Getting my ball python tattoo this Friday!

[shelliebear]

WOOOOO! I'm stoked!
I went today and had the beginning of the tattoo drawn up (well they're working on it). The lady said no way could she have it done by today because she wants to draw it up really well and know it almost by heart. It made me feel good that she didn't just say, "Yeah I can do it--give me the cash now.", but instead said, "It's not about money, you're going to have this forever and I want to draw it up really well, with lots of detail."
She's going to be tattooing me, and she is the only female in the whole shop.
She also has a pastel boa, so she and I talk about snakes a lot and she understands why I want the tattoo.
I'm going to have something almost like a portrait of my snake, Nergal, done. The rule my parents have (my older bro is paying for it and talked them into letting me get one), is that it has to be easily covered up if I need to cover it up, and it can't be really big.
So I'm getting the first part of it--the head and part of the neck of a ball python. The head will be just below my shoulder next to my armpit, above my breast, and the neck will go by my shoulder to my arm, where the body of the snake will wrap several times around my arm.
I want the same thing done to my other arm. It'll be snake sleeves.
I'm stoked! Someday I'll get color on it, but for now I think I'm just getting the detail and outline and some shadowing done.
I saw my brother and his gf after they got tattoos today--I'm kind of nervous now because they were red and raw. Ouch! I didn't know they looked like that. But, I want this tattoo, because it has so much meaning to me...I love Nergal, and I love snakes, and I want to have a memory of them forever in case one day I can no longer afford them.
I'll post pictures when it's done--I go in Friday 2/25 at 7:30 pm.
Shellie

[Wh00h0069]

That sounds like a pretty neat idea. Tattoos do hurt, but not that bad. Your skin will start to go numb after a while. No pain, no gain, right? You will thank yourself when it's over. Make sure you post pics when its done.

[shelliebear]

I know the needle thing probably wouldn't hurt so bad, but ouch, afterwards when it's all irritated and the numbness has worn off...it looks painful, like it would ache.
I think I'll bring some ibuprofen with me and take that afterwards. lol.

[dragonboy4578]

Very interesting idea. If done right it will be real cool. As for it hurting it really isn't that bad, just relax and take deep breaths. Please post a few pic's after you have it done. I am jealous though, I haven't had a tattoo done in the last few months, and am going through ink withdraws.

[TheSnakeEye]

Good luck with the tattoo. The part where it's most painful is where there is bone, or soft skin. Such as the inside of the arm. If you have a high tolerance for pain then you should be good, but it is painful, but luckily the only pain is when it's actually happening cus as soon as it's finished it's instant relief. And the alcohol they squirt you with actually feels amazing. I felt no pain during the healing process, just lots and LOTS of itching. Oh I suggest you do your research on the ibuprofen cus they are not supposed to tattoo anyone on any sort of drug, reason being some drugs thin blood and can cause excessive bleeding.

[dragonboy4578]

I agree that tatt's on the bone really bite, but I didn't find the underside of the arm that bad. Maybe that was because by the time I got there I had my legs covered from below my ankles to my hips, and spots there hurt a lot more than the underside of the arm. lol

[aahmn]

Yes, ibuprofen causes blood thinning and more bleeding. I wouldn't take it. The tat shouldn't really hurt too much after. You should be fine. I think it's more of a burning turning to itching after, but it's much duller than while getting it. I didn't go numb at all during any of mine... My last one (and biggest by far) went generally very well, except for the second session where it was filling in and shading on my hip bone and ribcage on my side. Yeah, by the end of that session I was sweating.

[TheSnakeEye]

Like I said everyone has a different pain tolerance. All I know is that when I tattooed my back I went through 3 different types of pain while getting it done. The spine was horrible, the meat near the spine was actually extrememly bearable, actually felt good, but the outskirt of my back where the meat lessens was a whole different pain.

[NewParadigms]

Personally, the only part of my tats that I minded at all was the outlining, it feels a little bit like you're slowly being cut by a somewhat dull blade, but it's not bad after you get used to the feeling. The rest just kind of felt like when your arm is a asleep. I only wish I could afford all of the tats I want, good artwork isn't cheap.

[meatmarionette]

tattoos are like snakes. you get one, you love it and you get more. so don't waste too much space getting one. you could put him around your arm and or on your chest but don't do him twice! maybe you'll want another snake somewhere else. plus if you do it on both arms you're taking away to two large canvas spots that's just my silly opinion tho