I had been dreaming about this tattoo for quite some time. I love music, it is such a huge part of my life. I am a singer, I also play the guitar. I figured the best way to express my love for music was to get it put on my permanently. Since this had not been my first tattoo, (if you want to read about that experience please see "My symbolic sign of change.") I wasn't scared of getting it. But I did want to put so much effort into this tattoo. Since I design all of my tattoo's I get, it had to be perfect. I was out with my friend Anthony one day, a Saturday, in September. I was visiting for the weekend back home from College. Anthony and I had been discussing getting tattoos for over a year now, but we just never had the time or the money to get them together. We wanted our music notes to be a symbol of our friendship. He was getting a treble clef and I was getting an eighth note. We finally decided one day, "Oh lets just go do it."
At A Glance Author Caitlyn Contact Blueeyes1785@aol.com When A year ago Artist Willy Studio Remi's Location Littleton, CO So we went to Remi's in Downtown Littleton. I talked to Willy, who was my piercer for my tragus. I trusted him that he knew my personality because I always was in there talking to him coming up with designs for tattoos that I wanted. We went it around 2 in the afternoon. He told us that he had time at 6 that day if we wanted to come back. He took our idea I showed him my drawing and he said he would work on them.
Anthony and I were so excited, this was going to be his first tattoo, and this would be my fourth tattoo, but I had not gotten one for 2 months, and being addict to tattoo's that seemed an awful long time to me. We went out to eat before going back to Remi's. We filled out the necessary papers, and Willy showed us his ideas for our tattoos. I loved mine instantly, as soon as I saw it. Anthony didn't like his way too much though, he had willy change it around some. So Willy got his room all ready for us, we both went back there, and Anthony decided he was going to go first. So I let him. He got the treble clef on the left side of his chest. He flinched everyone in a while but it was just a smaller design, and he was done with it in about half an hour. Anthony got up and looked at his chest, he loved it. It was then my turn. Willy asked if he could have a cigarette break, which was fine by me, we just went out there with him to get some air. He came back in and sterilized his room and called me back. He pulled out the copy of my tattoo and put it on my lower back. I looked at it and said that looks great. (however I didn't realize that the tattoo was backwards, considering when you look in the mirror it looks right to me). So I told him to go ahead. He started it felt so good. I love tattoo's so much. It wasn't that bad yet, I had heard that the spin is the worst part. He went over my spin numerous times, and it still didn't hurt so bad. He decided for my eighth note that he wanted to add clouds and stars, which is my personality completely. So after about 15 minutes, the owner of Remi's, Remi came in and talked to me for a while, all the time Willy was quiet and concentrating. Then Ari came in to bring Willy some more paper towels. He started to joke about how Willy was putting a butterfly on my back. It was really funny considering that I hate butterflies, and that Willy was like "I never want to tattoo another butterfly as long as I live." Ab out an hour went by, and my back was starting to feel numb, because Wi lly was then adding the pink color in my clouds around the purple, which hurt the worst. So I started to flinch a little bit. The whole time I was thinking about how this tattoo was taking a lot longer than I had expected. Finally Willy finished my tattoo. He sprayed my tattoo with some water and wiped off the excess ink, and had me look at it. It was beautiful. IT WAS HUGE!!! This tattoo was supposed to be smaller than it was, but Willy got so into doing it, he made it bigger, which I loved.
Willy was so proud of his work he made me go from room to room showing the other artists his work, they all approved. It was not until later I realized that it was backwards. Anthony who is a piano major at DU didn't even realize it was backwards!!! What a lot of help he was! I fell in love with it though, it is so beautiful. We paid, and Willy told me that when it heals he wants me to come back so that he can take a picture of it for his portfolio. I was so happy that my picture was going to be in his portfolio.
Anthony and I went back to his dorm room and we sat there looking at each other's tattoos, when he leaned over to me and whispered. I think it's backwards. I got up and looked in the mirror, and was shocked, but that shock soon wore off. Even though it was/is backwards. I still love it. Even more so actually. I think of it now saying that I rebel against that certain type of perfection when it comes to music. Music is every where, no matter what form it is in. A car driving by, a bird chirping. Its all music. So I feel like my Eighth note states that you do not have to conform to any sort of music. Just let it flow and be involved with it.
This tattoo is one of my favorites. It's so beautiful. It makes me happy when I think about it and when I look at it. Plus it gets lots of comments on being gorgeous.
Even though my tattoo is backwards, it is still so perfect, and helps me express my true side. What was at first a mistake, turned out to be the best thing.