I had gotten my first tattoo when I was 17, and had accumulated 3 more since then.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Ed Studio Oni Ink Location Alabama I had been playing around with the idea of a foot tattoo for a while, but didn't know much about it, like healing process and time and things of that nature. While I was in New York and after I'd stepped off the stage at Carnegie Hall with 200 other highschool kids, I decided that I was going to get a tattoo when I got back home. I had liked the idea of a treble clef with some stars, but I had my own ideas for the design.
When I got back, I told my mom I was going to get a tattoo on my foot. She generally doesn't care, but I figured I should let her know. So, I looked up some information about care and healing, and read some experiences... I didn't know anyone who had a foot tattoo. Several of my friends had ankle tattoos, and they cried through theirs. I knew I should be able to handle it...
I'd already had other work done, but I was a little worried about my foot. Most of the things I'd read were about excrutiating pain, but, I decided I was going to get this tattoo.
I drew the design and slept on it for the weekend, and on Monday, decided that I was going to have it done.
I called the shop, which I had been to for all my other tattoos and piercings, and asked them if they had an opening. They said they did, and I booked an appointment for 8:00 that night. My boyfriend was supposed to have some more work done, so I went with him to kill some time.
Finally, 8:00 pm rolled around. I was excited, but still a little nervous. I always get nervous before any procedure. I showed them the design I'd drawn, and they took it and added some flair to it for me. I went outside to have a cigarette, and they came out with the finished piece.
Ed, the tattoo artist, asked me to come back into the back so he could place it and get started. I'd never had any work done with him, his brother, Charles, had done my other work, but he was nice and he'd been recommended to me before.
I sat on the big, black bench and handed my foot to Ed. He cleaned it and laid the stencil on my foot. After moving it a few times, we had it perfect.
Ed took out everything he needed, and I watched him fill up the ink wells. He asked me if I was nervous, and he made small talk as he was setting up. He told me he was going to do a little line first so I could get the feel of it and then he'd take it from there. I heard the buzzing of the gun, and took a deep breath. The needles embedded in my skin, and I was relieved.
It was nothing like I thought it was going to be. It felt like getting scratched by a cat, but over and over. I know, that doesn't sound very appealing, but it really isn't that bad. Every few minutes, Ed would wipe my foot down, which doesn't feel the best in the world either.
I sat and watched Ed work on my foot. The outline took the longest and it probably the most irritating part of the entire piece. When he was done with the outline, he started in on the colors.
The entire session from walking in to walking out took around an hour. After Ed wrapped my foot up, he read through the aftercare sheet, handed me a copy and asked me if I had any questions. When I said no, he proceeded to tell me that my foot would be very sore and that I should avoid wearing shoes whenever possible. He told me to keep flip flops handy if I absolutely had to wear shoes.
I paid and tipped Ed and limped out of the tattoo parlor with my new baby. I was relieved that the pain was nothing worse than anything else I'd ever sat through.
The healing process is more complicated. My foot was swollen and I could barely walk. It felt like I had put my foot on a table and told someone to beat it with a golf club. Showering was uncomfortable, water stings. My foot by day number 2 was almost too big to fit in my flip flop. I kept an ice pack on it that I had wrapped in saran wrap to help with the swelling, but that only lasted for 3 days. I went back and they told me it was normal.
The only advice I can give to anyone wanting a foot tattoo is that aftercare is very important. You can't wear closed shoes or socks, not that you would want to, but the ink will get scrubbed out by the friction of your sock in your shoes and it takes a little bit of extra care, that means lotion at least 3 times a day, everyday, if you want it to remain bright. Your foot will hurt, it will probably swell, but it's all temporary. Foot tattoos fade faster than others, so be prepared for a touch up. I've got to go in within the next few months, but I love it, and I'm getting the other foot inked as soon as possible.