Hi! =] My character's getting a tattoo (plot reasons--it's a fantasy story) but I've never gotten one! I know that it would be slightly different because of the plot and genre, but I was wondering if anybody could tell me what happens when somebody gets one? As detailed as possible would be good, if you could help. ;) Thankss!!
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"God made everything out of nothing, but the nothingness shows through." --Paul Valery, poet and philosopher (1871-1945).
"I will regard the heavens, the air, the earth, the colors, shapes, sounds, and all external things as nothing but the deceptive g
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Apr 14, 2008 - 23 19
http://www.bmeink.com/bme-tatt.html
Take a look at some of the articles, there should be something helpful.
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Apr 16, 2008 - 01 31
Generally you'll discuss the tattoo with the artist beforehand - probably when you book it. You'll talk about the size, the colours, the placement, the style, let them know whether you have any weird allergies or anything like that. Oh and price!
On the actual day, you'll go in (don't wear a white or light coloured top, just in case ink gets on it!) and they should be all set up for you. This means the bench/where you're going to be resting is sterilised and covered, they have the ink colours you've discussed out and ready, the machine set up, gloves, all that.
They'll give you warning when they're about to start tattooing, 'cause it can be kind of a shock at first. The feeling is .. strange. The levels of pain differ, obviously, for each person. It also depends on where abouts on the body it's going. Collarbones, ribs, shins, ankles, hips, wrists - anywhere where the skin is very thin and the bone is close to the surface hurt alot more than on, say, the bicep. Also, doing the outline is a lot more painful because the needle is thinner, it feels more like it's cutting you. Shading a tattoo, on the other hand, is a lot less sharp pain.
That's all I can really think of at the moment, feel free to send me a message if you want to know anything more though!
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Mei 7, 2008 - 20 09
There are a number of TV shows out there about tattoo parlors - Miami Ink, etc. If you get those cable stations you may want to try watching one of those shows to get some more visual details..
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Mei 13, 2008 - 09 13
Grace lighting's responce is pretty dead on for pre-hand.
As they tattoo, They will every few seconds stop, dip the tip in the ink, start the machine (by pressing down with their foot on the foot switch which runs the current from the power supply to the coils on the machine) the machine will buzz and then they will re-inserte the needles (which only go in from 1/16 to 1/32 on an inch into the skin). The reason being that you don't want to make a line and run out of ink. You might want to go to a tattoo shop, explain this to the owner and ask if you could simply look at someone getting tattooed (get the ok from the client as well) Summertime is the best because there are a lot of walk-ins that get small tattoos. so within 30 minutes the tattoo is done and you have your info!
cheers,
Mozougly
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Mei 29, 2008 - 06 37
When i got my tattoo I found that the shading and coloring were the worst parts of it.
After you get a tattoo you have to be very cautious and commit to keeping it clean and moist until it is fully healed - about 2 weeks.
Also, if you get sunburn on your tattoo it can become infected, and gets very sore, almost like the wound has been re-opened. (know from experience)
Im not sure if any of that will help you in your story, but if you want to know anything else PM me.
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Mei 30, 2008 - 11 30
Since you may have a society that doesn't have electronic devices, people in primitive countries and possibly those folks in prisons where they don't have access to mechanical tattooing devices do it with sharpened pieces of metal or wood, or maybe bone and a dye ink made of whatever they have available. They poke the sharp deep into the skin and then poor and compress the ink into the wound, maybe more than once until the area takes on the dye color. This is done until the design in done. In most fantasy stories technology is fairly primitiveish, so it will likely be something like this. You could have your folks have some sort of herb or something that could act as a local anaesthetic to help with the pain but in most societies the persons ability to withstand the pain is usually a mark of their 'manhood', or, I suppose, 'womanhood'.