Getting a tattoo is a daunting idea, especially when you're going under the needle for the first time. Many people require some moral support, but there are some, like me, that prefer experiencing it alone.
I have seven tattoos. Most are tiny (smaller than a quarter) and basic black. It's never taken the artist more than 40 minutes to complete one, either.
I don't like having people with me when I get them done. I prefer to experience the pain, adrenaline rush, and being able to watch the artist work on my own.
I had my mom come with me for my first and a close friend accompanied me for my second, but the other five have been just me and the artist while I've been actually under the needle. I don't regret those decisions whatsoever. I'm really close with my mom, and she was a fabulous photographer and great moral support (having already been through being the moral support for my dad for the first time earlier that year). An old friend from high school went with me for the second one (my Harry Potter tattoo), making the time I had to wait in line much more fun!
Some have questioned me in why I feel confident to just walk into a studio and sit down with someone who might be a complete stranger.
To me, a tattoo is one of the most personal forms of self-expression. It's there, supposedly, forever. I like the experience to be a personal one, as well. I want whoever is with me to be someone I wouldn't mind thinking about when I look at my artwork, I want it all to be an extremely happy memory, and so far, every single one has been.
Getting the one-on-one time with the artist is the most important part of the tattoo process to me. I don't have anyone talking me out of something I want or talking me out of something I don't want except the expert. I find myself easily swayed by others' opinions.
It's a great time to get to know someone new, too. When I got my tattoo in Ireland, I was able to talk to a local for a good 40 minutes about his life there. He was not a native, but told me about how he came to live in Dublin. It was fascinating hearing about the process and how welcoming the community had been to him. If you find yourself in Dublin, I highly recommend The Ink Factory!
My latest tattoo, acquired a week ago as an early birthday present to myself, was done at Authentic Art Tattoo in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I really enjoyed watching the crew interact with each other. My artist and I didn't talk much, unlike my previous experience under the needle, but it was very mesmerizing to just watch her work on my foot. It was my first tattoo with any colored ink, and I absolutely love my purple kitty! I also highly recommend this studio, too, and I believe I will be a returning client (Don't mind the icky look of the really fresh tattoo in the following photo).
No, I don't have someone with me to take copious amounts of pictures, even though I do like having those pictures like I do with my first two. And, it's hard to take a picture of someone tattooing you, no matter the body part. You don't want to move on accident. I take a picture right after and one once it's healed to show it off on social media, like the basic white girl I am (no shame, I will own it to my dying day).
And, no, I don't have anyone to hold my hand if it gets painful. That's part of the fun for me, to be honest. I guess it's masochistic, but I don't think I'd enjoy the artwork as much if the pain didn't cause an adrenaline rush. Comparing the rush I felt with my first two tattoos to the others that I had done alone, there's more of a rush when I don't have that comforting hand to hold or person to make me feel comforted.
