First Tattoo After a Decade

I’ve mulled over getting a tattoo for years. This might surprise some but I don’t feel bad for taking my time. Everything about the process and final result came out better than I expected when the idea came to me.

My ex boyfriend was obsessed with tattoos and got one between his shoulder blades as soon as possible. We went to a shop right off the highway in Arlington and I saw the process up close. The shop was a bit rough and tumble in terms of style and decor which instantly made me feel intimidated. I never could have walked in there alone. I learned black and gray is the equivalent to black and white in tattooing. Staring as the design taking shape I wondered if I would ever undergo this process myself. Some part of me assumed it was inevitable.

We jokingly talked about getting matching roses, so cliche, but I was mostly joking and he seemed serious. Thankfully those tattoos never happened but my general appreciation for tattoos didn’t fade. I’ve always appreciated tattoos as an art form and expression. I appreciate now that I got to experience the process up close by watching someone else. I can’t remember exactly what sparked my dormant interest this year but the idea started percolating again. I wanted to memorialize one of my aunts who passed away years ago but couldn’t come up with a good design idea. I considered copying one of her ankle tattoos which were ocean creatures but it didn’t feel right for me.

As much as I now appreciate cheap and easy thrills, I needed my tattoo to be meaningful and intentional. Not everyone ponders ink this deeply which is fine. Decorate your body how you want! Get any design you desire! For me the process was methodical and slow. I’ve been considering this tattoo for over a decade which might seem a little weird to some. But the lengthy process worked out for me in the end. Timing is important.

Longevity in terms of liking a design for years to come was important to me. So I thought back to the first time I started considering a tattoo. Are there any designs I liked then that I still liked now? Only two came to mind. Flowers and the moon.

I started researching flowers and their meaning, created a Photoshop mockup of a clustered flower design and started looking for tattoo artists. This is one of the few projects where Instagram and Pinterest were helpful for drawing inspiration and finding an artists portfolio. I also referenced a YouTube video for placement ideas. The six flowers I decided on were shooting stars, iris, firewheel, indian paintbrush, corn flower and, ironically, a rose.

When you can’t draw what you envision… Photoshop!

I zeroed in on the tattoo style I liked, black and gray with thin lines, and found an artist close by who happened to specialize in this type of design. I met the artist, made my appointment and waited for the day to arrive. I took a half day off of work and dodged a meeting in the process so I already felt lucky. The tattoo only took an hour and barely hurt. I didn’t realize until going through it that the tattooing sensation is so strange it’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it. Since we got done early I went to see Parasite in the middle of the day and the hype is real. Definitely go see it if you have a chance.

My recovery has been pretty painless. For the majority of the first week my tattoo was covered in Saniderm which I think accelerated the healing process. After it was removed there was mild itching and some scabbing but nothing crazy. I’ve been using shea butter to moisturize my ink and it’s very soothing without being too thick.

I will add a tattoo picture when fully healed. For now enjoy the ink imprinted on the Saniderm I wore for five days.

The final design on the Saniderm