It’s your first tattoo! Here’s what you should know.
The first tattoo is selected and ready to go.
You’ve been thinking about it, making little doodles on your note pad during work shifts, or maybe on the edges of your course syllabus. You’ve been catching glimpses of tattoos on strangers and your curiosity and dreams have taken over; you’re ready for your first tattoo.
Doing something new can be a thrill, it can also be scary; that balance between the fear of what may be and the excitement of that rite of passage converge in such a powerful way. It’s real, and with it comes a whole mountain of questions. How do I choose the right tattoo? How bad will it hurt? Will I regret it? It’s totally normal to have a “fight or flight” reaction, even at the first thought of it. But just like so many other things—the first jump off a high dive, or the first day on a new job—the thing that really makes a difference is having a thoughtful person with experience to walk you through it, soften the edges, eliminate the mysteries and myths, and show you just how good it can be. Then, all of the sudden, the hesitation gives way to readiness. You can do it.
The first tattoo begins.
Let’s Handle the Basics
How much will my tattoo hurt?
The quick answer is that everyone feels things differently, but on average, a correctly applied tattoo is no worse than a sunburn. How a tattoo feels when you’re getting it can be highly affected by where on the body you get it, how big, and how detailed it is. Your skin is a living, vibrant part of your body, and part of its function is to keep the rest of your body aware—and that requires nerves.
You’ll notice that certain parts of your body are more sensitive than others. For instance, some people are incredibly ticklish, while others seem to be able to handle far more extreme interaction with
barely any notice at all.
Size and scale matter: A small tattoo that only requires a few minutes of work may feel like less of a challenge than committing to a multi-hour, multi-session tattoo.
Style and technique matter: Filling every part in with ink vs. an outline or fine-line style means using different tool sets for ideal ink coverage. Every body is unique, and your understanding of your own tolerances can be a good guide for what you can expect.
The tattoo in process
Where should I get this tattoo & how do I know I will like it in 5 years?
Judging by where you can and cannot tolerate that expected "sunburn" feeling, you can rule out those extra-sensitive parts. Usually, arms and legs are a good place to start; they are a bit less sensitive and
make for a great way to display that amazing new work of art.
Now that you’ve got the pain and placement handled, we come to choices and how we navigate them for long-term joy. Some people view their bodies as a canvas, and others view them as a temple—neither
perspective is wrong. As life progresses, it’s good to look ahead at what we want to accomplish.
Good planning makes for better decisions. If you plan to work in a profession that holds to more traditional perspectives, it would make sense to avoid getting a tattoo in areas that cannot be comfortably covered up by everyday clothes. Tattoos are conversation starters, magnets for attention and curiosity, so you want to make sure you optimize your choices for the right kind of attention.
How much should a tattoo cost?
At Live By The Sword Tattoo, our shop minimum is $50 and we’ve worked very hard to provide people with great value. You can view our $50 tattoo book online or in-store and look through thousands of designs
ready to go.
We also provide a transparent and simple pricing structure for people who want to add shading or color. This allows you to have full control and understanding of the cost of your dream tattoo. We’ve even created
a "try before you buy" feature, so you can visualize how the tattoo will look on your own body in the comfort of your own home.
It’s tattoo day, how to prepare
Moments can be made as special, or not, as we choose to make them, and we think your first tattoo is definitely a special occasion, so we’ve made the checklist easy so you can head to your appointment ready to rock.
Have a meal and hydrate properly before your tattoo appointment. Your body will thank you. Avoid taking Ibuprofen or other over the counter pain medication, as they can potentially act as blood thinners.
Make sure the tattoo area is clean. We will sanitize the tattoo area, but good hygiene is always a great way to prepare. Be well rested. Planning on having a “school night” the day before a tattoo is a good way to optimize feeling good through the whole experience, and put you on the fast track for a speedy recovery.
What people don’t normally tell you (But we will)
The moment you actually have decided and are watching your tattoo artist prepare, you feel a little bit of that adrenaline surge—not overbearing, but just enough. Oftentimes the uncertainty of what you feel is
harder on you than the feeling itself. Your artist checks in with you and asks if you're ready. You give the go-ahead. Remember that as you go, it’s good to communicate throughout the session; your tattooer is there to make the experience a good one.
You feel that first moment: a kind of bite. An initial sense of shock tells your body that something new is occurring. You'll be surprised to find how quickly you take to that moment. Soon, as your artist moves across the tattoo, you start to familiarize yourself with the rhythm and the whirring of the machine itself. Most people say it feels uncomfortable, but not unbearable. But it’s then that you understand the very human craft that you're participating in—something unique in all the world, something deeply human, historical, archaic, and modern all at the same time.
In some way, you're bridging yourself with untold millions of other people throughout history who shared this experience. An indescribable kind of warmth flows through you—not necessarily euphoria, and not
totally pain either, but something in between all of those things.
The first tattoo is complete.
When the tattoo is done and the artist wipes it clean, you take that first look in the mirror and you now have a badge of honor. You move through the rest of your day feeling something you've never felt before: a warm glow. Even the healing itself becomes part of the celebration, that rite of passage. You understand then that in this tiny artistic gesture, your strength is greater than you knew before.
This is not one single feeling, but a sequence of feelings that occur over time, putting you in kinship with every other person who's ever gotten a tattoo.
That’s is what you should know.
We’re here to help! Choose how you’d like to get started:
