I never, ever wanted to be an old lady with a tattoo and yet, here I am sporting ink for the first time at the ripe old age of 44.
I’m so [cough] hipster.
Someone once said to me, the only reason to get a tattoo is for it to really mean something… and as soon as they said it I knew what I would get.
It has been well documented in the pages of this here blog that my mantra is No Regrets, No Excuses and so of course, the idea of that text as ink having been planted it would.not.let.me.go in the succeeding months.
Once I’d made peace with the idea over a period of a year (making sure I was not being rash about it) I then spent the last 6 months fiddling about with potential fonts (coz anyone who knows me well knows that I’m all about the words, not the pictures) … and finally decided on a modified version of Mon Amour Script with which to decorate my arm.
At first I had wanted to put these words on my right wrist, but after the initial consultation with the artist it transpired that the font I’d chosen required being substantially larger than I’d thought in order to be still looking good in a year’s time (instead of smudged and blotchy) …
So, I went home with my design, tweaked it further and reduced some of the complexity so that the script really did become a custom font and finally, on May the 1st my mate Bernie and I made our way across to Inner Vision Tattoo in Surry Hills and under the steady hand of Megan Oliver we got our ink, Bernie’s a smaller less complex design inside her wrist and mine, inside of my right forearm.
I honestly didn’t know how I’d feel afterwards… would I be sorry? Would I actually regret having a tattoo… and wouldn’t THAT be dumb, given that the very text precluded regretting anything!
I secretly felt as though I’d feel fantastic… a little bit badass, and a whole lot of stoked with myself. And that’s exactly how I felt, and how I still feel.
I love that this little part of something that burns deep on the inside of me is now actually visible on the outside.
I have decided, as well, to get some ink. . . . decided on what to have and where and some very complex symbolism behind it. But a few slight problems keep me from just doing it. 1, i have exema quite badly and worry that i might have a reaction i can’t do anything about, 2. i was wanting mine done in white ink, for some of those complex, symbolic reasons, and apparently you have to be really careful to get someone who really really knows how to do white ink tats, and I’ve not really found anyone near me, and 3. and possibly the biggest of them all… I’M A WIMP! I can walk accross a bed of hot coals, no problem, but the whole pain factor thing is becoming a bit of a barrier.
Here’s the thing about the pain… it isn’t as bad as you expect… admittedly on a fleshy part like the forearm then it feels just like being scratched… if you were tattooing a bonier area then you’d expect it to hurt more. But I was anticipating having to be held down, and that was absolutely not necessary!
On the reaction to it, it might pay to get a tiny spot done to test… it took 3 weeks before mine was completely healed and no longer itchy… but now it just feels like the rest of my arm…
Good luck finding someone who can do the white for you!
white fades over time so yeh make sure you get a extremely reputable clinician to do that. Re: your skin. A good tattooist will only tattoo on healthy skin. :} I spent six years checking clinicians out before i was completely satisfied with the one I chose. And so glad i did. She was perfect for me.
I thought I was a lot older than you! I didn’t think we were so close in age. You are ageing well! Those are great words to carry around with you xx
Thanks Charlotte!
Wow! That’s amazing. I am in awe. Way too scared myself… :)
It really isn’t as bad as you’d expect… and given how many people do it repeatedly I look at it like childbirth… it hurts, but you get over it… AND you go back for round two… (not that I’m planning a 2nd OR childbirth any time soon!!)
That’s awesome!
Good on you :-)
Thanks Fi!
Dee, it’s fabulous! You know I have tattoos anyway and my last one I got on the inside of my right wrist but now I’m thinking I might need to get one like yours now. ;-)
Woo hoo Stella! If you do, let me know!