Tattoo Tuesday, some inspiration

I’m booked in for some tattoo work on Saturday. Major eek! I haven’t been tattooed for over a year and I feel physically sick at the thought of the pain. Every time I get some new work done, even if it hasn’t been very long since my last session, I’m convinced I’m not going to make it through. The first scratch of the needle, and the first 5 minutes or so of work, I have visions of myself having to tell my tattoo guy to stop.

Tattoospiration

It’s worse this time because I know that the positioning is going to , as I’m having some done on the inside of my upper arm. I don’t know anyone who says it’s not that bad there. Pinch your skin and you know it’s sensitive. Ouch.

Still, no pain, no gain and other such clichéd sayings that really don’t help! I’ll grit my teeth, cry on the inside and rejoice when it’s over. I may even cheat a little bit and get some numbing cream.

I currently have a piece on my shoulder that has grown with time, and I want to extend it to a quarter sleeve.

Actually I want a half sleeve, or even a full sleeve, but there’s always the worry it might be detrimental to my career future, which is extremely annoying.

Here are the inspiration pictures I’ll be taking with me, and some of the styles I want to incorporate.

I love dotwork, if you look closely a lot of the design is made up from tiny little dots to create areas of shading.

One of my worries (because of my own paranoia, not the standard of my artist) is how the tattoo will “end”. I don’t want a border or anything final, in case I extend again in the future, and also because I think it can look a bit harsh. So I’m thinking maybe some filigree or decorative stuff which almost fades out to nothing and could be added to in future.

Ornate shoulder tattoo

I love the negative space of this one, although I have a feeling this is spray painted over a template, as a fashion tattoo.

Lace effect tattoo

These negative space ones are lovely too.

And I love mandalas, but worry that they’re currently “trendy” and might date, plus I’d be a bit of a fraud because technically they’re spiritual and I’m not.

I think my heart lies mostly with more black roses. The first tattoo I had on my shoulder was a black rose, and I love it to this day.

So, as usual, I’ll rock up on the day, thrust some ideas at my tattooist and hope for the best! Not a very technical approach, but better than being too overly set on the exact finished article and then not being 100% happy. I’m sure it will be great, once the swelling has reduced and my arm has stopped looking like a bloody animal carcass.

Thanks, as always, for reading! x