In Which I Finally Blog About My Tattoo

So, I am finally writing about my tattoo in July 2011. I didn't post anything about it in the beginning for the usual reasons: I was busy, and it was a secret and I didn't want my mom finding out on my blog or on Facebook. But now that my mom knows I think it's time to write about my tattoo a bit.

The first session was January 14th, 2011. I have been thinking about getting a tattoo since I was about 16 years old, really thinking about getting a tattoo in the last 3-4 years, and thinking about getting THIS tattoo specifically for a little over a year now. If I had blogged last year, I would show you the images days when J and I had talked about it, when I had my consultation on October 2nd, when the ideas started to formulate. But some of you might remember this image from 2008 that is one of my favorites, so much so that I made it the banner of this blog. That was the original inspiration.  If I ever go back to that house and it's still there, torn, I am going to have a very hard time not stealing it.

On January 14th, after only having one conversation and a few emails exchanged, we drove to Portland with no idea of what was about to happen and got to see this drawing for the very first time. I think it's weird not to see your drawing before you get the tattoo but since this is my first I am not sure if that's how it usually is. J and I sat down at a table alone for a few minutes and looked at the drawing, tried to process how big it was, and talked about it. It wasn't love at first sight, but nothing in my life ever has been. I had envisioned much more ocean and water. And I remember my exact words being that it looked a little too "cheerful". I asked the artist about making any changes like changing the ratio of water to ship and adding a star to it (which he flat out refused to do, fairly enough since stars are overdone and it would ruin his design) but with almost any change would require a new drawing. In the end, we made one change, taking off the rosette at the top because I thought it looked "too girly". We changed the rosette to a classic nautical compass. Later, that's probably a decision I regret since I should have just left it to the hands of my very talented artist and it would look beautiful.

But anyways, this is the first look we got at the drawing and we both thought it looked way too enormous. The artist took me over to the mirror and wrapped this piece of paper around my arm and it fit beautifully. You just can't judge by how it looks flat on a piece of paper.  I was surprised at the small curls that came down past my elbow at the bottom of it but now they are my favorite part.  This drawing was really made to fit my body, every curve of my arm, from just a few small measurements that he took of my arm back in October.  I signed off on it and got ready to do it!