Getting a Tattoo!!

I've been planning on getting my first tattoo for a very very VERY long time, and I finally did so yesterday at a lovely place called River City Tattoo in Richmond, VA!

I did a walk-in, and I was basing my tattoo to be about 300-350. Robin (the tattoo artist) said it was 450. Guh. And I only had 420. But he heard me - and my lovely friend Krystle, who was accompanying me- came from about an hour and a half away, so he pitied me. And it was an Audrey Kawasaki tattoo - he said he's been wanting to do one since forever. I lucked out on that one, didn't I?

I was so freaking nervous! I thought it was gonna hurt like a b****, but Robin and Krystle calmed me down. Put the Hangover 2 on, and got started. Did you know your hands sweat when you get it done? I think it's adrenaline or something. A way to cope with the pain. But it's generally very tolerable. On the thigh, at least.

He was even so kind as to give me free color and ointment Q_Q And he didn't even want a tip. What the hell man. I'm going to send him a Christmas present, though. I've just got to figure out what!

By the way, Robin is a very very interesting person. He has a lot of stories to tell! Which I'm not going to disclose, because if you're in the area and planning to get a tattoo, I'd want you to go to him and hear them for yourself:)

Anyways. Since my tattoo is large, he said it has a different protocol than a regular one:

Take the bandage off after an hour

Soak for 15 minutes in the hottest water you can stand (I skipped that. Shh!!)

Wash with non-scented soap (I'm using Ivory) until the slimy feeling goes away 2-3 times a day, then put a VERY thin layer of Aquaphor right after each time. He said if I fuck it up and put too much, wash it and start all over again. It has to be perfectly thin. Just enough to do the trick.

For the first three nights, wrap it in saran wrap. Usually saran wrap is bad, but I think it protects the integrity of bigger pieces. I was oozing ink last night, even before I went to bed. Some of the saran wrap slipped off a corner, so now I have black ink on my bed *sigh*

Then it'll get dry and flaky and you need to stop using aquaphor and start using an unscented lotion

Yeah. I mean. I can't say much. It was an amazing experience. I had an amazing friend by my side and an amazing tattoo artist. And my tattoo is freaking amazing, too!

Pictures

After he did the outlining. He colored in the black leaves with an outlining needle.

Giving me purple and pink flowers <3 free! So I let him choose the purple.

Finished product! It's not healed yet. I took that this morning, so it's already scabby and blehh.

That's all for today! I'll edit this when it's healed!

Byeeee!