December 28, 2024, 4:20 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

The first visit to the tattoo studio is paved with lots of question marks: How do you actually find the right motif? How often can I change my mind about the positioning? How much pain should I expect? And how does the healing process work? Our author reveals what she wishes she had known before getting her first tattoo – and what lessons she learned eight designs later.

Don’t Stress Unnecessarily When Choosing a Design

I now know that my tattoo is entirely my own business, and I have to like the motif, regardless of its meaning. And I don’t have to design it. After all, I’m compensating an artist for this new addition to my body art. Typically, screenshots are enough to spark inspiration, and the tattoo artist will craft something unique from there. So far, none of my tattoo artists have complained when I’ve sent them a photo of another artist’s work as a rough template. The only no-go is if you want to copy a motif 1:1. Moreover, with many artists, you can also simply choose what you like from flash designs, i.e., ready-made motifs. That makes things even easier.

Reposition the Tattoo Stencil Until it Fits 100 Percent

Tattoo artists are there to realize the customer’s vision, not to dictate it. For example, you shouldn’t let yourself get stressed at the appointment when it comes to how big the design should be and where exactly it should be placed. With my first tattoo, I found it extremely unpleasant when I wanted to change the size and placement of the motif that had already been applied. I had the feeling that this would annoy my tattoo artist, so I simply settled for her first suggestion, which was not the best idea.

Fortunately, I’ve since found a tattoo artist who makes me feel comfortable enough to have the stencil stuck on and wiped off again and again until I’m completely happy. And that’s exactly how it should be. After all, you pay the tattoo artist for a perfect end result. Good tattoo artists shouldn’t mind if you reposition the template on your skin ten times before the tattoo is applied anyway.

Getting Larger Areas Inked Can Be Quite Painful

My first tattoo was a fine-line motif on my forearm, and I hardly noticed that it had been inked. My second tattoo was a different story: Eyes with a large, pitch-black pupil just above the crook of my elbow. I knew that some places would hurt more than others. But I hadn’t thought about the fact that it’s also super unpleasant to have larger areas painted in dark or colored. In hindsight, of course, this is super logical because the areas have to be painted over again and again until everything is evenly colored. And accordingly, you have to scratch over an open wound again and again – ouch. So, if you are unsure about the pain before your first tattoo, you may prefer to start with finer designs and then carefully try out larger blackout styles.

Fresh Tattoos “Soup Up” – and That Doesn’t Look Nice

Once my eyes with the dark pupils were under the skin, I was in for a shock the next morning that nobody had prepared me for: no eyes were visible under the transparent tattoo patch, just a large black spot on each arm. My panic was great at that moment because I thought everything had gone. However, my tattoo artist calmed me down and reassured me that this was completely normal. The “discharge” was just a mixture of wound fluid and excess ink that would not stain my surrounding skin. And that’s exactly what happened. Since then, I no longer worry about my tattoo “oozing” under the plaster – but it still looks disgusting.

Tattoos Peel Off and Can Fade Over Time

After the “soup” phase, the healing process enters the next unpleasant round. The skin may itch, feel tight, and begin to peel. With the right tattoo care, you can get this under control, but resisting the urge to scratch is still not so easy – especially with larger designs. It often takes up to two weeks before the new tattoo looks presentable and stops being bothersome. What’s more, even if you take good care of your tattoo, protect it from the sun, and avoid sports and swimming pools in the first few weeks after getting it, the whole thing can still fade.

It is quite normal for the lines to thicken over time – you should definitely bear this in mind when choosing your design. However, one of my tattoos actually ran out all over, probably because too much pigment was applied under the skin. But regardless of whether something goes wrong or not, you should bear in mind that the design won’t always look exactly the same as it did when you got it.

Tattoo Addiction Is Real!

I didn’t believe it beforehand, but tattoos actually have an extremely high addictive potential. Before my first visit to the tattoo studio, I still had a lot of reservations, but now, the inhibition threshold no longer exists. I find myself yearning to add new designs to my skin on a weekly basis. Every time I discover a beautiful picture on Instagram and the like, I want to write to my tattoo artist. It’s just fun to let off steam creatively, and ultimately, it’s no big deal. However, the whole thing is a hobby that costs a lot of money.

Tattoos Influence Your Outfit

Before my first tattoo appointment, I had spent months, no, even years, thinking about the perfect motif, ignoring one fundamental thing. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter if your first tattoo is your dream design. You should simply be mindful that you’ll now be among those who proudly wear body art. I was so focused on the image itself that I ignored the fact that many outfits now look completely different in combination. Whether paired with a wedding dress or an evening gown, Cinderella now sports ink on her upper arm! And that’s a decision you have to think about carefully.

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There Is No Unique Motif for the First Tattoo

When choosing their first tattoo, many people want it to be particularly individual. There is a desire for uniqueness and an unusual style. However, you should be aware that there are now many people with body art, and don’t let it get you down if someone chooses the same or a similar image as you. For a long time, I thought I had a brilliant idea for my disco ball. Only to discover post-inking that numerous Taylor Swift fans also sport a mirror ball tattoo in homage to her single ‘Mirrorball’…