Advice on gettin a tattoo?

[TheOxfordComma]

I am trying to learn about the process of getting my first tattoo. I already know what it is I want to get (the hiragana for "Kobayashi Maru"-- yes, the Star Trek test-- on my inner wrist/arm) and have already thought of the physical and professional consequences that can come from getting a tattoo (can look unprofessional, will hurt, lasts forever). Now I'm just wondering about the process.

Some explanation:

When I was suffering through my depression/anxiety 3 years ago, what finally snapped me out of it was (don't laugh) watching Star Trek the original series and its movies. Specifically, the idea of the Kobayashi Maru, the "unbeatable" test, was the crystallization of my growing frustration with my depression. I got angry, and I said "no, fuck this, I don't have to feel this way, it's not unbeatable, I don't believe in no-win scenarios." Because of refusing to think of my depression as unbeatable, and instead comparing it to the Kobayashi Maru which SEEMED unbeatable but just required creative thinking and a refusal to give up, I was able to finally get rid of it.

I've known for the past 3 years that, if I were ever to put something permanently on my skin in ink, it would be that, to always remind me. I've decided now is the time because my close, long time (over a decade) friend recently admitted to me that after years of being depressed (which I knew about and urged her to see a therapist) she was seriously considering self-harm and suicide. I've contacted her family and they've finally got her going to therapy but she is still in really bad shape. I want to bring her with me to get this tattoo, as a show of solidarity. It will remind me that I can get through anything, even the horrible helpless feeling of watching someone you love hate themselves so much they want to die, and it will hopefully show her too that a) I'm serious as hell about supporting her through this and that depression isn't unbeatable, and she can, in fact, get through it.

[IrishPirate]

what exactly do you want to know about the process?

Usually for me-

I go in and set up the appointment with the artist ahead of time, and they have it on hand.

The day of, you go in, they help you position it where you want it (for me this was always the of the longest parts of the process.)

Then they mark you, and clean your skin, and shave the area.

Then, the transfer the stencil to your body (my artist used Men's Speedstick for that... lol love the smell of green speedstick cause it makes me think of getting ink)

Then you get comfy and my guy always made sure I was watching as he opened up all the needles, ink wells etc.

As he loaded the needle into the gun, and got the gun set and did a test with it.

Then it was on to the tattoo itself. Outline, then shading. (all mine are in grey scale so i had no color)

During the tat itself, he would occasionally spritz it with witch hazel so he could remove any excess ink, and put bacetracin on other spots to help stop any bleeding.

When all was said and done, I inspected it in the mirror, he cleaned it all up, put a coating of bacetracin on it, and then a bandage.

After that I sat back down, and he'd make me watch him clip the tip off the needles he used on me into the sharps container so I would know he wasn't using them anywhere else.

Then I would go home, GENTLY cleanse it with dial soap, and pat dry

and everyone's after care is different, but I only put fragrance fee lubriderm on my new tats every couple hours for the next two weeks (and its a THIN coat, not globs).

two weeks later after its done peeling... voila' fresh new glistening ink

[Maj. Bloodnok]

Tangentially related: make sure the characters are correct. Nothing worse than a misspelled tattoo, especially if you can't tell that it's misspelled. Check out hanzismatters.com for a rogue's gallery of poorly-written kanji, hiragana and katakana tattoos.

Find a reputable studio, talk to the artist ahead of time, and don't forget to tip!

[andygates]

You can be pretty active even with a fresh tat, so don't worry about it impacting on nerdy acts of awesomeness (I did a mountain bike race with a raw-fresh quarter back still taped up with cling-film!

Employers will vary; in general public service is less judgemental, but I still haven't got any (visible) below-shirtsleeve tats because they can be career-limiting. Discrete text on wrists is common enough not to be a big issue, and can easily be covered with broad watch bands or jewellery if an employer requires.

Am I the only person who always jumps with surprise when they see a new tattoo out of the corner of their eye? I swear my armband made me bug-scream, I thought it was a huge spider!

[Raincloak]

Think it through, and start small. Tattoos are easy to get and very difficult and expensive (and painful) to remove. Don't get a tattoo to prove something, even to your girlfriend. That's no better than getting one to shock your parents (which I'm sure you are much too mature to contemplate ) You might want to doodle on yourself with a permanent marker or henna first and live with it for a week or two, just to be sure.

If you're still sure you want it, then as above poster said: please make sure it's spelled correctly AND that the letters are all in the correct order, orientation, and script. I advise you to consult a native speaker, not a student. If you don't, then you deserve the consequences.

[ICB]

You know that scene in Fight Club where the applicants to Project Mayhem have to wait outside for days before they get let in, and they get yelled at and told to go away for hours on end? And it's not that they're not welcome, it's just that they have to be really, really committed before they get inside? That's what I'm about to do to you.

Don't get the tattoo. Don't. Just don't. It will ruin your life forever.

Still here? Good.

I have about 1/4 of my body covered in tattoos, and I f*cking love them. It's awesome that you have such a great idea for a tattoo, but don't mistake your love of that idea with your love of a design. Your idea is concrete: こばやしまる (or maybe 小林丸 if we're feeling into kanji?). The problem is that there are an infinite number of ways to represent this idea: different sizes, fonts, placements, styles, and arraignments.

So here's what you do: get the design drawn up. Use an artist friend or a particularly patient tattoo artist or a calligrapher you find online. Take that design and stick it up on your bathroom mirror where you will see it every day. Leave it there for several months. If, at the end of several months of seeing it until you forget that it's even there, you look at the design and say "that's still awesome, let's do it," then go get it inked. I have used this tactic on all of my tattoos except the first one I got when I was 18. Know which tattoo I wish I had a different design for? The first one.

Do you have an artist that you trust? Any artist should be falling over themselves to show your their extensive library of finished tattoos along with their proper licenses and health and safety certificates. Your local tattoo shop should be cleaner than your doctor's office and better lit.

P.S. I used the serial comma in this post just for you.

[vintageenvy]

Am I the only person who always jumps with surprise when they see a new tattoo out of the corner of their eye? I swear my armband made me bug-scream, I thought it was a huge spider!

I have a full color anchor on my left foot, and it had been there for almost six months and I remember taking my shoes off just about falling over because I thought it was a bruise or bug or something. Considering it just about covers the top of my foot I have a feeling my foot would have been broken with that size of a bruise!

I think one of the major things that can't be said enough for getting your first tattoo is make sure you eat a good solid meal before you go. Something simple and filling that you know won't upset your stomach at all otherwise that mixed with the natural nerves can do you in. I'm guessing your tattoo will be on the smaller side, but don't be afraid to say you need to take a break. Everyone I talk to says the lines are the worst part (feels like a cut) but I think the shading is way worse (feels like burn) and with the inner wrist area you might want to consider that's going to be a higher level of pain than fleshier areas.

Truth be told, I think tattoos are going to have less and less stigma as time goes on and hopefully one day it won't be considered a big deal at all. A nerd can dream anyway.

[Maple]

I have zero experience with tattoos*, but it is pretty amazing what you are doing (and have done) for your friend.

* If I ever did, I would get something completely over the top, like a full sleeve, because it would be completely out of character for me. Go big or go home.

[realbrickwall]

As a personal preference, I would recommend getting a kanji version instead. While there are MANY ways to spell it, 小林 丸 is the most likely and commonly accepted spelling. Certainly the most unambiguous.

[Oogiem]

You might want to doodle on yourself with a permanent marker or henna first and live with it for a week or two, just to be sure.

This is the most brilliant suggestion I've ever seen!

If you don't like it in marker or henna you sure as heck won't want it in ink.

[TheOxfordComma]

Guys,

Thanks for all the suggestions. It was all very helpful. I've been doing some research on my own and mostly what I'm worried about right now is how to find the right studio. I'm glad to hear that this will not effect my ability to continue working out, too.

I will consider the suggestion to use kanji instead. I was originally thinking hiragana because I'm more comfortable reading hiragana than kanji, but I do have to admit the kanji is more elegant.

I really appreciate all your tips; thank you very much!