hi guys im new to the forum so be gentle with me.
im planning my first tattoo in the very future ( 2-3 months ) and was thinking on getting angel wings on my back, nothing to big or detailed just a basic look, i have pictures of some tats i like but i would like to know how long they would take and also anything about price and how intense would the pain be as im a mega wimp BUT its gotta be done!:D
what sort of time span would each take and how much would it cost
Hi Antmeister – welcome to the forum.
Nothing mad about wanting a backpiece – although it is ambitious for a first tattoo 🙂
Also nothing wrong with wanting angel wings – if that is your thing then get it done and wear it proudly.
As for time well depending on the size and detail you are talking anything from 15 – 30 hours. I would sticl somewhere around the 20 mark. (It is very difficult to say as each artist works at a diff pace).
The main thing is to pace yourself – start out with maybe 2-3 hours and then build on it. I would not recommend ever going over a 6 hr stretch – it is tough on the body and the artist.
Cost – well most artists charge around £60-£80 an hour so a full backpiece could set you back £1500-£2000, (approx $3000+) again it depends on what you have done and the size of it, the quality of the artist (don’t be shy of paying more for a better artist anybody who offers to do it for peanuts unless you really know them and their work i’d be wary).
Pain – I won’t lie they hurt. They can hurt a lot depending on where you have done but as a starter level it is the same as a cat scratch upwards.
Once you get into it after an hour or so it kind of numbs out and even if you did shed a few tears it is no biggie as long as you sit still. 😉
Seriously though I hate pain and I managed to sit through 3 so you will be fine.
The usual tips – no alcohol, painkillers or weed – these cause you to bleed more. Have a fizzy drink and bottle of water for each session. Also try and eat beforehand – stops the body getting into shock.
Take Care
Matthew
ok its ambitious then if its going to take 15+ hours. i wasnt out for a full back tattoo just shoulder blades to say half way. maybe if i go on sometthing basic looking and i could add to it as time goes on. price wise it was a shock and ill admitt that. i was seriously thinking it would be 200-500 quid lol
My apologies
I saw the backpiece shot and thought you wanted something same size/design.
A halfpiece would prob be around 10+ hrs or so depending on detail. (It is difficult to say as the artist will work at their own pace so will be better to advise).
For £500 you could prob get a sweet shoulder/chest, upper arm, or half sleeve.
I am basing my prices on reputable artists and not some basement £20 and a pack of fags merchant.
I would suggest looking around a few studios and getting some prices – some maybe cheaper or more expensive I am quoting very approx figures.
My backpiece will take around 20-25 hrs because I want it really detailed and I will be lucky to see change out of £2500. I do not think it is too much really as when you get a tattoo you are making an investment on your body – make it beautiful.
Take Care
Matthew
Well, shit, Matthew already told you pretty much everything you need to know already. Just scout out the shops in your area, look at their portfolios to make sure they don’t suck, and when you find a reputable artist, they can give you definate answers.
I will say that it’s not that unusual for someone to go whole hog with their first piece of ink though. My aunt got hers at age 50, and it goes from the top of her neck to the bottom of her ass.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
Well i decided ill get the outline done first and see how i feel after that, im also not ashamed to say i might get sum dr numb put on the area as well if it starts to hurt, at the end of the day i didnt go there for pain i went there for some quality art work on my body. like saying going to the dentist is all bout pain but everyone has injections in there mouth. 😀
Looks a bit of a come down from what you first wanted (IMHO), make sure your going to be happy with this design plaster pictures of it all over the place where you can see it ofton and if after a couple of weeks your still loveing it then all is good after all although once its on you you are not going to see it much others will 🙂
Good idea stewart, in the past when ive done work on myself ive freehanded it on there and gone over it each day to make sure its gunna look cool lol, havent failed yet;)
well ive always wanted wings on my back, the plan was to get the wings and then get my daughters name across the top between the wings. nah this will be my only tattoo i guarentee that, my backs the only place i think i cud just about hack the pain, i know it will sting a lot but if it gets to bad i wont be afraid to ask for numbing cream or something like that. at the end of the day im after some quality art that i will enjoy for the rest of my life so the pain crap ppl go on about wouldnt worry me. i think the tattooist would rather i sat still than bitched about it hurting lol.
Read the little quote at the bottom of Izas posts —Do it once Do it right —-
You know what you want (the wings) just make sure the final design does you thoughts justice after all its with you for a long long time to come:) Pain –could be you will sit and not feal anything so you may not need the cream – but its a option /gamble and your choice at the end of the day —as you say they would prefer you to sit still than squirm arround all over the place:)
Hi Antmeister
With regards to the pain – if I can sit through 3 anybody can sit through a tattoo. I am hoping to start my backpiece in just under 2 weeks so getting hyped about it.
The only tattoo ever 🙂 – I hear so many ppl say that but it usually ends in ink addiction.
Can’t wait for you to post up the results.
Matthew
WELL the results are i went to a local tattooist and he showed me sum results for stuff saying hes clean and something bout a autoclave ?? BUT a mate told me he cant spell and hes been known to mess up a few tattoos now and then but from what i see, MY tattoo looks pretty basic to do. he quoted me 8 hrs to do it at 70 pounds a hr, is this good? and he said i can have a little bit done for a hr then go bk when i like and get a lil more which sounded nice. i might take him up on the offer as i dont wanna pay for 3 hrs and then get 30 mins into it and say stop and lose money, ill take the first hr without cream and then if it hurts ill stop and get cream and have it all done .:D
TAKES A REAL MAN TO ADMITT HE CANT TAKE PAIN lol
An autoclave is the high pressured steriliser used by tattoo artists (and hospitals) to eliminate blood borne pathogens.
As for your next comment – I’ve known people to go to a poor standard artist with a simple design (and I mean a REAL simple design, such as hearts, stars etc) saying the same as you, and end up with a poor quality job. Wobbly lines, blow outs, wonky placements etc. There is a lot that could go wrong with your design and for such a large piece, don’t compromise yourself. If you feel he’s not the best, go elsewhere. My artist charges £60 an hour and could pull off a piece like that no problem. So hunt around for the perfect artist.
As for the numbing cream – well perhaps Irazzasink or any of the other artists on here will be able to give you a better idea about that. But, from what I’ve heard, that stuff only lasts for short periods of time and many artists won’t work with it as it can theoretically affect how your skin takes the ink, I think? I’m not an artist, nor an expert, though, so perhaps someone can confirm that to you for sure. But one thing I do know – if you walked into my artist’s studio asking about numbing cream you’d be laughed out the door. Like it or not, pain is part and parcel of the process. If it was as simple as having a picture painted painlessly onto you, everybody would have a tattoo. Think of it like a rite of passage. Also, if you’re having it done in a series of short sessions, honestly it’s nothing you can’t handle. I’m a small girl – 5’2 and weigh 7 stone wet through and have an extremely bony back. I’ve had a total of about 10 hours on my back so far, lower and upper (I have an annoying habit of going for very detailed ideas!), and I won’t lie I hated every minute of them. I’ve had 3 on my arms, two of which were yesterday, and the two yesterday brought tears to my eyes too! I’m not good with pain, I’m not one of these people who claims that it feels uncomfortable or mild pain – it fucking hurts me! But I’m currently working on a backpiece with my artist that is easily going to be in excess of 12 hours to go around the rest of the stuff I have, and I’ll be doing it in 4 or 5 hour chunks, and I know it’s going to hurt like a bitch, and I’m dreading it – but if I can do it, seriously anybody can! Just think about all the pain the mother of your child went through in the delivery, to give you something beautiful for life, well think of this in the same way! 😉 (and believe me – the pain isn’t a patch on childbirth – been there too!) :p
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