23 How Should I Act When I Get In That Chair?
Description
This article is from the Tattoo FAQ, by Stan Schwarz with numerous contributions by others.
23 How Should I Act When I Get In That Chair?
Once you have settled on a design and a price that you and your artist
agree on, the work will either begin right then, or you will be asked to
come back for a later appointment (e.g. if the artist has another client
coming in in 15 minutes).
Once you're in that chair, what can you expect? Most likely, the artist
will begin the long process of preparing for your work. This is
especially true if the artist is going to do a custom design that you
brought in. First, the design will have to be worked on. Most artists
will play around with the design on paper first, although some artists
will do it freehand. "Freehand" means the artist takes an ink pen to
hand and begins drawing a design on your skin without the use of a
stencil (NOT where the artist begins work with the tattooing machine
immediately--the artist, no matter how good, still needs to envision how
the work will look on your skin--proportion, placement, etc.).
When you and the artist are happy with the design, the artist might
outline the design with a piece of carbon paper, or use an old-fashioned
copy machine to get a working copy of it. This would be when the artist
would properly size the design. The artist will then clean your skin
where the work will be done (probably an alcohol or antiseptic rub), and
will swipe your skin with an "adhesive," which is usually Speed Stick
deodorant (for some reason *I* haven't seen any other brands). The
artist will then put the carbon side of the design directly on your
skin. When the paper is lifted, ta-da! A carbon line drawing of the
design should appear on your skin!
The artist will probably let you look in a mirror to make sure you are
happy with the design and the placement. Once this is agreed upon, the
artist will then begin putting the supplies out.
At this point, your artist should be doing things like dispensing
various colors of ink into little disposable wells, and rigging a new
set of needles into the tattoo machine. At this time, you will probably
try to look cool by looking around the studio walls or occasionally
looking to see what your artist is doing. Your artist might have a radio
playing, which will help distract you a little.
At this point, it is best for you to try and relax. You can ask the
artists about some things, like the colors of the ink. Depending on the
work you are getting, the artist will need to mix some colors, for
example. You're probably somewhat nervous, but excited at the same time
because you're actually gonna get a real tattoo! Whether you realize it
or not, your body is going through quite an adrenalin rush. Try to
remain calm and not too anxious. Your hyped-up condition and your
anxiety about the anticipated pain of your experience by themselves may
trigger a fainting spell. It will help if you are not there on an empty
stomach. Get a bite to eat about an hour or two before you go in for
your session. Having hard candy or some juice on hand during the session
is also recommended.
Just relax and try to stay calm. For women, the experience of anxious
anticipation is similar to a pelvic exam at an OB/GYN, where you are
more nervous about it while waiting for the doctor as you lie prone on
the examining table, feet in the stirrups. Just as most exams aren't
painful or really all that bad, neither is tattooing.
Bzzzzzttttt....The artist starts up the machine, dips the needle into
the ink and starts to work toward your skin! Aaaaaahhhhh!!! Will it
hurt? Will it hurt? Grit your teeth! Hang tight!...
Ooohhhhhhh! It *does* hurt! Ow! Ow! Ow! I'm okay, I'm okay, this is
fine, it's not that bad. I can grit my teeth. Grit, grit, grit. Try to
smile a bit. My teeth are gritting, anyway. Oh, I hope this pain doesn't
stay like this!! Breathe. Don't forget to breathe. Relax. Relax. Relax.
Okay there, that's better. Not so painful. I can handle it. Yeah--look
at all the tattoos HE's got on his arms. I can handle it, too. Yeah.
...The most painful part of the process will pass in a couple of
minutes, after which the area will feel abuzz with electricity and
warmth. Just try to relax and breathe deeply--enjoy the one-of-a-kind
experience that you're feeling. Oftentimes, you end up clenching your
jaws, grinding your teeth or grasping the chair with your white-knuckled
hands. But once you pass the first couple of minutes, you'll feel silly
for having worried about it so much. If you still feel uncomfortable
after a few minutes, it may be because you're sitting in an
uncomfortable position. See if you can get into a more comfortable,
reclining position--but make sure to ask the artist first before you try
to move.
Some people try to distract themselves by trying to talk with the
artist. This is kind of like with hair stylists--some stylists just love
to gab and gab (just ask them an open-ended question), while some
stylists would rather concentrate and not screw up your hairdo. Same
with tattoo artists. While some will like to "talk story" with you,
others would rather concentrate on the work you're paying them to do.
After all, their job, income, and reputation are on the line when they
have the tattooing machine to your skin. Often, they'll talk during easy
parts, and less during complex work. Just go with the flow and not worry
about it.
The only thing I don't particularly prefer is if there's a lot of
traffic walking around in the studio and the artist has to keep talking
to them (either potential clients or tattoo groupies). For this reason,
a cubicle or dividing partition is a nice option for privacy.
Most people can sit through over an hour of work, but if you get
uncomfortable, just ask your artist if you can take a break. If you feel
woozy, you might consider bringing some candy with you to give you a
little lift, or some water to drink.
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