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Tattoo Advice?
Shrieve
Game DesignerCaliforniaRegistered User regular
Game DesignerCaliforniaRegistered User regular
Hey H&A! Looking for a few opinions on something I've been mulling in my head for quite some time now, so we'll see how this turns out...
Now I'm a virgin when it comes to tattoos, but I've always had an interest in them and find some of them to be pretty beautiful. I've always thought about getting one myself, but only if I felt that the design was really personal and something I felt I could have on me for probably the rest of my life. For starters... not another tramp stamp! :P Well think I finally found something that might fit the bill.
I've always loved the image of the phoenix and the symbolism behind it, and at any rate it seems a much better fit for me then another
with mother on it. I also love the musical feel I get out of the image, the long sweeping tails remind me of musical notes such as the treble clef. What I was picturing was having it placed up on my upper back; probably the right if looking from behind. Basically the wing sweeping up towards my arm with the tails sweeping to my sides, towards my chest.
I'm also debating whether sticking to black, or throwing a bit of color in there with it. I messed around for about 5 mins just to see, its real rough but I'm more curious to see if prefer it mono or chromatic. Thing is, I'm not sure how well the red might work on flesh, not to mention you often need outlines around a color for it to stand out well. But I guess it's real preliminary anyways, just to see if color works with it at all. So real quick crappy job. Anyone think the colors make it too busy or lose its crispness, or does it make the image more vibrant?
Now for anyone who's had tattoos done themselves, or know anything about the subject, would this be too curvy and thin for a decent tattoo? Is it just a nice image that wouldn't turn out to well on flesh? Could a decent priced artist be able to pull something like this off? I've seen some of the stuff the real artists put out, but they're usually booked months in advance and costs thousands of dollars. I definitely don't want to go cheap on it- it would be on my body for the rest of my life- but I can't really go high end for it so I'd need to be careful about who I would go with. (sorry I'm a real noob on this subject so I don't have any clear ideas about this sort of stuff)
Now a more general question for everyone... What does everyone think of the design? Can you picture it on a girl and have a favorable opinion of it? Is it to faux-tribal? Friend of mine mentioned that, and I hadn't really thought about it until he said. Kind of hate going with a kind of played out trend, but every other phoenix I've found is either a huge colorful thick design covering the entire back or just way too masculine for my tastes. This just seemed like the first one that struck me as something I'd like having on me. Any alternative ideas to improve on the design? Or for those who just don't care for it, know of any good sites to look through designs for ideas?
Anyways, thanks for reading and any advice guys!
Now I'm a virgin when it comes to tattoos, but I've always had an interest in them and find some of them to be pretty beautiful. I've always thought about getting one myself, but only if I felt that the design was really personal and something I felt I could have on me for probably the rest of my life. For starters... not another tramp stamp! :P Well think I finally found something that might fit the bill.
I've always loved the image of the phoenix and the symbolism behind it, and at any rate it seems a much better fit for me then another
with mother on it. I also love the musical feel I get out of the image, the long sweeping tails remind me of musical notes such as the treble clef. What I was picturing was having it placed up on my upper back; probably the right if looking from behind. Basically the wing sweeping up towards my arm with the tails sweeping to my sides, towards my chest.I'm also debating whether sticking to black, or throwing a bit of color in there with it. I messed around for about 5 mins just to see, its real rough but I'm more curious to see if prefer it mono or chromatic. Thing is, I'm not sure how well the red might work on flesh, not to mention you often need outlines around a color for it to stand out well. But I guess it's real preliminary anyways, just to see if color works with it at all. So real quick crappy job. Anyone think the colors make it too busy or lose its crispness, or does it make the image more vibrant?
Now for anyone who's had tattoos done themselves, or know anything about the subject, would this be too curvy and thin for a decent tattoo? Is it just a nice image that wouldn't turn out to well on flesh? Could a decent priced artist be able to pull something like this off? I've seen some of the stuff the real artists put out, but they're usually booked months in advance and costs thousands of dollars. I definitely don't want to go cheap on it- it would be on my body for the rest of my life- but I can't really go high end for it so I'd need to be careful about who I would go with. (sorry I'm a real noob on this subject so I don't have any clear ideas about this sort of stuff)
Now a more general question for everyone... What does everyone think of the design? Can you picture it on a girl and have a favorable opinion of it? Is it to faux-tribal? Friend of mine mentioned that, and I hadn't really thought about it until he said. Kind of hate going with a kind of played out trend, but every other phoenix I've found is either a huge colorful thick design covering the entire back or just way too masculine for my tastes. This just seemed like the first one that struck me as something I'd like having on me. Any alternative ideas to improve on the design? Or for those who just don't care for it, know of any good sites to look through designs for ideas?
Anyways, thanks for reading and any advice guys!
Shrieve on
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As for whether it would fit a woman, that depends. Some might say the lines are too thin for a tattoo like that, and you'd have to thicken them up some. The problem with that is, the thicker you go on the lines, the more masculine the tattoo becomes.
As it is, I think it looks very feminine, but I'm not sure how great it would stand out on skin.
I know fuck shit about tattoos but I know a bit about other art forms.
If the president had any real power, he'd be able to live wherever the fuck he wanted.
Don't worry about things being overused/overdone. Get whatever makes you happy. Anyone with a tattoo will never judge someone else's tattoo, and anyone without a tattoo who judges you harshly just doesn't know what they're talking about.
As far as on a girl I would say it's favorably feminine.
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
unless you want it to be massive, I think the lines are too thin.
one thing you might want to consider looking at is brushing the negative space instead of the positive space. So like, filling in everything that is not a line and leaving the lines empty. Although that could make it too thick, but it might be worth a shot.
Sounds like great advice all around (really everyone who posted), so thanks a ton guys. Ok, so next I'll probably be to look into what tattoo parlors are in my area. Has anyone had any ink done in Orange County- Los Angeles area by any chance? Figure I'll hunt around online and see if I can find any sorta of opinions or reviews of several places, then head out with a printout of this like everyone was saying. Hopefully something will turn up, thanks guys!
It's up to you though, if you get enough anecdotal recommendations and get a good feeling when you walk into the place and that's enough for you then that's fine. If you want to be really safe and would risk looking like a jerk then that's fine too, just keep in mind that it can be misconstrued.
Bring your sketches/printouts and speak with one of the artists about all your concerns. They'll talk to you about it and will probably make up a sketch. NEVER discuss price. You shouldn't really ask how much before hand, maybe asking for a ballpark casual estimate is fine, but this isn't merchandise. You're paying for a service and for art. When it's over, you pay whatever they ask + tip depending on the cost and time. I gave $10 for my first one which was $120 and only took 15 minutes. I gave $30 for my second which was only $200 but took 1.5 hours.
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
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This.
If you're looking for some general advice for a 'tattoo virgin', here's my two cents coming from the perspective of someone's who's spent 13+ hours under the needle:
-The advice people have been giving here on locating tattoo parlors is good, but you should also keep in mind it's not really the 'Parlor' that's important; it's the artist at the parlor. Each individual artist will have photo books of their work, and should be able to provide references on past clients that you can (and should) go talk to. You may come across some artist that specializes in tribal-style tattoos such as the one you're going for (which looks great, by the way, apart from being way too thin), or you may not; regardless, I can't imagine there's many artists out there that haven't done something at least in this ballpark before, so you've got options and there's more than enough talent in your city that you should be able to find someone who you're confident can pull it off. Whomever you choose, be sure you've talked with them in advance, vetted them, and you're on their schedule so you have time to think and make sure you're sure on everything.
-Price. Good tattoos are not cheap, and cheap places do not give good tattoos. A respectable place in my area will run about $100-120 an hour, and my gut tells me that your tattoo thickened up a bit is going to run about 1.5-2 hours (might be off). There are some benefits to going to a respectable place you should consider too: A good artist will take pride in their work, and if in the future it gets somehow damaged or blemished they'll very much want to fix it, quite possibly for very low rates/free (unless you haven't been taking care of it).
-The actual tattooing. Not sure how you deal with pain, but here's the general rule for pain on various body parts: The less sun it sees, the more it's gonna hurt. Outside of your shoulder? You might be able to nap during it. Mid to lower back? Bring something to bite down on so you don't scream. Oh, and buy a gallon jug of unscented lotion for the recovery weeks afterward, 'cause that is gonna itch like a mutha and you CANNOT SCRATCH. Since you're going to a reputable place, it's gonna be sanitary so you won't have to worry much about diseases, but still use common sense and better judgment before/during/after.
Think that covers most of it (well, 'It' being what I can recall at 1:30am on a Sunday). Tattoos are wonderful things and can enhance a person's body and individual spirit through personal expression, but if you're gonna do this thing, make sure you do it right so you don't have regrets down the line.
Good luck!
2011 PAX Warmachine/Hordes Champion
Also (and I'm looking at my own tattoos while typing this) the lines in your design look like they should be fine. The thinest lines in mine are about a millimeter, they're the defining lines put in before the color was put down, and they show up just fine.
As for the rest, Susan gives some good advice. :^:
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I have a tattoo and judge people with shitty tattoos all the time. Especially my roommate's latest one...
Also, when it comes to after tattoo care, ONLY DO WHAT THE ARTIST TELLS YOU TO DO. Don't listen to random suggestions from people online.
I like the design you've got, and I prefer it with color, but I dunno if it will hold up well as a tattoo. Something to discuss with the artist.
Slightly bolder lines will prolong the 'life' of the tattoo and ensure it stays sharper for longer.
Also... and I'm being horribly semantic here... but I never like the use of the word 'Parlour', which has many unfortunate connotations associated with it. What you are looking for is a studio! Something which is sterile and bright and open, like a modern gallery space, rather than a dingy little parlour.
Definitely, definitely, definitely spend a lot of time researching and finding an artist. They will be able to answer all your questions -- as well as offer advice on ensuring the designs sits well on your body and possibly even modifying it if it requires it.
Good tattoo studios will have portfolios of photos of actual 'on-the-skin' work to show you. If a studio or artist does not have a portfolio of work, and just has flash and other drawn artwork on the walls, turn around and walk away. It is not worth taking any chance on an artist who cannot vouch for the quality of his/her tattoo work.
The artist/studio you are looking for should be friendly and welcoming and put you at ease. You will know when you have found the right place.
Main thing to bear in mind is: take your time making sure you do it right!
I have a fair amount of coverage and worked in a studio for a while. I've seen a lot of people with terrible tattoos, spending a lot of money on cover-ups...
Judging on quality is something to be considered, which is why you look for a good artist. If you judge someone on the actual content of their tattoo you're just an ignorant asshole.
I don't care if someone has a tattoo of a three headed duck wearing a rainbow tuxedo, if it makes them happy then what business is it of yours? For all you know it could be a memento to their younger brother who died in a car accident.
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
Also keep in mind most men couldn't give a damn, it's women that'll claim you're a tramp. You're definitely more likely to get hit on if it's visible as a lot of guys take it as a cue that you're a wild girl i.e easy but if you can live with the increased attention you don't need to worry about men judging you poorly.
Pinstripes are amongst the easiest for a novice tatoo artist to perform but be sure the artist has a good steady hand and knows how to do it (most will let you look at their previous works). I have to applaud you for a pinstripe tatoo that actually as meaning and IMO it's far more beautiful than the typical tatoo phoenix you see overused in conjunction with skulls, snakes, and dragons. A pinstriped phoenix is unique, and it's very beautiful. A+ for your choosing of your tatoo. I feel bad about the connotations women with tatoos (unless their fairies and butterflies and unicorns) especially pinstripes get though.
Things to keep in mind with the tatoo artist. First find a tatoo artist with a large customer basis, most keep logs of all their work that you can look through to make sure that you're not getting a hack. Tatoo parlors should be surgically clean, every needle should either be sterilized or individually packaged, you might want to opt for the artists that use disposable needles. The seats should be in good repair. The floor should be clean. Their should be ample lighting. Basically it should be as clean as a hospital ward (well your idea of a hospital ward).
I myself have a ace of spades and pin stripes on my front left peck.
Also as far as the pain goes, a good rule of thumb is the areas that are most sensitive in your body are the areas that're most ticklish and most associated with sex (those have the most nerve endings). Your back has very few nerve endings until you get near your butt even there it's entirely possible to not really notice the pain. Your upper arms are fairly non sensitive. The inside of your joints (inside of your arms, back of your knees) are super sensitive. If you're really worried about the pain, smoke a joint (if you can function high) or take a couple of tylenol and alieve (you can stack tylenol and alieve or tylenol and motrin) skin is very sensitive to being punctured though so don't expect it to kill the pain too much.
After hearing about the possibility of blurring, I think I'm going to lean towards getting it a little thickened. I'm sure I could find someone who could make it thin as that no problem, but I'd rather get more pristine years out of my tattoo then having it identical to the picture. I just want to avoid thickening it too much. Doing so would probably hamper the flow of the design, which was what drew me to it in the first place. Still up in the air about color or monochrome though.
Anyways I found a couple of different studios online that interested me. Most of them had a few pictures up for each of their artists so I was able to pull out particular ones that seemed to do well with the tribal/pinstripe style. Think I might check a few more out online, and then when I have a nice Saturday open, I'll head up to LA to hit a bunch of studios. I'll try meeting with the artists that I picked out and take a look at the pictures they have in the studio (I'd prefer seeing a book or something with bigger pictures, most of the stuff online haven't been the greatest size). Hopefully I can find a few that I feel comfortable with. If so I'll show them the design, mention that I'd prefer it a bit thicker to avoid premature blurring, and give them an idea of the location and size I'd like. And then I'll see where it will go from there.
This has been a ton of help guys! Thanks again!
Research can be found on pubmed, but I think you need some kind of account to get past the abstract (which I don't have).
I have a problem with a lot of this research, because correlation doesn't imply causation, etc. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that there are a good amount of people out there that have tattoos but also have plenty of things going on with them that would result in lower "personal scores."
But yeah, my advice with tattoos is to always to keep them hidden from view if you were dressing professionally. None of mine can be seen if I'm in office attire.
Exactly what is a "personal score"? If I get a high enough "personal score" do I win at life?
I thought I'd be funny and post a picture of the board game here. Instead I found this, which is much more apropos. Semi-NSFW.