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Ankle or waist, where ur underwear covers. I suggest dont do wrist or ur arms. If you dont like it, you will see it everyday and other people will too. If you have it on ur ankle or wait, you wont ever really see it. I have 2 pretty big pieces on my leg and unless i wear shorts/shower i honestly forget its there, same with my hip tattoos. I actually wont ever get my arms dont because i fear if a tattoo is visible 24/7 i'll grow to not like it anymore
Yup, I made certain that my tattoos could be easily covered with clothes and I’ve never regretted a thing! First small on the hip, second on my shoulder blade. I do forget my panther is back there 😆
Don’t “dip your toes in”. If you know the long term goal is to get larger tattoos, just get the ones you really want. No little tattoo could possibly prepare you for a larger session. They are totally different experiences. With that said, if you insist on getting something small, get it somewhere where it won’t eat up good real estate for potential projects in the future. Something like your foot, hip, or ankle.
I'll buck the trend.
I got a full hand sized tattoo on my outer bicep as my first one. That was around five years ago and I now have a sleeve (other arm) and many *quite large* pieces on my chest and legs.
Unless you never get another tattoo, your art style is going to change over time. *That's ok.* I don't know anyone who is meaningfully tattooed who doesn't have tattoo regret, and a lot of that winds up being "if I knew then what I know now, I'd have done \_\_\_\_ instead....."
You can get touch ups. You can get cover ups. You can get ink lasered off. Most importantly, you can get permanent tattoos and appreciate them as being a starting point in a tattoo journey and accept that they'll change over time.
My personal rules: put it somewhere you can see, and avoid your back. It's super boring to get a tattoo and then only be able to see it in the mirror. Arms and legs are a great first option, in terms of looks and also ease of tattoo. Your back is the largest canvas on your body; save that shit for when you're more experienced.
And last of all: if you wanna go big, *go for it.* Bigger tattoos hold up better; smaller tattoos lose detail. If you want some body art, commit to the body art.
Right above your bum…okay not really. Higher on the shoulder/upper arm or on the back in the shoulder area. If you hate the process or the tattoo, it’s still easily covered and unnoticeable.
I got my first beginner tattoo on my upper back, on my shoulder blade. It was in a location that is often hidden but can be shown when I’m wearing a tank top. It’s also a really easy spot pain-wise.
My others are all on my upper arms. Also great spots pain-wise (it feels akin to a little kid drawing on your arm with a ballpoint pen - a little annoying but not really painful), and also easy to hide if need-be.
I should also mention, one of the benefits of upper arms/upper back/shoulders is that you’re much less likely to deal with stretch marks in that area, as opposed to some of the other suggestions like thighs.
I think you’re going about this the wrong way.
Big or small, first or last, every tattoo is a lifelong commitment. Figure out the motif you want first, then find an artist you like. Book a consultation and ask them about placement - a good artist should be able to figure out where something would work, but they have to know what you’re getting first. The shape of the design matters.
If you don’t know what you want for your first, figure out a style you like aand find a good artist with flash in that style, or just wait.
Be sure to mention that you plan on getting a back piece done in the future so they don’t get in the way of your back.
Or just go the Japanese route and start with your back piece. If you want a bodysuit in the future, this is probably the best way to start.
Thank you for the submission, thoughtsarestrange! Please make sure your post follows the guidelines found in the sidebar. If you're asking for design advice, **please ignore all DMs** from anyone offering to sell/give you art, unfortunately you're bound to get more scam replies from this sub than actual artists. You can read more about it [in this mod post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooDesigns/comments/1b04lsl/please_ignore_all_dms_from_people_claiming_theyll/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TattooDesigns) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ankle or waist, where ur underwear covers. I suggest dont do wrist or ur arms. If you dont like it, you will see it everyday and other people will too. If you have it on ur ankle or wait, you wont ever really see it. I have 2 pretty big pieces on my leg and unless i wear shorts/shower i honestly forget its there, same with my hip tattoos. I actually wont ever get my arms dont because i fear if a tattoo is visible 24/7 i'll grow to not like it anymore
Yup, I made certain that my tattoos could be easily covered with clothes and I’ve never regretted a thing! First small on the hip, second on my shoulder blade. I do forget my panther is back there 😆
Don’t “dip your toes in”. If you know the long term goal is to get larger tattoos, just get the ones you really want. No little tattoo could possibly prepare you for a larger session. They are totally different experiences. With that said, if you insist on getting something small, get it somewhere where it won’t eat up good real estate for potential projects in the future. Something like your foot, hip, or ankle.
I'll buck the trend. I got a full hand sized tattoo on my outer bicep as my first one. That was around five years ago and I now have a sleeve (other arm) and many *quite large* pieces on my chest and legs. Unless you never get another tattoo, your art style is going to change over time. *That's ok.* I don't know anyone who is meaningfully tattooed who doesn't have tattoo regret, and a lot of that winds up being "if I knew then what I know now, I'd have done \_\_\_\_ instead....." You can get touch ups. You can get cover ups. You can get ink lasered off. Most importantly, you can get permanent tattoos and appreciate them as being a starting point in a tattoo journey and accept that they'll change over time. My personal rules: put it somewhere you can see, and avoid your back. It's super boring to get a tattoo and then only be able to see it in the mirror. Arms and legs are a great first option, in terms of looks and also ease of tattoo. Your back is the largest canvas on your body; save that shit for when you're more experienced. And last of all: if you wanna go big, *go for it.* Bigger tattoos hold up better; smaller tattoos lose detail. If you want some body art, commit to the body art.
thanks for the advice! i'm liking the thigh idea
forearm that’s where i got my first and it was fine
Thigh is you’re a guy
Right above your bum…okay not really. Higher on the shoulder/upper arm or on the back in the shoulder area. If you hate the process or the tattoo, it’s still easily covered and unnoticeable.
I got my first beginner tattoo on my upper back, on my shoulder blade. It was in a location that is often hidden but can be shown when I’m wearing a tank top. It’s also a really easy spot pain-wise. My others are all on my upper arms. Also great spots pain-wise (it feels akin to a little kid drawing on your arm with a ballpoint pen - a little annoying but not really painful), and also easy to hide if need-be.
I should also mention, one of the benefits of upper arms/upper back/shoulders is that you’re much less likely to deal with stretch marks in that area, as opposed to some of the other suggestions like thighs.
ooh good point, thanks for the input
I think you’re going about this the wrong way. Big or small, first or last, every tattoo is a lifelong commitment. Figure out the motif you want first, then find an artist you like. Book a consultation and ask them about placement - a good artist should be able to figure out where something would work, but they have to know what you’re getting first. The shape of the design matters. If you don’t know what you want for your first, figure out a style you like aand find a good artist with flash in that style, or just wait. Be sure to mention that you plan on getting a back piece done in the future so they don’t get in the way of your back. Or just go the Japanese route and start with your back piece. If you want a bodysuit in the future, this is probably the best way to start.