol. (I'm wierd I guess). Here is a picture. The work isn't done yet though and while I'm happy with the progress thusfar, I'm still kind of mad I havent had the money or time to get it finished.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...6/100_0236.jpg

my cat tattoo is on the right
shoulder

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Originally posted by jennifert9
Where is it Todd? Or would you rather not say? And what is it? I am thinking about getting a dog paw tattoo on the top of my foot but I want it to be unique in some way to reflect Duncan...Is yours specific to a cat or is it general?

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If I was to get a tatoo, I would want it
tastfully done, not to large and going along the lower
portion of my back. That way it would be hidden by
my pants.
So I guess the only person that
would enjoy seeing it would be me and whomever
else I would allow. ;)

I have a paw print on my left shoulder blade. I love it! It didn't really hurt at all. I'd like to get more. One I'd like to get is the pisces symbol, but I can't decide where I want it....

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Originally posted by catland
PC - I hate to be the one to tell you this, but sooner or later, everything sags.:eek: ;)

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Toche, but at least there wouldn't be folds of skin or stretch marks running through them and it wouldn't be visible to everyone. I have no plans on getting a tatt anyway, but if I did, those would be the places. Can you just imagine an 80 year old woman with a Pit Bull head tattoo on her back. By then it would be a Shar Pei. lololol:D :eek:

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Originally posted by Pit Chick
Can you just imagine an 80 year old woman with a Pit Bull head tattoo on her back. By then it would be a Shar Pei. lololol:D :eek:

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LOL:D

I am getting Niño on the top of my foot when I turn 18. It will be a sure imprint of his existance for everyone to see once he is gone (I am non-religious) I have been think ing about it for quite a while now, and I want to make sure it is absolutley perfect, even it I have to hire someone else to draw it out. I don't care it I have to get it redone a lot. I also wanted to get all of my pets' names on the bottom of my foot, but my dad told me they usually won't do it there for hygenic reasons.

posted by Pit Chick: Can you just imagine an 80 year old woman with a Pit Bull head tattoo on her back. By then it would be a Shar Pei. >>>

LOLOL!! Exactly. :D

I have one on my ankle area, and I do have to say that it hurt like heck. But it was over in like an hour. I love it now of course and would get another. But I must say it was a hard area to heal, b/c you are constantly walking and bending the ankle area, so it took longer to heal than the average tattoo that doesn't constantly get bent ( from walking). My friend got one on the top of her foot and it does hurt for sure. You should watch the new Tattoo Show on TLC, it comes on Tuesday night at 9 or 10, called Miami Ink...it's a cool show that takes place in a tattoo parlor and you watch people get "inked" :)

Anyway, good luck :)

Robyn

I love that show!

I have a "wild cat" on my left arm/shoulder. It matches my personality. ;) Here's a picture of it. :)


This was right after I had it done, so it's a little bloody.
:o