So...I'm Finally Doing It!!!! *update, I DID IT*

I only have one.  I'm completely happy with it and have been since day 1.

1.  I'm convinced there will be a generation of women who will completely regret leg and arm tattoos someday when their wants/desires mature and they want to get dressed up to go somewhere and they have a tattoo prominently where a lovely evening gown should show a sexy leg and you see a tattoo instead. 

I'm not telling anyone they're crazy, only that there is a BIG difference between what I find fun now at 54 and what I found "fun" at 20 or 30.  What makes me feel elegant now ... can be hindered by small things -- I never wanted my tattoo to be a hindrance.

2.  Imagine what it's going to look like in 20 years.  Seriously.  Low-rise jeans aren't always going to be in style and you may not "look" the same way in them.  HOWEVER -- it will be easier to have a "coaster" tattoo not show than one on your foot.

And *grin* yeah -- remember your skin won't look the same either (no, I'm not even a mother and I'm sounding like one *grin*).

My tattoo is on the upper swell of my right breast.  It shows when *I* want it to.  If I want to wear something low-necked FINE.  It shows.  It's the perfect place for my husband to 'trace' it if he wants to -- but no one sees it if I don't want them to, or they can if I DO want. 

3.  I picked a design the artist had there -- but most of all, I picked the best tattoo artist in Orlando.  I went an hour away to get the General to do mine but I asked all over town to find who everyone thot was **THE** best -- and the General was it.  She did an awesome job -- it's a rose 'bud' (long-stemmed) and it was perfect then and it still is 13 years later.

My points are this -- it's going to be with you forever.  No way would I trust an artist to make the fish "not look evil".  I need to know exactly what it will look like and that they're comfortable doing it.  The color *will* fade some over the years -- I know that's not a fun concept when you're young but frankly, you'll care later on. 

I work with a girl who had one done on the back of her neck and on her ankle.  She HATES both of them.  She's only 31!!!  But she feels like she can't truly get dressed up and look/feel elegant AND now she has a baby of her own and she dreads the day her daughter wants one "like mommy". 

I feel bad for her -- she's very young to be SO dissatisfied.  The one on her ankle IS ugly -- too bulky and she tried to have it corrected and it made it worse.  The one on the back of her neck is a Chinese emblem and again -- if she wears her hair "up" it shows -- it shows with almost any neckline of any blouse.  It's not poorly done -- it's just very obvious.

The bottom line is -- her life is different now than it was even 5 years ago when she had it done and she'll be a long long time hating it.

Think carefully about how 'big' you really want it.  I wouldn't want a tattoo I wasn't completely in love with. 

Florida was the leading land of tattoos for many years because of the biker stuff -- I'm not saying they're bad or shameful or anything else.  They AREN'T -- they're art. 

But they **are** permanent art.  so just really really like the design.  Really really like the "where" it is -- will it sag?  How will it look when you get married?  How will it look when you're old?  How will you explain it to your kids? 

Am I being enough of a pain yet? *grin*???  I would just hope you will be as in love with yours in 13-14 years as I still am.  David and I both love mine.  I'm a professional and I would *not* want it to show at work .... ever.  But out on a special evening, highlighted by a new piece of jewelry? 

RAH!!!

calliecritturs

My points are this -- it's going to be with you forever.  No way would I trust an artist to make the fish "not look evil".  I need to know exactly what it will look like and that they're comfortable doing it.  The color *will* fade some over the years -- I know that's not a fun concept when you're young but frankly, you'll care later on.

I went in on Sunday and he is going to draw it out and call me either tomorrow or Thursday for me to look at it and critique it. I won't get it done if I don't like how it looks on paper. I know the color is going to fade and there is always the option of retouching it in years to come.

Callie, you don't sound all momish to me, you have made really great points and I thank you. This is something I have thought about for 2 years and I have finally decided that I really do want one and I am ready. The only time this tattoo will show is when I want it to. Mostly only when I'm in a bathing suit or nekkid :). I would never get a tattoo somewhere that I will be embarassed about someday. I really like this one and now I have some meaning to it. I'll see how it goes once it's drawn out, but for now I'm sticking with it.

Congrats! I'm drawing mine out now....I'm getting it done on my 18th(its a suprize to anyone but me what it's going to be!)

my friend has one on her side, it's really neat looking - and it only shows when she wants it too.

I don't think I could ever get one, I have panic attacks when they try to draw blood/vaccinate me/etc. I know plenty of people with them, and I would like to have one - but.... I don't think I can. haha.

I think it's a really cute idea - I like the ones that MEAN something

I have four tattoos.  Three of them have special meaning.  The other one is a reminder of what happens when you get drunk, & make an impulsive decision.  I don't regret any of my tattoos though.

I have a penny very, very low on my hip/abdomen, a lizard on my rib cage, a four leaf clover on my foot, & a peace sign on my upper butt cheek.  (The peace sign was my impulse tattoo;) 

alieliza

I don't have any tattoos, but my fiance is *covered* in them. Im not sure I would get one, but right now I'm really loving a delicate tattoo on the side of a woman's torso. It looks really pretty, IMO. Think an orchid going up the side of a torso. Pretty. I will see if I can find a photo.

That would look really cool, but I could never do it. I'm WAY too ticklish! 

 Be warned, Tattoos are addictive.  I'm always thinking about my second.  I should have gotten one after Kale was born, then I would have an excuse for two more now.

The one I have is on my lower back on the right side.  I'm happy with the placement though the tattoo is slightly distorted now, after 3 kids.

Did you take that image that you put on here with you, or did you buy the image/stencil from that site?  I've found a couple I like but I wanna make a few changes and I wasn't sure what I should take with me.

Congratulations!  That is a really pretty design...can't wait to see a pic of the finished product!  Beware, they are addictive as all get out.

I have four...got all of them in 1999, so almost 10 years now.  I have never regretted them, and now, I usually forget they're even there, lol.

After 9 years, they all still look fantastic.  The place I went had a really great reputation, and by golly they deserve it.  Three of my four are done in all black, and one has color.  The black ones are still black, not bluish like a lot of them end up, and the colored one is still vibrant.

Mine are as follows (don't have any pics right now that I can post, but maybe I can grab my camera tonight and get some)...
All black horsehead in middle of right thigh
Black sun w/yin yang in the center, located between my shoulderblades
Black butterfly w/really pretty greywashing in the wings, my "tramp stamp" (lower back)
Multi-colored lizards forming a yin yang shape, inside of left ankle

 I've always wanted a tattoo but not sure I can ever settle on something 100%.  My biggest thing however in getting a tattoo would be finding the right tattoo artist.  There really is a disparity in skill between many and I've seen a lot of poor quality art on people.  If you are going to wear something for life it seems like it is better to pay a little extra money and spend a little extra time looking for an artist with some real skill and a style you like.

 If I ever got something done, it would most likely be a mantis, and the design would be of my own creation. 

Have one picture I've drawn that I thought would look nice somewhere centered on my back, but not sure if I would want something quiet that large permenantly on myself.

TheDogHouseBCMPD

Did you take that image that you put on here with you, or did you buy the image/stencil from that site?  I've found a couple I like but I wanna make a few changes and I wasn't sure what I should take with me.

Actually the guy just printed it off from the site as is. I was going to buy it but he said he didn't need the stencil. I went in yesterday to see how it looked (what he's drawn out) and it looks awesome! He added a pupil to the eye and some eyelashes so now it looks more feminine. He also added some water around the fish so it dosn't look so out of its element. It looks amazing! I've seen pictures of his work and they're all awesome. Some friends have had their tattoos done by this company and theirs look great as well.

I've heard that they're addicting. I've figured that out with piercings as well, but I am completly done with those unless I get them on my ears. I only have a nose piercing and my bellybutton done. I'd like to have a cartilage piercing in my ear so I can change the rings I use.

Krissim Klaw

If I ever got something done, it would most likely be a mantis, and the design would be of my own creation. 

Have one picture I've drawn that I thought would look nice somewhere centered on my back, but not sure if I would want something quiet that large permenantly on myself.

That is awesome! Heck if I could draw I'd design one myself! I'm completly artistically challenged except when it comes to decorating ;).

Unfortunatly I can't add my neices birth signs because there's really nowhere to put them on the tattoo that won't make them look so out of place and I can't make them small enough to fit in the fish because they'd just look like a black blob. So I know I'll definatly be getting two more somewhere. I would only be able to add one neices zodiac right now anyhow because my sister in law is due any day with my second neice.The zodiac for October ends on the 22nd of this month and her due date is the 25th (so I wouldn't know which zodiac will be hers) but she's 2 centimeters dilated and has labor pains right now soooo, any day now! :)

I really like the Koi fish!!

I have one tattoo and I do regret it- not that I have a tattoo, but the design. It's a starfish on my right hip. I spent about 5 minutes choosing it and I'm not crazy about it at all. I wish I had gotten something pretty like a pink hibiscus flower... maybe someday I can have mine over-tattooed with that design.

That sounds really pretty.  I'm glad he was able to make changes that you like.  I'm so excited for you.  Are you going to post pictures when it is done?

I'm probably going to start talking to artists next weekend.  I have 2 tattoos piced out that I want, and the location for a 3rd.  I can deffinitely understand the addictive part, since I don't even have 1 yet.  I'm hoping they don't hurt so bad that I chicken out of getting the 2nd.  Here's a pic of the one I'm getting first.

I don't want the claws though and I want to have some color in the paw prints themselves.  I'm starting to get pretty excited to get mine....I just wanna get the process started.