First Tattoo! Help? LOL

I have found that the closer to the bone the least amount of pain. I guess everyone is different. I would suggest the shoulder as most have said. Have them draw it up for you, make sure they understand how you want it colored in/or not, etc. I have drawn the 3 I have and plan on drawing others to come. I have to go back to get one touched up because they didn't do it exactly how I wanted it. I won't be going back to that person. FYI, if they have to call the guy to remind him he has an appointment waiting...reschedule. Don't think he was awake yet!! Good luck...it may not be your last. :drinker:

I would not recommend anywhere on the back (to include shoulders) for a first tattoo, nor for a small one. My reason for this is that your back is the largest piece of canvas you have on your body, and if your first experience gives you the thirst for more, you will have already used up that real estate on one small and specific theme.

I have only one tatt - Japanese kanji on my shoulder, and I could think of a few ways to incorporate an Asian themed back piece around it if I ever wanted more (which I don't).

There are products like Ink-eeze that will mitigate the pain, which is smart! Fact - tattoos hurt. So use some numbing cream and get it wherever you like.

Over fat and muscle will always hurt less than over bone.

Ask the artist how the tattoo will age, too much ink in not enough space will morph into a blob of ugly ink as you age.

My hip tattoo didn't hurt at all.

I have a couple of tattoos, one upper hip/bum and the other behind the ear.

I am also terrified of needles, but when it's something you want done, it's a lot easier than a flu shot or blood test. My first wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Don't let the fear of pain be the deciding factor on where you put it.

I hate needles but to me I dont see the tattoo thing as a needle. The high you get afterwards totally out weighs any pain from it.

That's really cute! I personally, would never get my partners name on me and vice versa.

I have his dogs paw on my hip and that really hurt!! I was sweating so bad haha need to get it finished though. Another half hr of pain.

Wrist hurts too. Ribs are meant to as well and i want writing done there eventually....

Whatever you do, don't get one on your lower back. They don't look nice there

The adrenaline rush for me with the first tattoo was so high I didn't notice. First tattoo is about three by three and above my heart. Almost no pain, just a little uncomfortable. My wrists also didn't hurt much. I have one on the side of my leg that wasn't bad but my calf hurt especially up behind my knee. That was awful. No knees haha. But otherwise....just stay away from rib cage and bony areas and you should be good.

My main recommendation is to make an appointment with the artist ahead of time to accomplish two things: 1) get a tour of the studio and go through a mental checklist of what matters most to you (cleanliness, general vibe, etc.), and 2) talk about your ideas and get a sketch drawn up. In that conversation, also try and get a feel for whether or not the artist "wants" to do the piece. While the best tattoo artists don't need to be inspired to do a great job, it definitely doesn't hurt to have the artist completely onboard with your vision and have a general interest in bringing your thoughts to life.

Also, if you have the time and the artist is willing, sit with him or her when they do the sketch. That way you can avoid some of the back and forths associated with fine-tuning the piece because you can give immediate feedback, and you can confirm that the artist can actually draw the piece without the need of tools (like stencils). If they can sketch it by hand, the transfer to your skin will be much closer to what you want.

All of this comes from my own experience (I have 4 tattoos) and from being very close friends with numerous tattoo artists and studios. If the studio you go to says "no" to any of the above, I would seriously consider going to another studio. They are there to fulfill your vision, not the other way around. Don't take any crap from an artist with an ego.

As for where to put it... honestly, go with what you want. If you do build a repoirt with the artist, it might help to ask him or her about where they think it will look best. Don't worry about the pain. If you place a tattoo because you wanted to avoid pain, you might regret its location later in life. The pain is temporary. One of my tattoos required multiple sittings of several hours, but the rest have all been done in less than an hour. For the piece you are describing, that would be my guess. To deal with pain (that really isn't THAT bad) for an hour is WELL worth it for the tattoo you have envisioned in your head.

Just my two cents.

Think about this --- it's your first tattoo and it has some very significantly special meaning. Put it where YOU want it. It's for the rest of your life. As far as pain, there is none. However, it is bothersome, annoying, whatever adjective you want to use. Pain hurts, and makes you cry because it hurts. A tattoo will not make you cry from pain. You will get annoyed at hearing that little buzz from the needle for thirty minutes or more. You will get tired from being in the same position for thirty minutes or more. Your tattoo will not be sore, but will require you to take some extra care and cleaning of the area. Getting a tattoo and having babies are the same thing. If it was really that bad, people would only have one. My tattoo is a bouquet of roses with my children's initials on a bloom. When my grandkids get here, I will add bumblebees for boys and butterflies for girls with their initials to my bouquet. Good Luck! and Have Fun! with this. Your second tattoo will be coming shortly.