When I first formalized the idea of getting that first tattoo on my eighteenth birthday, I was excited. I always loved the phoenix, and I always wanted a tattoo so when April 1st finally rolled around, I went in to test the waters. I remembered that I went with my friend to a place called Drunken Monkey (in Saginaw, MI), and I called sometime before to get a general idea of how much money I would spend. 100$ - 300$ USD wasn't a bad range for what I had in mind, considering I was vague with describing what I wanted (since it was a phone estimate). However, I was advised to go to Old Town Tattoo (in Saginaw, MI), which is where I went, and was somewhat nervous since I went in alone. I walked in, and PJ was working on a client, but he quickly retrieved Glenn for me, and Glenn was really understanding and patient when it came to my newbie questions and how everything would work and a quote from the idea I had brought in with me. He gave me cards for everyone at the parlor and I left quite satisfied.
At A Glance Author Tisch Contact Tisch@bme.anon IAM demonology When It just happened Artist Glenn Studio Old Town Tattoo Location Saginaw, MI I browsed their online portfolios, and decided to go with Glenn mainly because I enjoyed what I saw from his portfolio, but also because he made me feel comfortable when I was very nervous and shy when talking about what design I wanted. I set my appointment about a week later - although it was just penciled in since I didn't have a deposit in just yet - and then I went in a week after that to show him what images and sketches I had as to what I want to get. I personally can't stand small patches, and so I went for a large chestpiece after changing my mind many of times (from a back piece to a crew neck collar type of ring, and finally to a chestpiece). He told me what he could do and what type of style or technique would be better (since I wanted a bold outline around it, but he told me that he could make the fire look much better and realistic by using a light grey for the fire side which would be 'invisible' when the color came in).
Deposit down and sketches in, I went in May 3rd to see what he had for me... and I was speechless. I almost cried. It was so beautiful and it was exactly what I wanted. The upper feathers needed to be tilted so it could sit up higher on my chest - since I really didn't want it to go way down into my boobs or go so high that it would be directly on my collar bone - but still be practically invisible when wearing a crew neck t-shirt. On that Friday, I was eighteen and very very excited to go in and actually get the work done. I was in a hyper mode ever since I woke up in the morning, but managed to bring myself in one piece - and bake cookies as a tip since I didn't have enough tipping money and felt really bad about it - although when he was resizing the images and creating the stencil, I was so giddy and hyper that I held in my pee since it'd keep me preoccupied. My friend laughed at me, but I was cranked full of vitamins and sugars and adrenaline - as advised - so I couldn't help but to feel a bit bouncy. My friend wanted to be there when I got my tattoo, which also helped me calm down when in the booth since I wanted the curtains to be closed for my first time.
Stencil was on, and I was leaning back in the chair, and Glenn warned me in a calm voice and told me when the needle was going down, and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I previously had a phobia of needles, but I supposed that cleared up a while ago when a nurse had to try seven times to get my vein. Of course, the collarbone and the sternum hurt like hell anyway, but it was still not as unpleasant as I thought it was. My mom teased me, saying that it hurt like a bitch (since she has a wrist tattoo and an ankle tattoo), but the only thing that bothered me a lot was the small tingle you get when you have an area open to the air for a while. I didn't quite feel the left side of my tattoo since I turned my head and kept reading a poster about twelve different tattoo machines, which amazed me when he told me I was done.
Two weeks after the fact, and I'd say it healed quite nicely, although that first night I caught myself sleeping on my side and probably messed up the claw that's going down on my sternum, but I'm not worried. The outline looks wonderful - even though there was a gross pimple on one of the lines - and as soon as I get the money and Glenn returns from Italy, I'll be back in for the shading.