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Chris' Tattoo


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As I mentioned in a few other posts I am in the process of getting a tattoo. As people have expressed an interest I thought I would outline the process here.

I'll start with how it all came about.

I've wanted tattoos since I was 15 (so for around 15 years), and I decided I would wait until my 30th birthday, as I would be sure of what I wanted and be happy with the results.

So in September last year I started looking around at tattooists and asking questions about vegan tattoos. Most people and places were extremely unhelpful, but in the end I was pointed in the direction of a studio that works by appointment only. Not only were they extremely helpful, but they were also willing to make sure I was happy with everything needed to make my tattoo's vegan.

I then called a vegan tattooist in Melbourne and found out details of vegan inks and aftercare and then went back to my tattooist here in Sydney, it turns out he uses the same inks. I booked the appointments and the process was underway.

I then spent 6 months waiting as he was booked out a long way in Advance. Last Friday was the first session.

The First Session was doing the outlines, it went like this.

The area was sterlised and the designs were position on the skin then tweaked to make sure they were straight and everything worked well together. Pieces were added and taken away until everything was looking good (You end up placing a lot of trust in the tattooist as he knows what looks good and doesn't). It was then time to start, so as soon as you here the gun start to buzz, the heart rate goes up a little bit. The first 5 mins hurt a bit, but then you relax and the process is not so bad. Some lines hurt a lot more than others with the pain ranging from nothing at all, through a cat scratch, through to getting cut with a scalpel. I was told I'm very good to tattoo, I have soft skin and I'm like a rock, so he was very happy. After 2 hours the process was almost over and he told me there was 10 mins to go. This was the worst part of the process as you really want it to be over and you grit your teeth for every line. It was then finished I got to see how it looks ( I looks fantastic already and I am very happy) and then it was wrapped and it was time to go home.

I am using merry hempsters on it for the first few days an it is healing very well. There is a bit of bruising in some spots (I've always had pretty sensitive skin) but apart from that it looks great. Next session we have shading, the session after that, we add colour. Then we start my other arm.

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Congrats and welcome to the Ink Club ..

 

I was actually ink free until 2 years ago, and look at me now lol ...

 

I am still in debate as to whether continue my flower theme down my arm but have come to a standstill after my butterfly.

 

Can't wait to see pics of your new ink though

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Nice to see it going well...I'm looking forward to pics

 

As for you Tigress...your arm looks great and I don't think it needs any more but I also think more wouldn't be overdoing it(as that is impossible ). Maybe your other side it the next step

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Congrats and welcome to the Ink Club ..

 

I was actually ink free until 2 years ago, and look at me now lol ...

 

I am still in debate as to whether continue my flower theme down my arm but have come to a standstill after my butterfly.

 

Can't wait to see pics of your new ink though

 

Thanks, I'm very happy to be a member of the Ink Club

Maybe Potter has a point, you could start on your other arm.

You might decide to continue the flower theme later, or you might not.

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I have my next session tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see what 2.5 hours of shading feels like.

I'll take some pics tonight of the outlines and post them soon.

I'll also take the camera tomorrow and get some photo's whilst he is working

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Thats gonna look great once its filled in. I like the composition quite a lot

I gave him quite a few things to fit into the design, then I changed my mind as to where I wanted it positioned (originally it was more across my chest) so I think he has done a great job.

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The inspiration for this design comes from a few things so I will go through it bit by bit.

The elephant, was a natural choice for me, as I have always liked elephants. The design comes from photo's of elephants carved into an indian temple.

The clouds and Cherry blossoms come from the fact that I like Japanese woodblock and Japanese tattooing. The Cherry blossoms have a few different meanings, one of which is transition, which fits me pretty well at the moment.

Around and underneath the elephant are chinese good luck bats and a longevity symbol. These were suggested by the tattooist and I really liked how they looked and the symbology behind them.

It was then a matter of putting it all together.

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Yesterday I had another 3 hour session on the tattoo which involved shading and a bit of colour.

The clouds are shaded in a few different tones of grey and there is shading between the elephant and the bats (At the moment it doesn't look grey but a reddish colour, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks once it has settled down)

Colour was added to the symbol behind the elephant.

It didn't seem to hurt as much as the outlines, but maybe that is just because I am getting use to the process. It felt like a kitten scratching you, repeatedly in the same spot.

I will post photos soon, when things have healed a bit.

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When I read your text I get very fidgety, so much I feel the excitement, the needle on the skin, the sound of the machine. I want too!!!

 

I'm anxious to see the progress of your tattoo. Seems to get great!

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I had another session on Wednesday, which involved adding colour. The session was just under 3 hours, but it went really quickly, most of the time was taking up by the bats that surround the elephant etc. When it came to doing these I was a little unsure as to whether I wanted them shaded grey, or whether I wanted them to be coloured. I thought about it and decided that with the elephant, the clouds, and the shading between the longevity symbol and the bats all in grey, that I probably needed some colour ( I think if they were grey it might have been a bit boring). When they were done, I was quite surprised how bright they were and how they changed the look of the tattoo. At first I thought they over shadowed the elephant, but then I remembered it isn't filled in yet, so when that is done, it will jump out again and balance the whole thing. Now I am use to the colour I really like it, it has added a new dimension to the tattoo, when the elephant is shaded and his trim coloured, and the clouds are finished I think it will have an almost Hindi look to it (which will go well with the Hindi style elephant).

The last part of the session involved colouring some of the flowers. My next session is in a couple of weeks, then it will be all done

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Sounds good...as for the color if its not too dark you can always change your mind and have it greyed out to some extend so I think you made a good choice considering you were unsure.

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Sounds good...as for the color if its not too dark you can always change your mind and have it greyed out to some extend so I think you made a good choice considering you were unsure.

 

Thanks Potter, that's what I thought as well...

The colour isn't too dark, and If I had of gone grey to begin with, I wouldn't have that option.

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