This began shortly after getting my 2nd tattoo in early January (see "Positive Experiences at Way Cool Yonge") when I started drawing pictures of the addition. I didn't know when I was going to get this done, but yesterday I got the perfect excuse for a reward when I lost everything in a botched fdisk. After spending 12 hours fixing that mess, I had to get out of the house and drove past Immortal Impressions and went in. I picked out flash of a tribal sun to go around the already existing treble clef on my inner right ankle..there was no wait so I decided to go for it. The price was originally quoted as $80.
At A Glance Author Zorbo Contact Zorbo@bme.anon Artist Jamie Studio Immortal Impressions Location Newmarket, Ontario I've been having a bit of healing trouble with the older tat, and the area was already fairly sensitive. When Jamie began the outline, it HURT!!!!!!! this was my most painful tat for several reasons:
1. Area was already irritated
2. This was my biggest tat by far
3. Since this was on the spur of the moment, I had planned to get lunch first but ended up at the shop so I was 12+ hours without food when we started. I was sucking on candies but this didn't help much.
After finishing the outline, I suddenly got lightheaded and broke out in a cold sweat. I had to put my head between my legs for almost 10 minutes and drink water and put a cold cloth on my head. I thought I was going to puke. I thought I couldn't get the tat finished in one sitting. This is what happens if you get a tat on an empty stomach kids.....DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!
The lightheadedness eventually passed and Jamie continued with the shading.
The shading was less painful than the outline, and more comfortable as well..for the outline i was sitting with my right ankle propped up on my left thigh...and later we got a little footstool so I was much steadier (less twitching) but by this time the dizziness and pain had really quite taken its toll on me and all I could do was rest my head on my knee and try to relax since that was the quickest way to have it over with.
It's been about 3 hours since I left Immortal Impressions, and my leg is seriously stinging and even after getting some food in me I'm still a bit woozy. I could hardly walk. I am not a pain wimp and I have 9 other piercings and 2 tattoos which caused me almost no trouble at all, so I think the pain was mostly to blame on the fact I had an empty stomach (and the already sensitive area of skin)
Because of the excessive peeling I had on the treble clef tattoo, Jamie recommended Tattoo Goo as aftercare (I had previously been using Lubriderm) I will see how it goes, and I really really hope this will be as easy healing as my first tattoo. It ended up costing me $100 for the long (3 hours) work time and slightly larger tat than the first stencil he made. Immortal Impressions only takes cash so have plenty on hand when you go! I didn't have a cent in cash and had to leave my driver's license as collateral while running to the bank (and still slightly dizzy)
My opinion of Immortal Impressions is that while I greatly enjoyed having Jamie ink me (I like when tattoo artists actually talk to you) I don't think it was as clean as Way Cool Yonge. By "not as clean" I mean one of the other artists was smoking out front (which really bugs me) and I noticed that the tattoo gun wasn't wrapped in plastic like I'd seen previously, and I'm not sure if that is safe considering all the other usual safety precautions were taken.
So to sum up....
--If you're planning a larger tattoo, EAT!!!!! I can't emphasize how important this is.
--beware of sensitive areas like the ankle/achilles tendon....it's a very twitchy spot and quite bony as well.
--try to have whatever spot you're getting tattooed held in a secure position, it lessens the pain a bit
--bring something along to help distract you and to pass the time. A large tattoo takes quite a long time.
--if you get lightheaded, try to relax (I don't know why I was told to keep putting my head on my knees as opposed to lying down) drink lots of water and it will pass. Of course, if you followed rule number one, the chances of getting lightheaded are next to nothing :)
The title of this experience are the words I said as I left the store..
"thank you for the pain"