So my roommate (who is also my best friend) and I went to Vancouver to hangout for a week during my reading week from school. We decided (on a whim) to get tattoos while we were in Vancouver and chose Adrenaline because it is a reputable shop and also happened to be in the area of Vancouver where we were spending most of our time. Granville is a great little neighborhood for those of you who haven't been to Vancouver; it has amazing music and clothing shops, as well as great music venues and tattoo & piercing shops. My roommate opted to have the back of his legs tattooed, and I decided that I really wanted a piece on my ribcage. We also decided that because this was a spur of the moment decision we would each get something that was really cliché (it didn't have to be flash, but that would add to the fun). The point was that we would have something that was a good piece of art, but that we would think is cheesy and funny. I chose an old school swallow which we (well, actually Marky) modified/customized from a piece of flash. I had wanted something done on my ribcage for a long time, and now seemed like as good a time as any to get it done. I have also had a thing for swallows for a long time, but because I also though them to be cliché it took that extra nudge of a dare from my roommate to get up the guts to get one tattooed on me.
At A Glance Author eatthelie When Three months ago Artist Marky Studio Adrenaline Tattoo Location Vancouver (Granville) Both of us (my roommate and I) are already heavily tattooed, full sleeves and more, so getting a small piece isn't really a big deal anymore. However, I have never been tattooed on my ribcage, so I was a bit nervous. Plus, this is with a new artist in a different city, so I had that natural feeling of discomfort in an unusual place. Needless to say I was a bit apprehensive when the hour came, but that apprehension quickly disappeared.
I have to say that Marky is a great tattoo artist, and he was a joy to sit for. It also helped that he knew our other roommate who we had left at home (I didn't know this when I booked in with him, so it was a funny thing to find out as we made initial small talk when the session began). We listened to amazing music during the session and he was quick and meticulous. I have to say, my ribs were not my favorite place to be tattooed. While the pain is very tolerable (although not as tolerable as, say, the bicep or somewhere really easy to get tattooed) I found my biggest problem was breathing properly during the session. It felt like I should be holding my breath (a big no-no) every time the needle hit my skin. At first I tried to hold my breath (or minimizing my breathing movement) just so I didn't fuck up Mark's line work, but during some of the long lines I nearly ran out of breath and passed out. I knew I shouldn't be holding my breath, but it also seemed like breathing would be too much movement for Marky. There is also that amazing feeling every time you are going over a bone where it rattles all the way through you... which didn't help my breathing either. Mark had a very steady hand however, which allowed me to return my breathing to normal and get the piece done.
I also have to say, for the hardcore fan, Marky is your man. The man can talk about hardcore for hours, and we listened to amazing music the entire session, which lasted just over 2 hours. He also plays in a local band, so those who live in Vancouver can go check him out. I also have to say that he is very skilled at "old school". You can tell that he really enjoys working on old school pieces and he does a great job at it. I don't have any other old school on my body, but this is one of my favorite pieces.
Anyways, the piece that started off as a joke became a piece that I am very proud of. I still laugh because the swallow is something that will always seem very cliché to me, but it is a great piece of work and I am thinking of getting Marky to do one on the other side of my ribcage the next time I am in Vancouver. Adrenaline is an extremely clean shop, with an excellent staff. I also find it weird that they accept credit card and debit, as most shops I have been to only accept cash, but they have a large merchandise section which spans from jewelry (very wide selection) to clothing to books. I have to say it was a very good experience and I would do it again.