Thursday, June 20, 2013

my first tattoo



On what would have been Hypatia's 6th adoption anniversary, May 19th, me and my brother went to a tattoo parlor to inquire about getting tattoos. We really didn't expect to get them on the spot, but when the guy offered I immediately accepted, since I thought it would be so perfect to have her tattoo done on the same day I had first brought her home. I had my own drawing with me (it's at the end of this post) It's a rough drawing that I did in pencil and then darkened in photoshop. I wanted something a little sketchy & loose, not as perfect as a traditional tattoo.



Overall I'm very happy with it. It looks like Hypatia, so I'm content and I love looking at it and remembering what a sweet pretty cat she was. I really didn't like our tattoo artist, and I think his skill as an artist & technician left a lot to be desired (see my previous post about him misspelling my brother's tattoo... yikes!) but I think that the parts of my tattoo I'm unhappy with (like leaving out her ear tufts) can easily be fixed by another (better) tattoo artist later.

I definitely learned my lesson about researching beforehand though. My brother's best friend was tattooed at this place & his piece is amazing... we figured we'd be safe going to that shop, forgetting to ask for the same specific artist. We definitely had somebody else lol :) But you live and learn! And I think both of our tattoos will be perfect once we've found a reputable talented person to touch them up for us.

Also, just in case anyone is un-tattooed and wondering about the pain... It was a lot less terrible than I imagined it would be. I was prepared to be crying and screaming (especially since I heard the wrist is one of the worst areas to get a tattoo) but it wasn't that bad. When the needle was towards the middle of my wrist it hurt a lot more, but for the most part it was just uncomfortable, not unbearable. And I am a HUGE baby when it comes to pain! It probably helps to have someone there to take your mind off of it, too. Kyle kept quizzing me about Office trivia and it definitely helped a lot!

Also, I think that whole "once you get one you want to get more" thing is definitely true. I would never want to cover myself in tattoos but I'm thinking a little tiny one dedicated to The Office is definitely in my future.