How long did you research your first Tattoo?

Just a curious question...how long did it take you all to get your first tattoo? I'm so impatient, I can hardly stand that I have to wait another 3 months to get mine done after 4 months of research! ARG!

Took me 25 years. But the results are freaking awesome. Sure glad I didn't get a Guns N Roses logo.... The whole tattoo thing is sometimes a lesson in patience...

Yeah, I'm 24, so hopefully I love my work as much as you love yours! When you finally figured out what you wanted did you wait long?

not long enough. that's not completely true. i researched the idea, what i needed to look for in a shop (cleanliness etc), and even what area of the body i wanted to get my first tattoo on. what i did completely wrong was take my brother's word on an artist -- w/o even looking at the man's portfolio i asked him to do my tattoo. i automatically trusted him because he did my big brother's tattoos and because his shop was very well known in the area. this artist, like everyone else i knew, tried to talk me out of the area i had chosen -- which was from my side (between ribs & hip) to just below my navel. he kept asking me why there, that it was a bad spot for a first tattoo. i chose that spot because i knew from my research that it was going to be painful - i figured if i could handle that spot, i could handle any other spot that i wanted to do (ha). he then asked me why i was getting the piece i chose, stating that it's 'overdone' and a 'fad'. he's right, it was (nautical star w/flames). but i had a good reason -- one of my best friends had died over a year prior and had a two full sleeves of nautical stars -- and he died in a car fire (hence the flames). this was the first person that actually could explain reasoning behind tattoos to me, prior to meeting him i was a fuddy duddy about such things, i wanted to memorialize my friend, and he was very passionate about his tattoos. everything was going fine with the tattoo, i even had my brother with me. we were at the coloring stage, all that needed to be done after this last section was the flames. that's when it happened.. "oops" it's not very reassuring when you're getting your first tattoo to hear the artist say "oops" especially when it makes your normally cool brother blush. the artist had somehow colored out of the lines, drastically... i got up, looked at it.. and decided he could change the colors to fix it, but that the flames would not be colored by him. moral of the story if you've read this far? never take your friends' or family's word for an artist -- always see them in action first and check out their portfolio. i've never been happy with this tattoo, and i probably never will be -- but i've no one to blame but myself for not doing my research. ps: i never did get the flames colored, or get the other messy areas fixed.

Bee, That sucks...if you don't mind me asking how come you haven't gotten it fixed? That's one thing that I've definitely learned from the conversations on this site, research your artist. Thanks alot for being a part of the group that teaches me something, and I hope I don't hear "oops" when I'm getting my tattoo.

Dana, at first i didn't get it fixed because i was embarrassed -- i didn't want to admit to another artist that yeah, i was an over-eager idiot. then i had other priorities (like working 90hours/week) and trying to survive. Tattoos were not in the budget. then Bob Montagna and i sat and discussed it for a bit after he worked on my arm -- and we decided that next summer i would return to NJ and we would come up with some ideas and at least work on the flames and add to what was already there. Bob has however passed away recently, so I'm now researching new artists in AZ, plus now I'm preggo so in a way it's good that i had no further work done there. I'm actually thinking of going back to NJ anyway -- Bob's apprentice (who finished his apprenticeship awhile ago) is VERY talented and I've watched him grow as an artist and it's evident in his portfolio. We'll see. I actually had that tattoo done over 5 years ago, I'm a slacker and probably should've fixed that up before I started anything new.

Bee, Well congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm sure that when you do get it fixed it will look wonderful. Usually smart people don't make the same mistakes twice, and it definitely sounds like you know what's going on!

Bee...congrats on your new addition!...Let us know when ya deliver kid!!! I am so sorry for your bad experience...jeeesh! what kind of a hack colors out of the lines?...thats just CRAZY!! But if Bobs' apprentice will fix it for ya you will have no worries... I thank you for this very special post since it really makes a VERY important point about choosing an artist AND that just because an artist is in a licensed studio does NOT make them a "good" artist! Thanks again young lady!...TAz

It took me three years to decide on the design and location for my tattoo. It's in memory of my best friend Katie that died when I was 16. She and I both loved the music of Pink Floyd and after she died I found myself listening to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" on repeat. The design is a diamond with the words "Shine On" on a purple and yellow banner over it. I got it a week ago so I'm still completely infatuated with it! I think it took me three years because it was such a meaningful piece. I found a studio I liked and looked through the portfolios that were in the lobby. I decided on an artist and made an appointment for the three year aniversary of her death. It was a great experience! Good luck with yours!!!

Inafishbowl, Thanks alot! It's nice to know that people spend time thinking about meaningful tattoos...in my mind that's half the beauty of them, the meaning! I'm sorry to hear about your friend, but it sounds like you found a way to keep her memory always with you. Congrats! Dana

Main thing is this guys, the best ideas come not from something you saw, but talking to a custom artist about something you believe in about yourself, or something that is important to you. Mainly, the big thing is, you may not come up with a decent design until you actually DO commit to yourself that you are ready, and throw down a deposit with a custom guy, because that's when they can get to work on something way better than you ever dreamed! I wanted a tribute to my daughters. You can see it and read about it on my myspace page myspace.com/fatherofroses. Hope that gives you some ideas!

And a BAD ASS tattoo it is!!

My tattoo was custom from Wingnut Tattoo and Piercing in Anoka, courtesy of Dan (Mercy Tattoos). You can see a picture on my myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jessieislittle

I already have a design in mind and a custom artist I've been chatting with, I just can't get it done until September because I want to make sure I can take good care of it after its done, and this summer just isn't a good time for it. I've always just been curious in people's different stories about their tattoos, including how long it took them to decide what to get, and how long it took them to actually get it. I guess the post is less of a question and more of me just bein plain nosy! Dana

Thanks Dana & Taz.. I'm due to pop Samira (it's a girl) out on 8/24 (whew, it's almost over.. my body'll be mine again!) I'm going to wait a bit before I call Bryce (former apprentice) because of everything that's going on with the shop, plus I don't know if they'll be able to stay at that location considering the circumstances. Cactus Al-- That's absolutely beautiful, who did the work? if you go here: http://www.myspace.com/miss_bee you can see the star, kinda. (it's a poor pic). unfortunately i've the privacy setting (ahem, i'm not 14. i swear) on bc i'm a paranoid lil shit so that's about all you'll be able to see unless you add me.

Okay, here it goes... My first tattoo experience was at Taz's shop. My girlfriend and I figured that it would be a fun thing to do and something that we could share together. I ended up getting a cross with two kanjis and the right and left sides and here name above it. She found a little tribal butterfly design that she liked and had my name above it. We'll, as those in the tattoo buisness say, "Tattoos last longer than romance." We were together for three years after that before we broke up, and during that time we went through A LOT of stuff. But what I am getting at is that my first tattoo is now being integrated into a custom sleeve that I am having Taz do. My whole left arm is kind of a tail of those three years of my life and what I went through and what I learned about myself. It's kinda neat how that all turned out! I can't wait to see what it is all going to look like when we are done! So there's my story. Take what you will from it....J

I guess i didnt really have much meaning behind my first one. I just had this thought that it would be super duper cool to have a cross on my back with my initals in it... or whatever. I drew the idea and sat on it for like a year until i bugged my folks enough for them to finally let me have it. I was first tattooed at 17 and didnt get another one until 2 or 3 years later when i started my apprenticeship. The rest is history and i'm pretty much covered now!

I had toyed with the idea of a tattoo since I was 18 or so. I'm 25 now and I'm SO glad I waited. I'm sure I would have had a playboy bunny on my ass cheek or something equally as ridiculous. It took me about 3 months to find someone I really liked. I looked at 6 different shops. I spent almost everynight for 3 months looking at different tattoos. I finally decided on a Koi fish with leaves. I haven't seen another like it and hope I don't. I finally ran across a tattoo of a local artist. He had the style I was looking for, so I went and saw him. I felt really comfortable in his shop, he was patient with my questions (all 10,000 of them), I saw a custom back piece he was doing in person, his portfolio was great, etc... We talked and hashed out ideas, placement, etc. The next week I went and got the outline done. I have a little color now, but haven't had the time to go back.

INAFISHBOWL... Nice clean little tattoo!!...I like it kiddo! See...a tattoo does NOT have to be huge to look really nice. Thanks for posting dear ...I hope we hear from you again...TAz

Thanks so much! It was my first and I wanted something small but meaningful.