When someone tells you that getting your ribs tattoos hurts? believe them.
I'm telling you now. It hurts. A lot.
This was by far my most painful tattoo. But I still adore it, and I'm so glad I have it. I just won't be rushing to get the second session (colour) done. It looks good as outline and shading. Thankfully.
nervous face!
So yes. I emailed Erin Chance at Sacred Tattoo an appropriately garbled description of a traditional style memorial tattoo, except with a camera instead of a person, a couple of roses and a peony, and a banner with "In Omnia Paratus" (Ready for anything) on it*. And that I wanted it on my ribs and landscape orientation and about the size of my hand.
She came back with something about 3 times bigger and portrait oriented but it was perfect.
This is why I always always advocate researching your artist. And giving them a bit of leeway. The orientation and size that I was originally envisioning wouldn't have left enough detail for the flowers OR the camera.
I had also wanted a more fancy font for the script but she pointed out that it would be getting a bit busy. And of course, she was right. That's why she's the artist.
Sacred Tattoo, K'Rd, Auckland
And that's how I ended up getting my ribs AND hips tattooed**.
I cannot emphasise enough that it HURT. Like really really hurt.
Which is why there are no being-tattooed photos. I could not let go of Craig. And I was worried that if I took a break that I wouldn't let her start again.
Ouch.
After the outline and before the shading
Craig and I were talking about which bits hurt me the most. I came up with: the bony bits of my ribs and hips, right in the centre of the curve of my waist, when she did the long long lines, and the little lines on the leaves.
I was surprised that the middle of my waist hurt as much as it did. Same with the little lines on the leaves.
Thankfully the shading hurt less. It still hurt a LOT but less than the outline.
And I just adore it.
Also! Erin told me that I was the third large rib piece she'd done that week and that I had sat, by far, better than the other two. And they were dudes. I feel officially badass now.
* Yes. The latin is PARTLY but only partly a Gilmore Girls reference.
** Sorry mum!
