804RVA

So yea I am getting my first tattoo next week and I have a few questions.

-I am getting it on my calf, how bad d you think this will hurt? (I know it's a matter of opinion but I wtill would like to know.)
-It is going to be a black and white tattoo that is shaded that is about 8 inches big how long do you think it will take to finish?
-I am going in for 2 hrs the first time, is there a standard as to how much to tip an artist?


So yea, thanks in advance guys.

EDIT:
Finally got it done...







Thats after two hours, it's not done it needs to get colored in.

snafs

I can't help you any of your questions but my .02 is make sure the tattoo means something to you so you don't regret it a few years from now.

solly81

a) It will not hurt that much (more towards the end than anything) as calf's are a pretty meaty/muscular area to get tattoo'd. you're not dealing with sensitive 'fleshy' areas or directly over bone so it's a good place to get a first one.
b) a b/w tattoo that size should NOT take any longer than 2 hours
c) no less than $40 imo, but it really depends on how happy you are with the final product

ride26fast

black and gray....

NoBumDeals

I've got a 6" tattoo on my left calf. Solly pretty much hit the nail on the head with his/her response.

a) The most pain occurs during heavy shading and over fatty areas of your body. And when I say pain, it's comparable to a cat scratching you repeatedly. Nothing unbearable.
b) Mine took about 2 hours and 10 minutes.
c) No less than $40, depending on the quality, your satisfaction, and what the artist is charging you.

Flap

Congrats on the tattoo! What kind of design are you getting done?

br995

I disagree. The only of my three tattoos that I don't care for is the one with meaning. The other two are ridiculous tattoos, and I love em.

Flap

Probably hard to go wrong with a decent artist at this point. A pretty good percentage of people aged forty and younger are inked.

humancongereel

as far as the "meaning" thing, i like the "5 year rule". hold off for 5 years, and if you still want it, then get it. i have no tattoos.

larry e.

ive heard nothing but bad things about getting tattooed on your calf. i have a pretty decent sized tattoo on my calf and it hurt like hell. my friend that is a tattoo artist also would vouch for how painful the calf can be. he actually went home after a 2 hour outline when he was supposed to stay and tattoo people. he is pretty well covered by the way.

jacobpriest

i got my entire upper calf done recently and i had a problem with sitting still being of the nerve endings. apparently cyclist develop more nerve endings in thier legs because of the repeated motions or something. and i found it to be uncomfortable, and i have a dick and stomach tattoo so i kinda know.
but yeah. have fun.

raster

I've got a small tattoo on my calf, and it didn't really hurt that much. The best way I can describe the pain is as such: imagine holding your calf too close to something hot, like a match. Then multiply that by the two hours it will take you. You get used to it pretty quickly - 'cept for the shading.

I hope your tattoo artist has some good jokes, because that's my favorite part of getting tattooed - the conversation. Learned some damn fine one-liners that way.

Also, I really only think the "5 year rule" applies to tattoos that can't be covered up easily, such as jobstoppers. They have that name for a reason.

brianappleby

when's it getting done? pics.

daredevil

Possibly a permanent mark to a temporary feeling? Plus, I don't much like what skin looks like as it ages. But that's me.

804RVA

Firstly, thank you for all the responses. Secondly this tattoo indeed does have meaning, it is going to be a cars engine block at the base of an oak tree, and the trees roots are oovergrowing the engine. The engine signifies the thing that brought my father and I together (working on and admiring cars) and the tree represents the book "The Giving Tree" which is my mom's favorite book so much so that she read it at both of my grandma's funerals, she also read it to me pretty much every night as a kid. I really doubt that I will regret this tattoo seeing as it has a lot of meaning to me. I am getting it done next Thursday at salvation (salvationgallery.com) by the artist Mike Moses (sleepdangerously.com) I really like his work and he is an extremely nice guy.

Flap

Great book that has meaning all throughout life.

StabsAll

That sounds like a rad first tattoo man. Awesome way to blend the symbolism and your mom and dad.

zonatandem

The only tattoos I've seen with meaning were the ones from the concentration camps . . .

TimArchy

Sounds like a cool image 804RVA.

My first one was a race tattoo. I didn't get it during the race but I came in 3rd so the artist agreed to do it for me the next day.

As for the conversation, my artist was talking to another guy about this cat that lived next door. she had kittens one day and the next day they found the kittens half eaten by the mother on their front porch. It was not a great image to have in my head as I was going through the most painful 10 min yet in my life (I got it done on my ribs).

dmotoguy

My way of looking at it: I know I probably wont like it in 3 years, much less 5 or 10. But, it will always mean something to me, even if that something is that I was young and did a few dumb things. I dont think you can go wrong with a tattoo as long as its not blatently racist or something.

jon148

a) In my opinion the outline hurts the most (I have sleeves, among other ones on various parts of my body). But it varies from person to person concerning how much and what part hurts the most, all I know is that every tattoo that i've gotten hurts.
b) It truly depends on how fast the artist doing your work tattoos. An 8 inches can take longer if it's very detailed. But I wouldn't think it would take more than 3 hours, probably closer to 2.
c) Tipping depends on how you are being charged. Is the artist charging you a flat fee for the whole piece or are you being charged by the hour. If he's charging you a flat fee then no less than $40, how much exactly is up to you. For my larger tattoos where I am charged by the hour I tip no less than 20% of the total amount I've paid ($1,000 = $200 and so on)

Post a pic after you get it done!

time bandit

i used this rule to the same effect. I after 10 years it just became obvious that tattoos are a bad idea for me.

hockeyteeth

What the hell do you have tattooed on your genitals?

famous amos

Wait, does this mean you have a tattoo of a penis or a tattoo on your penis? Either way, i don't think the idea sounds good at all...

famous amos

Hockeyteeth, haha great minds think alike...and are grossed out alike as well i guess