Sweet Ink

With my 21st birthday looming around the corner, I think I will be taking a little trip for some fresh ink!

Leah took this picture last time I was getting tattooed. Safe to say I was sweaty, in pain, and completely wired to the moon after a can of red bull and a bottle of coke. I am such a wimp, I mean its sore… but it’s not unbearable. Just got myself so wound up about it!

I keep a little list in my ipod touch of tattoo ideas, and a folder on my mac with some ink inspiration. I like to let the ideas flutter in and out for quite a while, and the tattoos I have so far are a result of an idea not leaving my brain for at least a good few months (well, maybe a bit longer than that) The idea that has been floating around my noggin for at least a year now, is one of these wee lovelies.

A diamond! Diamonds are the hardest known natural marerials, and a few sources I’ve found online say “Diamond tattoos can symbolize many things, and each person who incorporates a diamond into their body art will have to figure out how they want to interpret it. However, diamonds are most commonly a symbol for endurance, and an unbreakable quality that may be seen as a characteristic of the wearer’s own personality. The word diamond itself is derived from the ancient Greek term adamas meaning “invincible,”

I’ve spent so much time justifying my tattoos for other people, but I think you can grasp from whats written above one of the reasons why this tattoo would mean so much to me. I am going through a very important transition in my life right now, turning 21 and becoming a real ‘woman’, graduating from university, establishing my career, moving away from home for the first time, and I will be living with my boyfriend of almost two years who has brought so much love and light to my life. This tattoo would mark the next chapter of my life for me, and remind me of the thick skin and strength I have grown over the past few years.

I still haven’t thought about size or placement, but I would like it quite simple like the one above with maybe just a little hint of colour.

No way would I be getting anything as big as this, but tattoos like these make me really think of the placement. No more chest or arms, and I’m not too keen on my back. So where am I meant to hide this little fella?

Would it be better to keep it simple, or encorporate other text or images into the design? I love this pocket watch tattoo, I don’t normally like flowers but I think they compliment it really well. And the colours are gorgeous! Really like nostalgic designs like this.

One tattoo artist I have been admiring for a very long time, is Valerie Vargas. She is based in Frith Street Tattoo in London, and oh boy she is a lady in demand 🙁 I would need to wait like a year to get tattooed by this talented lady. I think you can see why though! She does the most beautiful portraits, each one feminine but also very strong, and each design unique! Her work is absolutely stunning, I think I need to find an artist with a really amazing portfolio before I commit to anything. I was silly enough to not do this the very first time I got tattooed.

Note: Just because the girl who you went to school and was amazing at art, who went to art school and was one of the most talented young artists I have ever seen DOES NOT mean that these skills will transfer to being a tattoo artist. I learned this the hard way when I was 18 and let her tattoo me while she was still doing her apprenticeship. Yes, the drawing she did me was lovely. But it did not turn out anything like that when it was tattooed. Uneven, bad shading and even more terrible lining. It took me over a year to do something about it. So off I went to a tattoo appointment at Forevermore in Glasgow, and a few weeks later heres what they managed to do with my pretty crappy tattoo.

Better? I think so! But still far from perfect. The owner David Pozo relined the whole thing, added a few more pretty details, new colour and shading and did the best with it he could. He also added ‘Irie’ which is Jamacian… I know that seems random but it generally just means that everythings alright (every’ting irie!) and to be very happy with where your life is at a certain moment in time. A very positive and affirmative word, Irie is also the name of my favourite cafe in one of my most favourite places in the whole world – Cornwall! Surfing memories and sunshine 🙂 I’ll certainly be heading to the coast when I retire.

So all in all, my lesson was learned. Make sure your tattoo artist is shit hot! Ask lots of questions and their opinion a million times over! Let them use their expertise along with your ideas and if you take a picture or design to them, be prepared for them to change it or tweak it or advise you on the size and placement. I am extremely glad I was a bit more clued up second time around when on my 19th birthday I got my darling swallows.

I think that would have been an epic fail if they had been messed up, don’t you agree? 🙂 (I do have a top on by the way, its just tucked down into my bra cups, promise!) I still get funny looks, asked all the time what they mean, did they hurt, why did I get them on my chest, am I a sailor, have I been in jail? The answers usually go along the lines of lots, YES, because I wanted to, no, and definately no! But seriously, I got them for me and the fact that they are not everyones cuppa doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I’m open to all opinions and questions on my tattoos 🙂 But at the end of the day, my tattoos remind me of a time in my life that I want to remember. Not once have they affected my professional practice or the way I am viewed by employers (however I admit I normally keep them covered initially until I know I can be comfortable with having them on show) Because I know some people have very extreme views on tattoos, piercings etc. 

Sometimes I think about how many old grannies and grandpas are going to have sleeves, chest pieces, neck and hand tattoos by the time I’m an old age pensioner. And when I think about it that way, I don’t think I’ll exactly be the odd one out eh? 🙂 Do what thrills you in life when youre still young, while you still can, and don’t spend your time worrying about your image or what other people think! I should really listen to my own advice more, because I do get down days and paranoid sometimes, but we all do. I just thought I would share my views with you all and hope you understand where I’m coming from 🙂 I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Oh, and a big HELLO! to all of my few followers! Jeez, thats pretty overwhelming… so a big hug to you all and thank you for being so supportive and reading. I think a little thank you present will be on the horizon from me soon ♥