Lyle's been wanting a tattoo really bad and friday he got his first on on his upper arm. It's a tribal flame skull thing with a blank Harley Davidson shield. He's crazy about Harley's and wants to be own his own shop so that explains it. The Harley shield needs touching up, but other than that it's fine. Since I've never seen it done before (and have been wanting one myself) I was glad they let me watch. I'm sure some of you are curious either because you've been considering one or because you just wonder how they do it. Well here's my story. At the end I'll post a few photos of his new tattoo!
Early friday morning we went into the tattoo place. It was pouring down rain really hard so there wasnt very many people there. We still had to wait a while though because someone else was getting one done. Lyle's best friend Brandon recommended this place because it's where he has got his from. Brandon happened to stop by so the 3 of us looked at the pictures on the wall and got some paper and combined some things untill we got what Lyle wanted. The tattoo artist then took our design, scanned it and blew it up to the size Lyle wanted on his arm. Then Lyle had to fill out some paper work...just basically saying he knew the risks and wouldnt sue the place if they messed it up. This whole process took about an hour. He payed for the tattoo. His was 70$ which for the size is cheap. Then it was time. The guy doing Lyle's tattoo was also the owner and had been doing them for 17 years! He took us to a cubical in the back. Lyle was wearing a sleeveless shirt so he wouldnt have to remove it. The guy shaved Lyle's arm where the tattoo was going. Then the guy rubbed gel deodorant stick on his arm. I'm not joking! I was about to laugh, but decided to ask why first. He had a transfer of Lyle's design and said it makes the transfer stick. Odd...but it did work. Then he let Lyle look at the placement of it in the mirror to see if it was what he really wanted and I looked too. It was ok. Then Lyle sat down and the guy plugged in the tattoo pen (not really sure what to call it)and got the bottles of ink and everything ready. Lyle was told to hold his arm down and not to flinch or move his arm or even his muscles. The guy squirted some stinky clear stuff out of a tube and put it on Lyle's shoulder above where the tattoo was going to be. Then he sprayed some disenfectant on Lyle's arm to clean it and the deodorant off (the transfer stays on, it just needed the deodorant so it would be clearer). Then be put on some gloves. He removed a needle from a sterile package and inserted it into the pen. I never was sure how the ink was installed but I remember seeing teeny bottles on the pen. The guy took one last look at Lyle's arm reminded him not to be moving and told him if he felt dizzy, lightheaded or needed a break to let him know. I grasped Lyle's hand and the guy turned on the pen and began. That thing emits an annoying buzzing noise. I felt Lyle's had tighten for a second or two and then relax. I asked how it felt he said it felt about like giving blood...over and over and over. He said to him it was more annoying than anything. He never really flinched anymore or showed any visible sign of pain anymore except when the guy would go twards the back side of his arm. Since it's more tender there, it hurts alot more. The guy did the outline first and then filled in the Harley symbol in the middle. The 3 of us chatted the whole time and talked about different things. Myself I was curious. If I remember right that needle goes up and down 600 times a second. I can believe it cause I tried and tried and never could see the needle even though I was sitting in a chair beside him. The whole time the guy was tattooing Lyle, he would wipe off the excess ink or any blood then smear a dab of that smelly stuff on his shoulder on the area. There were only a few teeny drops by the way. When he was done with all the blackwork, he took the disenfectant, sprayed it and removed the excess ink and stuff to make it clearer for the color. Then he put on new gloves a new needle for the pen and then started with the color. He basically did the same thing over and over again untill he was done. He switched a total of 4 times: black, red, orange, yellow. When it was over Lyle went and looked in the mirror and was told to get some A & D ointment (clear not creamy) to put on it several times a day. That was what the smelly stuff was on Lyle's arm. Then we left. This is Monday and sofar the only complaints Lyle's had was that is feels like a sunburn which he said is getting irritating mainly because he's got a bad urge to rub aloe vera on it, but cant. He also has to avoid bumping it because it's a bit sore. Otherwise he's happy. Myself, It's going to take a long time to get used to him having something on his arm. I still want a tattoo and watching it get done actually made me feel better. No they dont numb it, but everone who's ever had one says that that's part of the point of one. I dont know when he's getting his next one or when I'm getting my first, but It looks like he'll beat me to it. Half way thru his he was saying he wanted another one. *sigh* It cant be that bad then right? lol! If anyone has any questions about this let me know. I left out some things because this was getting too long as it was. The pics are in my next post:
Early friday morning we went into the tattoo place. It was pouring down rain really hard so there wasnt very many people there. We still had to wait a while though because someone else was getting one done. Lyle's best friend Brandon recommended this place because it's where he has got his from. Brandon happened to stop by so the 3 of us looked at the pictures on the wall and got some paper and combined some things untill we got what Lyle wanted. The tattoo artist then took our design, scanned it and blew it up to the size Lyle wanted on his arm. Then Lyle had to fill out some paper work...just basically saying he knew the risks and wouldnt sue the place if they messed it up. This whole process took about an hour. He payed for the tattoo. His was 70$ which for the size is cheap. Then it was time. The guy doing Lyle's tattoo was also the owner and had been doing them for 17 years! He took us to a cubical in the back. Lyle was wearing a sleeveless shirt so he wouldnt have to remove it. The guy shaved Lyle's arm where the tattoo was going. Then the guy rubbed gel deodorant stick on his arm. I'm not joking! I was about to laugh, but decided to ask why first. He had a transfer of Lyle's design and said it makes the transfer stick. Odd...but it did work. Then he let Lyle look at the placement of it in the mirror to see if it was what he really wanted and I looked too. It was ok. Then Lyle sat down and the guy plugged in the tattoo pen (not really sure what to call it)and got the bottles of ink and everything ready. Lyle was told to hold his arm down and not to flinch or move his arm or even his muscles. The guy squirted some stinky clear stuff out of a tube and put it on Lyle's shoulder above where the tattoo was going to be. Then he sprayed some disenfectant on Lyle's arm to clean it and the deodorant off (the transfer stays on, it just needed the deodorant so it would be clearer). Then be put on some gloves. He removed a needle from a sterile package and inserted it into the pen. I never was sure how the ink was installed but I remember seeing teeny bottles on the pen. The guy took one last look at Lyle's arm reminded him not to be moving and told him if he felt dizzy, lightheaded or needed a break to let him know. I grasped Lyle's hand and the guy turned on the pen and began. That thing emits an annoying buzzing noise. I felt Lyle's had tighten for a second or two and then relax. I asked how it felt he said it felt about like giving blood...over and over and over. He said to him it was more annoying than anything. He never really flinched anymore or showed any visible sign of pain anymore except when the guy would go twards the back side of his arm. Since it's more tender there, it hurts alot more. The guy did the outline first and then filled in the Harley symbol in the middle. The 3 of us chatted the whole time and talked about different things. Myself I was curious. If I remember right that needle goes up and down 600 times a second. I can believe it cause I tried and tried and never could see the needle even though I was sitting in a chair beside him. The whole time the guy was tattooing Lyle, he would wipe off the excess ink or any blood then smear a dab of that smelly stuff on his shoulder on the area. There were only a few teeny drops by the way. When he was done with all the blackwork, he took the disenfectant, sprayed it and removed the excess ink and stuff to make it clearer for the color. Then he put on new gloves a new needle for the pen and then started with the color. He basically did the same thing over and over again untill he was done. He switched a total of 4 times: black, red, orange, yellow. When it was over Lyle went and looked in the mirror and was told to get some A & D ointment (clear not creamy) to put on it several times a day. That was what the smelly stuff was on Lyle's arm. Then we left. This is Monday and sofar the only complaints Lyle's had was that is feels like a sunburn which he said is getting irritating mainly because he's got a bad urge to rub aloe vera on it, but cant. He also has to avoid bumping it because it's a bit sore. Otherwise he's happy. Myself, It's going to take a long time to get used to him having something on his arm. I still want a tattoo and watching it get done actually made me feel better. No they dont numb it, but everone who's ever had one says that that's part of the point of one. I dont know when he's getting his next one or when I'm getting my first, but It looks like he'll beat me to it. Half way thru his he was saying he wanted another one. *sigh* It cant be that bad then right? lol! If anyone has any questions about this let me know. I left out some things because this was getting too long as it was. The pics are in my next post:
