Talking all about my tattoos + VIDEO!

I'm often asked all about my tattoos. How many do I have? Most painful one? What ones do I actually have? Where are they all? 

I've covered a little bit about them on my "about me" page, but I figured as I've started a Youtube channel, it was the perfect time to go the Tattoo Tag and really talk about all my tattoos and some of my favourite tattooists.

At the end of this post you'll find my video, but I thought I'd also include some photos and links here too so you can have a good look!

Tattoo healing with coconut oil

I'm often asked how I go about healing my tattoos, and the simple answer is that I keep it clean and moisturised.
Recently I've seen the rise of coconut oil in the beauty and skincare world, and seen a number of people recommend it as a natural moisturiser for healing tattoos too. Having been given a pot of coconut oil from a friend I decided it was the perfect time to try it out and add it to my tattoo experimentation list.

Previously I've been a cocoa butter fan for healing my tattoos having moved away from the usual Bepanthen some years ago. I changed my healing routine from the recommendation of a tattooist, and this time again, my tattooist said it was a good idea too.

You were born an original - stay that way

Originality. It's a funny thing.

A quick google search brings up so many quotations:

"All good things that exist are the fruits of originality"

"Originality is a by-product of sincerity"

"It is better to fail at originality, than to succeed at imitation"

And it's that last one that sticks out to me most.

This blog started out life as a tattoo blog, and tattoos remain to this day, one of my biggest passions. The art as a whole took a bit of a sideline last year due to being pregnant for half the year, and being a new mum for the remainder, but I will be focusing more content to tattooing this year, starting with a bit of a rant. 

I've previously talked about tattoos and originality in this post about copying tattoos back in 2015, but I want to do a little revisit. 

I recently saw yet another tattooist having to call out another on stolen artwork just a day into 2017! To be honest, it makes my blood boil. Imitation is NOT a form of flattery. Whether it's written word, a photograph, an oil painting or a tattoo.

TATTOOS: Why price isn't everything

It can be a bit of a touchy subject in  almost any situation... the question of cost.

And it is especially true when discussing tattoos.

No one wants to be ripped off, especially for something that you are going to have to live with for the rest of your life. And it is so easy to get bogged down by the price of everything in today's society.
But with tattoos, price should not be the determiner.

The saying goes

"Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good"

And to a certain extent this is very true.

Many badly designed or created tattoos are from people or 'scratchers' who have had no training, and bought a tattoo machine from the internet and are 'working' from their kitchen. In this instance, you really are paying for what you get. It will be cheap because the 'work' is likely to be substandard and potentially risky.

TATTOOS: Five things only tattooed people understand

Being a heavily tattooed person can lead to some unique situations and experiences. I
I've been heavily tattooed for three years and have experienced some strange and unusual things. 

And I'm not the only one... it seems our little community have all had our fair share of unusual things to deal with courtesy of our ink.

TATTOOS: Do Tattoos Hurt?

It's the age old question, a question that still to this day is not completely answered. It's deeply personal and every person you meet will have a different answer.

Do tattoos hurt?

In short, in my opinion, yes.

But there's so much more to it. Yes they are painful. You have to remember you have a needle, or in the case of shading,  several needles repeatedly penetrating your skin through to the dermis. That process hardly screams pain-free.

But it's not as bad as it sounds. Yes needles are going into your skin, but so do the ones in acupuncture and you don't feel those at all.

The first 10 minutes are pretty tough as your body adjusts to the pain and your adrenaline kicks in. But once you settle and a relax (tensing up makes the entire thing worse) it is easier to take the pain.

Of course I am talking about tattoos that a going to take longer than an hour. The most I've sat in one session is five and a half hours of actual tattooing time. It wasn't easy. It is physically draining. And different parts of the body are different in terms of pain.

Those fun infographics on Pinterest of the pain for different parts of the body aren't completely wrong - although every one will have a different opinion. I think foot tattoos are hard work and incredibly painful and uncomfortable,  where as a girl I lived next door to in halls at university was the complete opposite and had no problems with her foot.

It is also the cleaning process that causes some pain. Wiping that fresh wound repeated is intensely sore and irritating - though it is required. 

General consensus is that it is more annoying and uncomfortable than actual pain. It's a scratchy feeling that gets annoying, plus coupled with an unusual sitting/laying position (you're usually contorted in some way for a long sitting) and hours of being in a similar position, the whole process drains you.

My tips for dealing with the pain:

• Distraction - watch a film on a tablet or read - keeping your mind occupied will keep you from focusing on the pain and discomfort
• Relax - try focused steady breathing to get through the tougher parts
• Talk - also works in the same way as a film, keeping your mind on other things
• Use Bactine - now this stuff is amazing. One of my tattooists uses this on her clients as she tends to do a lot of whole day sessions and this makes the whole thing easier. Spray on a open wound - i.e. after one layer of shading and it completely numbs the area - but you can only use it on areas already tattooed so you'll have to sit the linework old school.

Don't worry - they aren't as bad as this Youtube Video!

All in all, it's not going to be like being licked by a puppy, but it isn't so bad that you'll be traumatised for life either. 

How do you feel about the pain of tattoos?
And how do you deal with the pain?

*image from Pinterest

TATTOOS: Keeping your tattoo safe in the sun

After a couple of weekends of beautiful sunshine down on the coast in Hampshire, I got inspired to write about how to look after and protect your pretty ink from the sun.

As a pale girl who starts to resemble a lobster if left in the sun too long, I'm big on sun screen. Personally I usually start at 30SPF, especially at the start of the summer, or the start of a holiday, as my skin just can't take the heat. Or I cover up on my trouble areas - mostly my shoulders.

It's so important to protect your tattoos with sun screen to stop them burning. This could lead to peeling,  which could affect the overall colour of your tattoo. You know how the sun bleaches fabric left in the sun for a few days,  well, it will do the same to your skin, and fade the colour.

However, DO NOT use sun block on a fresh tattoo. Follow the after-care instructions given to you by your tattooist. Keep your new ink covered and shaded. You can use sun screen after the peeling stage, once you have that new layer of healed skin. And remember, a tattoo is classed as fully healed about three months after your tattoo. So don't take the risk in those three months especially.

Long term, well, the sun isn't fab for your skin if you're a sun worshipper. You know that leathery brown skin you see on the beach. Well picture that with dark blurred drawings on too! Not good. Now of course, its a fact of life that your tattoo isn't going to look as amazing as it did on the first day compared to 20, 30 or 40 years down the line.  But you can make it last so much longer with a little love and care.

Stay hydrated.  Dry skin isn't going to bode well in the sun. 

And remember, your tattoo is your investment. Treat it as such. It doesn't take a huge amount of effort to look after your tattoos in the sun, and it will be worth it to keep that vibrant look for years to come.   

TATTOOS: Should you let an apprentice ink you?

So we know the reasons not to visit a scratcher, but you don't have to find a tattooist with 10 years experience to get an amazing tattoo.

All tattooists have to start somewhere. Yes many in the industry probably did start in their kitchens,  because if they are old school enough, it was the only way in. 

However these days, the best way in is through an apprenticeship.

Thankfully with the help of Instagram, these lesser known individuals are to grow their own customer base and fans. And their talent is really something to watch out for.

Some of my favourite tattoos have been done by apprentices, or artists who have just finished apprenticeships. Saranna was an apprentice when I met her and she did this butterfly on me. And I was so happy with her work, she is currently working on my left lower arm sleeve.

Apprentices tend to charge slightly lower rates,  and will spend more time with you whilst they refine their technique, learn new skills and increase their speed and confidence.  None of this takes away from their natural talent. It can take several sessions to complete your tattoo, where normally it wouldn't/ For instance, my butterfly took two sessions totally around 3.5 hours, but Saranna was very new to tattooing - and I'm still over the moon with how bright and beautiful it still looks. 

Many apprentices start out by selling prints to get their name and art out there. Followed by flash sheets and some willing volunteers. If you're happy to sit a little longer, to get a real bargain, it can be a fabulous way to add to your tattoo collection from a budding tattooist. It can take over a year to complete an apprenticeship as a tattooist, so there's a lot of development (some would argue that you never stop learning or developing, but that's a philosophical discussion for another time).

My advice: keep an eye out for new talent,  based in a studio, with other talent. Any apprentice will be being mentored by someone,  so a good teacher will create a good student. 

Remember,  everyone has to start at the bottom.

Have you or would you get inked by an apprentice? 

Who are your current favourite apprentices?

TATTOOS: Why you should never visit a scratcher?

It's a subject that causes huge debate within the tattoo industry and makes the news on a near monthly basis. The debate of the scratcher.

A scratcher according to Urban Dictionary is:

"An untalented tattoo artist. A tattoo artist who scratches up your skin rather than applying a clean smooth looking tattoo."

TATTOOS: Reasons not to have a tattoo

This might seem like an unusual topic for this blog, but it's actually really relevant.
Yes, I have many tattoos, and I will get more. 

The are so many reasons to get a tattoo; in memory of someone, some time,  some place; because it represents you, your loved ones, your life; or because you love the design, theme, ethos. 

And I probably have a tattoo for each one of those reasons.

But there are also so many reasons not to go ahead with a tattoo.

First there is the technical and logistical aspects. Is the studio safe, healthy and hygienic.  If you have any doubts to any of those, DO NOT HAVE YOUR TATTOO.  At least not in that studio.  Walk away. Nothing is more important in tattooing than your health and safety.

Then there is the tattooist themselves.  Do you trust them? At the end of the day, your tattoo is coming from their hands. Will they give you the design you want? If you're not 100% happy with your tattooist, then you need to find someone who you are happy with. Tattoos are a true test of trust. They're work is going to be displayed on your body for the rest of your life.

TATTOOS: First Tattoo: Tips on breaking your tattoo cherry.

So as you may have seen I've been on a tattoo collecting mission over the past few days so I thought I'd share my tips and advice on getting that first tattoo.

Since the age of 18 I have had my fair share of tattoo studio encounters, and although the rules will vary from studio to studio, and you should always discuss any concerns with them specifically,  this guide should see you through your first tattoo, and ease a little of the nervousness, keeping you prepared and happy.

My first tattoo was on my 18th birthday at a local studio, Woody's Tattoo Studio in High Wycombe, Bucks. I had a swirly black 'R' on my ankle that I designed myself. I literally walked in, booked an appointment for later that day, and had it done. The studio sang Happy Birthday to me as well. To be honest, it was a fabulous start to my tattoo journey. 

TATTOOS: Does your tattoo have to have meaning?

Instagram has brought me a new topic to discuss.
This time it was this graphic. It resonates with me a lot. 

I have some tattoos that mean a lot to me. 

The rose on my foot means the world to me. I had it done in memory of my grandad, on the 10 year anniversary of his death. My mum places three white roses and one red rose where his ashes are scattered.  The three to represent myself and my two sisters  and the red for her, his daughter. So my rose on my foot reminds me of him everyday, and to live life to the fullest as he was taken from us too soon.

TATTOOS: Do you regret your tattoos?

It's the age old worry when making the decision to have a tattoo.

"Will I regret my tattoo when I am older?"

It's even made it into the news - again! According to the Huffington Post, Four in Ten Britain's regret their tattoos. As with most of these style 'researches', everyone is anti-tattoo and wants to get rid of them, but it always as simple as that.

I, for instance, have seven individual tattoos on my body. Am I 100% happy with all of them? No, I can't say that. But I don't regret having them. They have become a part of who I am.
I have been asked too many times to count, about how I will feel when I am 60 with sleeve tattoos. The answer, I don't know. But they will be more of a part of me than they are now.

Yes I am considering a cover up, but I wouldn't consider laser removal. My style has changed, and my knowledge increased. I now know to choose a tattooist based on their style and talent. It's not about getting a bargain when it comes to tattoos.  My cover up, when I eventually get to it, will be classic and neo-traditional. Flowers and butterflies. Timeless.