Body Art: Deciding Where to Place your First Tattoo

Tattoos mark us – not just on the outside but on the inside. Within minutes they can change how you feel about yourself, your situation, your past or your future. But with such a life-lasting commitment comes indecision, hesitation, and cold feet. Getting your first tattoo added to your physique permanently can be daunting and can put one off taking that leap from blank to decorated. You’re changing your appearance and unlike a hair cut you can’t reset. But that shouldn’t stop you…

You’ve done the research, picked your artist and paid the deposit more than a year ago, so you’re ready. Whether your style changes, your artistic taste changes, or the world around you changes, the meaning that originally sparked your interest in a tattoo will always be there and that is what is most important. The meaning behind the commitment. And as the meaning behind the ink is often the most difficult decision, deciding where to get your first tattoo is easy. It all starts with placement.

The most common placement for first tattoos is often on parts of the body that are least likely to be seen – upper thigh, lower back, back shoulder, ankle and upper arm. Having a tattoo where it is not always on show allows you to ease into the process. Whether it is because of your job or your personal situation, or perhaps you’re just testing the waters for a large piece down the line, those areas are a good place to start.

The size of artwork is another important factor in the decision. If you’re looking for a small symbolic tattoo, tribal/oriental or a typography tattoo you might want to consider your ankle. If you’re looking for a more traditional piece, neo-traditional or portraiture your upper arm or upper thigh would allow for more room and detail in the final design. Once you have a rough idea of where you’d like your tattoo to go, narrow the decision down further by considering your pain threshold.

Unfortunately all tattoos come with some level of pain. You’re cutting into your body and depositing ink into your dermis layer of skin, so how could that not hurt? You need to consider the level of pain you are willing to sit through and how many irritated nerve endings you can cope with. ­The general rule is that the meatier the body part the less likely it is to hurt compared to parts that are closer to the bone.

For example, your bicep will hurt less than the top of your foot. However, keep in mind the fact that every body is different, so something that may not have hurt one person might be quite painful for you and vice versa. Either way, at the end of the experience you’ll be left with something that is part of you and you alone, and that is worth the pain. Enjoy your first tattoo it’s a wonderful experience.

 

by Natasha MacKenzie

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