I got my first tattoo when I was 18 years old. It was not some form of rebellion or whatever you want to call it; I got it because I wanted it and it meant a lot to me. In fact, my parents came with me and paid for it as a part of my gift for graduating from high school. Some people have been judgmental about my choice to get tattoos, but I don’t regret any of the three that I currently have and plan to continue to get more in the future.
Tattoos have been a major part of many cultures throughout the world for thousands of years. The oldest tattoo found appears to be 5,200 years old on the “Iceman” a famous mummy that was discovered in 1991 in Europe. Before that, however, the Egyptians were the oldest known civilization to have had tattoos. Over the years, tattoos have represented many different things in many different places and times. In ancient Greece, tattoos were a mark of nobility and belonging; however, in both Greece and Rome, they were also used to mark slaves and criminals. Also, though tattoos may be painful, they were used by some Native Americans to diminish pain in the 1700s.
The first professional tattoo artist in the United States set up shop in New York City in the mid-1800s. Tattooing wasn’t popular in the United States until it began being popularized by soldiers getting them for good luck before heading off to war, and while women would get tattoos, it wasn’t until the 1970s when more feminine styles and designs were popularized. However, today, about one in five Americans have tattoos, with a majority of them being women.
Getting a tattoo is a big decision, though, with a lot of considerations that must be made beforehand. Of course, you have to think of the design you want, which includes what exactly you want tattooed and what colors (if any) you would like included in the design and where. You also need to determine where you’d like your tattoo to be placed and what size you’d like it to be. One way to decided this is deciding whether or not you’d like the tattoo to be visible all the time or if you’d like to be able to easily cover it up. Some people also put consideration into the size and location based on their personal pain tolerance. However, it is important to remember, in the case of location, everyone is different, and while some spots may be incredibly painful to some, others may not have as much of an issue getting tattooed in that location. Another major consideration is which tattoo artist to go to. You should check out places online and ask around to get a general idea of good places to go to if you have absolutely no idea where to go, but you should also look at a tattoo artists portfolio before working with them to make sure you like their other work. You should also consider pricing before getting tattooed, and by talking to multiple tattoo artists, you can determine where you can get the best deal, while also getting everything you want.
Tattoos are a great way to express yourself, but I realize they aren’t for everyone. However, if you want a tattoo, don’t be afraid to get one. Do your research and put thought into it, but don’t worry too much about what anyone else has to say. In the end, your tattoo is for you and no one else, and, as long as you love it, that’s all that matters.