Where to begin? Well I've been infatuated with tattoos for as long as I could remember. When I was a young lad I had my mother (a good artist) drawing skulls and crossbones on my arms with a ball point pin. So naturally I would eventually end up getting at least one tattoo in my live time. From about the time I was 14 I started thinking about what I wanted to get when I turned 18. I went through a lot of ideas in that time, but none of them seemed like something I wanted adorning my body for the rest of my life. I turned 18 and I still had no idea what I wanted to get so I decided it was better to be patient and get something I really wanted instead of rushing into something I would regret two weeks later.
At A Glance Author alex Contact alkapone_122@hotmail.com When Three months ago Artist greg Studio underground ink Location lexington kentucky So I'm at college now and getting over a tragedy in my life I finally figure out what I wanted to get, but being new in the town I didn't know any of the shops or how credible they were. So I started asking around town and going to different shops trying to figure out where I should go for my first tattoo, after all I wanted this to be the best experience possible. I decided to on a shop that was actually just a couple of block down the road from my dorm, Underground Ink. I had been in there a few times before and enjoyed the company of the people there and I liked the work they did.
I then went back to my dorm and immediately started to draw up my tattoo, the traditional sparrows on the chest but draw in my own style. After a few days of working on them to get them just perfect, color and all, I took it back to the shop so greg could make the transfer of it and I could make an appointment for the following Saturday.
The two days between then and Saturday were the longest two days of my life. I was so excited and anxious the whole time. I told everybody I saw that I was getting a tattoo, it was pretty much the first word out of my mouth to everyone and anyone.
The Friday before my appointment I was hanging out at my friends apartment with a bunch of friends talking about tattoos and stuff in general. None of my friends have them or even have love or appreciation for them like I do, but they were all a bit intrigued that I was getting one. One of my friends decided that he wanted to go along with me and watch, so we made plans to meet before my appointment to go and get a bit to eat.
The next day, I met my friend tyler at the student center at 12:00am to get some food. While we were eating he got a call on his cell from form another friend of ours that decided he wanted to come watch as well. A few minutes later, our friend chase was there and we walked to the shop. We got there about 5 minutes before 1:00, which is 5 minutes before the shop opens. I had the first appointment of the day. Greg came and unlocked the shop and invited us in. We headed in and got started right way. Greg got out new needles and put the ink in to separate wells and got out latex gloves, the whole nine yards.
Greg told me to take off my shirt and he got the transfer sheet and placed it in the approximate area where I wanted it. It wasn't quite where I wanted it, so he tried again. The second time it was perfect. Then he placed the second one and he nailed it the first time. I sat down in the chair and he adjusted it to his liking. He then asked me if I wanted a little touch of the needle just so I would know what it felt like. I said no and that I would just find out when he started the tattoo and I would deal if it hurt. So he start the tattoo, and to my surprise it felt nothing like what I expected. It wasn't an extreme pain, but it was not what I would consider a comfortable sensation. The parts that hurts the most where when he went over the collar bone and the tender area between my shoulder muscle and pectoral muscle. He finished the outline and moved on to the coloring. I honestly can't decide which I thought hurt more, the outline or the coloring. I actually think they were about the same. They both had their painful points.
He finished up the first sparrow it about an hour to complete, but it was amazing! I loved it. But I needed a little break between that one and starting the second one.
I stepped out side with my friends, two more had showed up by this point, and had a cigarette. After talking g with my friends for a minute, I headed back in side to start the second one.
Greg touched the needle to my skin and it hurt a whole lot more than the first one due to my endorphins wearing off. But I got through it. This one went quicker than the first, it only took 45 minutes, thank god!
I took a look in the mirror and I was ecstatic! Nothing in the world could have been greater than the way I felt at that moment seeing my artwork on my body!
Greg cleaned me up and told me about aftercare and gave me a sheet on it and all and just talked a bit in general while he disposed of all the needles and ink and all. Then we took care of the money issue, I paid him and also tipped him $10. he was greatful to get the tip and I was happy to give it to him for the excellent work he did.
Im sure this will not be the last tattoo I get, I have a few more ideas already and would probably get them if I had the money. I had a great first experience and I plan to go back to greg for any future work I get done.