Tattoo: when and where?
 

I've wanted to get a tat for a very long time and I've decided to make it one of my weight loss rewards.

So, I'm wondering when to do this. How big of a loss will this be an appropriate reward? Onederland? Goal? And what about issues of distortion? If I get it too early, and lose more weight, will it look weird?

And does anyone have opinions about the most attractive place for a tat? I personally think tats on the bicep look too manly, and I'm definitely too old for a tramp stamp. ;) And aside from appearance, what's the least painful place to have it done?

Anywhere fleshy is going to be the least painful. It's when you are close to bone where it becomes the most painful. But even so, I wouldn't let pain scare you away from a spot. Sure it might HURT at the time but then you'll have it there, pain free, for the rest of your life.

I don't have any experience with weight loss bothering my tattoos, but my older ones are on the inside of my ankles. Not really much weight changes going on there. The one on my inner forearm is brand new so I have no idea how that'll turn out. Now, again, I don't actually know this but I would imagine that a 25 pound loss would not make any difference in a tattoo's appearance if you wanted to make it your onederland present.

Personally, my favorite locations for tattoos on women are inner forearm, inner bicep (I know you said you didn't like that but outside of bicep and inside are two different stories to me!), side of ribs and front of thighs. Do some googling to see what you find attractive!

I thought about making my newest one a reward for weight loss but I decided that I had already waited long enough to get it. It took me several years from idea to actually getting it done. I didn't want to wait anymore, but that's just me =)

Do not get your stomach tattooed.
Tattoos on your feet HURT!!!!

Get something meaningful and expect to pay for a quality tattoo.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info!

I'm thinking maybe the upper back, along the spine. I think that would be the least susceptible to weight loss and age, and tats there look so fab. I really like the thigh idea too. I've got great legs so I bet I could really pull that one off! I love feet tats but like you said, Mozzy, I've heard that they're unbearably painful.

How many tats do you ladies have?

8

Wow, you're a pro!

Not hardly lol

Tattoos are addictive!!!!!

I plan on getting a tat on my forearm when I reach Onederland, and then another tat somewhere else (haven't decided location) when I reach goal. I do need to cover up a tat on my hipbone though, so I am definitely going to wait until I am at goal for that one.

I have one tattoo on my side near my hip. I wanted one for many years but I was worried about what others would think. I finally chose a design and had it done last year. I'm so happy that I did it! I love catching a glimpse of it every time I change my clothes. I thought about the design for a long time. It is very simple and not very unique but it is meaningful to me and that is what counts.

Oh! Right! Like Mozzy said, expect to pay for a quality tattoo. This is one area where you do not want to bargain shop! Figure out what style you want (Traditional, photoreal, Japanese, etc) and then look long and hard for an artist whose work you LOVE. I traveled an hour to the guy who tattooed my inner forearm and would have traveled way longer. Paid $250 for the tattoo itself and tipped him $60.

I have 3 tattoos! I have grand plans for my thighs but that's not until next year =)

Do you know what you'd like to get?

The artist is important. Once I had an idea of my design it took quite a bit of time to research artists. I would have traveled out of town for the right artist. Luckily there was a good artist in town. I even asked friends for their opinions and experiences. It was important for me to have a good overall experience too.

I'd like a modified version of the one in my pic on my upper back . My husband will pay for it as a goal reached gift. I am getting a small one (my first one) for half way in a few weeks above the ankle on my calf.

It's hard to see in that small format...what is it?

I want a mermaid done in a sorta abstract flowy line style. Nothing gaudy or cutesy or trashy. I chose this because of a quote from Anaïs Nin (whom I adore): ""I must be a mermaid. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living."

Something like this:
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/...psbd7174bb.jpg

I talked to a friend this evening who has a tat and she totally wants to get another one! We're going to set up a consultation with the guy she got her first one from. I'll see what I think of his style. I totally understand what you all are saying about finding the right artist and being willing to pay for their services. I do NOT want an ugly tat!

Thanks for all the input and info everyone! We should have a photo thread for people to show off their body art. :D

It is a weird eye. The mermaid quote is brilliant!

I'm getting my tattoo on my inner bicep. They don't look manly if you lift and have nice arms.

I know this isn't the case for everyone, but for me, having tats on the bone hurt the least. I have one behind my ear and 2 on my lower hips. The one on my head hurt the least, and the hip one that goes up a little bit onto my stomach KILLED! But I agree with everyone who says that the pain should not stop you. If it does, you probably don't want that tat bad enough ;)

As to where, I personally loooooove tattoos on ladies back ribs/side, inner wrist, inner bicep, and hip bones. I think the "how much should I loose first" question should be answered depending on where you want it. How does your body look in that area now, what do you want, etc. A decent tattoo artist should also be able to give you some idea of if/how your tattoo would change depending on how much your body changes.

I am definitely getting one either near the inner wrist or as a "bracelet" tattoo with words of inspiration/reminders not to go back unless I find something that is really symbolic instead of words. I thought about going big but it is something I want to easily look without having to take my shirt off or something like that, lol.

Good luck with whatever and wherever you decide to get it!

I've considered getting a quote from Lolita on my left rist/ forearm: "And a cesspool of rotting monsters behind his slow, boyish smile", just changing it to female pronouns.

I feel like this might be something I'd regret though. I wish I could get a tat that only lasted 5 years or so...
It'd be pretty sweet though.

I have 6, and I got most of mine when I was bigger - 280 and more. I have three on my arms just above the wrist, a celtic tribal cross on the upper arm/shoulder area, and a celtic knot band below it (though that was done when I was at the end of my big weight loss and I was 190's). Then one on my ankle area. Through my weight changes (up and down) I never noticed a big change, but that's likely due to the areas they were placed; anything really fleshy can cause a big change with dramatic weight changes. So if you are thinking chest, hip, butt, stomach, etc .. You might end up having the appearance change after a weight loss or gain. A friend of mine told me about a friend of theirs that got a butterfly on their butt and they had a dramatic weight change, and it ended up looking shriveled, like a raisin. :o

I have several and my husband and I are tattooers. I have a chest piece and a side piece, a half-sleeve and both legs done. It really just depends on the tattoo you want and how big. i recommend arms as the tattoo will not shift drastically as your weight does.

I am a COMPLETE WUSS and got one at the beginning of this journey on the top of my foot. It didn't hurt at all except a tiny bit when she was pressing hard filling in the color on my achilles. It says "Defy Gravity" from the musical Wicked.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2ngrf5c.jpg

Haha "hurt" is an understatement. But they're just so darn pretty when they're done!

I love this topic, because that's another thing I'm getting done as one of my "rewards." Because tattoos are something I can't get enough of.

I have a really ugly tat on my upper arm and I can't wait to get my arms toned enough to get it covered up. I'm going to get a quarter-sleeve peacock. In my head, he's gorgeous.

I love the mermaid quote too! Love it a lot! I say reward yourself with a tattoo whenever that body part is "ready." :)

I have 15 tattoos. My pain is going to be completely different than your pain. My ankle KILLED me, and so did the back of my thighs. I have a tattoo on the top of my foot and I could of been sleeping with how NON painful it was. I have a half sleeve, and it doesn't look manly at all. It's all in the design and the way the artist works with it. The thing is, this is YOUR body. We can tell you where to get tattoos all day long but at the end of the day, your living with it not us. Get something YOU want to get, get something where YOU want to get it. Our approval isn't needed, and if you have to second guess something, pick something else.

Thanks for all the additional info and insights, everyone. CherryPie, Wicked is one of my favorite musicals and your tattoo is cute!

I think I'm going to wait until I hit goal weight. I made it to Onederland and it just doesn't feel like the right time yet.

Novus and Kitcherella, those are awesome tattoo ideas/designs. I like Anais Nin as well. Under a Glass Bell is one of my favorite collections of short stories.

I have 2 tattoos, one on the inside of my ankle (A windmill in a blue delft pattern) and a "Strength for the Living" on my wrist in dutch and Gaelic (To reflect my heritage)

Neither one was too painful IMO. The ankle one was a bit more painful, mainly because it has shading/highlighting and is bigger.

I like tattoos on the upper back, especially shoulder blades, ribs, feet, obviously wrist and inside of the ankle (not as big a fan of the outside of the ankle), tops of the heels (right bellow the achilles tendon, though some places won't do it there), and I love tattoos on calves... but I'm too chicken, and hate my calves too much to have it done.

Mine is on the outside of my right calf. I love it there--it doesn't show at work if I don't want it to (pants) but I show it off when wearing a skirt or shorts or capris.

Novus, that abstract mermaid is awesome. And Kitcherella, that eye is amazing.

I have two tattoos. One above my ankle (outside of my leg); the other just inside my left wrist. People sometimes don't notice the wrist tattoo. And when I'm at my conservative workplace, I cover it with a wide bracelet. But I love it because I can look at it all the time.

I just had a tattoo placed on my right calf, ... A Blue treble clef with a tribal twist.. One of my oldest friends & I have talked about getting "Sister Tattoos for 15 years... We finally did it! Funny thing, not once did I think about it's locale in regards to when I lose weight.. She opted for her arm.. & I opted for my calf, as I have a full sleeve planned as my "goal" reward. I'm just trusting it wont shift too much as I shrink.. as my calfs are muscular. (mines on the right.. upside down in pix due to camera angle to get us both in.) It's my 3rd tattoo..

I have been tattooing myself with temporary stuff, but I'll get a permanent one (my dog's paw print with her initial in the paw.) on my right wrist. Nothing too big or pronounced, but it'll be there. I'll be a government official, so I do have a strong reason to make it concealable (is that even a word? :D ).

I very much want to get a tattoo on the inside of my forearm (where I can admire it constantly =grin=) but I'm nervous about possible loose skin after I get down to goal weight. I weigh 300 pounds at the time of this posting (not for long!). I'm 58 and post-menopausal, too, so things are gonna be saggy.

Should I wait until I see what my skin is going to be like , or is the inner forearm a safe place no matter what?

Its hard to answer that. Do you carry a lot of weight in that area? I can't say I've noticed and change in the tattooing on my forearm. I've also lost a couple inches off both biceps and no distortion in tattoos there either. Could also depend on the design you want. I'd be leery of a tight design with a lot of straight lines or other things that little changes of skin tightness would be super noticeable.

I have 3 tattoos and 1 facial piercing My first tattoo was done for my son. He was born early with only a 20% chance but he made it!! And is now 21 months old. It is a baby dragon coming out of the egg. with his date of birth in the shell. My second is Love in Dovah From the game skyrim my husband has True in the same language on our wrists, and my final tattoo (so far!) Is of the disneyland castle with fireworks under it says "dream" in the disney font. The was for me and my grandfather who passed he took me every summer and now I will do the same for my son.