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EdH

Gosh, lots of good tips.

Edit: if you mean during I recommend a few shots and a beer beforehand. But make sure the shop wouldn't mind.

That would be starting early… shame I have to drive to the guy's studio!

Get high.

That'd be nice but the super skunk shit that is out there these days is nothing like the stuff I used to enjoy as a teenager, and just made me black out for 15 hours at a time whenever I tried it while I was in my early 20s. I wouldn't know where to start with getting stuff with a reasonable balance of CBD/THC these days, and it would be a career ending offence if I happened to fuck it up and come to the attention of the authorities.

@henry_david:

Or this:

??? I'm quite good with pain, I don't think that will be necessary… I respect your life choices though

@Matt:

Over the past 25 years I’ve been tattooed sober, drunk, a little stoned, a lot stoned and various states in between. The same can be said for the guy tattooing me. I find that while being a lot stoned doesn't completely eliminate the pain, it does do a helluva job making you forget you were in pain about every 10 seconds or so. Kind of like a goldfish after it circles the fish bowl.

I haven't found any sessions I've had so far (chest, forearm, inner-bicep and a band around the lower bicep) to be particularly painful. I think I'm a reasonably good amateur meditator - it's hard to compare - but I tend to acknowledge that it hurts when it hurts and then just observe that sensation without judgment and it tends not to bother me any more. Or I just chat shit with the artist… he's good at keeping me distracted.

@henry_david:

How long is the session going to be, @EdH? The longest I've had were a five hour and a six hour (chest and arm).

Not sure yet - he's booked the whole day out for me, says he's prepared to break for lunch and go into the evening if we want to or if necessary, or equally happy to push through and get it done if I'm up for that. All depends on how detailed his designs are I suppose.

@LewisStonehouse:

Get a good night’s sleep before, don’t be hungover, stay hydrated, eat plenty, sugary drinks, have a break before you’re desperate for one. Good luck!

Thanks, all noted! I'll take a packed lunch and I have no problem eating sweets all day.

scarfmace

@LewisStonehouse:

@EdH:

Any tips for my first all-day session from those that know? I think my longest sitting to date is of the order of 3 hours (with a break) which was fine. But we've booked a whole day to do the remaining 2/3rds of this sleeve. Thanks in advance!

Get a good night’s sleep before, don’t be hungover, stay hydrated, eat plenty, sugary drinks, have a break before you’re desperate for one. Good luck!

This is my go to aswell. Be well rested beforehand. Eat lots of suger during (M&M's FTW) and stay hydrated. Being tattooed isn't that painfull, but when you strech it out over time, the adrenaline that your body creates to cope with the pain wears of and you will start getting very fatigued. once that happes, every sting is going to set you trough te roof, so make sure your body is able to cope with a lot of stress and exhaustion.

Matt

In all honesty if you’re just doing your arm then there’s nothing to worry about. Wrists and elbows hurt but the rest of the arm is about as good as it gets. My back sessions and ribs were tough but the rest is cake.
As long as there’s good music on you’ll be aces.

It only hurts while it hurts.

scarfmace

@Matt:

In all honesty if you’re just doing your arm then there’s nothing to worry about. Wrists and elbows hurt but the rest of the arm is about as good as it gets. My back sessions and ribs were tough but the rest is cake.
As long as there’s good music on you’ll be aces.

It only hurts while it hurts.

For me the armpit hurt like a motherfucker though!

scarfmace

Here are some pictures of my (then unfinished) left sleeve. Project was done over 2020-2021 and took about 40h total. I'll get some better shots once I find somebody who can handle a camera.

PS: Kudo's if you guess the name of the beasty

Matt

That’s killer. Is it Cthulu?

scarfmace

@Matt:

That’s killer. Is it Cthulu?

KUDO'S

EdH

@scarfmace:

when you strech it out over time, the adrenaline that your body creates to cope with the pain wears of and you will start getting very fatigued. once that happes, every sting is going to set you trough te roof, so make sure your body is able to cope with a lot of stress and exhaustion.

Didn't anticipate that, thanks! I'll be on the lookout!

EdH

@scarfmace:

Here are some pictures of my (then unfinished) left sleeve. Project was done over 2020-2021 and took about 40h total. I'll get some better shots once I find somebody who can handle a camera.

PS: Kudo's if you guess the name of the beasty

That's a kick ass sleeve. Love it.

Matt

Oh yeah, that’s a thing for sure. Real shitty.

LewisStonehouse

Bish bash bosh
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7gTdNsuWr/?utm_medium=copy_link

henry_david

@LewisStonehouse – Hell yeah dude!! Those are sick af.

Matt

Fantastic.

LewisStonehouse

Thanks fellas

LewisStonehouse

@scarfmace:

@Matt:

In all honesty if you’re just doing your arm then there’s nothing to worry about. Wrists and elbows hurt but the rest of the arm is about as good as it gets. My back sessions and ribs were tough but the rest is cake.
As long as there’s good music on you’ll be aces.

It only hurts while it hurts.

For me the armpit hurt like a motherfucker though!

Yeah +1 on the armpits, they sucked for me

EdH

Very cool @LewisStonehouse

LewisStonehouse

@EdH thanks man

jerkules

@LewisStonehouse fuck yeah! This thread is inspiring me to get tatted again - it’s been a long time. How the hell does anyone with an IH addiction have the spare cash, that’s what I want to know

LewisStonehouse

@jerkules I’ve been quite good so far this year with IH, only picked up two shirts

nietenhosen

IH 666-19L - more than a bottom.

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