My First Tattoo

I've been talking about getting a tattoo for quite a while now. Steph has always talked about dragging me over to Bend to meet Hawk and get a tattoo from him. Well, when you wait long enough good things, apparently, come to you! Hawk and the other artists that he works with decided to open up a shop in Portland too. So they now run 932 Tattoo in Bend and Sovereign Tattoo in Portland. Anyway, one of my gifts I received this Christmas was a gift certificate for a tattoo from Ricki. Steph and I were meeting for lunch and decided to meet down near the shop so I could stop by and see Hawk and pitch him my tattoo idea. That was yesterday! I gave him the email that I had sent Steph that explained what it was that I wanted, he asked a few questions, Steph and I went to lunch at Detour Cafe, came back and he had drawn up exactly what I had envisioned. Not wanting to lose momentum I made an appointment for today. Here is what I gave to Hawk...

I think of life as one big patchwork quilt...lots of little pieces, not necessarily matching, the same size or even coordinating but when put all together they make you who you are...something beautiful. The beauty is hard to see sometimes b/c of all the ragged edges and misshapen pieces but when all done a useful piece of art. I want to take that idea and make it into a tattoo...2 or 3 pieces of fabrics, different shapes, a couple of the edges "sewn" together nicely, an edge or two torn and ragged, needle still attached with a thread...

I was a bit nervous when I got there but it was an excited nervous, not a what-the-hell-am-I-doing kind of nervous. Hawk got things all set up, sat me down and put the transfer onto my arm. I loved it even more when I saw it on my arm. I sat back down and he got to work. Since this was my first tattoo I had prepped myself for the worst! Luckily, it wasn't bad at all. It got a little bit ouchie every once in a while but nothing that I couldn't handle or deal with. I was smiling and chatting the entire time so it couldn't have been that bad. I do have to say that getting a tattoo is, or at least it was for me, quite a rush. I can see how people can want more and more. To see your idea drawn and then inked onto your body, then your body dealing with the pain with a bit of endorphins and adrenaline...um yeah, I'm pretty sure I will be getting another tattoo. Steph, John and I decided that each December 31st we should meet for fresh ink. Sounds like a great New Years tradition to me! Speaking of John and Steph, they decided to get tattoos too!!

For now I have to keep my tattoo dry and clean, wash with soap and water often. After two days I can start using some non-scented moisturizer. I will post more pictures once it's healed and the redness and swelling have gone away. People keep asking me if it's sore and to be honest, it is a little bit but again, not nearly as bad as I was expecting. The best way I can describe it is by comparing it to razor burn or a very mild sunburn.

Just a few minutes into it, see, I'm smiling!

Outline almost done.

Outline is done, next up is the shading. I decided to keep it simply black and gray this time around. I can always add color later if I want or get another, more colorful, tattoo.

The shading begins.

The man is good!

Here are some close-up shots. I love how the stitches are pulled tight. I also let Hawk decide on and design the different fabric patterns.

The needle and thread.

The torn, ragged and worn edges...little imperfections, just like mine.

Hawk was awesome and a great guy to get a tattoo from. Plus he had a lot of fun stories to tell and kept me laughing through much of my tattoo.

This is Jacob, he did John's tattoo today.

John loves his Philadelphia Eagles!

And Steph, she loves her chickens, a brown egg with a chicken foot peace sign was a perfect addition to her tattoos!