I adapted this from my newsletter "Lisboa Confidential" that you can find at powlow.com/lc/ though I donīt think youīre gonna get most of the stuff anyway...I never thought that I would post this on BME but what the hell...
At A Glance Author Pablo Contact pabloferreira@yahoo.com Artist Chico Studio Atomic Tatoos Location Lisbon, Portugal Thursday March 15 - Iīve managed no to think about the tatoo and not getting nervous at all. At night I remember that I was getting a tatoo two days later and got a tad nervous. I wenīt out the night before so I wenīt to bed pretty early and didnīt think much about it.
Iīve known Chico from Atomic Tatoos for over a year now, thanks to going there asking for sponsorships for concerts later on (hardcore concerts that is) and I really like his stile. But the main reason why I choose to get tattoed at Atomic is īcos I really like the guy as a person (besides heīs talented). I mean, heīs not hardcore into tatoos and piercings (actually he told me heīs not into piercings at all) and you could walk throught this guy on the street without even look at him twice. Plus, is the only tatoo place in Lisbon which is not set up as a store. Is a first floor with only a small neon sign on the window. And is right next to Ritz Club.
Anyway, I wanted a big fat-ass dragon all around my leg with a upper and lower black band and some more stuff... To hard to explain, just imagine a huge dragon on my left leg between the knee and the ankle.
Friday March 16 - At night I went out and didnīt want to drink much īcos I didnīt want to go in to get the tatoo done with a bad hangover...As always when I try no to drink I ended up slightly drunk doing all my Brit Spears dancing and even some Blink 182. I drunk enought to wake up with a small hangover.
Saturday 17 - Iīll remember this day for ever...Nah, Iīm sure I wonīt.
I woke up with my roomates having breakfast at 10:30. Not cool at all.Specially when I went to bed at 5:30 and felt slightly hangover. Plus from the moment I remember that I was getting a tatoo done I couldnīt get back to sleep. I bummed in bed untill 11 something and then woke up. Did some of the usual Saturday cleaning and hometasks and went into countdown mode at 13:00h. The tatoo was set up at 15:00h.
Picked up Mike (this BMX kid that lives down the street), picked up Metzner and drove to Atomic. All of it driving like a maniac, extremely pumped up: I was all adrenaline!!! I swear, I remember reading about this in BME.com but I was feeling that thing right there on the spot! I had a huge adrenaline rush!!!!
We went into the building (I walked in front) and rang the door. Chico open with a smile that seem to mean "so you did made it after all". Much to my luck, there was a bunch of people on the place: 5 girls, some dude that I know and chicoīs two dogs: A male Statfordshire Bullterrier (probably spell that one wrong) and a female Bullterrier. Chico was talking to the girls so we palyed with the dogs. Metzner, João (who was supposed to show up later) and me had been around a couple of times just to see the dogs and hang out there.
Anyway, Chico called me into the backroom to check the size of the tatoo and the positioning and also recomended that I didnīt do the upper and lower bands. I agreed with him (we could always do them later). The dragon looked amazing althought I had seen it before.
Then João showed up with his baby statforshire bullterrier. The female bullterrier went nuts and Chico had to lock both of his dogs away. Everybody played with the dog and after half all the other people left and Chico went in to get ready. At this time I had relaxed a bit but was still a mix of afraid/nervous/really exited.
Chico finally called me in, while while my friends watched . Let me tell you something: If you ever want to get a tatoo make sure youīre friends are there to take the piss out of you/act stupid/keep your mind busy and not get nervous.
Iīm not even gonna start with the safe/sterile thing: Everything was perfect as I knew it would.
Then Chico shaved my leg (for those who know my hairy legs this made for more than a few jokes), aplied the transfer to my leg (meaning: some special paper that made the drawing stay on my leg for tatoing) and asked what did I thought about it. The only word that came out was "Amazing!". It just looked incredible!!! I loved it!
We then set the streatcher, I laid down and got into a comfortable position...at least as confortable as I could get since my left leg could touch anything or the ink will come out. Chico set everything up and tried the tatoo gun...Eeeeeeeiiiiii!!!!! Iīm getting a tatoo. I just cannot describe how much adrenaline I had in me and how did I feel at that time. Iīve never felt anything like it. I was getting some permanent ink done in my leg!!!...I always knew that getting a tatoo was just a matter waitting for the right time.
Famous last words
Chico : Pablo, ready? Everything ok?
Me: Iīm ready
And then the first bit. Ok, I knew it hurt and was ready for the worse. I knew that the worse part was going to be the shins and Chico was starting on the side of the leg. Due to my position (laying down) I couldnīt actually see the gun which I think was a good thing.
The first impresion was: Is exactly like a needle is supposed to feel. Is like when you get shot at the hospital. It does hurt. Definitly. But is still very far away from being an unbearable pain.Not at all as bad as I thought it would be.
Chico stoped and asked me again "Everything ok Pablo?" and I said "Yep!". Someone made a joke and said that I could regret right now and I would only get a line and a shaved leg.
Then he started again. I did feel the pain and was completly aware of it. It just didnīt hurt that much...for a while at least.
The shin *does hurt* more but still far from not being beareble (mostly īcos I was ready for it I think) and the worse part was that bit on the back of the leg where the muscle finishes. That was the most painfull part. And I think it was īcos I wasnīt expecting it and īcos I was already pretty tired at this point.
Total amount of time under the tatoo gun: one and a half hours. Not bad to do just the outline. I have to go on the 17 and 31st of March and, if needed on May the 21st... all to finish the same tatoo, that should give you and idea of how big it is.
To make a long(er) story short: I loved it from the start and the post-tattoo hurt (and was more annoying) that the tattoo itself. I didnīt sleep that good that night. Did I mention that I just love the way it looks?
- Sunday 18: Spend most of the day in the house. This thing is getting on my nerves. It doesnīt hurt but is annoying as hell. I love the way the tatoo came out. Tried to sleep a bunch of times but I couldnīt get a proper position
- Monday 19: Went to work and felt the leg rubbing most of the morning. Late afternoon was better. Went for dinner at my parentīs house and almost murder the dog when she decided to jump on my leg, scratching it in the process. It was funny having dinner with my parents my the leg all sore from getting a tatoo...If they only knew! I showed it to my sister and she loved it. Slept almost normal.
- Tuesday 20: Slept pretty good and almost forgot about the tatoo for most of the day. Is very sligthly sore. I even considered going out to ride BMX at night but ended up not going.
- Today (Wensday 21): I just feel something if I rub the back of my leg. Other than that just my jeans sticking to it due to the scaring cream (Citracitina or something). Stoped at Atomic and told Chico how much adrenaline I had in me when he started tatooing and how stroked I was about the whole thing. He smiled and said "Thatīs bad, means that youīre gonna get more"...I couldnīt say no `cos heīs very probably right...
Follow up not included in the LC site: I went back for the filling up (ended up just being one more session) and again, like a total dumbass with a fairly big hangover. And it hurt more but still far from unbereable, plus I was more relaxed. Anyway, I think it hurt more a) īcos the hangover was worse (dumb thing to do, again) b)The needle was thinner and c) I wasnīt so pumped up since it wasnīt the first tatoo after all. Anyway, pain is temporary.
About the price: I donīt have words to appriciate it.
The healing up was much nicer to make up for it: I could sleep perfectly that night and two days later I could barely feel any pain.
And Chico was right, I am already thinking about the next one.