Forums » Smalltalk » Tattoo

So, I want to get a tattoo when I'm 16. Nothing big, but something small and meaningful to me. I haven't decided on the tattoo yet but I'm looking through some I really like, I also need a place to put it where it won't be too noticeable. I was thinking about putting it right above my hip bone but I was wondering if it was really painful. Anyone want to help me?

The pain varies from person to person. I got my tattoo on my lower leg on the right side, and the parts where my friend tattooed across the shin hurt the most because there was less fleshy area and more bone. But other people have the opposite, where it hurts more on the fleshier areas. There's no real telling until it happens! Make sure to sleep well the night before, eat enough and drink enough water before you get your tattoo. Getting inked puts some stress on your body and if you're not rested or didn't eat or drink, you have a higher chance of fainting and feeling unwell during.

Although it's up to you what you want, you're not even 15 yet and I know from my own experience that things I loved and adored in my teens are things I'm very embarrassed about now that I'm in my mid-twenties. Things that I thought back then I would never ever grow tired of, I grew tired of. When I look back to it, I cringe a little. So I do strongly recommend letting it simmer for a long time to make sure it's something you will not regret when you grow older.

I spent 2 years thinking of what kind of tattoo I wanted, and the occasion was the death of my best friend. I got a tattoo that represents him and the things I remember most strongly of him, which is his creativity and passion. I drew the tattoo myself, leaving room to improve and add on to the tattoo in the future. His brother (a tattoo artist) tattooed it on me. I didn't want a generic tattoo from a folder (and I never will) because a tattoo, to me, should be unique for me. If you pick something from a portfolio or folder, keep in mind that your tattoo is not unique and others have it too. This is important to some people, but not others.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope whatever you're getting is something that is going to be important to you even 10 years from now. I'm super duper into knitting right now, and I've played with the idea of getting a tattoo that represents my liking of it. But I've vowed to myself that I will wait a minimum of 5 years before I do it. If in 5 years time I'm still very much into knitting, and I'm still as passionate about it as I am now, then it's become a large part of my life and a well developed skill that I'm proud to represent on my body until the day I die. I won't settle for anything less, and that's what I always try to recommend to others as well.

In the end it's your choice. You're going to have to live with it until you die. Your skin will sag in some places and it will make the tattoo stretch and look ugly depending on where it is. Keep this in mind when you get it!

Also make sure you pick a proper tattoo artist. Check out their portfolio, sit down with them, ask questions, get them to sketch up samples. Don't skimp out on price either. The cheaper the tattoo, the more likely it is to be very ugly and poorly done. (Not always, but most skilled tattoo artists are not going to ink you for 20 bucks unless they're friends/family and give you a huge discount. They need to make a living after all!)

This site is NSFW for language and possible nudity, so click at your own risk. It has some good examples of what tattoos are very regrettable, either because the artist was unskilled, the design was poor, or people got their for very silly reasons. It's worth looking into to get an idea of what you should avoid at all costs to prevent as much regret as possible!

Also, be aware...especially for ink done anywhere on your stomach/hips..If you're wanting to have a baby someday, there's a very good chance the ink'll distort. Most tattoos will, to some degree, change and fade and distort over time, but I have friends from HS that had really cute tattoos on their hips and stomachs, then when they started a family, the ink didn't look the same, so just something to keep in mind.

Like Sanne said, think long and hard about it, take several months (just my advice!) if not more! I'm getting tattoos this year that I've been considering for the last year, if not longer.

never getting a tattoo but thought id say my uncle got a Panther on back shoulder. But id put it on my ankle as its easier to hide, or as my uncle did on the shoulder as you clothing would hide it

So I saw this and couldn't help but throw my two cents in. Mostly because at the tender age of 15 I went head first into my first tattoo. Now at almost 25 years old I smack myself for my decision. Was it because I was too young? No. It's because I was impatient and inexperienced in the understanding of the body modification world. So you are already taking a better first step! You're asking others.

So I shall throw out there some of my bad choices in hopes that others may learn too! Naturally no self respected artist is going to just go ink up a 15 year old. So as you may guess I did not in fact go to a shop. My mother was friends with an artist who said he'd do my tattoo for me outside of the shop. Mistake one. I chose a large tribal design for the upper middle of my back.

At the end of my session (we crammed two long sessions into one sitting) I nearly passed out from low blood sugar. I would follow Sanne's bolded advice completely. She is very…very wise. So anyway. Nearly ten years later my most unhappy thought is…my tattoo that should of been a beautifully flowing even piece of art is a chunky, blotchy, off black large scar. My 'artist' dug too deeply and blew out almost every line. Not to mention it wasn't in anyway even. Just to show you how horrible of a choice I made I'll even let you see my disaster..----> For $150 this could be yours too?


So anyway! Here are some wise things to think about when getting a tattoo. You're young. You're still growing. Depending on where you put your tattoo it can become morphed. Not just about gaining weight but general body growth. Another thing I hadn't taken into account. Make sure you know the place you are going to is clean. You can watch the set up. You can watch the artist open the packets for the needles. If they won't let you I'd be curious as to why. Remember you're paying for them to do the work so if you have questions ask them. It is very important for you to trust the artist. As already stated pain in relative. My best friend has the exact same 6 stars on her that I have and spots that I felt were extremely uncomfortable weren't for her.

Meaning. Meaning of your tattoo. If you point at one of my tattoos and ask me why I can tell you exactly why I chose to get that specific piece of ink. Because of this I know many years from now I won't regret my choices..even some of my stranger ones.

Anyway I know I've rambled a bit. If you are even interested in asking more questions you are more then welcome to PM me!

Thanks for all your advice and encouragement, I wouldn't be here without people like you guys. I've decided on the tattoo I want because it applies to me, and I think it will apply to me the rest of my life. I also decided to put it on my right shoulder blade instead of above my hip. If you want to see the tattoo I want, it's on my profile.

(PS I just wanted to thank y'all some more. )

This may help!

HOWEVER, it is different for everyone. I have two tattoos, one on the back of my left shoulder and one covering my inner right forearm. The arm tattoo hurt a good deal worse than the back tattoo, though it wasn't especially painful until he reached the inside of my elbow {it wasn't enough to make me pass out as the chart suggests, but I've always had a relatively high pain tolerance}.

I wholeheartedly agree with Sanne, however, that it may benefit you to wait on it awhile! What I've done for the past six years is jot down my ideas for tattoos in a little notebook. I wait three years, and if I'm still 100% keen on the idea at that time, I go for it! There have been dozens of... ah... "not so savory" ideas I've had that I was uncertain about after three years, and eventually discarded altogether. There are some that I wasn't excited about after only 6 months. So definitely, whatever you do, if you don't care to wait on it ensure it's something you'll always cherish, like a memory or a person.

I used to adore Celtic designs, but now that I'm a little older I'm pleased I didn't go through with any of them x: I still think they're beautiful, but it simply lacks significance for me. Both of my tattoos have extraordinary importance to me. Now I know what you're thinking, "Is Ozzy seriously that important?" Well, not the guy himself. But after I read his autobiography and learned the story of his struggle, it inspired me, because my mother is currently {or last I checked, about four years ago} in a very bad state. She struggles with addiction, but Ozzy's story gave me hope that one day she may turn things around for the sake of her family, like he did.
Also his music rocks.
m/
{I'd go into the story of the plague canary, but I think the post's lengthy enough ahuehue}

PS: If you want to hide it easily, the shoulder/shoulder blade may not be the best idea, my plague wings peek out like this all the time!