Why do tattoo artists do sessions? Can you ask to have a full day of just tattooing one piece?
Being tattooed is stressful and uncomfortable for most people. Even if your tattoo is not terribly painful, sitting in one place for hours on end will eventually make you sore, not to mention bored. Any given area of skin can only withstand so much tattooing at one time. If an artist overworks an area, the tattoo will not heal as well as it should have. Getting an extremely detailed tattoo with lots of layered colors involves doing a lot of damage to the area. This is reasonable over a small area of your body, like a section of your arm. Trying to do this to your entire arm or other large area in one day will put undue stress on your body and may cause you uneccessary problems with healing. I have been through two 8 hour tattoo sessions on my back. We were outlining my backpiece, so i wanted to get the whole outline on in as few sessions as possible. After about four hours, my butt hurt more than the tattoo did just from sitting there. Both times I went home exhausted and slept for 12 hours. I have since done many 4-ish hour sessions on other tattoos. The experience was much more pleasant and didn't leave me comatose afterwards. Most of the people I know who are tattooed regularly schedule similar blocks of time on large pieces. Talk to your artist about your tattoo. The two of you can work out a plan for the best way to schedule your piece. You may want to complete one section at a time or do the whole outline and fill in later. Your artist may be willing to work on you for a long block of time, or they may suggest breaking your work up into smaller appointments.
When you have had a long tattoo session have you ever had this reaction?
What you experienced was an immuno-response. Basically, your immune system was in the process it goes through whenever your body gets "attacked" by foreign things, whether it be a flu virus or just a simple abrasion (which is exactly what a tattoo is). If you ever wrecked on your bike as a kid and received a large nasty scrape, you might have experienced these symptoms that you described. I have had symptoms like this after a long tattoo session (about 5 hours for me) but not quite to the extent that you describe (nausea, etc.) All it means is that your immune system was sending white blood cells to the tattoo site to heal it. When your immune system does this, it is entirely possible to experience flu like symptoms, because like I said, your body reacts in a very similar manner whether it's fighting a virus, or healing an abrasion. also, If you get a tattoo done in one long session, your skin can actually go into "shock." which is why it is not advisable to go under the needle for more than 7 hours at a time, although sometimes people experience this after as little as 3-4 hours under the needle. This could have been a factor when you experienced aches in your skin that weren't necessarily in the tattoo site. Your skin was just "tired" and had enough. None of these things are really anything to worry about, since you stated that you felt fine after a night of sleep. Just make sure you follow your aftercare and if any serious symptoms arise, go see a doctor, and next time, eat a good meal beforehand, in addition to a few snacks to have while you're there. Good Luck!
Are tattoo Tap out sessions worry it?
Basically I have a crazy amount of tattoo ideas in my head that I have wanted to get done for the longest. I can't imagine how much it would cost for each but I have a sort of idea in my head. Where I live sometimes tattoo shops have these deals called tattoo "tap out sessions" which means unlimited ink until you can't take it anymore. It's usually around $500 for as much tattoos as you can handle. Question is are these sessions worth it? It sounds like a amazing idea to get a lot of work done but I noticed it's always the little tattoo shops that have these deals so I don't know if the artists are of a high caliber. For example living in New York the best tattoo shops around me are Three Kings, NYHC, Champion tattooing, & tuff city tats, etc in which are of a very high caliber & they never do these "tap out sessions". Would it be okay to trust just any small not very well known tattoo shop to tattoo me with one of these sessions for like 7-9 hours( who knows, just assuming that's how long I'd last.)
For people who have sat through LONG tattoo sessions..?
okay, so i have an appointment with tim victim later on this year, and i am super, super stoked! but, being that i live on the opposite side of the country, i am going to have to fly out and stay a weekend. this means that i am going to have to finish the tattoo in one, long session- he reckons between five and a half to potentially seven hours. therein lies the problem. i can sit through just over three hours before my body starts to react to the pain, but that clearly isn't enough. the tattoo is going to begin just above my hip and end a few inches above my knee, so it isn't a bony, thin-skinned area or anything. but i would hate to go to someone as talented as tim and have my tattoo messed up because i'm having a hard time sitting still. any tips?
Why can't you get a full sleeve tattoo in one session?
It can be, and has been, done. It all depends on the design, how much detail, how much color, etc. Pain is a huge factor as is time. Brandon Bond at Anti-Art Elite in Smyrna, GA has done a few. Not many artists (or clients for that matter) can sit through a full sleeve in one session. Tattooing takes a lot out of the artist, believe it or not.
Will a tattoo artist do multiple tattoos per session?
Really depends on your artist and how much time is set aside for your session. Personally, I don't have a problem doing multiple tattoos on the same person in 1 session as long as time permits.
How do I prepare for a first time tattoo (a 6 hour session)?
My first tattoo was a 3 hour session on my forearm. I spoke extensively with my artist before the session and he advised the same as everyone else here has mentioned.Sleep well.Wear comfortable clothes.Drink lots of water. Eat sufficiently. Bring some snacks to the studio.Bring a phone or book to keep yourself busy.Don't drink alcohol or take painkillers that might thin your blood and affect the tattoo.We had agreed upon a 2 or 3 hour session for the first day. What I did not realize was that 2 or 3 hours would be under the needle. There's more time you have to spend in the studio that I had not accounted for.You need to have the body part shaved/cleaned.The stencil (if there's one) need to be applied, adjusted if required and driedIf the session spans multiple hours, then both you and the artist need breaks.All together I spent nearly 5 hours that day. It was tiresome.I loaded a book on my phone since I was not sure if it was customary to talk to the artist while they're working. Am I disturbing him? Turned out my artist is the chatty kind. We ended up talking almost the entire time except when I had to grit my teeth. Did not need my phone or the book.The pain was severe in some places and not so much in others. I noticed that a new area is painful at first and numbed after a few minutes of working the same. Your body automatically ignores the pain after a while and it goes in the background. Starting again after a break was especially difficult as it starts all over again.Another thing I noticed was outlines vs shading. Outline was more painful than shading. The smaller set of needles and dark lines felt like cutting while the brush like needles used for shading felt more like an abrasion.The coil instrument was noisier and distracting while the rotary instrument was almost noiseless. The artist used the former for outlines and latter for shading. Not sure if there was a significance or if they correlate to the account of pain.I could not have prepared for that entire thing even after reading so much about the process and taking to my wife who already has tattoos. It was pleasurable when I think about it now. I think it's a unique experience for everyone.Enjoy. Post pics.
Should you tip a tattoo artist? How much?
Proper etiquette is much the same as many other service industries, 10% should be a bare minimum, 20% is nice. Couple things to keep in mind. First, most artists work off of a commission basis, so they are often only making around half of what is being charged. While that may seem like it is still a good amount of money, by no means is it a lucrative business for most artists. There is quite a lot of time that they spend not tattooing, ie not making money, but still working. So that gets spread out not just for the time they work on you, but all the times they aren’t working, or the times they are drawing or researching for your design. On average, tattoo artists make closer to minimum wage than those that average middle class income.Second, the supplies that it takes to do the tattoo, and to draw the design cost money. On average, it can cost the artist as much to set up and do the tattoo as they make from doing the tattoo, or close enough to make no difference. Many artists have multiple thousands invested in machines and inks, not to mention the supplies that get thrown away after each tattoo. That is paid for from the percentage that they receive from the tattoo.And one that gets overlooked all the time. Tattoo artists are independent contractors. That means no insurance. No workmans comp, no unemployment benefits, no paid vacation, none of the compensations a majority of people take for granted. So the next time you go to get tattooed, realize that most of us do this for the love of tattooing, and not from the money it makes us. Because it is very expensive to tattoo, and most of us are barely getting by. Your tips are appreciated, and sometimes the only money that artist will be able to take home to pay bills or eat off of. That could be how they make their car payment, or take their significant other on a date.So if your artist takes the time to do a good tattoo, and you want to show you appreciate the hard work and long hours it takes to do this job for you, a tip is a great way to show it. I promise, it will be appreciated. Even if it isn’t needed, or expected, it will be appreciated.
What tips do you have on getting your first tattoo?
Find your tattoo artist. Look through different studios near your place. Check out their artists’ portfolios. Different tattoo artists have different styles. Make sure you pick the artist whose style suits you best.Design your own tattoo. You probably want to have an unique one that nobody else on Earth has. Have a meeting with your artist a week before and discuss what you are looking into.Know your limit. When I had my sleeve done, the first session took 5 hours. That was too long for me. It was excruciating towards the end, when my artist was going over already damaged skin. Subsequent sessions were reduced to 4 hours each. That was my limit.How to heal.The first two days after each session, your skin would be burning and oozing clear fluid. Try not to sleep on it. Avoid contact as much as possible. The tattoo studio would likely provide you with their antiseptic lotion to apply it on the wound. If you see pus or notice a foul odour emitting from it, it may be infected. Visit a doctor immediately.The next 5–10 days are the worst. This is the itch-phase. Your tattoo will be super itchy and will appear flaky with scabs. DO NOT scratch it! That can cause early peeling of scabs and the ink won’t retain well in those areas. Let it peel off naturally.You typically need 2 weeks before you can go for your subsequent sessions. I needed 3, because my skin healed slower.Don’t worry if your tattoo doesn’t look right after 2 weeks. The skin will look shiny and thin. That’s because it’s still healing. Give it a couple of months. It will look better than ever!Ask your tattoo artist for a touch-up session in a couple of months. Most studios provide those for free.Good luck!