Please help! - Qs about tattoos

[Carpe Diem]

Hello guys,

Well, I'm seriously thinking of getting my first tattoo, which would be: Carpe Diem (seize the day/moment). I'm also thinking of putting the whole phrase which would be: 'Carpe Diem - quam minimum credula postero' meaning: seize the moment, putting as little possible trust in the future.. in latin. So I have a few questions which I have that have been nagging me for quite a while. Any people with tattoo insight will be greatly appreciated..! (I understand that some of these questions are also based on opinion/personal experience)

1. How many words is too many words for a tattoo?

2. How much does/did the tattoo hurt when you got it?

3. How often (if any) do you experience any sort of discrimination for your tattoo?

4. Where would the best place to get a tattoo be if you want to conceal it even with summer clothes? i.e. shorts, t-shirt

5. My parents don't approve of this, so I'm just wondering how important parental approval is to you when getting a small/concealed tattoo...

6. Are tattoos safe? (reason for this is I've heard they're known cases for HIV/disease)

7. What's the probability of a tattoo failing/being messed up thus having to live with the error for the rest of your life.

8. Does a tattoo stretch/become disproportionate as you grow? (REALLY important as I'm still growing/I don't think I'll be this skinny for the rest of my life!)

9. Does the quality last throughout life? i.e. I've heard some fade/eventually look like they've been scribbled on with a marker.

10. Lastly, have you ever regretted getting a certain tattoo? Whether it be because you grew out of a phase or you now think differently. I know they really have to mean something to you so I promised to never get a tattoo unless I found something that really defines my life/will be something that I will like to look at everyday...

I'm sorry for all the questions, but I just wanted to get some questions answered.. You know.. because there are no undo buttons for these kinds of things... I'll of course ask a tattoo artist more but I noticed there are quite a few TH tattoo-ees and couldn't help but ask haha.. thanks a lot for any input!!!

[Nicole!]

1. How many words is too many words for a tattoo?
There isn't really a set number for this. It depends on how big you want the lettering, you could try typing it up in different sized fonts and putting it on your body where you want it and just see how you like it. It can also be formatted in any way you'd like. Keep in mind that more words means more expensive though.

2. How much does/did the tattoo hurt when you got it?
It hurt a lot less than I always anticipated. Its a lot like getting scratched by a sticker bush. Its definitely bearable, but if you get it where you don't have a lot of fat it will hurt more, such as on your ankles.

3. How often (if any) do you experience any sort of discrimination for your tattoo?
So far the only discrimination I have received is from my parents. Both of my tattoos are not in visible places, so it hasn't kept me from doing anything.

4. Where would the best place to get a tattoo be if you want to conceal it even with summer clothes? i.e. shorts, t-shirt
On your back is a good place, or the top of your leg. You could probably do it on your hip too.

5. My parents don't approve of this, so I'm just wondering how important parental approval is to you when getting a small/concealed tattoo...
My thoughts is that it is your body, you should do what you wish with it. Sure, they might be disappointed at first but in time they'll forget it. There are a lot worse things you could be doing then getting a meaningful tattoo.

6. Are tattoos safe? (reason for this is I've heard they're known cases for HIV/disease)
Yes, as long as they use clean needles and have a sterile environment. Before you pick a place to get it done, I would check out a few of them and just find one that seems the cleanest to you.

7. What's the probability of a tattoo failing/being messed up thus having to live with the error for the rest of your life.
Usually, its pretty low. Some places will make a stencil first, and then go over it to make sure it is accurate. You could ask to see some of their past work and look for how good they are at design.

8. Does a tattoo stretch/become disproportionate as you grow? (REALLY important as I'm still growing/I don't think I'll be this skinny for the rest of my life!)
It depends on where you get it. Some places won't stretch as much as others. If you got it on your stomach, it would probably stretch But if you got it on your back it probably won't stretch too much.

9. Does the quality last throughout life? i.e. I've heard some fade/eventually look like they've been scribbled on with a marker.
All tattoos will fade with time, so you will need to get them touched up. Staying out of the sun will help preserve them. It really takes awhile for them to fade though, so you don't really need to worry about that too much.

10. Lastly, have you ever regretted getting a certain tattoo? Whether it be because you grew out of a phase or you now think differently. I know they really have to mean something to you so I promised to never get a tattoo unless I found something that really defines my life/will be something that I will like to look at everyday...
I got my first tattoo in May, and no I don't regret it. It still means something to me, and reminds me of a lot of things. I still love it just as much as the day I got it.

[Maloo]

1. How many words is too many words for a tattoo?
There's no magical number. It all depends on where the tattoo is.

2. How much does/did the tattoo hurt when you got it?
My first one didn't hurt that much at all (butterfly on my hip). My second one was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life ("never surrender" on my ribs). My third one had some painful parts, and some parts that I couldn't even feel (lilies connecting my first 2 tattoos).

3. How often (if any) do you experience any sort of discrimination for your tattoo?
My parents don't know about them, so none. My mother said she'd kick me out if I got any tattoos while living under her roof.

4. Where would the best place to get a tattoo be if you want to conceal it even with summer clothes? i.e. shorts, t-shirt
Back of your shoulder blade, between your shoulder blade, your thigh.

5. My parents don't approve of this, so I'm just wondering how important parental approval is to you when getting a small/concealed tattoo...
Obviously their approval wasn't important at all to me lol.

6. Are tattoos safe? (reason for this is I've heard they're known cases for HIV/disease)
Tattoos are safe, it's the artists and the shops you have to be careful about. Make sure you go to someone at a place with a really good reputation.

7. What's the probability of a tattoo failing/being messed up thus having to live with the error for the rest of your life.
I have no idea what the probability is, but I know it happened to me.

8. Does a tattoo stretch/become disproportionate as you grow? (REALLY important as I'm still growing/I don't think I'll be this skinny for the rest of my life!)
Nicole hit this nail on the head.

9. Does the quality last throughout life? i.e. I've heard some fade/eventually look like they've been scribbled on with a marker.
All tattoos fade over time, and they fade quicker if you don't take care of them properly.

10. Lastly, have you ever regretted getting a certain tattoo? Whether it be because you grew out of a phase or you now think differently. I know they really have to mean something to you so I promised to never get a tattoo unless I found something that really defines my life/will be something that I will like to look at everyday...
I don't really like the placement of my lilies, but I'm working on getting over it. There's nothing that can be done now, you know?

[Jas]

Dude, I'm going to answer your questions, but the biggest thing I want to say I'm going to emphasize right now: Find a good (reputable) tattoo artist near you and go talk to them about all of this.


1. How many words is too many words for a tattoo? For you, depends on size. You're not going to get good quality over time if you want the font to be super tiny. Your artist can help you out with sizing vs. quality - I have lettering done up my thigh that is about the length of what you want - it's about 8 inches long, to give you an idea, but it probably could have been done a little bit smaller. As far as how many is too many in general, I've seen people with entire poems and speeches tattooed so it's not really limited.

2. How much does/did the tattoo hurt when you got it? This is different for everyone, not going to bother answering.

3. How often (if any) do you experience any sort of discrimination for your tattoo? Hasn't happened at all, but it's easily hidden if I don't want to expose it.

4. Where would the best place to get a tattoo be if you want to conceal it even with summer clothes? i.e. shorts, t-shirt Anywhere they cover. Tattoo placement is pretty individual.. you could always draw it on in a few different places and see what you like the most.

5. My parents don't approve of this, so I'm just wondering how important parental approval is to you when getting a small/concealed tattoo... My parents were aware of it - they don't LOVE the idea, but they were supportive (actually, my mum is going to design my next piece). However, I don't think your parents need to be supportive, or even to know in certain cases. Depends on your relationship and what you're comfortable with.

6. Are tattoos safe? (reason for this is I've heard they're known cases for HIV/disease) Yes, they're very safe as long as you get them done in a sterile environment with people who know what they're doing. Do some research about your shop/artist, and don't be afraid to ask about their healthy/safety practices.

7. What's the probability of a tattoo failing/being messed up thus having to live with the error for the rest of your life. It does happen, but with a good artist it happens less. Problems can always be fixed, though.

8. Does a tattoo stretch/become disproportionate as you grow? (REALLY important as I'm still growing/I don't think I'll be this skinny for the rest of my life!) It does depend on placement, but you might want to wait a year or two if you think your body shape is going to drastically change. You'll have it for the rest of your life, there's no rush.

9. Does the quality last throughout life? i.e. I've heard some fade/eventually look like they've been scribbled on with a marker. They all fade. Take care of it and it will last longer, but touch ups are a part of (tattoo) life.

10. Lastly, have you ever regretted getting a certain tattoo? Whether it be because you grew out of a phase or you now think differently. I know they really have to mean something to you so I promised to never get a tattoo unless I found something that really defines my life/will be something that I will like to look at everyday...
No regrets yet.

[Maloo]

Originally Posted by Jas

7. What's the probability of a tattoo failing/being messed up thus having to live with the error for the rest of your life. It does happen, but with a good artist it happens less. Problems can always be fixed, though.

I just want to point out that that's not necessarily true. If it's messed up because the needle was driven too hard, that's not fixable.

[Jas]

*almost always. You're right.

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks guys, this really helped give me an idea. Of course, I'm gonna ask a tattoo artist these questions too if I ever decide to get a tattoo, so don't worry about that haha I just found that quite a few TH users already had tattoos and could give me insight on their experiences.

Some of your responses have made me wary of getting a tattoo though (stretch answers, and the fact that Lissa said that she's had an error happen to her). I guess I'll have to go visit an artist and ask away! haha

Anyways, thanks so much guys. I didn't expect some of these answers so I'm really thankful for your honesty .

[Maloo]

One of my tattoos is messed up because the guy drove the needle too deep. It's now scar tissue underneath, so the tattoo is raised and gets INCREDIBLY itchy from time to time. But I have a much larger tattoo that's great.

Just don't be afraid to speak your mind, and don't get caught up in the moment. When they put the stencil on, make sure its EXACTLY where you want it to be, and how you want it to look.

[Carpe Diem]

Originally Posted by Maloo

One of my tattoos is messed up because the guy drove the needle too deep. It's now scar tissue underneath, so the tattoo is raised and gets INCREDIBLY itchy from time to time. But I have a much larger tattoo that's great.

Just don't be afraid to speak your mind, and don't get caught up in the moment. When they put the stencil on, make sure its EXACTLY where you want it to be, and how you want it to look.

Yeah that's the thing... I know for sure I want to put Carpe Diem on, but I have no idea about the design/where to put it so I'm holding it off indefinitely. I'm in between putting it over my heart/chest (too radical for my first tattoo I think) and sideways along my ribs (but I've heard that's one of the more painful places to put it)..

Also, I had no idea an artist could drive the needle in too deep... I only thought the design could get messed up or something but this puts a whole other dimension in my worries now haha....

[Maloo]

Getting it done on your ribs really isn't that bad

[Carpe Diem]

Ohh haha that's relieving because some of my friends tell me it's one of the most painful places since it's close to the bone.

Also, the rates per hour where I live to get a tattoo are 140 - 160 per hour! I had no idea it was that expensive! I should probably wait a bit until I have more money so I don't spend all my lunch money and starve myself haha!

[Maloo]

Yes, tattoos are ridiculously expensive.

But as for getting a tattoo on your ribs, obviously it hurts, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

[alixthetree]

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

Ohh haha that's relieving because some of my friends tell me it's one of the most painful places since it's close to the bone.

I know it's not the same exact placement, but I had also heard that besides the ribs, the foot was the other worst place to get one. Honestly I think getting one on my foot hurt less than the one on my shoulder and it gets fairly close to my toes and the side of my ankle.

I'm just saying it becuase it's right on bone and it's a comparison.

So yeah everyone has different pain tolerances in certain places.

[Carpe Diem]

Originally Posted by alixthetree

I know it's not the same exact placement, but I had also heard that besides the ribs, the foot was the other worst place to get one. Honestly I think getting one on my foot hurt less than the one on my shoulder and it gets fairly close to my toes and the side of my ankle.

I'm just saying it becuase it's right on bone and it's a comparison.

So yeah everyone has different pain tolerances in certain places.

Yeah I've also heard that getting one on your foot can be really painful haha, I just wanted to know what you guys thought of getting one close to your bones, since the rib area is practically all bone which seems really painful...