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Archive through February 18, 2006

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Dec. ~ 2006 Feb.: Free Expression: Tattoos Anyone? (ARCHIVES): Archive through February 18, 2006 users admin

Author Message
Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Sunday, January 08, 2006 - 5:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
RG, the Miami Ink show is amazing. The new season starts on the 12th. It shows you so much of what is behind the tattoos people get.

It seems that so many are related to losses. People mourn for a length of time, then are drawn to ink as a wonderful way of keeping what they have lost with them forever. It's almost as if the ink helps them move on in a positive way in their life.

Many are memorials. Many signify life changes.

These shows help people see tattoos have some very powerful and extreme values.

Hopefully it will not encourage more people to run out and get just any tattoo because down the road, they may end up back in a shop to get some crappy tribal covered or worse, in some office paying a fortune for some lasar removal.

Tattoos are forever, so whatever you decide to get, you better still want it decades later.
Without meaning backing the ink, it has no lasting value.

Regarding your search for an artist, try to know exactly what type or tattoo you want. Each artist will have a specialty, so if you want a portrait, then you need to find one whose specialty is portraits.

If you're not in any rush, you might want to see if there are any tattoo conventions near you. You can get a closeup view of work done by artists both near to and far from you. That way you have the artists all in one spot, you can look at their past works, and maybe get your tattoos at that time!

Jbean, there is no reason why you can't start you own swarm of butterflies - add another one to what you have now!

Resortgirl
Member

09-23-2000

Sunday, January 08, 2006 - 6:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Resortgirl a private message Print Post    
I guess that I'll probably visit a few different places over the next couple of months and then decide. I still think I want the butterfly for what it signifies to me. I really loved the show and will be sure to watch the new season!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Sunday, January 08, 2006 - 6:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Hermie could do an awesome sketch, I'm thinking..

Tmagicsaq
Member

03-26-2004

Monday, January 09, 2006 - 6:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tmagicsaq a private message Print Post    
I have three, one dolphin on my ankle right over the boney part (Kind of curved over the ankle bone) A flower arm band. I did not go all the way around, I wanted to but the tat is to high and I could not sit still (to close to arm pit, very ticklish) and one on my lower back right in the middle. it is a clover with a Canadian flag in the middle. I have to say the the dolphin hurt the most, but only the tip of the tall as it sits right on the tendon. It is mostly outline there so it only hurt for a few seconds. I feel alsleep with the one on my back. I want to get one more on the top of my back, below my neck but I want one that is a little bigger there, not just between my shoulder blades. I also want to do some artwork to add on to the clover but am unsure what to do as yet. I want lots of bright colours.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Monday, January 09, 2006 - 4:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Tmagicsaq, I guarantee you that the tickle would vanish quickly with pain if you were to continue your armband right around.

I have to say that the inner part of my left arm was the most painful, after my ribs.

Good luck finding more to add around the clover and something nice for the base of your neck.

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 10:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
My new tattoo itches!!!! I'm trying to keep it moist with Lubriderm but it still itches. Any suggestion on how to deal with this?? Thank you!

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 10:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Gold bond triple medicated lotion in mentholatum. It comes in a big green bottle and it is the best for itching and moisturizing.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 2:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Try ice.
Try putting your Lubriderm in the frig to get cold.
Try slapping it.
Call the tattoo shop for suggestions on what to try and what to avoid.

First you should try putting a warm cloth on it to loosen up the tightness (hold it on the tattoo until you think the stiffness has been softened, dry it, then put on your Lubriderm.

I would not put any creams on your ink without looking at the ingredients because normal itchy skin is different from the ink skin.

You may well find some kind of cream or lotion that will stop the itch but look out later at what it does to the finished tattoo. Remember that some ingredients actually draw or pull the ink up to the surface of your skin.

Above all, don't scratch or pick at it.

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 2:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
Shadoe, also at day 5 my tattoo is uncovered. I was told to cover for 4 hours and then keep uncovered. But my girlfriend covered her's for the first week. Do you have a preference with this??

Someone also told me that it is recommended that you tip your tattoo artist. My artist owned the shop & I didn't tip. Was that incorrect??

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 4:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Nooo, never cover with any kind of bandage after you remove that original one. You need the air to get at the skin to assist with the healing. So long as you keep the area clean, and moist, and well ventilated, you are fine. Your clothing is sufficient coverage, just don't wear tight ones.

well, you can look at your artist in the same way as you do your hairstylist or barber or paperboy; they all deliver a service to you. I usually add on some extra when I pay for mine. I also got a small gift for my artist, as well as for my hairstylist. They both do amazing work for me, and I show my appreciation.

If you like, there is no harm in taking a small gift to your artist later on.

I once paid for a 4hour sitting but lasted only 2hours. When I went back for the next sitting, he tried to say I had already paid from the last time. I reprimanded him severely, telling him that was a poor way to do business. Because he had me booked for 4hours the last time, I expected to pay for those hours. By my taking up 2 more hours of his time on another day did not allow him to have another client so I expected to pay him again.

He refused so I forced him to take some money to take his girlfriend out or buy her some nice gift.

I tip for good service. If I am happy with what I receive, I need to show my appreciation. As for what percentage, I don't have a clue!

Eeyoreslament
Member

07-20-2003

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 4:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eeyoreslament a private message Print Post    
I like the idea of a gift after the fact. Wait til the tattoo is healed, see how you feel about it, and then go back with a gift, or maybe gift certificate or something. It's more sincere that way. JMHO.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 5:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
That's very true. On the day of your tattoo, it's all swollen and sore and the ink's colors have not settled in. The colors usually become more vibrant later as well.

I think most artists love to see their work later and that would be a perfect time to take a small thankyou gift.

I did not get anything lavish at all. I just got him one of those small zen type kit things with a tray and some sand and a rake and some ornament and rocks. He has a HUGE weeping buddha in his home which he told me about when he was doing my buddha/koi tattoo, so my gift matched him.

If you don't know the artist well, a gift certificate would be nice - maybe some local popular restaurant or something.

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 6:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
I love the idea of a thank you gift!

My tattoo artist had psalms written on paper all over the room we were in. So I think I might get her a nice book of psalms. And I know that she's a Christian, so I think I'll get her a gift certificate to our local Christian book store.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 3:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Vacanick, that's how I always get gifts - I think of the person and there is never a problem of what to get.

Maybe if you went to a Christian shop, you may see something even better than a book. Since she has such items hanging in the shop, you may find a very nice hanging to get for her.

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 4:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
Shadoe, where are you???

It's been 2 weeks since my tattoo. This is an updated picture. My concern is the "splotches" on the red. I was told that this red was a "difficult" color, even though I'm not sure what that means. Should I be concerned now or let it age a little longer???

f

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 4:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
Wow, that picture is really big! Let's see if I can adjust it.

d

Much better!!!

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 5:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
hey there,
don't worry about the blotches. Quite often you may need to go back to the artist to get touchups.
Depending on the color or how the art was applied or how your skin accepts the ink and the ink settles in, it's common.

I have one tattoo on my forearm where the red was crap; the skin seems to have just pushed it up and out of the skin. There are some spots that look like there never was any ink there at all! I have some other tattoos where the white used literally refused to take - at the time of the tattooing, the spot where the white was put, literally started to bleed and fight to keep the white out. The rest of that tattoo is just fine.

Most times, the tattooist will say that you can give it a month or so before it is known what needs touching up.

Just give the shop a call and say that it looks like your red/pink is blotchy already. See what they say about the time to come back. It may be you should wait a bit more to give the ink time to settle - it may become more blotchy over the next week or two and you would have to go back yet again.

It will be fine after some patching; good luck.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 5:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Vacanick, I just thought of another thing.

Is the surface already completely smooth? I don't ever bother to think about touchups until the skin feels the same as your untattooed skin.

Everyone heals at a different pace; mine usually take at least a month or longer. If you look at sites online, they say it takes up to 3 months for the ink to completely settle in the layers of your skin.

There is still no harm in showing the person who did the tattoo. I usually stop into the shop to show them how the healing is going.

I got the outline of my Kali tattoo done last week on most of my back and it is still nowwhere near healed. I go back on Feb18th to start on the colors.
Kali on back

Vacanick
Member

07-12-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 6:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vacanick a private message Print Post    
Thank you Shadoe for all your information. The skin is not smooth yet, I didn't even take that into consideration. Very good point! I'll give it more time.

Wow your Kali is just amazing! How long did that take to outline??

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 6:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Wow that's alot of detail Shadoe, looks great.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 6:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Vacanick, like I said, there is no harm in showing the artist how it's coming along. It sort of gives a heads up.
The outline took about 3 hrs. That's the easy part; the filling in will take a few sittings for sure.

Mocha, thx. I'll post a picture after the next sitting.

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 6:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
Shadoe: WOW! That's AWESOME! I cannot wait to see the color!

Mameblanche
Member

04-13-2005

Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 11:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Awesome, Shadoe, amazing pic and details. ITA w/Mocha. :-)

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 3:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
The shading is done; back for the colors in a month.
Back 2nd sitting

Eris
Member

11-13-2003

Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 4:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Eris a private message Print Post    
wow shadoe! That is turning out so great! I can't wait to see the color!