Tattoo Designing and Colours

Part 4 of 7 ~ tattoo education
as I partook in this experience in the Fall of 2000.

Dedicated to the whole truth - my experience ~ from the beginning of the idea to the end of the first week of recovery.

My Design - October 9, 2000
I picked up my design on the Friday. I took my first look at the dragon drawing Scott had designed for me and I immediately said "this is me". I loved it. He did a beautiful job! I wanted to be sure everything with the design was right so that is why I stared at it over the Thanksgiving weekend as long as I could between long hours of work and resting a swollen foot. With a couple of small minor alterations and figuring out colour combinations, I can not wait to have this protective-looking beast a part of my body. I'm happy with the dragon and excited about getting this tattoo work underway. Unfortunately, it will take a few weeks yet to find time in my schedule to meet with Scott before being inked.

Altering the Design and Discussing Colour - October 14, 2000
I met with Scott again this morning, this time to discuss a few minor changes to the dragon design and to figure out colour ideas. I was so excited I could hardly wait to get there. Scott was patient with me as I showed him my efforts at figuring out colours I liked with my design.

I had page after page of a dragon coloured all sorts of ways. This may have sounded and looked corny but I decided it was important enough for me to go through the process. I didn't want to end up with a red dragon and later regretting not looking at the possibility of a green one.

Before the appointment, I had also cut out the design of the dragon in different sizes and taped them to my back figuring out what size I liked the best and exactly where it was that I really wanted this beast to sit on me. I wanted a design that would, for size, compliment my back and fit proportionately rather than looking too large.

I felt it best to follow though with every different idea that came to mind - size, colour, etc. I knew that this process would also tell me whether or not I really wanted this dragon on my body forever.

Conclusion: yes, I feel extremely comfortable not only with the idea of the tattoo but also with my dragon design, the size I have chosen, the colours I have chosen and the areas of the design that I have decided to leave ‘free’ for the artist to choose colours at his own discression and to detail up at his own discression. I hope Scott will have fun with it.

I came home very pleased and happy. Scott will work with my dragon one last time before my tattoo appointment.

There is only one last thing left for me to do - gather a couple of cds to take to the tattoo appointment and get me a squeeze toy stuffed animal (my husband's hands may get rather sore if I squeeze them to death for two hours straight).

P.S. - my husband also left his own tattoo design with Scott. He may even be tattooed the same day I will be!