Sorry to clutter the boards more with this, but basically my 18th is in a few weeks and I was originally getting a large tattoo starting at my right hip and going right up to the top of my ribs, of about 5/6 roses in black and grey and lots of swirly stuff.

Howeverrrr the tattoo man was like it will really hurt on the ribs, and so many people have said that too. So I was thinking I could get a smaller one done somewhere else so I can experience the pain first, before having my side one done so the pain isn't like a shock to me. Else I may get half of it done and then chicken out, being left with a rose that looks like a half eaten cauliflower.

But I'm now stuck for ideas. I was wondering if you could help me think of something to get done :) I don't want stars, hearts, or butterflies. I'm an open book :D

It does sound a bit... ambitious for a first tattoo. It might even turn out that you don't like being tattooed, as you can't know what it feels like until you experience it. It was certainly different to what I expected!

As for a suggestion, there are so many things to choose from. Maybe another (smaller) rose somewhere on your ankle?

I would say some form of writing on your wrist, because I think wrist tattoos are cute, but it's probably best not to get anything that could hurt future employment opportunities.

What about a miniature version of the big roses & swirly stuff on your left shoulder/upper arm? Like one rose and swirly stuff? That way, if you chicken out you still have some of what you wanted. If it turns out you love getting tattoos, the two tattoos will look good together. Any tattooist worth her salt should be able to redraw a pattern to suit another part of the body

Or maybe get a bee tattoo, flying to make sweet love to the roses you will get later.

Look into things you love (pin ups, flowers, birds, etc) or something to symbolise a important stage in your life.

I agree with Irilar, Im thinking top of your arm/shoulder might be one of the least painful places to get tattooed so I'd start out there.

I agree with the upper arm/shoulder idea. My boyfriend's sister had black art nouveau sort of swirly flowery things going from her shoulder down her back and almost to the ribs and it looked lovely there. I just found this rose, its on the front of the shoulder but I'm not sure how that area is for pain...

But, if you get your ribs done as your first tattoo, you will be an extremely gnarly frankie and therefore gain muchos street cred.

Oh god thats lovely! That area sounds good, so I'll now be looking at an army shouldery tattoo :D Thanks guys :) I've been rethinking roses in that area though, because I know a rose is quite a common thing to get done, and I've seen a few in that area, so I might go for something a bit more unique... will have to check out bmezine mucho moreos. Thanks guys :D

The absolute sorest place I think is the little tendon that's behind your knee. I didn't know this until I got the cheshire cat part of my Alice tattoo...I was almost in tears and I just had to keep breathing and I eventually started reciting the alphabet backwards to have something else to think about.

It hasn't put me off getting another tattoo.

Thanks spikey, I'll bear that in mind. Can I see a picture of the tattoo though?! It sounds awesome!

Pic 1
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Pic 4

There ya go!!!!

THAT

IS

SO

COOL!

^ Seconded.

Sorry to hijack your thread frank...but I wanted to ask...there are two tattoos I am absolutely CERTAIN I want, but one is on my lower back and the other at the top of my back, between my shoulder blades. How painful do people think that will be for a girl's first tattoo? (I am a wimp...)

Lower back barely hurt me at all. I don't have anything on my shoulder blades (will get there after the wedding!).

It's not the same for everyone, either. I would be more concerned by how long something may take (surely anyone could withstand a half-hour of tattooing almost anywhere, as opposed to multiple sessions etc.).

The tattoo I want on my shoulder blades is only going to be very small, it should only take about 20 minutes according to my boyfriend so I think I should be able to bear that.

The one on my lower back is going to be very detailed though so that will take longer. I want it soooo much though that I'm sure any pain will be worth it :)

i don't know much about tattoos.

but i've kind of been thinking i might eventually want one,
how much would small angel wings on your back hurt?

Quite a bit I think. But it depends on the person. I had my first tattoo done a few weeks ago, quite large on the back of my left shoulder. It felt fine to start off with. It took about 2 and half hours, and by the end of that I was in agony. But my skin kept rejecting the ink and she had to repeatedly go over it so that might have been why mine was so sore.

Aww Goth Girl you seem to be having a right time of it with things rejecting...your eyebrow and now the tattoo ink...

I don't think pain is something that you can really take into consideration unless you're absolutely the world's worst when it comes to dealing with any kind of pain. Basically, if you really, really, really want the tattoo then the pain isn't going to be a factor in whether you get it done or not.

^Exactly. Its something pointy penetrating the skin, of course it will hurt. No matter how many times someone explains it, you can't ever know exactly how long you can sit for until you go do it.

But even if you have a high pain threshold like me it can be quite bad. I've been pierced many times in one go before and it didn't bother me but the tattoing did. And some people I know can't handle any pain whatsover normally but tattooing is fine for them. Getting it done doesn't feel like anything else so you wont know how you'll be with it until you actually get tattooed.

My friend got her first tattoo on her ribs/hips of cherry blossom and it looks so pretty :) And it's pretty spiffy that it's her first one on such a painful place...she's kinda thin so it was immediately over her ribs.

I've made my mind up :) I'm going to start it on my hip and get a little bit added to it every month or something, maybe a bit longer then that. Then I can stop halfway up, or carry it on :) But I love the tattoo so I think I'll go for it! The man who's doing it is my mum's friend's boyfriend, and he'll come to my house and said he'll charge me £70! Which is so much cheaper than I imagined. I was dubious at first about him doing it at the house, but mum's friends tattoos he's done look fantastic and he's been a tattooist for years so all should be good :D

As long as he's a professional the location shouldn't matter as long as it's hygienic and tidy. But I don't think the hard shoulder of the M4 would be a good idea...

I think that that would add a note of surprise to whatever you end up with on your body....