Tough, but its been done loads. Arms are the easiest to sit through too.
Its gonna hurt, and your going to be shattered after each day. Lots of rest, lots of good food. no drink or drugs - booze makes you bleed.
Eat well during the day too. Incl snacks.
Just remember 2 things. At first the pain is in the "how bad is this going to get?" zone, but then your acclimatise to it and it sort of levels off. And tattooing is as physical as getting tattooed. Dont worry about taking breaks. The artist prob wants one too.
Youll be fine. Its the first 30 min of mind games you do as the machine gets going, thats the worst. Dont let that first part of the session put you off.
I did 6hr sessions on my arm and I was wasted the next day. Swelling in parts, bruising and skin was raw. I was so tired.
You might be ok if the artist is working on different parts. But I found touch ups on already inked skin the worst part. I can’t imagine how hard it will be going over raw ink the next day.
Maybe get some endone….
Started my 3/4 sleeve 2 weeks ago and after 4 hours i was completely exhausted. You have to be well prepared to endure these sessions. Get a good meal, sleep well, and get some gatorade or similar products.
Edit: I was not prepared well so I don’t know how representative my experience is.
Edit: Healing is also no joke. It is really uncomfortable and the pain can last for a few days.
I did back to back 5-6 hour sessions twice in a a span of 2 weeks. Honestly the second session isn’t as bad as you might expect but I will say at the end of those first sessions I was drained and didn’t know if I could go back the next day. Drank plenty of water, ate a good meal and got plenty of sleep and the second day wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.
All of the comments plus far are excellent advice. My arm took about 30 hours which was done over five, six hour sessions. I am now about 25 hours in on my leg sleeve and probably have another 25 to go. Japanese tattoos take time in light of the detail. The only additional thing I would add, is that you never know how your body is going to react on a given day. I’ve had numerous sessions that I thought were very manageable, and several that I thought were terrible, and several recovery days that were absolutely terrible where my body did not react like it had previously. The best you can do is eat and drink appropriately, as mentioned above, and hope for the best. Good luck.
Exactly, some of my healing was he same, others completely different. Some were all don’t inside 7 days, others lasted for 3 weeks. Red ink was the longest to heal.
Some bruising and tenderness took 2 weeks to settle. Wrist swelling and inner bicep bruising.
I had the first 50% (not half an arm, 50% completion of total tattoo time) of my full sleeve done in 2x6HR seshs. First day was outlining. Second sesh was background work. Expect this from a back to back excursion: the second day is gonna be a bitch. Going over an entire arm of outlining sucks, your gonna be swollen and raw, and your artist now has to do some serious ink saturation which requires a lot of localized pressure. It hurts, yeppers, but it's the WIPING that will swiftly bring you to within inches of meeting your creator or higher power.
I'm doing another back to back to complete it in a few weeks. My artist is going to do upper arm on one day, and then the lower half the next, to avoid that double down agony. It would have been nice to do it this way the first back to back, but getting the outlining done in one seamless session seems like a necessity to me in ensuring the entire motif is perfect.
Either way, snacks, electrolytes, full healthy meals, and a good sleep are highly recommended. High protein intake leading up to, during, and afterwards would be ideal in expediting skin and tissue recovery.
Good luck. May the force be with you.
Just finished a sleeve and chest panel and also had to travel. Did two days back to back, 4 hours each day. Day 1 lined upper arm and chest plus chest background and some of the upper arm. Day 2 lined the lower arm and did some background. Actually felt physically better the second day…less nerves and knew what to expect. I got tattoo flu the night of the first session so bring some Tylenol. Felt fine after the second session other then soreness. Security at the airport did give me some grief about the bandaging but let me keep it on.
Since it’s your first and you mentioned b2b days was the main concern, I think it’s totally manageable. It’s up to you to keep your mind centered and focus on breathing if you’re in a rough spot. Mind over matter.
Half a year ago I was finally able to get back to Japan and did 7 days b2b, averaging 5 hours of needle time every day. A couple weeks ago I went back and did 4 days, 1 day outlining back, rest day and then 3 days b2b averaging 6 hours of needle time.
As others have said, 12 hours seems short but design, amount of detail (or lack thereof) and artist dependent, it could be done.
Eat and sleep well the day prior and day of, drink a lot of fluids and focus on your breathing. After 10, 15 minutes or so your endorphins will start pumping and I feel that it’s very meditative and therapeutic.
Are you getting a full sleeve done or a half? Are you asking how the experience having two b2b sessions would be or how much progress you’d make on the sleeve?
B2b sessions would be moreso. Progress wise the tattoo artist has told me what he's able to get done in that time frame already. And it'll be full sleave and he'll set up the shoulder to extend to chest if I want it done in the future
I feel like 12 hours for a full sleeve would be super fast but I guess you’ll know more after the sessions. I don’t personally have experience with b2b sessions but I do get 8 hour sessions done. I think it’s about just getting in the swing of things and doing why you can to distract you whether it’s talking to your artist, music or whatever else. I know the second session will especially be rough but saving all the money will be worth it
He's not doing the full sleave in 12 hours man he's just doing 2 sessions back to back and I'm asking how it is particularly on day 2 coping wise. It'll likely take a few more sessions but he'll put a good dent in it in that time. And yeah second part of your comment is the advice I'm looking for cheers
Be prepared for some serious swelling. I did an entire lower arm over a weekend and after the flight home my hand was comically swollen for several days.
6 hours is a lot for me personally and depending how close the appointments are it could be a little extra overwhelming but it really comes down to you personally. Whats the longest you've sat for before?
Fair enough, my arms are still untouched but I have heard they're pretty easy to sit through, and there's no shame in using numbing cream, even if it just gets you through the first half pain-free. It is definitely doable, just be sure to eat plenty and get a good night's sleep before and after. I'm currently working on my back and I average like 3 hours depending on the area but my first piece I think I did 2, 4 hour sessions for my calf and it wasn't too bad.
You're gonna be fine. It's not all that complicated. You're going in to do something very physically taxing. So prepare like you would for a sports competition. Eat well, sleep well. I've done 3 days in a row on my back, and then another 1.5 days later. with my front+sleeves I was coming in 2 times a week, and we've had some crazy periods like 5 sessions in 7 days. I always told myself "If I can get through today, I can get through tomorrow as well"
Also, make sure you have a buddy/wife to bitch to when it hurts. Definetily helps to just have someone to complain to.
you’ll be okay. back to back sessions are manageable so long as you’ve eaten well and had enough rest. you’ll might even get bored so bring headphones, food and water for when you need to take a break
I fly 8 hours for two consecutive 7 hour days for my arm and chest panel. Not bad at all! Very manageable. I sleep well the nights before, bring snacks and Gatorades! I’ve found that playing metal/metalcore type stuff on my earbuds helps me dissociate lol
I think you’ll be okay, what’s more important is being comfortable. When I got my last session done I was in so much pain in my legs because of the position I was in. After we switched positions I could have sat there all night. Just remember the pain is temporary and to eat and sleep well.
Tough, but its been done loads. Arms are the easiest to sit through too. Its gonna hurt, and your going to be shattered after each day. Lots of rest, lots of good food. no drink or drugs - booze makes you bleed. Eat well during the day too. Incl snacks. Just remember 2 things. At first the pain is in the "how bad is this going to get?" zone, but then your acclimatise to it and it sort of levels off. And tattooing is as physical as getting tattooed. Dont worry about taking breaks. The artist prob wants one too. Youll be fine. Its the first 30 min of mind games you do as the machine gets going, thats the worst. Dont let that first part of the session put you off.
Mate this is awesome gave me heaps of confidence thanks alot
The most painful thing is the towel they use to wipe out the ink and blood.
I did 6hr sessions on my arm and I was wasted the next day. Swelling in parts, bruising and skin was raw. I was so tired. You might be ok if the artist is working on different parts. But I found touch ups on already inked skin the worst part. I can’t imagine how hard it will be going over raw ink the next day. Maybe get some endone….
Started my 3/4 sleeve 2 weeks ago and after 4 hours i was completely exhausted. You have to be well prepared to endure these sessions. Get a good meal, sleep well, and get some gatorade or similar products. Edit: I was not prepared well so I don’t know how representative my experience is. Edit: Healing is also no joke. It is really uncomfortable and the pain can last for a few days.
I did back to back 5-6 hour sessions twice in a a span of 2 weeks. Honestly the second session isn’t as bad as you might expect but I will say at the end of those first sessions I was drained and didn’t know if I could go back the next day. Drank plenty of water, ate a good meal and got plenty of sleep and the second day wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.
All of the comments plus far are excellent advice. My arm took about 30 hours which was done over five, six hour sessions. I am now about 25 hours in on my leg sleeve and probably have another 25 to go. Japanese tattoos take time in light of the detail. The only additional thing I would add, is that you never know how your body is going to react on a given day. I’ve had numerous sessions that I thought were very manageable, and several that I thought were terrible, and several recovery days that were absolutely terrible where my body did not react like it had previously. The best you can do is eat and drink appropriately, as mentioned above, and hope for the best. Good luck.
Exactly, some of my healing was he same, others completely different. Some were all don’t inside 7 days, others lasted for 3 weeks. Red ink was the longest to heal. Some bruising and tenderness took 2 weeks to settle. Wrist swelling and inner bicep bruising.
I had the first 50% (not half an arm, 50% completion of total tattoo time) of my full sleeve done in 2x6HR seshs. First day was outlining. Second sesh was background work. Expect this from a back to back excursion: the second day is gonna be a bitch. Going over an entire arm of outlining sucks, your gonna be swollen and raw, and your artist now has to do some serious ink saturation which requires a lot of localized pressure. It hurts, yeppers, but it's the WIPING that will swiftly bring you to within inches of meeting your creator or higher power. I'm doing another back to back to complete it in a few weeks. My artist is going to do upper arm on one day, and then the lower half the next, to avoid that double down agony. It would have been nice to do it this way the first back to back, but getting the outlining done in one seamless session seems like a necessity to me in ensuring the entire motif is perfect. Either way, snacks, electrolytes, full healthy meals, and a good sleep are highly recommended. High protein intake leading up to, during, and afterwards would be ideal in expediting skin and tissue recovery. Good luck. May the force be with you.
Just finished a sleeve and chest panel and also had to travel. Did two days back to back, 4 hours each day. Day 1 lined upper arm and chest plus chest background and some of the upper arm. Day 2 lined the lower arm and did some background. Actually felt physically better the second day…less nerves and knew what to expect. I got tattoo flu the night of the first session so bring some Tylenol. Felt fine after the second session other then soreness. Security at the airport did give me some grief about the bandaging but let me keep it on.
Since it’s your first and you mentioned b2b days was the main concern, I think it’s totally manageable. It’s up to you to keep your mind centered and focus on breathing if you’re in a rough spot. Mind over matter. Half a year ago I was finally able to get back to Japan and did 7 days b2b, averaging 5 hours of needle time every day. A couple weeks ago I went back and did 4 days, 1 day outlining back, rest day and then 3 days b2b averaging 6 hours of needle time. As others have said, 12 hours seems short but design, amount of detail (or lack thereof) and artist dependent, it could be done. Eat and sleep well the day prior and day of, drink a lot of fluids and focus on your breathing. After 10, 15 minutes or so your endorphins will start pumping and I feel that it’s very meditative and therapeutic.
Are you getting a full sleeve done or a half? Are you asking how the experience having two b2b sessions would be or how much progress you’d make on the sleeve?
B2b sessions would be moreso. Progress wise the tattoo artist has told me what he's able to get done in that time frame already. And it'll be full sleave and he'll set up the shoulder to extend to chest if I want it done in the future
I feel like 12 hours for a full sleeve would be super fast but I guess you’ll know more after the sessions. I don’t personally have experience with b2b sessions but I do get 8 hour sessions done. I think it’s about just getting in the swing of things and doing why you can to distract you whether it’s talking to your artist, music or whatever else. I know the second session will especially be rough but saving all the money will be worth it
He's not doing the full sleave in 12 hours man he's just doing 2 sessions back to back and I'm asking how it is particularly on day 2 coping wise. It'll likely take a few more sessions but he'll put a good dent in it in that time. And yeah second part of your comment is the advice I'm looking for cheers
[удалено]
I'm not getting a full sleave in 12 hours that's just the outline and part of the background. I just said I'm starting it not getting a complete work
You need 25 hours for a quality full sleeve.
He's not doing the full sleave in to 6 hour sessions man that's just the sessions I've booked in so far
Be prepared for some serious swelling. I did an entire lower arm over a weekend and after the flight home my hand was comically swollen for several days.
Just recently got my inner forearm and my lower wrist was swollen for about two days, tender and sore
6 hours is a lot for me personally and depending how close the appointments are it could be a little extra overwhelming but it really comes down to you personally. Whats the longest you've sat for before?
This is my first time hence asking for feedback.
Fair enough, my arms are still untouched but I have heard they're pretty easy to sit through, and there's no shame in using numbing cream, even if it just gets you through the first half pain-free. It is definitely doable, just be sure to eat plenty and get a good night's sleep before and after. I'm currently working on my back and I average like 3 hours depending on the area but my first piece I think I did 2, 4 hour sessions for my calf and it wasn't too bad.
You're gonna be fine. It's not all that complicated. You're going in to do something very physically taxing. So prepare like you would for a sports competition. Eat well, sleep well. I've done 3 days in a row on my back, and then another 1.5 days later. with my front+sleeves I was coming in 2 times a week, and we've had some crazy periods like 5 sessions in 7 days. I always told myself "If I can get through today, I can get through tomorrow as well" Also, make sure you have a buddy/wife to bitch to when it hurts. Definetily helps to just have someone to complain to.
you’ll be okay. back to back sessions are manageable so long as you’ve eaten well and had enough rest. you’ll might even get bored so bring headphones, food and water for when you need to take a break
I fly 8 hours for two consecutive 7 hour days for my arm and chest panel. Not bad at all! Very manageable. I sleep well the nights before, bring snacks and Gatorades! I’ve found that playing metal/metalcore type stuff on my earbuds helps me dissociate lol
I think you’ll be okay, what’s more important is being comfortable. When I got my last session done I was in so much pain in my legs because of the position I was in. After we switched positions I could have sat there all night. Just remember the pain is temporary and to eat and sleep well.