GrayCatLove

If I became smashingly successful in my field and I could tattoo anything without any consequence, I'd leave my neck (on the front and side) and face alone. I think side and front neck tattoos often make necks look shorter and are unflattering, and facial tattoos just aren't for me.

20%+ depending on quality. And a box of donuts. Every time.

Welcome, and don't forget to live free or die! You're from NH. You have to. :)

Discuss budget with the artist... I just usually ask for a quote once I'm ready and they give me the okay the drawing is done. It's not a big deal. Good luck, and hope it turns out good

Two minor in office surgeries, one day.

And before that, PetCo for cat treats, Bath and Body where I got awesome stuff, and a delicious grilled chicken sandwich with romaine, tomato, and a pickle on a wheat bun... Hadn't eaten anything but oatmeal, strawberries, organic chocolate milk, and soda in days. Soooooooo freakin' good.

Delayed response...I think its slightly different because this is a permanent alteration. It's more like if I had a limb amputated and he had to adapt to that. I think he'll be able to accept it to some degree and we'll see how he feels about any future work when I get to that point; he's either going to learn to like it, or end up hating it and that's his issue. I'm working hard on overcoming how other people will judge me for tattoos I might want, and I have to admit, he's making things more difficult when he should be making them easier for me. I don't want to derail this thread any more than I already have and turn it into a big sob story, but I am having some doubts about us lately for reasons along those lines. I used to feel like he was supportive of me, but lately it seems like we just can't understand each other. I'm finally able to pursue my interests in tattoos, and I feel like he's not really in my corner.

He's not. And let me tell you, life is too short to be with someone who doesn't love every bit of you.

Yo. I just had a package pass through there with candy in it: Dove dark chocolate, peanut M&M's, and a bag of "Kiddie Mix" with the Tootsie pops, rolls, Dots, and all the other iconic American crap for my little cousin who lives in Thailand (white dad, Thai mom). Small world, ain't it?

Better hurry up before the army puts down the ban hammer on tattoos, son. ;) GL.

I have two spots that I consider prime canvas: I would like sleeves of some length (I've flip flopped from half to 3/4 to full) and maybe a large piece on my back. Because I'm not sure exactly the size and style of tattoos I want in those areas and I want them to be cohesive, I've always known I would save those until I was 1000% sure I wanted to give up that valuable real estate. I went 4 years between my first and second tattoos for money/confidence/time reasons, and now that I seem to be getting in a better place overall, I might work at a faster pace. I'm fine with any of the other places I don't consider off limits (neck, hands, etc) in any order. I'd like to space them out a little at least for healing purposes, but they'll probably be unintentionally more spaced out than I would like based on money. I don't consider myself a collector and just don't really have any interest in traveling all over the world for tattoos, I'd rather find some good local-ish artists.

Oh, see, if I had time to travel, I'd do it in a heart beat... I've began planning a minor trip for a pin-up, though I haven't even nabbed the artist yet. Too many responsibilities in real life.

Like you, I'm saving my prime real estate, albeit for the big guys (or gals), particularly my back. I know what I want, but it has to be perfectly executed. It may be a couple years, but I'm in no hurry.

I have two painful areas left and im done,although I want to start laser on my left sleeve but only after those areas are finished.... Ribs, god damn ribs!!!

My first was on my outer thigh, so I thought tattooing was easy-peasy. Then the next four were rib, abdomen/pubis, and hip tattoos. Holy Jesus. That hip tattoo was way worse. I had to keep apologizing to the poor artist for putting up with my bullshit. When in pain, I count, deep breathe, but even then, sometimes I couldn't help but moan a little. No one wants to put up with that.

Getting ready to cover for a bud at work for day shift. This would not be so awesome, but it eats up the day while I wait on phone calls for not one, but two minor surgeries I'll be having this week. And one of which, although it's a simple day surgery, is going to vastly improve my life. I am so freaking sick of puking, diarrhea, and eating nothing but oatmeal, organic chocolate milk, and the occasional soda when my body can tolerate it.

If I'm ultra-lucky, one will be scheduled tomorrow, the next Wednesday, then I have Thursday off before returning to a week of night shifts. Now THAT would be truly awesome.

Ran 3 miles at a 8.2 minute pace. Then I had my picture taken for the anthro dept at the local university where I'm donating my body when I die. I figure I won't look so cute when I'm dead, anyway.

Went on a date and realized my heart is with someone else. \\It's a good thing. He treats me like a queen. :)

Bought a bra and panty set in MY SIZE 32C (specialty size), and 5 on undies, for $12. Normally for my size this is a $200 specialty piece. What a rush! :D

The artist doing my next tattoo just had me do measurements. I'm excited.

Riddle me this

If I can't get an apprenticeship in my town (no one wants one, or I'm out of town too often, or there are no tattoo shops, whatever reason) where does one draw the line and start scratching at home?

How do you know you can justify scratching? Seeing all these guys in the magazines and everything who started scratching. I think I am close and I need someone to talk me into it or out of it. Checking kits and machines on eBay as we speak.

No. You can never justify scratching no more than you can justify practicing law, medicine, or anything else without proper training and licensing.

My boyfriend hates my interest in tattoos and once volunteered to get some tattoos on himself so I wouldn't have to get any more on me. He seems to think I just like looking at them on someone, anyone, not even necessarily myself. I told him I would be thrilled if he got some, but it won't make any difference as far as what I get. :D

Take it from an old salt: This is an insult on your body. RUN! This is like a boyfriend that tells you you're too fat, thin, breasts are too small, that YOU are not good enough, and that YOU need to conform to his standards.

Let's rephrase this: "You're getting kind of fat. Would you stop eating so much if I put on a few?" See the change in language? Reconsider if this guy is a real champ.

Lovely piece. Welcome.

@Synesthesia

As a woman who just got a traditional tiger tattoo, which I guess is more on the masculine end of the spectrum, I understand your trepidation. We are who we are: Masculine, feminine, androgynous. Tattoos don't change the execution of your gender, or more importantly, YOU.

Keep in mind that subject matter is all about artistic liberty and has a great impact on how masculine or feminine it looks. (I kind of think my tiger looks like a big old queen, but that's cool. I like him.)

Your family is right. Your body will ruin. It will age, eat itself, cells will stop degenerating, and your skin isn't going to look like you're 23 forever. Guess what? Happens to the people without tattoos, too. Don't base opinions about your body on what others think, because you're going to have a lot of people in your life who care about you for you, not for the ink or lack of.

it baffles me how some "plainskins" can walk in and start saying stuff like "i dont get how people can cover themselves with tattoos, mine are small and sweet and easily hide-able...(insert other slightly insulting, down-talk)" to a shop full of heavily tattoo'd guys!? you know what i mean?? i dont particularly enjoy football (soccer) but i do own a football and i do watch it now and then, but i'd never dream of walking into a sport shop or club-store and be like "i don't get people who watch football all the time its so stupid, i prefer to play it with my friends...." that kind of opinion is fine outside but to come in and say it is just dumb, naive and ignorant...but i guess thats just the way people are

This attitude baffles me as well. (Some of these folks try to pull me in their realm.... I have considerable pieces, but they're hidden.) If I had chosen a different career path (and I wouldn't, for anything), I'd get sleeves. I'd get leg and foot tattoos. And God bless anyone who has the sense of self and self-esteem to say, "This is what I want for my body. Don't look if you don't like it."

You know, I always love when I see plants blooming in the snow, or plants growing up in the sidewalk. It's so fucking heroic.

I submitted a piece to a major magazine. AND I have three days off after working eight nights straight. Pretty sweet.

You know, nothing beats picking a quality artist who does what you like, making a deposit, and going from there. :) I'm sure your piece is doable, and welcome.

My mother, who believes I only have one tattoo from undergrad, was openly rude to a young girl at a book store, asked her how she intended to get a real job, this store would be gone in five years, etc. I said nothing at the moment, but when we got in the car, I went in, apologized, told her my career and showed her my tattoos under the guise of getting something from the bookstore bakery. I hadn't eaten in 24+ hours which is common with my shift/food choices.

When I went to the next store,l with her, some girl had a sparrow on her arm. And Mom just has to look at her and say, "Jesus Christ! Isn't that cute?" At this point, I lose my temper and say, "You were Queen Mormon until one of your kids comes out as gay. You said yourself.times are changing. Maybe you need to change on this, too."

Then I had to hear how I act like a ten year old. Yeah. I'm the one pointing and going, "Ewww, gross!" and I'm immature. Okay.

In my old job, I had to write a lot of people up for visible tattoos. Rule of thumb: I'd warn you until I knew my supervisor was going to be around, then I had to. I have all mine so they can be hidden by a modest cocktail dress.

If I had visible tattoos, I'd be out.

Just like a "frequent flyer" at the ER, frequency does not guarantee good judgment. No matter what our professions, we must protect ourselves from morons, because guess whose side is usually taken?

@GrayCatLove

I'm amazed you'd call something like this reason for leaving a tattooer compared to the fellow in the "Worst Tattoo Customer" thread (or whatever it was called). Trust me, forgetting an aftercare talk is far more forgivable that what that fellow was doing to his customer. There is a glaring difference between the two.

And perhaps the tattooer assumed that since the person who started this thread had a smaller tattoo on the wrist, that they'd remember that bit of instructions, especially if it was recent. I've not been given aftercare instructions since my first tattoo, actually. I do have a lot on my arms, and lots from a small group of people, but by that equation I shouldn't have been tattooed by the person who gave me a job scrubbing toilets to earn an apprenticeship more than once. Or any tattooer that I've been back to, for that matter.

And while paperwork in my state includes a little walk through about the basic issues one could have, and you fill that out pre-tattoo, i'd imagine one in five hundred reads the release in full, having watched a few thousand copies of that paperwork get filled out.

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I agree people should be able to look after a tattoo without being told not to do obviously dumb things. However, my point was, when you are essentially creating a wound best bet is to cover your butt.

This, and also what Dave Borjes said: If you're an adult you should be capable of asking a question or picking up the phone like an adult (not a dig at the OP, btw, she did contact her artist one way or another).

Sure, it's good for a shop to make sure the clients knows about aftercare- that's beyond dispute. But it should also be a given that people have a responsibility to make it their own, and speak up themselves if they're in the dark. After all, it's even free...

The idea that tattooists better watch out and ensure they do enough hand-holding with their hapless clients, or else those clients are going to lawyer up...well, there may be people this stupidly litigious out there, but they should have to wear badges so that people providing a service in good faith can avoid them.

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@daveborjes Your personal attacks, sexism, and incorrect assumptions warrant no further reply from me. You seem to be a respected person here, but I'm not going to extend the olive branch for disagreement.

Wow. Okay.

When did you start getting tattooed?

It's funny how no one can give a decent response except for smart-ass bullshit.

Like I said previously.

You guys are perfectly happy trying to ruin ones reputation (one's livelihood), over something as simple as lack of after care instructions. Better yet, ever think, someone may have been having a bad day? Tattooers aren't machines, nor are they perfect. It is very possible.

Would you rather of had gotten a total SHIT tattoo, but the tattooer, held your hand, promised you everything would be okay and given you the aftercare sheet and ointment?

It happens. I would say 95% of the time you're going to have an awesome experience at a shop, but to give someone advice to just up and bounce on someone, after they did a great job, simply because they forgot, had something else going on in their head or at home or were distracted, to give you aftercare advice or an aftercare sheet and ointment is a little ridiculous. We're all grown-ups right? 18 and over? Ask quesions?

I don't even know why I'm bothering responding to this. Oh wait, I do know, it's my livelihood! I'm super pissed how eager some of you are to just write people off, OVER AFTER CARE! Not for doing a shit job, or being shitty, BUT FOR SIMPLY OVERLOOKING TO TELL YOU HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A TATTOO (especially in this day and age). It no longer matters how well one puts a tattoo on or how good everything is, it comes down to one fucking complaint about aftercare.

Rant over.

Oh, clearly I'm a n00b because I disagree that purveyors of services have legal responsibilities. (I've been getting tattoos for about a decade, not that it makes me more or less correct.) Yes, the client has a responsibility, just like someone who has a wound and gets out of the hospital has a responsibility to make sure they properly care for the wound and the person who buys and registers a car as a responsibility to demonstrate they can properly operate it. However, first, they have to have received proper information or they are not legally responsible.

These people aren't properly trained tattoo artists. They don't understand the anatomy of the skin. And trust me, people are going to agree with that, people like judges and juries. That's a bit extreme, but there's a reason why artists cover their butts.

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Yeah to be honest i think my artist just forgot, his daughter just finished school and came in the shop as he was wrapping. i have got a smaller tattoo on my wrist but its just a signature, nothing like the piece of got on my arm now. i will have to post pics, thanks for all the advice that i have received though, appreciate it. tattoo is now peeling a little and itchy as fuck. feel like i need to get a garden rake and give it a good old scratch! (dont worry, i wont touch it)

While it's understandable, it's not excusable for him to forget. Accidents happen. No one's going to drop dead, but still, you should have received those instructions for the reasons others and myself have mentioned.

I hate the itchies. :( Like the others, some slapping does wonders. ;) (Your tattoo, not others.)

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@Pleadco

Thanks for addressing this.

I won't keep my mouth shut, when people such as the aforementioned, including Ms. Luscious Inner Thigh Tattoos, piss on a working man, by thinking it's acceptable to ditch a tattooer SOLELY on the lack of giving out aftercare. I understand a "tattoo virgin's" anxiety in regards to how to take care of a fresh tattoo. I give it out freely, even to my clients that are heavily tattooed, I re-iterate it. My point, that was totally missed, was that shit happens. I wasn't there. None of us were there, but for some people out there to be so cavalier and nonchalant, 'meh, that's not professional, go somewhere else', is outrageous. Then to compare what goes on in the healthcare world/hospitals with the aftercare of a tattoo was down right retarded.

I'm not pissing on you. I'm not sure what I did to deserve your vitriol, but I'm not pissing on you as another professional. Tattoos are wounds. I don't think comparing it to healthcare is "retarded" at all. Even the most experienced collector needs to be reminded of proper care so that artist is protected and that tattoo can remain healthy and bright. I'm not ditching the tattooer or jumping on her. And you're not going to piss on me because you disagree or had a bad day or whatever. I'm not here to take your shit for my differing opinion, so knock it off.

@Hogrider @deadsp0t

What the fuck?!?!?!?

Are you two serious?

Get a new tattooer solely because he/she didn't give you aftercare advice? That's some pussy type shit right there. Good grief.

Granted, the shop I work work at, we do give an aftercare sheet and A+D ointment, but it isn't always the norm.

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@Dope Antelope

Wait a second. Is that you in your avatar? I just re-read your original post and it said that this beginning of a sleeve was your first tattoo, yet in your avatar it looks like you already have a sleeve.

Agreed. You know what else is bullshit? Hospital discharge instructions and lemon laws. I mean, buyer beware. Purveyors of goods and services have no social responsibility to ensure the client's well-being once the transaction is over. Good business practice is for pussies.