Thinking of getting a tattoo?
Consider this: Whatever design, name or cartoon character you get inked across your navel, shoulder or butt will follow you through life. And that Scooby-Doo that looks so cool in your 20s? It won't get many appreciative nods in your 40s.
To tattoo or not to tattoo is a decision that demands a lot of thought. According to Sam Orchitt, co-owner of Dragon Ray's Tattoos in Mountain View, too many people rush into his shop begging for a tattoo.
"I gotta have it right now," he imitated them saying. "If I wait until tomorrow I won't do it."
He guffawed.
"But listen, if you don't want it tomorrow, why would you want it today? Come on! It's not like picking out a pair of jeans."
James Allen, tattoo artist at Anchorage Tattoo Studio, was a little more blunt.
"If you're not sure, DON'T do it. Take your time. Plan ahead," he said. "If you absolutely have to have it right now, you obviously don't want it that bad or you'd be willing to wait."
So you wait a few months and still feel the urge, but what do you do next? How do you pick a shop, an artist, a design? Will it hurt? And is it true that the needles are really long and sharp?
Relax. Tattooing can be as mild as getting a haircut; some people even fall asleep. And while needles are involved, they are very, very thin. As far as pain, it's really nothing, or so said Trudy Hoyt, 41, who was reclining in the studio as Allen colored in an impressive Alaska scene over her upper arm. Her eyes were closed, her lips curled up in a smile.
"It doesn't hurt," she said. "It just feels scratchy, like a mild sunburn."
The needle, Allen explained, goes into the skin 1,000 to 3,000 times per minute but only goes a 64th of an inch deep.
"It barely scratches the skin," he said.
As far as pain, he described it as irritating or annoying but something you quickly get used to. The tighter the area, the greater the possibility of pain. Trouble spots include the stomach, rib cage, butt, inside of the armpit and around the ankle and knee.
Hoyt, like most people, views her tattoo as a ceremony, a type of passage for one life transition to the next. This time, it was her decision to remain in Alaska.
"I've lived all over the world," she said. "But when I came here two years ago I decided, 'This is home.' "
She had her first tattoo at 17, the words "In God We Trust" scrawled over her back.
"A big mistake," she laughed. "It was cool back then, but only then."
She had it covered years later, and now flowers sprout up her back, across her shoulder and down toward her breasts. Another tattoo, a spray of honeysuckle, half-circles her right arm.
"I got that after my daughter died," she said, patting it lovingly.
Which, according to Allen, is the perfect reason for getting a tattoo.
"You should do something that's important to you," he said. "Something that touches your soul."
Daily News reporter Cinthia Ritchie can be reached at critchie@adn.com.
Tattoo Q&A
(with James Allen, artist at Anchorage Tattoo Studio)
Q. Is tattooing safe? Can I get AIDS or hepatitis?
A. Not if you go to a storefront shop, which are regulated by the (state) health department. If you still feel hesitant, ask about the sterilization process. Make sure they use disposable needles and gloves. If you ever feel unsafe, find another shop.
Q. Will aging affect my tattoo?
A. Not that much. The skin becomes thinner with age but doesn't alter a tattoo that much. There have been a surprising number of older people getting tattoos lately, and they've had no problem. The skin heals just fine.
Q. What if I get a tattoo and don't like it?
A. It can be covered or cleaned or added to. There's usually a way of altering it to fit a person's tastes.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. We charge $150 an hour, and that's about standard. But don't let that fool you. A small design can take longer than a larger one, depending upon complexity, detail and color shading. But typically a half sleeve takes eight to 10 hours, a full sleeve up to 50 hours, and a full back 50 to 70 hours. (A "sleeve" is a tattoo around an arm.)
Q. How do I care for my tattoo?
A. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for a tattoo to heal. It should begin to peel after 3 to 7 days and will continue to peel for about a week. This is because the epidermis, the top layer of the skin, naturally dies and peels off. Tattooing speeds up the process.
Q. Can I swim after getting a tattoo?
A. Not for 2 to 3 weeks. Also, no bathing, no hot tubs, no saunas and showers should be as brief as possible. The more moisture to the area, the greater the chance of scabbing, which can ruin the tattoo.
Q. What else do I need to do after I get my tattoo?
A. Massage the area for 30 seconds five to six times a day, first lubricating the area with a light (very light) unscented hand cream. The massage breaks down blood clots and prevents scabs from forming. Ideally, tattoos should peel but not scab.
Q. What is the average tattoo?
A. There is no average tattoo. Each one is unique.
Q. How do I choose an artist?
A. Go in the shop and look through the portfolios. Look for cleanliness of lines and design execution. If an artist doesn't have a collection of work, turn and run.
Q. Why is their such bias against tattoos?
A. Probably because tattoos in America pretty much started in the carnival. That was the tradition. So now people have these prejudices based on 50-year-old notions: If you have a tattoo, you're either a convict, carnie or prostitute. They don't recognize the tattoo as art. But things are changing. With shows like "Miami Ink" people are realizing that you can have a tattoo and lead a perfectly normal life.
Tattoos around town
Monica Pooser of Anchorage
Tattoos: A dolphin scene across her lower back; roses twining down her legs
Why: "The three roses are in memory of my mother. She died three years ago."
Next tattoo: A stargazer lily on her other hip in tribute to her daughter.
Misty Cappelletty of Anchorage
Tattoos: A dolphin over her lower back; Japanese kanji symbolizing "wild" on her shoulder; a yellow and red halo on the other shoulder because "my father still calls me his little angel"
Why: "Tattoos are permanent symbols of different aspects of my life. The pain makes them more meaningful."
Next tattoo: An iris around her ankle with her daughter's name inside.
Chris Dodd of Michigan
Tattoos: Cross with flowers twining up the front on his right shoulder
Why: "In memory of my brother, who was killed by a drunk driver. A little bit of pain is worth it for something you'll have for the rest of your life."
Next tattoo: A wolf howling at the moon, with the mountains in the background (which he later had done at Dragon Ray's Tattoos).
Views of tattoos
• If you've been noticing a lot of tattoos while shopping at the mall, you're not alone. Tattooing is the rave among the younger set, with 36 percent of 25- to 29-year-olds sporting at least one.
• Who's got more tattoos, Democrats or Republicans? Yep, those feisty liberals out-tattoo their conservative counterparts by almost 4 percent (18 percent vs. 14 percent).
• Live in the West? Then you're more likely to have a tattoo.
• People without tattoos think people with tattoos are less attractive, less sexy and less intelligent. But the tattooed don't care. They claim their tattoos make them sexier, and more women than men feel this way (42 percent to 25 percent).
• The majority of the tattooed are happy with their inked skin, but among those who aren't, most are Republicans and Southerners.
• The biggest tattoo regret? An ex-lover's name scrawled across an arm, breast or behind.
Source: 2003 Harris Poll
Tattoo facts
• Paintings of tattooed Egyptians date back to 2000 B.C., but that's not the whole story. Tattoo instruments were discovered in Upper Paleolithic archaeological sites around Europe, which opens the possibility of a cave man tattooing shapes and totems over their beastly arms.
• The first cited use of the word "tattoo" came from Captain Cook logs of travel of Tahiti in 1769, when he wrote: "Both sexes paint their bodys Tattow as it is called in their language."
• Polynesian Queen Kamamalu had her tongue tattooed as an expression of grief after her mother-in-law's death around 1820. When a missionary asked if it was painful, she replied, "He eha nui no, he nui roa ra ku'u aroha (Great pain indeed, greater is my affection)."
• In the sixth century, Japanese criminals were tattooed as punishment, sometimes with a cross or line on their arms but often with the pictograph for dog branded across their forehead. Tattooed persons were kicked out of the community and avoided by even family members. It was, as proclaimed by one emperor, a punishment as fitting as death.
• The most tattooed person in the world is Lucky Diamond Rich, who has 100 percent of his body covered, including the space between his toes, his gums and even his ears.
Sources: www.coffeetimes.com, www.randomhouse.com, www.tattoos.com
What to expect at the tattoo shop
You're seated in a dentist's office-type chair. The tattoo area is cleansed, usually with rubbing alcohol, and hair is shaved. The tattoo stencil is applied; usually this is made in the studio on a thermal-fax machine. The stencil paper is pulled off and the tattoo outline is now imprinted on your skin.
THE INSTRUMENTS
The artist readies his instruments: little disposable cups filled with colored ink, disposable cup of Vaseline (for softening the skin), a cup of water or witch hazel for cleaning ink off needles, disposable needles, sterilized needle tubes, disposable gloves and the electric tattoo instrument, which can hold more than 10 needles. The needles are dipped into the ink, which is often called pigment; the most common colors are blue, green, red and yellow, with white mixed to alter shades.
THE FEELING
The tattooing machine is turned on. It makes a steady hum, much like a dentist drill. The artist begins tattooing the outline. Expect to feel a small pricking sensation, like an itch or slight burn.
After the outline is finished, the artist begins shading and coloring in the tattoo design. Throughout the process, he/she will wipe the tattoo frequently to get rid of excess ink.
FINAL TIPS
When it's finished, an ointment will be applied and the tattoo site will be bandaged. You'll be given instructions on tattoo care. Follow them! Thank your artist, leave a tip if that's your preference and take your new tattoo home.
Which celebrity, which tattoo?
__ 1. Sunflower spreading over the rear and hiding an ex-spouse's name.
__ 2. "My heart belongs to Jesus Christ" across the back.
__ 3. Three cherubs holding a cross with mom's name inside.
__ 4. Numbers making up latitude and longitude of son's and daughter's birth places.
__ 5. A cross with "carpe diem" (seize the day) on the forearm.
__ 6. Cherokee Indian chief with "Wino Forever" (to hide the name of an ex-lover).
Answers: 1, Berry; 2, Kravitz; 3, Barrymore; 4, Jolie; 5, Farrell; 6, Depp
