Things to Consider Before Getting a Tattoo

When I was seventeen, I told my mother I wanted a tattoo. She hesitated, wanting to know my motivation behind the request and what exactly I intended getting a tattoo of. Well, being a young lady, I told her that I wanted a butterfly. (How many butterfly tattoos do we have out there?) There is a profuse amount of symbolism behind the creature itself, so I slung a few sales pitches "it is a magnificent creature that starts off small and simple and becomes a complex and beautiful masterpiece, like me" and of course I would only get a small tattoo, placed somewhere obscure where it could only be seen if I was completely naked. She didn't agree or disagree to the tattoo request, but told me she would first take me to a few parlors to examine the available work and ask the artists if they felt getting a tattoo so young would be a wise decision.

We went to a few different places, but the chant was the same - know why you want it, know where you want it, and know what it means to you. Understand it's permanence, and that in fifteen, fifty, and forever years from now, there will still be a little "winged friend" stuck to the nape of your neck or tucked against your ankle. I never got that butterfly tattoo, but I did get the message they were delivering.

I waited until I turned 19 to take myself to a tattoo parlor and select my first ink addition. Somewhat reflective of my original butterfly, I humorously chose a heart with little bat wings, a small tattoo that at the time meant a lot to me. It was my first. It was a little rebellious, and a little sweet. It defined me at that moment, and it will forever stand as a marker bringing me back to that place. When you're choosing a tattoo, you need to be certain it is something you can deal with for eternity. I have an enormous tattoo on my shoulder of an octopus with a sharp growling trap of gold teeth smacked into his purple and pink "skull" head. I'm a girl, remember - this isn't some tough pirate guy's tattoo. It's MY tattoo though, and I like it. I like why I got it and what the animal symbolizes, as well as the beautiful colors. That doesn't mean other people are going to like it. We're in a generation shift right as always, where the younger generation is spotted and covered and overrun with inked accessories - but there is an older generation that still associates tattoos with deviance, evil, and gangster related connotations. They might not necessarily appreciate the artistic expression and creativity covering your upper torso or encasing your calves. Be wary of the fact that although it's widely accepted, it can still leave you with some prejudice stares or unwelcome energy.

Another thing to take into consideration is the placement and size of the tattoo. Do you want a small tattoo hidden on your lower back, or are you interested in having huge sleeves of tattoos? Well, those larger tattoos will be seen - and again, although times are moving forward, tattoos all over your arms can limit some occupational availability if you're not planning on wearing long sleeves constantly . Making some personal sacrifices like that doesn't appeal to some people. Some prefer to be able to work and live exposing their tattoos as they intended, and not shielding them - is this you? Don't let your tattoos stand in the way of what you need and want, but also don't let other people's inability to accept tattoos keep you from what is important to YOU.

Choose your tattoo shop and tattoo artist wisely - examine works done by potential artists, or if you know someone with tattoo work that you think looks great, find out where the artist is that did the piece! I have made the mistake of trusting an unknown artist and I ended up with a nasty, shaky outline that I was later able to have a more skilled professional redo quite successfully. Be careful!

Tattoos can be beautiful, amazing works of art that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Creating landmarks of time and places, representing people, emotions, feelings, and mantras. If you are patient and make your decisions wisely and with confidence, you will surely enjoy your tattoo for it's entirety, and for eternity!