Tattoo ponderages

[Feek]

As I said in a different thread, I've been thinking about a tattoo for many years and it's only due to not having found a design I'm comfortable with that I've never done it.

Well I've now found a design I like.

Unfortunately I can't yet find a good high resolution version of it so I'm just going to keep trying but here's the basic low-res version.



I'm thinking about the upper arm, undecided as to left or right yet. Although I don't know a huge amount about tattoos, I think that the colours in that would work well, the greenish background and solid black centre.

What do our resident tattoo people think, would tattoo ink work for that? Are the colours reasonable?

The other choice is a solid version of it, but I don't think that would work so well.



Comments?

[Dymetrie]

French freak

[Blackstar]

Comments: Now you have found the image you like, be sure as hell you do like it. I.e Don't run off and get it done, it is never going to come off when it is on. I've had the image i got my wings made up from for over a year and i knew that they were what i wanted.
Then once you are sure that is what you want your next task is to find a tattooist you feel comfortable with, who has the skills (ask to see a portfolio and see if you like their work, some people are better at different styles) you need.
Also it is important to find out about their working practices, in my studio Barry always asks me to watch him take the new needle out of the sterile packages and set up. Everything from sticking on his glubs, clingfilming up the surfaces to putting the "thingy" (not allowed to call it a gun because 'guns destroy things') into a little sterile bag then changing his glubs again before he starts.They should also have a certificate from environmental health and some basic first aid training.
Your image should be find, nearly all tattooists are utterly amazing artists and can make up a larger scale and will be happy to discuss things with you such as colour and position. I think that the greeny colour with the marbling would look really nice personally.
When you do have it done, bepanthen (kind of nappy rash cream found in Boots in the baby section £6.99 for a big tube) is the best healing cream. Don't whatever you do use vasaline (stops air getting to what is effectively a graze). Also preparation h and savalon are not as good for some people but still are acceptable.
I could go on and on about things like this, as a few of you know but thats my 20p.

[Kell_ee001]

Originally Posted by Blackstar

Also preparation h ... not advisable.

Really? How come?

[Blackstar]

No idea about the technicalities just been told that it isn't as good for healing. It isn't hypoallergenic like the nappy rash cream and although it does sooth and cool the burning the ointment contains pariffin which blocks air getting to the surface of the skin. Not sure on the gel stuff though.

[Kell_ee001]

Have to admit I haven't heard of the cream not being advisable, although just doing a bit of a search online brings up lots of points both for and against so I guess it's really down to personal opinion.

[Blackstar]

Originally Posted by Kell_ee001

Have to admit I haven't heard of the cream not being advisable, although just doing a bit of a search online brings up lots of points both for and against so I guess it's really down to personal opinion.

The only thing i would say NOOOOOOOOOOO to is putting vasaline on a tattoo. Some people like to use expensive things like tatoogoo, i stick to what works well for me (and i'm not allergic to).

[Tak]

Originally Posted by Feek

I'm thinking about the upper arm, undecided as to left or right yet. Although I don't know a huge amount about tattoos, I think that the colours in that would work well, the greenish background and solid black centre.

What do our resident tattoo people think, would tattoo ink work for that? Are the colours reasonable?

I'm not as keen on the solid version but I do like this one. In order to do the "shading" effects that are in the background the tattooist would probably use what mine refers to as "big fluffy needles" and these needles can hurt like a bitch!

I just stuck "tattoo shading" into google and this is one of the first results which is pretty good at showing what can be done.

Skin Deep is one of the best UK tattoo magazines there is - I stopped getting it as a regular subscription a few years ago because it had gone well into adverts but its worth getting a few issues as you'll be able to see what kind of things can be done with tattoo ink.

I'd suggest getting the solid black bit done first and then wait before getting the background. For one thing after looking after Mics dragons, black leaks a lot so you will quite possibly have to go for at least 1 touch up session after its healed.

As Paula said - ask to see photographs of the tattooists work. I had one idiot keep giving me a book of flash when I asked to see his work If you can get recommendations from customers it can help as well.

I agree with Paula in that you should never put vasaline on a tat - if you thing of it as an open wound, if you put vasaline over it, it causes a barrier which prevents the skin from healing properly so it heals where it can, when it can, so you'd end up with patchiness, soreness and probably a poor looking tattoo.

Each tattoo artist (and tattooee) will tell you "their" way of looking after it - mine was vasaline intensive care cream, cling film over it (held on by sellotape) for 3 days, changing the cling film, giving it a gentle wipe over and putting more cream on 3-4 times a day.
I know my friend Paul who only ever kept the cling film on for the first 24-36 hours depending on how big the tat was. I know of some people who put *shudder* tissue over new tattoos.

I'd suggest putting that pic in as many places as possible for a few months at least - desk top picture, mobile phone, stuck to the fridge, next to the mirror in the bathroom, etc etc, to help you decide if it really is what you want.

A good tattooist should be able to change pictures, colours, add bits, alter bits, suggest where it would "fit" better on your arm, etc, so it really is worth chatting to them - if they're not willing to chat then imo they're not a good tattooist no matter how great their work is.

[karbon]

Originally Posted by Blackstar

Also preparation h and savalon are not advisable.
I could go on and on about things like this, as a few of you know but thats my 20p.

lies and nonsense and slander.

prep H is fine though i think it's lanolin based? so if you're alergic to that it won't really be so good
and savlon won't help you heal but it will keep you infection free and moisturised and is alot softer than bepanthen.

Originally Posted by Takhisis

I'd suggest getting the solid black bit done first and then wait before getting the background. For one thing after looking after Mics dragons, black leaks a lot so you will quite possibly have to go for at least 1 touch up session after its healed.

it shouldn't bleed outside the lines that are drawn if it does it's been done far too deep and is sitting in the lower layers of skin that it shouldn't be touching. the filled bits may get a bit patchy due to scabbing cleaning etc, but any good artist SHOULD touch you up

I agree with Paula in that you should never put vasaline on a tat - if you thing of it as an open wound, if you put vasaline over it, it causes a barrier which prevents the skin from healing properly so it heals where it can, when it can, so you'd end up with patchiness, soreness and probably a poor looking tattoo.

i'll echo this again. vaseline stops your skin breathing. it needs to breathe to heal.


the stonework should be quite hard to do properly, i'd make an effort to find an artist who's done it in the past and can show you pictures. 90% of people will shade it so it ends up looking like marble, and i don't think that's what you're wanting is it?


[/tattoo nazi]

[Feek]

Interesting Karbon and everyone, yes it is more stonework than marble..