New Tattoo

You mean the back of your arm, as in going down your triceps, right? I hear that can be a pretty sensitive area for some. Typically, the places that hurt the MOST are areas that go over bone... Some areas that aren't boney can be sensitive as well, but not typically as much as a boney area like the ribs, shoulder blades, neck, spine, etc.

My first tat was on my left shoulder blade. It hurt like fuck, but it was worth it. The pain was comparable to being drawn on by a razor-blade. My second tat was on the back of my neck (another sensitive area), and it hurt even worse than the first one, though it was more of a dull, grating pain (like if someone were going over my neck with a cheese-grater)...

I've heard that, for the most part anyway, the arms aren't too bad. I plan on eventually getting a lot more work done, and I want some on my arms, legs, and I want to fill my back out more with a big memorial piece as I've lost quite a bit of friends and family over the years, and I want to do something in remembrance.

Regardless, it's going to hurt. You're getting a needle stuck into your skin several thousands of times in a fairly short amount of time. It's worth it though. The pain is temporary, but the ink lasts forever.

Some people say the worst part is the out-line, but I feel differently. To me the most painful part is the shading, because instead of only getting 1 needle, you're getting several at once, to cover the larger area.

 

they all hurt just not as bad as you think they will


i think i have just over 30 tattoos...m,y wife has done most of them (all pro)
she does them regularly now ...and is makeing a little cash doing it

my latest is a portrate of the littlest dingusus on my side...hip to bottom few ribs i supose

so they all hurt...some alittle more than others

 

After the tattoo, your artist should wrap it with like a paper towel. Then you need to get some neospirin or vaseline, lotion w/e and apply it. Don't itch the tat, just rub some more if it gets itchy. After about a week or 2 it should be done! Got my first tat on my right arm by my shoulder, felt like a shark biting me constantly. But you get used to the pain as your artist goes on.

 

^^^^^^^^^

You don't wanna use neosporin or vaseline. If you read the directions on either of them it says not to apply them to large wounds, which a tattoo is. The shop might tell you to use A&D ointment, but you don't wanna really use that, either (it can actually force some of the ink out of your tat, and make it fade)... Stick to a real good lotion, as all you want to do is keep the tat moist, not keep oxygen from getting to it (A&D, Vaseline, or Neosporin all block oxygen from getting to your skin). Reapply the lotion constantly as you notice it starting to dry.

 

I use the Neosporin to avoid infections. Worked for my tat.

 

I've had 4 tattoos now, neosporin or bacatracin will work fine and after like 3 days you can start putting lotion on it, make sure that it doesn't get dry!!

That part of the arm will be fairly sensitive but all of my tats have been over bone and ithey really didn't hurt that bad at all. So I'm sure you'll be fine, I would make sure once they put the stencil on that the placement of the tattoos is really where you want them. Sweet that you're getting a good price, just take a look at his work and make sure that he's good thou. Cheap isn't necessarily good, esspecially since you'll have it forever.

 

Yeah, I was gonna also recommend you steer clear of Old English-style fonts. They're so cliched. Just look around on free font sites like acidcool.com and find something that speaks to you. Print out what you want for your tattoos and bring them to the shop.

 

i made a shitty pot leaf on my right inside ankle (prison syle)
and the shit is crusty lol itches like a mother fucker,
im thinking about getting a bar code on the back of my neck nd putting made in america

 

I've heard from several renowned tattoo artists that putting neosporin, vaseline, or a&d ointment on your ink is a bad idea. It can affect how it heals, and thus, how it will look when finished. In some cases it can even strip the ink from your skin (typical of applying too much a&d)... They say the best bet is to just find an all natural lotion (aveeno for example) and use that the whole time. Their reason behind this is that the anti-bacterial ointments, vaseline, and a&d are all oil-based. They don't allow your fresh wound to breathe, and mess with how it heals...

Here's the some work by one of the artists who told me this... She's a multi-award winning, nationally known artist...

http://www.nokaoitikitattoo.com/Keely Tackett.htm

I've also heard from the same from a few other artists, though I can't find any of their work on-line.

 

listen to cottons. Lubriderm is the lotion of choice for all the artists i've talked to, and i've talked to several. I've got friends that have really intricate work, and they swear by lotions, not ointments.

The pain associated with tattoos is largely psychological. When a buddy of mine died back in december of '03, 4 of us went and got the same memorial tattoo, in the same location. I didn't think it was gonna hurt at all, and it really didn't. the worst of it felt like a scratch with a fingernail. My buddy marcus, on the other hand, was stressed out for 2 days about how much it was gonna hurt. he was gritting his teeth the whole time. the other 2 guys were somewhere in the middle.

My next one is likely going to be on the inside of my bicep, which is a notoriously painful area, but i'm not too worried about it.

Just keep telling yourself it's not gonna hurt, over and over again, and it will definitely hurt less.

Your tat has to be all you. I'm sure i could find a wicked font and tell you to do it, but if it's not all you, you won't love it like you should.

 

Yeah another thing about the tat being you and not be seterotypical shit it'll just feel more like a part of you instead of ink on your skin.

 

I believe what you say about a&d but I did it for 2 weeks, and my ink looks fresh to death