General / Off-Topic Question for people with tattoos.

[Deleted member 110222]

I'm considering getting a tattoo of a unicorn in a similar block "vector" style to my forum avatar. (I'd be drawing the design myself)

My question is, if I draw the design myself, and ask a good tattooist (I have friends who can help me find the right artist) to ink that into my skin, what kind of price do you think I'd be looking at? It'd be fairly small, just something small somewhere on my arm.

Cheers for any help.

I'll check back on this thread later this evening.

 

[FuzzySpider]

Depends totally on where you live and where you go. If it is more or less the same as your forum avatar, which is pretty simple and shouldn't take that long to do, I can't see it being much more than around 50 quid or so and it might be less. The local place here charges around £70 an hour, but their most basic stuff costs £30 to whack into your skin.

By the way, it hurts.

 

[Soliluna]

Expect to pay at least £25, but expect also what you pay for.

Often you can get cheaper if you let the "trainee" do it.

Depending on size, location and how difficult it is etc etc.

Go to the place, check out their work (every tattoo artist displays their work), make certain it is good and what you want - particularly look for pictures of their finished tattoo on the person, more important than seeing their work on paper as working on paper is a lot easier than working on the human body.

If you don't like their stuff, be prepared to travel and factor in that cost too.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah Fuzzy, it's going to be really simple; essentially curved lines forming the outline of a unicorn.

Heck, I like my forum avatar a lot, and I have used it all over the place as a symbol of my faith for years. I may just get it tattooed. I quite like it.

 

[CMDR Sgt.Code]

As above comments state, seek out the artists and examine their work but also check for reviews and rewards (there are competitions for best tattoos and such) and make sure they use clean needles.

 

[Marra Morgan]

I'm considering getting a tattoo of a unicorn in a similar block "vector" style to my forum avatar. (I'd be drawing the design myself)

My question is, if I draw the design myself, and ask a good tattooist (I have friends who can help me find the right artist) to ink that into my skin, what kind of price do you think I'd be looking at? It'd be fairly small, just something small somewhere on my arm.

Cheers for any help.

I'll check back on this thread later this evening.

You've got some good advice here

You can probably get it done for about £25 if you're keeping it small and just two colours. Black and red would look very nice!
And strike up a good rapport with your tattooist - they can be quite addictive and you might be back for more!

 

[glynie]

[video=youtube;ZRk0GeL-f8s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRk0GeL-f8s[/video]

 

[FuzzySpider]

Remember that a tattoo is permanent, you won't be able to get it off.

A lot of people like the idea of a tattoo but are worried they might get fed up with it, so here is my advice. Spend some time thinking about the tattoo you really want, and then get it tattooed on your next door neighbour. That way you can see it whenever you want, and if you ever get fed up with it just move house.

 

[Patrick_68000]

Remember that a tattoo is permanent, you won't be able to get it off.

A lot of people like the idea of a tattoo but are worried they might get fed up with it, so here is my advice. Spend some time thinking about the tattoo you really want, and then get it tattooed on your next door neighbour. That way you can see it whenever you want, and if you ever get fed up with it just move house.

Yes it is a good solution. I too am wary of tattoos

 

[57]

I was a tattooist for a good number of years, taking your own design wont effect the price, if anything it's saving the artist the job of designing one for you. As for price I cant say, depends on the artist. Going rate in the UK starts at £50 and hour but yours wont take long at all to do so id maybe expect £30-40 ish. The amount of colours wont effect the price, only his/her time.

 

[Sir.Tj]

I was a tattooist for a good number of years, taking your own design wont effect the price, if anything it's saving the artist the job of designing one for you. As for price I cant say, depends on the artist. Going rate in the UK starts at £50 and hour but yours wont take long at all to do so id maybe expect £30-40 ish. The amount of colours wont effect the price, only his/her time.

Right!!! When can I make a booking to cover the God awful abominations of tattoos I had when I was a teenager.

Trust me, as mentioned above have a really good hard think about having a tattoo and the long term effects i.e. what it will look like in 20-30 years time.

Not that I regret my Chesney Hawkes lifesize back tattoo you understand.

Or the Windows Vista logo tattooed on my backside.....

 

[samuelb]

I have several tattoos from around the world and my only advice is - check the artist and studio out first - you do not want hepatitis or a tattoo that is shoddy (for the rest of your life). I have a tattoo which sounds similar in size that cost me £50 ten years ago, so adjusted I would say around £75 - £85. Just bare in mind, they are adictive and one is never enough .

 

[Asp Explorer]

I have several tattoos from around the world and my only advice is - check the artist and studio out first - you do not want hepatitis or a tattoo that is shoddy (for the rest of your life). I have a tattoo which sounds similar in size that cost me £50 ten years ago, so adjusted I would say around £75 - £85. Just bare in mind, they are adictive and one is never enough .

I only have one tattoo. The rest is roadrash

 

[FuzzySpider]

Right!!! When can I make a booking to cover the God awful abominations of tattoos I had when I was a teenager.

Trust me, as mentioned above have a really good hard think about having a tattoo and the long term effects i.e. what it will look like in 20-30 years time.

Not that I regret my Chesney Hawkes lifesize back tattoo you understand.

Or the Windows Vista logo tattooed on my backside.....

Reminds me of this:

[video=youtube;mEIfdq_TGtI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEIfdq_TGtI[/video]

 

[57]

Or the Windows Vista logo tattooed on my backside.....

Haha, best place for Vista [yesnod]

I have a few, managed to sleeve most of my own left arm during the times the studio was empty. Used bulldog clips to pull the skin tight ..most stupid moment was either getting the barcode from a Netto carrier bag tattooed on my wrist or letting my GF tattoo my backside.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

To answer a few points.

I've been thinking about this tattoo idea for years. I'm pretty darn confident that I want it.

As for getting a good artist, well, I'm in very good hands. I'm friends with a lovely family who all have awesome tattoos. If I go ahead with it, I'll be seeking their help on the virtue of their experience.

Pain. I know it'll hurt, but that's why it's only going to be small. Location is fine too, as I'm thinking near the top of my arm. It'll always be covered by a sleeve outside.

Once again, thanks for all the feedback. I wasn't expecting this level of support!

 

[57]

Pain. I know it'll hurt, but that's why it's only going to be small. Location is fine too, as I'm thinking near the top of my arm.

Arm the least painful place to have one, don't worry about it. It just feels like someone scratching you, outline stings a bit and you can hardly feel the colouring in at all.

Don't forget to post a pic when its done!

 

[Hell Razor5543]

I did hear of a case whereby a tattoo may have helped to save a life. The person in question had a very rare blood group, and decided to have his blood group tattooed over his heart. Several years later they had a major accident, and was rushed into hospital. As he were bleeding profusely, the medical staff needed to get a load of blood ordered (which needs cross matching). As they were getting ready to send a sample up for testing, one of the medical staff saw the tattoo, and told the blood team to check against the tattoo group first. As it was a match, this saved valuable time in the blood laboratory, which may well have saved his life.

 

[glynie]

In-case you missed my point with the song earlier...personally I don't think tattoos are good ideas. Regardless of what the tattoo might represent to you, it may not communicate the same thing to others. Then there's the additional question of why you had the desire to get it in the first place, and what that desire says about you. Consider who you're talking to with it (Is it really only yourself? And if not, who?), why does it need to be said...and are you so sure of that message that you'll choose to stand by it indefinitely?

Tattoos don't change. Our minds do. In fact, healthy minds must change (to a certain degree). For that reason alone, I don't think you should ever get one. It's naive to think you'll never change your mind about it - and in fact, many people do regret them.

Also, I think it's a stronger statement to stick by something you can change (for example, a wedding ring, a memorial poppy, a religious pendant, etc). You could take them off, but you constantly make a choice not to. You're not bound to it because you can't remove it - it's your own will.

...don't get me wrong, I don't think all tattoos suck...I'm just not sure they're necessary.

 

[Asp Explorer]

Tattoos don't change. Our minds do. In fact, healthy minds must change (to a certain degree). For that reason alone, I don't think you should ever get one. It's naive to think you'll never change your mind about it - and in fact, many people do regret them.

...don't get me wrong, I don't think all tattoos suck...I'm just not sure they're necessary.

All I have is a bass clef as a reminder of playing an impromptu gig in Canada - their bassist never turned up and I'd been drinking with their drummer at the bar