Yup, that’s the kind of week it’s been…

… and you?

Here you go!

(re-posted from 2/10/10) Tattooed folks appreciate choosing a new tattoo over an awesomacious trip, tickets to a sweeeet concert or the newest electronic doo dad.  Tattoos last forever and serve as a grounding reminder of what’s important to us.

The fact remains that lots of people are feeling the financial pinch right now.  The current economic situation is challenging, causing us to reconsider spending on ourselves.  And yet, treating yourself provides a well earned respite from the daily grind of life… like a cheer up turbo.  It’s true that tattoos can be expensive, however there are ways you can save on your new ink:

Timing

Winter months tend to be the slowest in tattoo studios.  While it’s not proper to haggle with the artist over the cost for their time and expertise, keep a close watch on blogs, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and member mailings announcing specials offered through the colder months.  Art With a Point has a special offer running through 2/29 – check it out above!

Preparation

Creating the tattoo is an artistic process – one that begins with your ideas.  The more clear you are about what you want, the easier your idea is to bring to life.  Collect images or items that can help you to describe your ideas.  Google images is a fantastic free resource.

Make use of the Consultation

Art With a Point is unique in that it’s one of the only studios providing you the opportunity to speak directly with your artist prior to your tattoo.  I offer free consultations, so hey – why not take advantage of them!  Get your questions answered and collaborate with me to hone in on the details of your design so that you can rest easy knowing your tattoo is an authentic reflection of your ideas.

Take it in steps

Patience is a virtue… blah blah blah.  Hey, I hear you.  It’s hard to be patient waiting for new ink.  And while small tattoos are easily completed in one sitting, when it comes to budgeting there’s something to be said for working on a medium or larger sized tattoo in a couple of (or more) sittings.  This shortens each appointment time, spreading out the cost.  And hey, in the meantime your new ink is tangibly with you rather than but a concept.

So, when the craving for new ink keeps you awake at night Google your ideas and email me the images you find.  Schedule a complimentary basic consultation to get the ball rolling.  From there we’ll create a plan to bring your tattoo to life in a way that works for you.

I have an addiction to podcasts.  Hey, what better than public radio without commercials (or even worse, depressing news) *and* on my own timeline.  It’s all that and a bag of chips.  So the other day I caught a rebroadcast of Radio Lab entitled, “Placebo”.  Great episode, check it out.  One theory their guest Dr. Daniel Carr suggests is that pain is dependent upon context, which got me to thinking.  I’m constantly asked “Do tattoos hurt?”  And my response is always the same, “The experience is different for everyone”.  But why?

It’s about context.  Speaking for myself, I have an attitude problem when it comes to going to the doctor.  I’m not a happy patient.  Yet I have a high pain tolerance and a stoic nature.  Nine years ago I nearly lost two finger tips in a power tool accident and I was one hurtin’ unit over the next four hours in the ER.  Yet, I’ve enthusiastically endured multiple eight hour sessions of tattooing, and have participated in ritualistic piercing.

The pain we feel isn’t about the pain.  It’s about the story that comes with the pain.  Our stories are filtering the pain even before it’s felt, for better or worse.  Consider the context of “What am I losing with this pain?”  …As compared with, “What have I to gain from this pain?”

In the context of tattooing, when you believe (or know) that something good is coming of your pain, that this is your story being born on your skin… that this is your healing in order to move forward… then the story you have woven for yourself makes all the difference in your ability to process and sit with the level of discomfort you physically and psychologically feel.

“Scientists currently view our entire identity as something we construct from one second to the next. You are the unfolding of an ongoing narrative.  Not just a narrative in words, but touch… odor…  We use all of these inputs to generate the next frame from the last frame in our story.”
~ Dr. Daniel Carr