Being from a fairly conservative family, the mention of a tattoo or any sort of body modification to my parents was shunned and they would not stand for such behavior. So when I turned 18, my ultimate goal was to do my thing, regardless of the lack of support I was receiving from them.
At A Glance Author Mandi Contact Mandi@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Crazy Dave Studio Affinity Body Art Location Sioux Falls, SD
Upon turning eighteen in December, I began to contemplate what I would get permanently inked on my skin. I went through the whole, "I'm punk rock" phase and thought it would be cool to get stars on my hips. The idea stuck for about a month and then I realized when I'm sixty years old I won't want two big stars on my body. I needed something that had meaning but wasn't too elaborate, as it did happen to be my first. I finally decided I wanted something Irish, as that is a large part of who I am.
I searched the internet for some Celtic knot designs that might be fitting for me. I came upon a triangle shaped knot, the trinity knot. I was pleased after researching the knot that it had a deeper meaning than just being something Irish. Each of the three corners represent mind, body and spirit...sort of out there for me, but meaningful all the same, and I love the shape of the knot.
After choosing on the perfect tattoo and being content for more than couple of weeks with my choice I decided to research tattoo shops in the area that would have an amazing artist to make this worth while. The search stopped when I located Affinity Body Art. Their website had a variety of different pictures of tattoos done by the artists in the shop and I felt they were done well. I called the shop and talked to a woman, telling her I wanted to get a tattoo and was wondering about the price. She said it depended on the size and amount of color needed to make the tattoo. She told me it would be about $80-$100 which was what I had expected.
I visited the tattoo shop the next day and dropped off my design so Dave could draw it up and be ready the next week when I came in to get inked. There were a few people in the shop when I arrived, all of whom were very beautifully tattooed. When Dave looked at the design I printed off he took some measurements and informed me that it was symmetrical and he'd fix that to make it perfect. I was impressed, to say the least, that he noticed such a minute detail right off the bat.
A week later I was in the shop, nervously awaiting the pain I thought I would feel with my tattoo. My friend and brother came with me for moral support and kept me company while I waited for my artist to finish up on the woman before me. I noticed how sterile the shop smelled...it was very clean and well kept, very organized and welcoming.
After about an hour, a long wait, Dave was finished and the woman he had finished with was crying because she was so pleased with his work...this eased my nerves a great deal, I no longer had to worry about if my tattoo would turn out well or not.
Dave was friendly and had me sit down in the tattoo area and asked where I wanted that tattoo. I showed him, on my lower back and he got to work shaving the area for a smooth work surface. He placed the stencil on my back and had my look in the mirror and approve the location. As soon as the location was approved he got to work.
He told me he was beginning and I tensed up thinking the experience was going to be painful, but it wasn't at all. There was the initial prick of the needles but nothing overwhelming at all. After a few minutes the area just seemed really hot. After he had the outline of the tattoo complete he again had me look in the mirror to see how things were coming along. I was so pleased. I was however, a little stumped on what color to fill in the outline with. My favorite color is green but I thought I might want something more feminine, purple or something. Dave talked me into going with green and I'm glad I did because I can't imagine having a purple knot on my back now.
After an hour of tattooing it was finished and I was so pleased. He walked me through aftercare steps and gave me some ointment to put on the tattoo for the first few days of healing. I got some business cards that he asked me to hand out to my friends and a bumper sticker.
Healing was easy. The site of the tattoo was fairly sensitive for about a week after I got it, but once it dried out everything just felt tight...it got a little itchy, but that could be relieved with Aveeno lotion. A year later I am still satisfied with the Celtic knot on my back and am fully content with having it there for the rest of my life. I've got the bug...I'm addicted to the thought of getting another tattoo and look forward to the experience all over again.