Tuesday, June 08, 2010

I've been considering putting this together for a while now based on the amount of questions I get, and I finally got around to it.  I was reminded yesterday after Shinji decided to do a little touch up work on my backside.  Here's a chart which illustrates my personal experience with tattoo pain.

Green is "Drill, baby, drill!", yellow is "Yeah great, I can deal", orange is "How much longer?" and red is "MOMMY!".  You can't see it here really, but I'd put armpits in the red and inner biceps in yellow-orange. Two important things to mention: first, this is my own personal experience and is by no means universal - I'd really like to hear if this matches your own!  And secondly, behind the knees, shins, and top of feet is based on anecdotal info - but opinion seems to be unanimous. 
For the record: I think anticipated tattoo discomfort is a terrible reason to not get a tattoo. An hour or two in the studio is over before you know it and forgotten that day, but a tattoo lasts a hell of a lot longer.

3 comments:

Miyamoto Musashi said...

With the experience of having work done on my whole back (stopping above the butt), all around my right ankle and a small part of arm just below my right shoulder... I do agree with your green area choices.

On the back I do believe there is a difference between getting tattoed over the spine and the rest oif the back, and as an interesting fact, my right side always hurted more than my left side...

lesmith11 said...

I have always found that it hurts more on either side of the spine than actually on it

I'm having a leg piece done and am not looking forward to behind the knees!

Stewart Robson said...

I'd certainly agree with the buttocks as red, but I'd make the ribs orange/almost-red.
For me the tops of the feet are yellow, except the instep, which would be orange.
But you're certainly right that it's different for each person.

Great blog by the way!