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| Wednesday, February 20 2008 07:57 AM |
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Subject: Base Weblog |
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The tattoo-anorexic |
I've just had my second session with my new tattooist Jo Harrison and it's going well. It's a very large Japanese-inspired bird/flower thingy going down from the left side my chest and across and down to just below my waistline. It's meant to blend into the other tattoos that I've got so I'll be mostly covered on my front - chest, stomach and sides.
The first three hour session was just hell. I don't remember any other tattoo being so bad. I'd never had to stop before but I had to admit defeat just over two hours into the session. It's so gutting when that happens. I'd been waiting for nearly two years, spent a lot of cash on the session and then I wimped out. I was really annoyed. Jo was really sympathetic and understanding - she kept getting text messages (SMS) from her friends and I kept encouraging her to reply every time I heard her phone beep, so I could take a breather. It occurred to me though that maybe she was a bit too understanding. When I was tattooed by the infamously grumpy but wonderfully talented Buggs a couple of years back, I didn't dare ask him to stop. So maybe for me it's better to have a less sociable, more impatient tattooist who won't tolerate my wimpishness. Or maybe not. I love Jo Harrison - extremely talented and very personable and I think I'll stick with her.
Anyway, my second session started off pretty badly. We hadn't finished outlining the first time so there was still some left. After about a minute I wanted to cry and ask her to stop. I'd taken some very strong pain killers that were absolutely useless. I even put a flask of vodka in my bag for 'Dutch Courage' but decided against having a swig. A friend on Inked Nation had recommended an anesthetic gel called Amitop which I'd gotten really excited about until another good friend here, Nzingha told me about an awful experience she'd had with a similar anesthetic. I'd called the tattoo shop beforehand and they said they didn't recommend the gel "it lasts about half an hour and then it really kills afterwards". Well after a couple of minutes under the needle I was cursing Nzingha and whoever I'd spoken to on the phone at the tattooist. I was lying there wondering how I'd managed to have so much work done in the past. I didn't remember it being this bad. Then as soon as she began shading and colouring everything suddenly got better. Compared to the outlining I felt like I was being tickled. And I'd almost called it a day after she'd done the outlining work. Thank heavens I didn't because it would have felt like a huge defeat for me.
I sometimes think having tattoos might be like anorexia. An anorexic looks in the mirror and sees a fat person (presumably) and everyone else looks and sees 'skin and bone'. I look in the mirror and all I can see is too much bare flesh and not nearly enough tattoo. I wonder if a non tattooed person would look at me and think just the opposite? In short, I'd yet to consider myself 'heavily tattooed', which I suppose is a status I'm striving for. In my mind, I've got a few tattoos but they're nothing when compared to people who are really serious. I was beginning to think it was all in my head and I'd never see myself as 'heavily tattooed' no matter how many I had (maybe I'm a tattoo-anorexic!). Well anyway, I looked in the mirror yesterday after I'd removed the tape and cling film (shrink wrap) and thought for the first time that maybe, just maybe I could describe myself as 'heavily tattooed'. I was thrilled. Hurrah!
I'm hoping that the finishing sessions won't be too bad (no more outlining) and that I'll stop looking in the mirror and seeing only the white bits, though maybe that's what keeps me going. I'm back on the tattooists couch in early March, providing Jo returns from Detroit where she's doing a show. If anyone is going to that then she's worth checking out as she's a fantastic talent.
Next on my 'to do' list is a large tattoo on the back of my right hand and hopefully I can get Jo to do that. After that I'm thinking about my neck (my holy grail) and maybe a large backpiece. The publicly visible tattoos are really dependent on career moves, as well as me having the nerve to go get them done. I've worked for myself for a long time but my latest business is about to crash and burn so I'll probably have to get an office job again. I just need to find an understanding employer or a new project where I'm not answerable to anyone else. I'll let you know what happens. |
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guyreal
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 Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 17:54 |
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Don't feel too bad I just got a Indian Goddes on my right side and I was very dissapointed when I wimped out 2.5 hours into the session. I almost tink that it cured my ink addiction for a little bit, it just hurt so much.
I got some painkillers from a friend of mine but reading about how it didn't help you. hmmmmm. One of my tattoo artist friends suggested valium, or zanex just to calm down but . . . .
Do you have a closer picture? The Tattoo Anorexia is so true. I look at blank spots on my dody and just don't feel like I'm finished yet.
Later your a trooper |
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