Thinking about Getting My First Tattoo

Follow me through the experience as my tattoo develops from an idea - into a design - inked on my body.

Part 1 of 7 parts ~ tattoo education
as I partook in this experience in the Fall of 2000.

FIRST-TIMER QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED in these 7 chapters ~ Dedicated to the whole truth - my experience ~ from the beginning of the idea to the end of the first week of recovery.

No one I asked beforehand ever told me about the swelling or the bruising or how the healing process works, etc. so I hope my webpage will bring some knowledge to the new people. I believe the more knowledge you have about a subject the better off you are. You may be more mentally prepared to be inked than I ever was because you will have someone's first experience to read about.

Thinking about Getting My First Tattoo

I had often thought about getting a tattoo over the past few years. Not a big, bold, ugly tattoo but something classy and elegant. I love body art and have no problem with the idea of exhibiting it. I bet it has something to do with growing older, a taste of youth, that mid-life crisis stage. I have attended Ink Shows and watched people from all walks of life show off their body art work. I have over the last few years played around with henna and the "fake" tattoos and the more I wore one the more I wanted to show them off. My first feelings on the subject were: I'd get one but keep it to myself. The more I played the more I thought: "I would not have a problem "showing off" a tattoo either. I loved the idea."

Tattoos are serious business. It is, after all, with you for life. The tattoo I get will have to hold some special meaning for me. Not a rose either as most females get. As much as I like to be classy I do have a touch of the wild side to me. Now how am I going to fit all this into one tattoo?!!

During the last couple of years my tattoo design ideas have grown. I seem to be hooked and I haven't even gotten ONE yet. I love the idea and images and the attitude of dragons. Dragons can be classy, elegant, bold, wild, strong, demented, cute, powerful, and sad and scared all rolled into one. A dragon's idea and attitude and representation can change with my personality senses of the day. I'd like to get a small bonsai tree (to represent my love of plants and trees and to celebrate my trip to Japan). I think an arm band would be great - especially those dainty, thin, classy ones. I'd like one on my shoulder and my ankle. I'd never have the guts - but I LOVE the Japanese idea of getting "one" body tattoo which tells a story. They are often seen covering the entire back. My husband is not opposed to the idea of getting a tattoo but would be careful as to where he placed it. He has agreed to share a tattoo with me - that we design together - representing our life together - if we ever get it finished! He doesn't have one yet either but he's hooked - he has already had a consultation with the tattooist re: a different design for his arm.

Over the past few months, I decided on a dragon. Not just any old dragon but one that is resting on thistle branches and flowers. It has a taste of that Scottish background that is so much a part of me. I had collected many dragon pics over time but found a dragon design I fell in love with on a broach, although the design will have alternated a bit. “He” will be for me only - not in a great place to show off.

I was asked to think of getting a tattoo from this point of view: IF I only ever get ONE tattoo - what would it be, what size would it be and where would I put it - from here I decided which design would be the first and most important. We don't want any: - "I should have gotten..." thoughts and decide afterwards that I can't go through the experience another time.