Tattoo Realities: The Truth about Getting Tattoos

I keep coming across a lot of articles about tattoos, detailing where and what you should get, often depending on your gender. These articles make me laugh. The truth is, if you need a complete stranger writing an article to make that decision for you, you are not ready for a tattoo.

In recent years, skin art through ink or piercing has become extremely popular, dare I say trendy.

American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo!"
--http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_facts.htm

And that survey was taken two years ago.

There are many reasons for this growth in the tattoo industry:

The first and foremost being its social status switch from taboo to mainstream. Today almost every town has a tattoo shop. When I was in college, it was illegal in Manhattan and we had to visit a pretty seedy side of a town upstate to find someone who would ink us. And today the people getting inked aren't just the rebellious college students or Navy boys. The question is more: Who isn't getting inked? Tattoos are prevalent across social class, gender, and race. It's so popular, that it seems the 18 & over rule no longer applies. I've seen kids much younger walking around music festivals with permanent and professional ink. Does this mean the artists aren't obeying the law or that the law is no longer in position? Not at all. It means that tattoos have become so acceptable that parents are giving signed consent for their kids to get tattoos.

Does the popularity of tattoos cheapen the art?

Absolutely not. Another incredible part of the growing industry is the incredible artists that are emerging. Tattoo artists are the new rock star, and their fame is well deserved. Skin is their canvas and it should be just as appreciated as any painter or drawer. Don't get me wrong, there are bad artists out there and you should definitely research your artist before allowing them to ink you. But that goes without saying for any industry.

That all said, what's the problem?

The problem is that no matter how trendy tattoos become, the thing to keep in mind is that they are permanent. I'm not going to discuss laser surgery because we all know it's out there. We all know it's extremely painful and expensive and takes many return visits. Sometimes it is a godsend, there are many reasons that you may no longer want a tattoo. But when getting a tattoo, keep in mind that you don't want, twenty years later, to be praying for this procedure.

A tattoo is a commitment.

Sure there is the commitment of sitting through the appointment, but that'll turn out to be nothing in the general scheme of things. It is your body, if you, on a whim, want to run out and get a tattoo of Taz on your butt, go right ahead. When I first started getting inked, that was a big fad, you know. A Looney Tunes character tattoo. Or a bunch of girls would all go get the same butterfly tattooed on their ankle to show they'd be friends forever. And we've all heard of people getting their significant other's name tattooed on them. Well, maybe you believe that Taz is the cartoon manifestation of your personality, and maybe you and those girls really do have a friendship that will last forever, at least in memory. And maybe you have found your soul mate and you will be together for ever and ever and ever.

But maybe not. I've had tattoo artists friend who have refused to do this type of tattoo on someone. They have that right. But if you really want it and they still won't budge, look for an artist who will. But take the initial refusal into consideration: why does the artist refuse? Can (s)he be right?

My first tattoo was on my back.

Drawn by my brother, it is the sun, moon, and the waves of the universe. It's a symbol of my spirituality and it comes from the heart of someone who means very much to me. The first artist I spoke to didn't want to do it. Said it wasn't his style and wanted to seriously alter it. I wasn't there for a tattoo that was his style, I was there for the exact design I brought in. I walked out and found an artist through a friend who not only accepted the design, but did absolutely beautiful work in putting it on my skin.

My second was a band around my ankle. I had just gotten out of an emotionally abusive relationship and wanted something to symbolize that I would never be in that type of relationship again. All I needed was to look down to see the ink binding my ankle as a reminder of what had happened and that I'd never allow it to happen again. My third was a pentagram. I put each one in a more visible spot. And each one was larger than the one before (although I didn't exactly start off with a small one). But for all I can say about my ink and how much a part of me it is, the most important thing I can stress is that each one involved a very well thought out personal choice. And my getting ink became a lifestyle.

So what is the lesson here?

Don't get a tattoo on a whim, even though I know how powerful the draw can be.

Here is how I think you should get a tattoo, and as you may have figured out by now, my advice is all about you:

1. Think about the design. Put the actual art somewhere you will see it every day for at least a week to make sure at the end of that time, you still love it.

2. Remember that things you love now, you may not love in ten years. I am really glad I didn't get the 90210 symbol tattooed on my ankle like I would have liked to when I was younger. (Okay, I really never wanted a 90210 symbol on my ankle, but you get the point.)

3. Research your design. Make sure you know everything you can about the design you've chosen. Say it's a star with flowers around it. Maybe it's just a star with flowers around it, but maybe it's a Pentagram of the Goddess. You may not be comfortable sporting the latter on your arm for the rest of your life. Say it's a Japanese phrase. Make sure you really understand what it says and what it means. When researching your design, you'll want to find out the cultural significance as well as the general meaning. And be sure to bring in a picture of exactly what the characters look like. You don't want to go in looking for the character for "love" and come out with the one for "war" (or much worse).

4. Don't assume your tattoo artist will know exactly what you're talking about as far as design. Remember, every person has their own ideas. You can definitely give your artist carte blance to do whatever (s)he wants on your skin. I've done that with my favorite artist. But it's more likely you are going in with something in mind and there's no way (s)he will know what you want unless you show a sample. Maybe even the exact design. It's your tattoo, it can be whatever you want. You just have to make sure to communicate it clearly. And the communication won't end there, before the artist starts to actually use the tattoo machine, (s)he stencils the design on your skin so you know exactly what you are getting. This is the perfect time to ask for a change or to opt out. While it won't give you the full affect of a colored in tat, it will allow you to see placement and general outline, and if you don't like it, now is the time to speak up. I've had artists do this over and over for almost an hour until we found a placement or alteration that would look the best. They know the commitment you're making and are there to work with you. But even when you're under the actual needle, don't be afraid to ask questions. When I was having the pin-up girl on my arm, the artist asked me if I wanted mascara on her. This is one of the best artists I have ever seen and one of the most experienced that I know. I wasn't sure exactly how he was going to put such a tiny detail like mascara on her, but I wanted her eyes to pop and I loved his work so why not--I was sure he knew. I should have asked. It wasn't until after, I realized by mascara, he meant eye shadow. Blue eye shadow up to her eyebrows. It looks fantastic she's a pin-up. And the blue completely makes her eyes pop. It was just a surprise at first and I hadn't had blue eyes hadow in mind. So my advice is if you are unclear about anything the artist is doing, stop them and ask. They'll be really cool about it. They want you to love your tattoo as much as they do--even more.

5. Know where you want it to go and stick to it. The original pin-up I wanted was much too big for the area on my arm I wanted to put her. The artist didn't shrink her to fit because he knew we'd lose all the detail. Instead, he wanted to put her on my calf. I had dreamt of her on my arm for a long time and didn't want to give in. HOWEVER: this doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to the artist's advice. They are experts and a good artist isn't going to give you a tattoo they think looks horrible--in an industry where word of mouth (or skin) means everything, they do not want you walking around like a bad billboard. The artist and I sat down and talked. I explained to him what I really wanted again and he started offering alternatives. Perhaps we could just do her from the hips up. Maybe we could alter the pin-up design a little so that she would fit better on that space on my arm. He was more than willing to work with me and in the end, I got exactly what I wanted. No, better than what I wanted.

6. On that note, really make sure you think about where you're putting it. I'm in the process of completing the sleeve on my right arm. I have always been in a very professional, yet creative, occupation where the tattoos didn't really matter. I could cover them when needed, but for the most part, I sat in a cube and no one really got to see them other than my coworkers. Now I'm job searching. I am very conscious to wear long sleeves to interviews and keep them down. Legally, I can't be judged on my tats, but I'm pretty sure no one has ever written a rejection letter that said: "I'm sorry, your qualifications are exactly what we're looking for, but your tattoos are keeping us from hiring you." Although that would be great because I could use the lawsuit money. The reality is this isn't a problem for me. Even in mid summer, offices are usually pretty chilly. The "work sweater" is part of my uniform. Now the purple dreads are another story...but not this story.

I have a friend who is a piercer. He's covered in tattoos, including his head and face. He is one of the most responsible, intelligent, caring people I've ever met. And for a piercer, that's an awesome look. On the other hand, for a job seeker, maybe not. It's stupid, it's unjust, but it's reality. So think about where you'll be getting your tattoo and how it will impact your life once the ink dries. For example, upon seeing my wedding photos, I was glad not to have gone through with my punk days whim of having "f**k you" tattooed on the inside of my lower lip.

7. When it's time: DO NOT SELF MEDICATE. That was one of the first things my artist told me. Don't drink or go in to a shop on any type of drug. Artists are trained to look for that and they won't ink you in that state. If you happen to stumble into a shop drunk and all of a sudden decide you've wanted that Taz on your butt forever and the artist is willing to do it, make yourself stumble back out, crawl if you have to. And don't let your friends get inked drunk.

8. It's going to hurt. Will it be the worst pain you ever had? Probably not. But once the procedure is over, so is the pain. Just like that. What area hurts the most? I know what hurt the most for me so far, but the area that hurt my husband the most is totally different. Every body has a different tolerance for pain. Artists are very sensitive to this. If you need a break from the needle, tell them. I've never gone through a sitting, even a forty-five minute one, without a couple of breaks. And if you do start to feel sick or dizzy, tell your artist. It will pass, it'll just pass a lot sooner if they get the needle off your skin.

9. Don't panic if at first you don't like your finished tattoo. No matter how many times you've looked at the design or dreamt about it on your skin, it's probably going to look different when you see it and the reality of what you did sinks in. I experienced that once when my tattoo came out much bigger than I had expected. Which is actually ridiculous because I saw the stencil on my arm before we started. But it was like my mind didn't make the connection earlier. And don't stare at it looking for flaws. You are probably going to find a little one here or there. It's art on a living canvas. Because I'm obsessive, I can find something I don't like about every single one of my tattoos. But all together, I think each one is incredibly beautiful and they are such a part of me, I wouldn't change a thing.

What it all comes down to is if you want a tattoo, get what you want where you want.

But please make sure you've thought it out and it's an actual informed decision. Don't look for others to suggest what you should do. And aside, do not fall for the idea that women should only get small, delicate tattoos unless, of course, that's what you want. Female tattoos is a whole other article. And just for the record, I refuse to call a lower back tattoo a tramp stamp.

A tattoo is more than just a mark--it's a representation of who you are. A permanent representation. I couldn't be a bigger fan. But that's for me. I've said many a times, if you don't like tattoos, then I suggest you don't get one. But if you do, I just suggest you are absolutely sure what you want.

See you under the needle.