knucklehead211

In twenty four hours I'll be knee deep (lol) in the outline of my calf sleeve! So pumped, just need to buy the essentials and I'll be set!

That was the general consensus I'd gathered from reading posts here. It looks like I'll be off the day after, but I have been screwed on the schedule before.

Where I go to get inked is in Kansas City. We have some great authentic Mexican, but some can be a bit too authentic if ya catch my drift. Like, locked to the toilet seat for the next hour authentic. I usually just go home and go to bed, but I think on Saturday I'll go to this bar/sandwich place called the Bulldog. They're pricey, and they seem to perpetually change the menu to have less food for more money, but I really like their sandwiches and I may prime myself with a beer too, if I can get my sunday off for R&R.

Thanks man. Ever since my second tattoo my artist and I have erred on the side of caution. That one bled a lot of color and even though we touched it up, it is scarred pretty bad and still doesn't look the best to me. So if it's a big one with a lot of color shades, we usually take it slow.

Girl riding shark? Not sure if I can post a pic (nsfw), but my artist did a really nice flash sheet of one.

Thanks guys. Unfortunately I can't get away with sweatpants, the job is security and even then it looks like we're having bigwigs come in...at midnight of all times. Depending on what time I finish/get any rest, I may leave the wrap on. As far as hydration, I've been hitting the water fountains every time I finish a tour and plan on buying some OJ when I get a spare hour or two...these past few weeks have been hell. Came outside at eight this morning and found my truck leaking antifreeze again. This time it's the water pump. Took it to firestone and the guy said he had a remanned one that was half the price, he rings it up - 400 freakin dollars! Of course I work tonight so I said do it. The only good thing about my hours is that I've pretty much cashed a weeks worth of extra work, all in OT, so the cost is a nonissue and won't affect my ink. Still hoping someone can take my shift, I found a guy willing to cover the last half, so that would still make my life easier.

Yeah, that was what sparked my worries, reading about peoples massive cankles! Haha. I figure I'll go out and buy some cheap walmart shoes just in case I leak from the wrap any. Thank you for the heads up!

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere, sorry in advance. My tattoo appt was originally on the 28th, but now it has been bumped to the 21st and I don't think I will be able to find coverage at my job. It is going to be most likely just the outline of a full calf sleeve, maybe shading too, in traditional style. I work overnights, so I'm sure by the time I'm out of the shop I'll be drained and sore. Probably have just enough time for a quick nap before I need to work. My job is a pain, three walking tour of the facility that takes at least 25 minutes and just sitting around thd rest of the time. Long story short, is it really safe to work on this? I was originally going to lay up for three days after, but with my appt moving up I can't get the time off. Thoughts?

Welcome. I don't think you need to be worrying about being judged for your ink. You'll find it's not really a big deal. People might give you an extra glance passing by in general. As long as you behave like a normal citizen it won't matter at all. I walked into a gas station run by some Indian gentlemen to buy a pack of smokes wearing shorts and a tank top, I don't even think he glanced at my tattoos. Then again, gas stations see everything once.

Or Phil and Lil?

Idk. I have only worn a uv shirt once when I went river rafting (too much alcohol to guarantee I'd use sunscreen well). Other than that though, I don't wear much longsleeves outside of work. If you can get away with a sweatshirt that should be perfect. If not, I'd definitely get a shirt with upf whatever just in case, but I've never got a tan through a tshirt. The shirts should be easy enough to find at any dicks or other sporting goods chain.

Too soon, wear longsleeves! Edit to elaborate: you need to keep in mind this is an open wound we're talkin about here. Ya know how after a tattoo it usually feels like someone tenderized your arm with a meat hammer? That's basically what happens. A million tiny stabs into your body to get ink into the skin. And just like the sun, sunscreen has a lot of chemicals in it. Some people have actually got cancer from putting on sunscreen they left out by their pools over the summer. I would say wait the same amount of time you would to actually show it off, at least two months. But I err on the side of caution usually. It's going to be on your body forever. You want it to look good, right?

Dagger through skull with snake and a banner, eagle as well. You could go with a more traditional girl head portrait of your mom too.

Guess my artist had something come up, but now I'm going in a week early! Five days to go!!

So I started my day at 3 in the afternoon. Week two of working 56 hrs. First thing I see is two missed calls and two new messages. Message one: "hey this is blah at exile 2, your artist can't do the 28th, but he's free the 21st, call back". Message two: "hey this is blah with blah security, call us back". So I call the shop and tell them I'll make it work, then try to get ahold of my scheduler and of course he's taking a three day weekend. Put a pin in it, call the other chick back and she wants me to take another eight hours, HA, good effing luck! I'm juggling all this in my brain as I get on the highway, get a call back from another site supervisor and right as I pick up, truck starts dying. So I'm sitting there with this longwinded guy going on in my ear about the schedule with my hazard lights on and guys coming within an inch of me on the shoulder. Finally pull into a starbucks, get off the phone, call AAA and I figure wtf. I DESERVE a venti white chocolate mocha. So I go in, and as I come out I fell in my pockets. Where. The hell. A tr e my keys. Look in the window;doors locked, keys in the cupholder. Thank god my back window latch is busted, I had to squeeze through that to get them. Long story short - if you wake up at three with missed calls, don't answer!

Seeing this, my initial reaction was *british voice* "oh my effing jaysus christ", then I started cackling for so loud and so long that a coyote (I work in a shack in the sticks) apparently thought I was it's brother calling for help and started howling back at me! Good lord that is atrocious. He needs to black it out or destroy any evidence of the picture and tell his daughter it's a cross between Smeagol, Voldy and a lifelike mexican drinking worm!

To me it looks like if a drone camera and a topographical map had a baby. Not necessarily a bad thing if that's what you're looking for, but at the same time, like everyone's saying, I don't know if it will translate. I think the closest you could do would be like @Margarita Yaschenko showed, and do almost a wood block style tattoo. But what do I know?

SO METAL.

Nice dude! I'm planning on going with either traditional or japanese whenever I get the stones to do my forearms. Counting the days now...twelve to go! Less than two weeks!! AND the tax man came through, so funds will not be an issue?! So stoked...

Definitely agree with @Shaun1105, my first was right in that area. I was really apprehensive about the pain, not say I'm a sissy but it was going to be a whole new level I figured. Then my artist started up and I was like, "that's it?". By the end of that session though, whole nother story. Same as the morning after when I woke up lol!

Haha another reason to hold off, what if you want to do a massive backpiece down the road?! I've left my back and chest alone for that exact reason.

If you get it on your back you'll never see it! Not to mention I feel like between the shoulder blades would be a hard spot to take care of on your first tattoo; hard to wrap, hard to sleep on, hard to monitor and hard to apply lotion to. Then again, I have no ink on my back, so another member may know better. I think on one of your pecs would be the better of the two. As far as bicep goes, I hear ya on the scrawny arms. No one needs to ask me "do you even lift bro?". BUT, the nice thing about the arm is that you can make something that would look small on your back look big on it. The inside of your bicep is a nice flat area that can hold a big design if it goes from pit to elbow really well. Plus, it's way easier to sleep on, wrap, and keep clean and moisturized. But, it's just my .02. Good luck with whatever you go with!

Btw @TheAsian, I wasn't trying to rag on you. I got my first tattoo at eighteen too. Like you, I did a spot that isn't as easy to casually cover, middle of my bicep. But since all of my tattoos are on my upper arm, I have the option to wear long sleeves, and no one who doesn't need to will ever know I have ink unless I tell them. If I show up for an interview, no one will be able to exclude me because of my love of tattoos. I can rest easy knowing that if I want to be a sanitation worker today or a CEO tomorrow, my appearance will not be a deciding factor. You will have a bit more to worry about. Not trying to preach, just laying the facts out. If you love tattoos and don't mind working in a field where they don't affect your career options, or actively working to be good enough that your tattoos are not a deciding factor, more power to you! God knows I want to get full suited up, but that is a ways down the road, maybe once I have a solid career and a full set of designs in my brain. And I don't mind taking my time. Just some food for thought my man.

I'd probably go with worried to be honest. I'm looking at a career in law enforcement too, and most places will not even allow half sleeves. Neck and below the elbow are no go. However, it probably makes sense to research the departments around you's rules. Most of them are easy to find on google.

@Thailawson, I definitely don't plan on giving it any extra sun. In the summer when I wear shorts more often outside, I put sunscreen on obsessively. I'm gonna give ot at least two months after it's done to heal before I go back to my regular routine!