Tattoo
Foot Tattoos - Why Do Many Tattoo Artists Have Such A Hard Time Agreeing To Do Them?
Have you ever wondered why there are people who have every inch of their arms and legs tattooed in the most breathtaking designs and colors, and that their tattoos stop short of their hands and feet with a suddenness that is equally breathtaking?
The simple truth is that both hand and foot tattoos are rarely requested and even more rarely done. Part of the reason for their rarity is that new tattoos need to be kept clean, dry, and free of irritation while they heal completely, which can take from two to three weeks.
That lets hands out; but foot tattoos are still in the running. That is, if you can figure out a way to avoid irritating them with shoes and socks while they are healing, and simultaneously keep them clean.
Okay, you might have a hard time getting and caring for a foot tattoo. But why do so many tattoo artists have such a hard time agreeing to do them?
First, foot tattoos don’t like to stay where they are put, and their inks tend to “migrate”, meaning that your sharply defined new tattoo may eventually become blurred and faded.
Tattoo artists are almost always willing to do free touchups for tattoos on any other part of the body, but the likelihood of foot tattoos needing touchups is so high that the artists will either not do the foot tattoos, will not offer to do touchups at all, or will charge for the touchups.
Tattoo artists, at least the good ones, are true artists, and they don’t like to take on work which won’t let them do their best. One of the things you may not know about your feet is that they have reflex points, just like the one in your knee which the doctor hits with the little hammer to see if your nerves are still talking to your brain.
In spite of your best efforts to keep still while getting a foot tattoo, your foot may engage in some twitching and jerking, and the tattoo artist may have difficulty controlling the needle when it does. If the tattoo artist is good enough, he or she may be able to cover up any resulting squiggles, but that’s a chance you’ll have to take.
Another thing: You have a lot of nerve endings and capillaries in you feet, and not much cushioning between the skin and bones. Most people who have had both foot and body tattoos done report that the foot tattoos are far and away the more painful; and those nerve endings can also make some people very ticklish.
If your feet are ticklish, pass on trying to have a foot tattoo done; and all those capillaries are so close to the skin’s surface that foot tattoos tend to bleed more profusely than body tattoos.
But if you can find a willing artist, and after assessing all the potential negatives decide go ahead and get a foot tattoo, using a pre-inking anesthetic ointment to numb your foot is a good idea.
You can still expect to have swelling and soreness for a few days afterwards. If your work requires you to be on your feet for any length of time, consider holding off on the tattoo until your vacation.
The Beautiful: Because there just aren’t a lot of souls brave enough to face having their feet tattooed, your tattoo is sure to get extra attention. And you’ll have some stunningly beautiful foot tattoo designs, both simple and highly stylized, to choose from.
The foot provides a small but nearly flat canvas on which the artist can work and the results, like garlands of flowers or stars, or tarantulas or frogs poised to leap, can be amazingly three dimensional.
Frequently Asked Questions
- QUESTION:
tattoo?????
hi im planning on getting a tattoo of a cupcake on my foot i take to pain pretty well but people scare me telling me about the pain is it really that bad??? plus ita my first one...
yea a cupcake cuz im really girlie and i have a strange obsession with them if you knew me you would understand
- ANSWER:
It depends on where your tattoo is placed & your own pain tolerance. How sensitive are your feet?In general, areas where there is less fatty tissue or more nerves, tend to be more painful.
Take a needle or safety pin & tap it repeatedly in the area you want your tattoo, don't draw blood, this will give you an idea of what you can expect.
My personal exp. has been that it is more of a burning sensation with the most painful part being the outline as the needle penetrates deeper than shading needles and the body hasn't had a chance to start throwing out its painkillers yet.
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- QUESTION:
Tattoo...?
This is a picture of my fathers armband tattoo. He got it on his left arm. http://www.petethegreekgraphics.com/images/Mans%20Arm%20Band%5B1%5D.jpg Im getting mine tomorrow and been planning the it for 2years now, i drew my own designe that i love, but i dont know which arm to get it on the left or right. I want it on the one that would show more like wen im talking to someone, or walking in the street.- ANSWER:
The left arm will get more sun from driving in the car and will get wrecked sooner, but then if you want to show it off more, that would be the one.
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- QUESTION:
TATTOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
I'm 15 and my step mom said i can get a tattoo when i turn 16 which is jan 6th. What should my first tattoo be a tramp stamp or like a little star or something? If you have any suggestions plz write them down & try to put a picture lol thank you!!!!!!!- ANSWER:
First, don't let anyone sway your opinion on if you want a lower back tattoo. They were around long before the term "tramp stamp" was invented, and they'll be around long after people ask "what's a tramp stamp?". If that's what you want, then go for it!Second, seeing as to how tattoos are forever, make it something meaningful, or something that you will enjoy for the rest of your life. Remember that likes and dislikes will change a lot over your life (especially in the next 5 years of your life), so when you make your decision, make sure that it won't be something you'll hate later on in life, such as lyrics from a band you can't remember 20 years from now ^_~ (however, if it's meaningful lyrics, or from your 'all time favorite band', then consider it [ex: I would be happy with the lyrics from Metallica's Fade to Black, but I'd kick myself if I had Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby]).
Likewise, if you choose some picture of some sort, unless you plan to have a 'child-like playfulness' about you your entire life, I would avoid any sort of child-like imagery (if fate should have it that, at 80, you're a bitter old woman, you will hate the lollipop tattoo on your ankle), or conversely, anything too 'extreme' from your 'average self' (if at 80 you're a kid-at-heart, the tattoo that reminds you to take the "safe route" might become too stuffy for you).
For something meaningful, consider your own personality traits. If you think of yourself as being courageous, pick a lion. If you're cute, pick a puppy or a ribbon. If you love stargazing, pick celestial figures. If you're religious, pick your favorite passage from your (insert appropriate book here), or an icon from your favorite story. If you take pride in your heritage, pick a pattern based off that heritage... and so on.
If you want something purely artistic but simple, some suggestions: a shower of stars, a rainbow ending in a cloud, butterflies (consider natural butterflies as well, as they are just as vivid in nature as our own imaginations), frogs, geckos, vines, flowers, leaves, small birds, owls, or smiley face with "Have A Nice Day" (or maybe a pirate happy face with "Have A Piratey Day, ARRR!", or some other theme like that).
Most tattoo shops will have flash (common tattoo images) on their walls for you to look at, so if no ideas here satisfy what you want, check out their flash, and see if you can't work with your artist to come up with something that's "uniquely you".
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- QUESTION:
TaTtoO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
good or bad idea, i plan on getting my first tattoo as im turning 18 and i want to get Pslam 23:4 "Even as i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i shall fear no evil, for you are with me.
i wantr this down my right side rib cage. what do you think?- ANSWER:
you know who you are as a person. much better than we do. so, if that is part of your personality and you like tattoos than get it;)
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- QUESTION:
tattOO!..
what kind of tattoo should i get?- ANSWER:
one that you can wake up to daily and say damnn that is so awesome i love it today as much as when i got it.i don't know you from adam so i can't suggest more than the most basic of designs
name, initials, nickname
flowers
birds
butterflies
hearts
stars
mushroom
frog
lizard
fairy
vine or henna design on foot
est (year of birth)
c'est la vie
or other fave saying
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