Hello everyone!
My name is Justin, I’m 21 years old and hailing from Grand Rapids, MI.
For the past couple of years I’ve always toyed around with the idea of getting a tattoo, but haven’t really taken a SERIOUS look into it until now.I’ve been browsing the forums, watching YouTube videos, watching TV shows, etc.–all related to tattooing and it seems my interest in getting one grows more each day.For the past few weeks I’ve been drawing up some ideas for what I want and I think I’m getting somewhere with the image I created (in Photoshop) below.
I do worry about whether or not I’m overestimating and/or underestimating the expected pain.On one hand, without previous tattoo experience, it’s easy to think that it won’t be that bad and I’ll be able to bear it. But on the other hand, again, with the lack of experience, it could end up being 1000x more awful than my imagined worst case scenario. I’d like to think that with SO many people getting tatted up, that it surely can’t be that bad. But then I think that these people might just have a high-pain threshold. I’m constantly bouncing between excitement and fear, haha.
So here’s the image I created. There are some glaring errors and some aspects that I would need to carefully refine, but this is the gist of it.Being a huge Batman fan I have no doubt that I’ll be getting a tattoo related to him.
In case you can’t tell (but I hope you can), it’s basically a larger image of Batman (with his wings spread out) and it’s composed of several smaller silhouettes of him doing various actions. On the outside there are “cut-outs” of some of the notable Bat-symbols over the years.Any white would obviously be skin in real life.
My current placement of it would be on my left bicep and large enough that the tips of each wing would slightly be going onto my chest/back respectively.
While I’m certainly happy with it now, I don’t think it’s quite skin-ready. For instance, I worry that it might just be too much black and that without examining it closely, it would just look like a giant blotch of black.What do you guys think?
I really like ripped skin looks, shadows, shading, depth, etc. Do you think any of those elements could be incorporated to the piece (so that it will take away from all the black), but yet still keeping the elements in-tact and apparent (and most importantly, doable for an artist–I worry quite a bit about choosing what artist I want–I need it to be perfect!). What I think I like most about my design is how it almost has this crude, ripped collage sort of look to it.
So that’s that. I’ll do my best to keep active in the forums (even though I don’t think I’ll be tatted for a few months, but I’ll offer some input when I can :D). Good to be a part of TTF!
When I first looked at your image I couldn’t work out what it was and it wasn’t until you said that it was Batman and I looked at it again that I saw it so I would worry that if it doesn’t translate well on paper it probably won’t translate well on skin. I love the idea of a Batman tat though but I think you would be better to just get a rocking classic image done. I love this one but if you google batman tattoos there are loads of different ideas.
As for the pain, it does hurt but it’s tolerable and well worth it. Remember if it was absolute agony people wouldn’t do it!
I think its a clever idea and the pain if it is an issue is always worth it. If you want it on your bicep thats a great place to start (pain rating wise I.M.O.) but to have it stretch onto your chest and back be careful it doesnt distort your image too much when your arm isnt laying flat by your side. Good luck and post pics if ya do decide to go through with it.
Looks like a solid idea to me. Maybe if ya blow it up a little for your artist and/or think about putting it on your back you could possibly get a little more detail out of it then you would on the bicep. I agree with the draping across your chest and back just make sure your movements dont distort your design. The pain is part of the expierence and (I.M.H.O.) is very tolerable. Just make sure you havent done anything the night before that would thin your blood, such as drinking alcohol. Also make sure your not too low on blood sugar. I have heard drinking a soda before ya go in has helped people or maybe just some chewing gum. Good luck to ya!
Welcome to the forum. I’ll be a little more blunt (honest) about your design…this will look like shit as a tattoo. Being that you are admittedly unfamiliar with the tattoo process you should not be deisigning your own tattoo as you are unaware as to what will translate nicely to a tattoo and what will not. The image you posted would look like a black blob of ink if done anywhere near how you have drawn it. BananaBread was correct in giving the advice of coming up with a better design that will translate to a nice tattoo. And then let a tattoo ARTIST design the final concept from reference material you can provide.
The good news is the tattoo artist (yes they are artists – well only those that deserve to be called tattooists) will draw up your design properly and adjust it where they think it won’t work as a tattoo. You can then check it out and suggest changes if you don’t like what you see. Pain wise don’t worry. Everyone has different pain tolerances, but there are so many people tattooed that it can’t be that bad. I just got tattooed a few days ago after a number of years break and it was around and over one of the most unpleasant places, the elbow and it was surprisingly very painless. You will be a bit sore for a few days afterwards. The most painful part will be from walking into the shop to sitting in the chair. It’s very unlikely that when you take your design in to discuss it you will walk out with a tattoo.
How it works is, if you have a recommendation go there first if not go to your local shop. If it looks clean and professional walk in, if it’s dirty and unpleasant keep walking to the next. Once in the door the staff should be friendly (you may have to wait a little while depending on how busy they are). Show them your design, and ask to see their portfolio with similar work. They will most probably show you tribal work. These will be photos of previous customers, the edges should be sharp and lines of the edges very straight (not jagged) and the tattoo a very even black or (insert colour here). If you like what you see, be prepared to pay a deposit normally $50 – $150 and have a number of free dates with you and you will be booked in – that simple. A couple of weeks latter you will wondering what all the fuss was about. You will then have a really big regret you didn’t do it a year or two ago. I will also put money you will be starting to plan your next tattoo before you walk out of the shop.
i totally agree with adler. i hate when people try to draw their own designs and then the tattoo artist has to replicate that design and it ends up looking like crap. then the customer gets all mad even though it looks exactly like the drawing the customer did. tattoo artists are ARTISTS first. let them do their thing.
do the proper research for the right artist first, then give your IDEA to the artist and have them draw up the design. lucky for you, you have one of the best b/g artist in the world in MI. good luck and i hope you take the good advice given here.
Thanks all for the input…
@BananaBread I was definitely worried about it not being recognizable, but at the same time, it’s not one of the most iconic images of him. Someone doesn’t necessarily have to go “ooh, Batman!” upon first look, but as long as they don’t say “that looks nothing like him” then I’m fine. I’ve toyed around with several “classic” designs (as in, pretty much just a standard portrait of him), and while I’ve been happy with a few, I guess I’m never quite satisfied with just one definitive Batman image (I’d like to be able to acknowledge as many of the different incarnations of him as possible). But I definitely have taken your advice to heart and I’m currently playing around with some more traditional, colorful designs (color being something I’d like to introduce, but couldn’t really get it to work with my design).
@Justanotherme Thank you for bringing up the distortion aspect, I’d never even thought about that! If I could get a solid design that COULD go to my chest/back without issues, I would definitely try to incorporate it, but for now, I think I could just as easily keep a design limited to just the arm. I will definitely post pictures when I decide to get my tattoo, but as I said, it will probably be a few months.
@Adler That’s what I was worried about, it being a giant mess of black. I played around with changing the colors slightly for the individial “poses” and while it added some nice variation from strict black, I could never quite get the right colors. Other attempts to reduce the black effect just seemed to bring up even more issues. Overall, I understand that my design needs some overhauling done to it to make it work (or close enough that the artist can make some suggestions).
@bluey Wonderful advice, thank you. It does me good to hear some tattooing stories that don’t talk up the pain as if it’s hell in a needle. Trust me, I’ve been doing hours of research on what to look for when it comes to the tattoo experience. I’ve been studying what makes a tattoo good and what makes one bad (probably so much so that my expectations are getting ridiclous). I will defintely remember your advice when the time comes.
@yodaddynukka If I bring my design into the shop and the tattoo artist tells me explicitly that it wouldn’t work, I wouldn’t think for a second to ignore their warning and tell them to do it anyway. I’m not stubborn in that I don’t want the tattoo artist to have input on the design and “it’s my way or the highway (I’m not like that at all),” but what’s so inherently wrong with me taking the time to sketch out and design something (because I KNOW I’ll be happy with the design and it will represent everything I want it to represent)? I would be more than fine with giving them my design and them suggesting whatever changes need to be done for everyone to be happy with it (even if they’re drastic changes), but I don’t think I should HAVE to give them a bunch of ideas and hope that they’ll be able to put them together in a way that appeals to me. My design is really more of a “if this works how it is, great. If not, here’s the elements I really like about this, etc.” I imagine that if I told the artist I wanted a Batman silhouette composed of a bunch of Batmen that it could be done–it doesn’t HAVE to look like my design.
And as far as best b/g artist in MI, are you referring to Jay Wheeler? I could definitely use some suggestions for some of the best artists/places in MI (and if need be, I’d be willing to travel to IN/OH).
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