Well, I sort of did both. My inspiration was a Bible verse (yeah, yeah… please don’t get into any religious discussions or flaming), and I used a design of a flower that had been in my head for a few years. But I also searched through hundreds and hundreds of images online so I could sort of see what works, what looked like crap, and what sort of placing would look good. I did custom draw mine, and my tattoo artist tweaked it a little, but I definitely used other pics and tattoos as inspiration for it.

So I suggest doing a google image search of gambling tattoos, and also head over to the Inked Skin forum on here. I know I saw a few gambling-themed tattoos over there, and there was one in particular that I thought was very well done (and gambling-themed isn’t my style). Once you find some that you like, either start drawing up a design you like or take it to your tattoo artist and have them design something for you. Good luck!

-Kelsey

I have to agree with most of what’s been said already.

My first (and so far only) tattoo was not the first tattoo I ever wanted.. if that makes sense. I have been planning to get tattooed for years, and for at least 2-3 years it’s been at the stage where I’ve had several designs and I just can’t make up my mind on where each should go and how each should be done.

Then last February I decided that before I’d go ahead with getting a full sleeve or a backpiece done, I needed to know the pain and understand the healing process. So I started to think small, trying to find a tat on a slightly smaller scale 🙂 What I decided on, was the Taurus zodiac symbol, but I didn’t want something that thousands of other people have, so I spent days googling and finding and then weeks drawing what I wanted. I then 3D modeled it and spent a few weeks staring at 3D renderings from different angles, seeing which one I liked best, before I took the 3D and the line drawing to the tattoo artist and told him to make it happen.

This one tattoo, which is actually fairly simple, took me literally months to create and change and work until I was satisfied with it. The end result is exactly what I wanted.

The question of custom vs. pre-drawn is really only a question of taste. Personally all my tattoos are (or will be rather) created to depict something about me, my situation, my life or my family. Being a fan of realism and fantasy, I’m pretty much doomed to have many of them specially made for me by extremely talented artists. Then again, the bunch of tattoos that I’m planning today (and have been spending the majority of the last few days planning) will be fairly easy and neat and will come from pre-drawn (and yes… just simply Googled) images. If I can find a tattooer here that wants to make them for me, I’ll be getting those next.
None of them are any of the tattoos I first decided to get.. simply because all my first decisions are sleeves or bigger 🙂

You know that ultimately it will be you that must live with the tattoos, possibly for the next 80 years.
You know that only you can decide for yourself what you like.
You know that should you rush into something and then later live to regret it, that could require an extremely expensive and painful fix, which you would then have to tattoo something new over to hide the scarring.

Take your time, especially if you’re so unsure. The way I see it, you’ll know when you know. A few months make no difference and a couple of years are just a drop in the ocean.

Oh, and DO remember the simple fact that tattooing is highly addictive. It hurts like hell, it’s a bother to keep well while healing, it can’t stand sun so you’ll always have to think of that and there is a social stigma attached to it which will cause some people to look down on you an think poorly of you, but you’ll probably be wanting more only a few days after your first one 🙂

Mine was the cross that was on my Grandmothers coffin as a memorial to her. x