Woshafer

When you're getting tattooed and while getting tattooed, you're thinking of stuff to fill in new gaps formed by the tattoo you're currently getting. 

I pretty much disagree entirely with this.
First, it presumes that you understand the reasons why people get the tattoos they get. I read recently, it was either on here or on IG, a tattooer (I think for some reason that it was David Bruehl, but I'm not certain about that) talking about how there was a point in their career where they were tattooing a lot of yin yangs. The tattooer asked those clients what religion or philosophical belief that the yin and yang belonged to and none of them could give an even close to accurate answer, but that regardless of this, they were seeking to achieve a kind of balance in their lives. Horiyoshi III says in an interview in the book JBxH3 that a lot of people who get tattoos of Buddhist deities don't even know what they mean. They like the appearance or the name of the god, and maybe they learn more about it after. So even within what you describe as a "culture" people are getting tattoos that are outside of their realm of familiarity.
Second, it's useless to talk about culture as this monolithic thing. If you want to talk narrowly about western traditional tattoos, a lot of those are sailor tattoos or military tattoos, or are deeply rooted in those cultures and traditions, and if you want to talk about people "staying within their own culture" a lot of us wouldn't have the tattoos we have.
Third, at this point in time there are very few tattoo traditions that are "untouched" so to speak and aren't influenced by tattoo traditions from elsewhere, and I don't see this as in any way a bad thing. Shit, this isn't even a new thing. I read or heard somewhere...maybe it was from an interview with Horiyoshi III again?...that Japanese tattooing and this whole body compositions were originally influenced by Polynesian tattoos. You look at classic Western tattoos and you'll see all kinds of Asian influence there with dragons and what not--George Burchett went to Japan and observed the masters at work--not to mention that way that Sailor Jerry took that Japanese influence and brought it into Western tattooing with those incredible backpieces he did which have been so influential on the way we get tattooed now. What about Ed Hardy, who synthesised so many things into his tattooing? What about Thomas Hooper who does very European tattoos but is very open about how much he's influenced by Polynesian tattoos? I'm going to say that most of the exciting things that have happened in tattooing have happened precisely because people didn't "stay within their own culture".

Most or all of the perspectives you're going to get at this forum will only be from other collectors (me, too). My opinion is that strategy for approaching potential tutors and how you present your history is going to be as varied as the general public is itself. It all boils down to personalities, so if you want to be happy with your situation then be honest and look for honesty. If the chemistry isn't right you could easily end up getting screwed and/or wasting time. 

My parents are very religious muslims, so it wasn't even a topic that was open for discussion as tattoos are so forbidden in Islam.
My older sister got a tattoo before me, and whilst i knew my parents hated it i was never around to see my parents finding out about it so i had no real idea about what sort of reaction they had. So i got my first tattoo on my back, second on my chest, and then my third on my forearm. During healing i was wearing a long shirt to hide it, and i kept bringing up the "Can i get a tattoo" and my mum would always say no, i brought it up once when i was in my mums room and whilst talking about it, she spotted the gap i had in my shirt (It had buttons down the sleeves kinda thing) and demanded to see my arm, she freaked out had a nervous breakdown, sent me out of her room, cried for a couple of hours and i could tell it was easily one of the most upsetting things in her entire life. This same ordeal happened (And to this day does) everytime i'd get a new tattoo and she'd "Find out" about it. I have a full sleeve now, entire chest and other tattoos here and there, and it's still something that plagues her, she can't stand my tattoos. The point is, even if your parents are only a little bit opposed to it, or completely opposed to it like my parents, showing them sooner than later is the only way to go. When i'm hiding tattoos i have this constant fear of them seeing them, and when they do know all about my tattoos at least i have a sense of relief.

Same here. I look like a straight up square, yet I have a partial body suit! haha! I occasionally smoke cigars in the summer only and don't touch the spirits in any way. People can't believe that I have tattoos!

I grew up lower middle class listening to metal and punk in a major urban area. I don't think either of my parents were surprised. My dad didn't like them, but he knew he couldn't do anything to stop me once I was old enough. I think that's important. Everyone I know or have heard stories from, even if the parent is doing something like paying for college or rent and they threaten to cut that if you get a tattoo, all it does is promote lying. The person still gets their tattoo. They just lie and hide it.
I'm glad my parents have always had that mindset. They knew they couldn't stop me. As long as it was my money, it was my choice. Every time I got a new one my dad kinda just made a face. My mom even got one at one point.
I have a daughter and get asked by people who, you can tell, don't like tattoos "what are you gonna do if she wants one?" Um....really? Like you think I'd be against it? I have 15 and counting. What the hell do you think? I'd rather her consult me and go somewhere good than to some crap hole and not tell me. I don't know if they're implying that as a parent my mind would change or since because she's female I'd be against it? I dunno. Weird assholes who think they can control people. They weird me out sometimes.

@BrianH I actually have and she's been very supportive with my tattoo projects. Best part is when she helps me out with the aftercare on the hard to reach areas of the back piece!

My first tattoo was a skull with fangs about the size of a dime, smack in the middle of my upper arm. When I went home for Christmas I covered it with a bandaid. But, the fangs poked out a bit. My dad saw it and asked if it was a tattoo. I told him it was a pimple I had scratched at. End of conversation. When I finally made it back to Houston, a thousand miles away, I called him and told him it was a tattoo. What could he do then? Also, when I got my first sleeve started my mother told me " I think you have enough tattoos that people know what you do. ( I tattoo ) she never even considered that I might be getting the tattoos because I loved them myself! Now 16 years into my career she's very proud and knows I made the right decision for me.

got my first when I was away at college. My parents are pretty conservative especially my mom. When I showed her the tattoo she called me an asshole. That was the first time I had ever heard her curse. It was refreshing.

I was visiting my parents with my new baby. I leaned over the crib and they saw it.
I just remember them shaking their heads.
My dad was from a NY blue collar Irish Catholic family and my mother from an upper middle class Jewish family.
My parents were pretty liberal thinkers but for them a tattoo was more of a class thing.
Even though tattooing eventually became my life it was never anything I shared or share with them.
When my father was hospitalized with a terminal illness I stayed with him and tended to his needs till he died.
I wore long sleeves so that he wouldn't see my tattoos on my arm--- just in case he would make a deathbed request that I not get any more tattoos.
I've come to the realization that my mother's inability to understand,like or appreciate my tattoos is not very different from my inability to accept her dislike.
Recently she also was hospitalized and I told her not to worry that I would get on a plane and be by her side In the morning ( even though my untattooed brother lives within an hour of her) What did she say? "Cover your tattoos!"
I've come to realize that many people when looking at tattoos can not see content, skill,quality.
When I first started getting tattooed my mother said to me that she didn't wnt my life made harder because of my tattoos and people judging because of them and I said that if people were going to judge me by the way I look they are not the people I want to be friends with anyway.
My mother's attitude has really helped me in my own relationship with my children. how to be more accepting of their appearances.

I've heard that lymph nodes can collect the 'debris' from tattoo removal, which breaks down the ink. I'm not a doctor, but I've never heard of a tattoo causing lymph glands to swell from "taking in the ink" and I don't think he is right.  Frankly I don't even know what that means; taking in the ink???
Do your research. If this is a legit diagnosis, you'll find it on medical sites through a google search.

Hey...welcome. Get the okay from your doctor first! While some anxiety is normal, if you are super stressed then maybe you shouldn't start with a 1/2 sleeve, which is an ambitious project for a first tattoo. Maybe think about getting something smaller as a test to see how you react and heal. There is no rush in making the decision.

Be aware that it's really hard to do script well. You need someone that is really precise because you'll see every imperfection. Also, be aware that thin skin is more prone to blowouts. Even skilled artists can have them. Bigger is better. Make sure you have multiple recommendations, don't just pop into the first shop you see.
Do your research before you get the tattoo so you don't wind up back here asking if there is some way to fix the shaky script or the blowouts. ;-)