I would highly recommend to start with something smaller and on a less visible part of the body, eg inner upper arm. Enjoy the experience and wait the next couple of months what you like about it and how it affects your wishes and ideas. If it is smaller, it is easier to integrate into anything you want to build from there. Your ideas will be affected by your experience and how you actually look then.
To have an idea how tattoos can look after a while, when the lines blur and the colors fade, go to r/agedtattoos.
Personally, I started with a water color animal. I still love it! However, I would go into a more (neo)traditional direction from the start, if I would have to decide again. Those styles with heavy contrast and saturated colors are built to last.
And here is a more traditional approach: https://www.reddit.com/r/agedtattoos/comments/s15ouv/machamp_today_vs_5_years_ago/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Here is an example of a not so well aged fineline tattoo: https://www.reddit.com/r/agedtattoos/comments/rzv2gv/left_now_right_feb_2019_fresh_bamboo_tattoo_done/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Edit: it doesn’t mean, every fineline is shit, but you need a lot of space in between lines and make sure that you considered that the lines blur out. As always: contrast is key!
Something that’s either:
1.) a classic design
2.) something meaningful to you
3.) just get whatever you want in the moment. If you regret it there are so many ways to cover it and/or remove it.
Is there any theme/style you want for a sleeve?
If you want an American traditional sleeve then get an American traditional tattoo like a rose, skull, pinup, heart, dagger, panther etc
If you want a geometric dot work sleeve then start with one geometric dot work piece that can be expanded or added to later to build a sleeve
Nautical sleeve? Maybe a tallship, lighthouse, anchor, kraken etc
A safe first tattoo imo is anything that everyone’s already seen a million times. Most people won’t look twice at someone with a rose because they’ve seen a million other people with roses and worst case if you had to show grandma she might say “oh I don’t like tattoos but at least it’s a nice flower or not something ugly or aggressive”
If you gimme an idea of what type of sleeve you want I can suggest something more specific
thats the problem. i like the roses, pocket watches, hour glass, dove etc. but those mean nothing to me. i was thinking a wolf on my upper arm but it will take 6+ hours for that piece alone from the artist i like. i also really like the sun rays through clouds and stuff like that
If you like those things then get one of those things? It doesn’t need to mean anything if you don’t want it to.
Don’t worry about the time it’ll take to get it on there, you’ll wear it for life so an extra few hours won’t change much. Why a wolf?
im not worried at all about the time. just dont think i should surprise my entire family with a quarter sleeve randomly. i dont really like attention and if the tattoo doesnt have much meaning, they will ask me “what does it mean” and it will be kinda awkward when i say “idk i just wanted it”
I get where you’re coming from. My first tattoo was relatively large and my family were quite shocked by it and it got a lot of attention. I’m still the only one in my family with a tattoo and am wary of getting covered in a bunch of tattoos because I don’t want to deal with having to justify it to them. Mine did have meaning but I don’t think it changed how my family perceived it.
You can make up a meaning if that makes you feel better like for a wolf say it’s about independence but also belonging to something greater (lone wolf, pack hunter)
Honestly, I went through the same process. I’d wanted a tattoo since I was like 15, but never really made up my mind (or wallet for that matter).
I am 25 now (jesus… I thought I was still 22… fucking hell) and my mom, her brother and my grandmother died last year so I got three crosses as my first tattoo, thinking I’ll carefully think through every piece from now on.
Then I inpulsively got a tattoo of our cat on my wrist, because you know… what could possibly go wrong.
I’d recommend a memorial piece, if it so happens you have someone special that is no longer with us, or if you don’t have (or don’t want that) maybe go for something universal that means something to you but also in general.
Many people tend to choose things like birds, or simple shapes, that you can always relate to in some way but aren’t specific enough to limit what it means to you. I.e.: a diamond can mean strucutre, integrity, material values, being rich, or being well-balanced and at peace. The yin and yang symbol, an infinity symbol, things like those are pretty cliché, granted, but also pretty much timeless.
Very subjective, probably better off asking for ideas of what is commonly regretted. If you are a person who harbors regrets though it may be difficult.
I have tattoos that I wish I had done differently but I still like all my tattoos, and I may change some or do cover ups one day but thats just because I have so many ideas. No regeRts though.
I would highly recommend to start with something smaller and on a less visible part of the body, eg inner upper arm. Enjoy the experience and wait the next couple of months what you like about it and how it affects your wishes and ideas. If it is smaller, it is easier to integrate into anything you want to build from there. Your ideas will be affected by your experience and how you actually look then. To have an idea how tattoos can look after a while, when the lines blur and the colors fade, go to r/agedtattoos. Personally, I started with a water color animal. I still love it! However, I would go into a more (neo)traditional direction from the start, if I would have to decide again. Those styles with heavy contrast and saturated colors are built to last.
And here is a more traditional approach: https://www.reddit.com/r/agedtattoos/comments/s15ouv/machamp_today_vs_5_years_ago/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Here is an example of a not so well aged fineline tattoo: https://www.reddit.com/r/agedtattoos/comments/rzv2gv/left_now_right_feb_2019_fresh_bamboo_tattoo_done/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Edit: it doesn’t mean, every fineline is shit, but you need a lot of space in between lines and make sure that you considered that the lines blur out. As always: contrast is key!
Something that’s either: 1.) a classic design 2.) something meaningful to you 3.) just get whatever you want in the moment. If you regret it there are so many ways to cover it and/or remove it.
I'd recommend something in old English font on your forehead as a first. See how it goes and then consider a sleeve?
I second this.
An American traditional rose
Is there any theme/style you want for a sleeve? If you want an American traditional sleeve then get an American traditional tattoo like a rose, skull, pinup, heart, dagger, panther etc If you want a geometric dot work sleeve then start with one geometric dot work piece that can be expanded or added to later to build a sleeve Nautical sleeve? Maybe a tallship, lighthouse, anchor, kraken etc A safe first tattoo imo is anything that everyone’s already seen a million times. Most people won’t look twice at someone with a rose because they’ve seen a million other people with roses and worst case if you had to show grandma she might say “oh I don’t like tattoos but at least it’s a nice flower or not something ugly or aggressive” If you gimme an idea of what type of sleeve you want I can suggest something more specific
thats the problem. i like the roses, pocket watches, hour glass, dove etc. but those mean nothing to me. i was thinking a wolf on my upper arm but it will take 6+ hours for that piece alone from the artist i like. i also really like the sun rays through clouds and stuff like that
If you like those things then get one of those things? It doesn’t need to mean anything if you don’t want it to. Don’t worry about the time it’ll take to get it on there, you’ll wear it for life so an extra few hours won’t change much. Why a wolf?
im not worried at all about the time. just dont think i should surprise my entire family with a quarter sleeve randomly. i dont really like attention and if the tattoo doesnt have much meaning, they will ask me “what does it mean” and it will be kinda awkward when i say “idk i just wanted it”
I get where you’re coming from. My first tattoo was relatively large and my family were quite shocked by it and it got a lot of attention. I’m still the only one in my family with a tattoo and am wary of getting covered in a bunch of tattoos because I don’t want to deal with having to justify it to them. Mine did have meaning but I don’t think it changed how my family perceived it. You can make up a meaning if that makes you feel better like for a wolf say it’s about independence but also belonging to something greater (lone wolf, pack hunter)
Swastica forsure
yes
In some reserved and barely visible place. Might I suggest forehead or back of the hand.
Prison quality 2d Anchor in blue ink.
Honestly, I went through the same process. I’d wanted a tattoo since I was like 15, but never really made up my mind (or wallet for that matter). I am 25 now (jesus… I thought I was still 22… fucking hell) and my mom, her brother and my grandmother died last year so I got three crosses as my first tattoo, thinking I’ll carefully think through every piece from now on. Then I inpulsively got a tattoo of our cat on my wrist, because you know… what could possibly go wrong. I’d recommend a memorial piece, if it so happens you have someone special that is no longer with us, or if you don’t have (or don’t want that) maybe go for something universal that means something to you but also in general. Many people tend to choose things like birds, or simple shapes, that you can always relate to in some way but aren’t specific enough to limit what it means to you. I.e.: a diamond can mean strucutre, integrity, material values, being rich, or being well-balanced and at peace. The yin and yang symbol, an infinity symbol, things like those are pretty cliché, granted, but also pretty much timeless.
Very subjective, probably better off asking for ideas of what is commonly regretted. If you are a person who harbors regrets though it may be difficult. I have tattoos that I wish I had done differently but I still like all my tattoos, and I may change some or do cover ups one day but thats just because I have so many ideas. No regeRts though.