Naiemh

Hahaha, nice topic.
I had my frist tattoo when I was 18, but I never hid it.
I left from home when I was 18, so far from home. I lived in an Island and I took a flight to go to another part of the country, the peninsula.
So, I never hid it, but I didn't tell them the same day. I told them about it like one month after doing it, just because I thought it would be more kind to tell them before they just realize seeing some Facebook pictures or whatever, hahaha
As I left home, they realized I could do whatever I wanted to do (as I was capable to), so they didn't complaint about the tattoo.
They didn't told me any opinion about it neither.
It was when I moved again to my island when I started to get more tattoos, and then the opinion of my parents got out, hahaha
They just didn't care about small tattoos (they already thought I was crazy, so me revealing my tattoos was just one more proof of that for them, so, they didn't care so much).
My dad was the first one to see the big tattoo on my back, and he was so surprised and at first he didn't like the idea, but he's kind of open mind now after a few years after me leaving home, so after a few minutes he admited it was a really cool tattoo and a nice piece of art, so he was okay with that very soon.
About my mum... Well, I aready knew she didn't like tattoos, and for her it was just like the worst thing I could ever do. She didn't care about my other smaller tattoos, but she didn't like them neither. But, for this one, she was super scared. She was like one week telling me horrible things like "you will regret it", "you're fucking crazy", "you don't know what you're doing", "you are a shame".
Hahaha, worst reaction ever.
Ayway, I live on my own, and I just see her some weekends when I feel the obligation to visit home and also to see my brother, so... They are not a problem, fortunately.
Also, my brother loved my last tattoo, and he was so excited (he's 19 now) that he's going to have his first tattoo done very soon, hahahaha. My mum is going to deal with a lot of displeasure.

Such an awesome piece! I'm so impressed! Your tattooist is so talented!!!
Bahamut wings are so beautiful <3

Actually I never realized about someone staring (in the bad way) my tattoos. I think it's more about don't thinking about it and then you will not realize about people staring the bad way to your tattoos. Just change your mind and stop worrying!
I never worried about people staring or judging my tattoos, and that's why I think I never watched nobody doing so!
I just realized about compliments and admiring glances!
I have a funny and cute tattoo on my leg (a pile of kawaii cats. You can check it on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDfk1qNvAYD/?taken-by=polymernai ), and, even when I know it's not the best tattoo ever (and it's not perfectly done, I have to touch up the colours soon) , I had A LOT of kids loving my tattoo, saying that this is super cute and funny!!! I'm super happy when I make children smile :D
So, just listen to the compliments and forget about the bad words!

A tip is the best option :D
Or... cook some cookies! Cookies are nice :D

Hahaha, nice topic.
I had my frist tattoo when I was 18, but I never hid it.
I left from home when I was 18, so far from home. I lived in an Island and I took a flight to go to another part of the country, the peninsula.
So, I never hid it, but I didn't tell them the same day. I told them about it like one month after doing it, just because I thought it would be more kind to tell them before they just realize seeing some Facebook pictures or whatever, hahaha
As I left home, they realized I could do whatever I wanted to do (as I was capable to), so they didn't complaint about the tattoo.
They didn't told me any opinion about it neither.
It was when I moved again to my island when I started to get more tattoos, and then the opinion of my parents got out, hahaha
They just didn't care about small tattoos (they already thought I was crazy, so me revealing my tattoos was just one more proof of that for them, so, they didn't care so much).
My dad was the first one to see the big tattoo on my back, and he was so surprised and at first he didn't like the idea, but he's kind of open mind now after a few years after me leaving home, so after a few minutes he admited it was a really cool tattoo and a nice piece of art, so he was okay with that very soon.
About my mum... Well, I aready knew she didn't like tattoos, and for her it was just like the worst thing I could ever do. She didn't care about my other smaller tattoos, but she didn't like them neither. But, for this one, she was super scared. She was like one week telling me horrible things like "you will regret it", "you're fucking crazy", "you don't know what you're doing", "you are a shame".
Hahaha, worst reaction ever.
Ayway, I live on my own, and I just see her some weekends when I feel the obligation to visit home and also to see my brother, so... They are not a problem, fortunately.
Also, my brother loved my last tattoo, and he was so excited (he's 19 now) that he's going to have his first tattoo done very soon, hahahaha. My mum is going to deal with a lot of displeasure.

Yep, it makes a lot of sense, and has been true for me. The lower legs took the longest because they are the furthest away from the heart and blood flow is the most challenged in that part of the body, even for the young and healthy, with gravity adding to the challenge. I see this in the medical field - lower leg wounds take FOR-EVER to heal, in some people more than others, but in general this is going to be true in everyone. For my lower legs I try to keep them elevated during the healing process whenever I can.

I agree with that.
It's in eye sight on the regular so I'm constantly judging it.
I just need to respect the healing process and let it be.
Its good to know that someone else has experienced a similar outcome from getting their forearm tattooed.
Thanks for letting me know.

The body will heal things like tattoos the same way it heals any other minor ailment (cuts/bruise/burn/abrasion etc): areas with poor circulation will heal slower than more vascular or central areas. 

I think season/weather makes a difference as well. I might be making this up but it seems like my tattoos heal better in the cold dry winter than in the heat and humidity of summer. 

different spots heal different
mine have run the spectrum of easy to challenging
generally legs are tougher for me
spots of my upper torso were super quick heals
just the way it goes

Welcome! :D
I'm happy that I'm not the younger one on here, hahaha
Good luck following your dreams!

I agree, I had heavy scabs before and they healed nice and no ink was missed, it just healed the same than normal scabs!
So just don't worry and don't pick it, follow your regular tattoo aftercare the same as before :D

Hello!
I won't worry, just wait for it to heal. If you're doing the right healing process (washing it twice a day and keeping it moisturized, but not too much, just a thin layer, and don't let your tattoo to touch anything dirty) it will heal okay. If not, there's nothing to do, just retouch it.
Anyway, I guess it will heal okay.
 
My tattoo artist told me that he experienced some customers with infected tattoos and then when the tattoo was healed it was 100% okay and the ink was just perfect.
So don't worry about your tattoo before it's 100% healed.

My wife and I just had our sleeves finished. Both took 3 sessions. We've been getting all of our ink done at Funhouse Tattoo in Vancouver, BC. If you aren't familiar with that shop, have a look online and read a bit about the founders. They hold some patents on some awesome tattoo machines and have been part of the tattoo scene for decades now. Such an awesome shop atmosphere coupled with wicked artists.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hahaha, nice topic.
I had my frist tattoo when I was 18, but I never hid it.
I left from home when I was 18, so far from home. I lived in an Island and I took a flight to go to another part of the country, the peninsula.
So, I never hid it, but I didn't tell them the same day. I told them about it like one month after doing it, just because I thought it would be more kind to tell them before they just realize seeing some Facebook pictures or whatever, hahaha
As I left home, they realized I could do whatever I wanted to do (as I was capable to), so they didn't complaint about the tattoo.
They didn't told me any opinion about it neither.
It was when I moved again to my island when I started to get more tattoos, and then the opinion of my parents got out, hahaha
They just didn't care about small tattoos (they already thought I was crazy, so me revealing my tattoos was just one more proof of that for them, so, they didn't care so much).
My dad was the first one to see the big tattoo on my back, and he was so surprised and at first he didn't like the idea, but he's kind of open mind now after a few years after me leaving home, so after a few minutes he admited it was a really cool tattoo and a nice piece of art, so he was okay with that very soon.
About my mum... Well, I aready knew she didn't like tattoos, and for her it was just like the worst thing I could ever do. She didn't care about my other smaller tattoos, but she didn't like them neither. But, for this one, she was super scared. She was like one week telling me horrible things like "you will regret it", "you're fucking crazy", "you don't know what you're doing", "you are a shame".
Hahaha, worst reaction ever.
Ayway, I live on my own, and I just see her some weekends when I feel the obligation to visit home and also to see my brother, so... They are not a problem, fortunately.
Also, my brother loved my last tattoo, and he was so excited (he's 19 now) that he's going to have his first tattoo done very soon, hahahaha. My mum is going to deal with a lot of displeasure.

OMG!! I really love it, the colors are just so perfect and harmonic!!!
Congratulations man! the design is amazing and it's perfectly done

What tremendous strength and courage you have - thank you for sharing the meaning behind your design. My wife and I have worked with our local Childrens' Advocacy Center for years so we've witnessed the devastation caused by abuse. I have no doubt we will see that koi design some day.

My tattoo guy gives me an estimate and always ends up charging me less. So he gets a bigger tip. :-) I just can't imagine trying to haggle him down.
My philosophy: If you can't afford to pay what he quotes, then you shouldn't be getting a tattoo. This is what they do for a living. I can't imagine someone trying to haggle down my price for my proofreading services.

Agree with that, try to not haggle again and go for tattoos just when you have plenty of money and you won't care about paying 50 more dollars or 50 less :/
Two days ago I had my cats tattoo touch up and I the artist told me it was 150 euros, but then after finishing it he told me that it was so much because it wasn't so much time doing it (it just took 1 hour and a half, as yours) and he just charged me 110 euros! (anyway, here in spain things are a little bit less expensive), and it was SO CHEAP I felt SUPER BAD and I told him that it was okay for me to pay 150 euros, but he insisted.
So, my advice for you is finding a nice and righteous shop where you will pay for what it really costs, so you won't need to haggle! :/ Tattoos are expensive, and I think 150 dollars is a nice price for what he did!
Also, this kind of tattoos need a lot of precission so the outlines can be perfect, every single mistake will be SUPER NOTICEABLE, so I think 90 minutes is not beign slow, I'm sure he/she tried so hard to make it perfect that he/she just took its time, hahaha

My Dad saw it first, I think. He was not a fan. He told me he hoped it was fake. I told him it was and didn't say anything else about it. It was very, very small (and not very good). He really hates them still, but he's come to accept them. He jokes about them now.
My Mom wasn't thrilled, either, but she was more accepting. She now tells all of her friends about my tattoos and makes me show them when I'm with her. Hahaha. She still doesn't love them, but she is used to them now, and she appreciates that they are well done. She told my artist, when we ran into him one day, that his work was beautiful — she just wishes t wasn't all over her daughter. Hahaha.

@Naiemh is how to mention - use the at symbol and username
good post - yeah - in a way you cant escape the 'meaning' connection
you might not always be able to articulate in easy language
but the connection with image, idea, content
like you said - is generally revealing
though the meaning could be secondary in nature
like spinnng the tattoo wheel
your choice might not primarly reflect an interest or attraction you have to the piece
but it would maybe represent - your spontaneity and free spiritedness
btw havent done the spin the wheel yet
but a local shop has 80$ flash wheel
def want to give that a try
would be fun imo
anyway...
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@Naiemh is how to mention - use the at symbol and username
good post - yeah - in a way you cant escape the 'meaning' connection
you might not always be able to articulate in easy language
but the connection with image, idea, content
like you said - is generally revealing
though the meaning could be secondary in nature
like spinnng the tattoo wheel
your choice might not primarly reflect an interest or attraction you have to the piece
but it would maybe represent - your spontaneity and free spiritedness
btw havent done the spin the wheel yet
but a local shop has 80$ flash wheel
def want to give that a try
would be fun imo
anyway...

I 100% agree with you marley (how can I mention someone?). All of my tattoos have a meaning to me, but this meaning was not the reason to tattoo them. I mean, for the first one the meaning came before doing it, and it was one of the main reasons to tattoo it (the lotus flower), but for the other two tattoos, the meaning came after tattooing them. The main reason I tattooed them was because I loved the design and the artist, not the meaning, even when I can find meanings for them if I think about it, as they aesthetically represents me. The meanings were like an extra bonus, as you said :D
For me tattoos are, above all the rest, an aesthetic decision, as make-up, plastic surgeries, etc.
As a psychology student, I learned so much about non-verbal communication. Not just gestures, also the information you give to others just with the way you look. A person will not think the same about a tattooed person than a non-tattooed person.
With your tattoos, you're giving a lot of information from you to people. Tattoos are a huge choice to express yourself. As people express themselves with make-up, with clothes, with gestures, with button pins, we decided to express ourselves (our thoughts, our feelings, our ideologies, whatever), with tattoos. Because we all are social beings.

we could derail this thread a little and discuss an interesting topic
assigned tattoo meanings and their importance to the collector
cause i'm in the camp of believing that you dont have to connect to the assigned or known meanings attributed to an image to enjoy it
hey bonus if you do - but i dont think its essential
especially when you are purely attracted to the artists work and style from the 'gut impact' perspective
thoughts?

curious what you learn here about the design
i dig it though

It seems like a maori man with a moko. A moko is what you get when you, as a maori man, grown up to an adult. Moko = face tattoos, as the tattooed face in your arm.
That's all I know about it, hahaha.
Nice design, congrats!