Mine is in the dead-center small of my back, right about my belt line.
The color in your tattoo is the same as any other color. If you park your car outside in the sun, the color fades in a few years. If, on the other hand, you wax your car and keep it in the garage, the color will last much longer.
Another thing that will fade your color is poor aftercare during the healing process. A lot of people want to goop it up with some kind greesy stuff. You should use some type of anticeptic ointment, but less is more. It’s not a PB&J sandwitch!
Something else to concider is skin color (not race, I’ve tattooed some white people that were darcker that some black people). A tattoo is not on your skin, it’s IN your skin. So, your skin color will have an effect. Like looking at paper through a glass of tea.
Lastly, prehaps the tattooer didn’t know how to pack the color in. I have tattoos that are over 25 years old and still have plenty of red in them.
I once gave a tattoo to a young man in collage. When mom and dad saw it they threw a fit and insisted on having it removed. After 4 treatments with the laser, the Doctor said “I don’t think that red is going to come out.” The man came back to me and had the tattoo repaired and I now use a photo of it on my card.
As far as skin color goes, I’m pretty pale. I’m trying to make it something that won’t fade over time, either. Antibiotic? Neosporin? Or do you recommend something else? Also, can you give me the name of a reputable Chicago-area tattoo artist?
I used A&D Ointment on mine for a week or so afterwards, plus sunscreen when I went in the sun.
My oldest tattoo work with lots of red is 10 years old (not as old as xeqter’s, of course), and the color still looks great. I’ve always been good about using sunscreen if I’m in the sun much.
I’m pretty pale too. Thin, sensitive, pale skin that sunburns too easily and looks like a dead fish’s belly when it has no tan. But one good thing I can say about my skin color is that it shows the ink really well.
Short question while we have ya ;). In your experience, does packing the color generally hurt more? Because I swear, when my tattooist was putting the color into my lotus, it hurt pretty bad (i was ready to go home after 2 hours).
By the way, it still looks to me like it did the first day (just a touch softer), no unevenness in color, it looks damn good.
Which reminds me…be sure to look through the tattooist’s portfolios and ask them what styles they specialize in. My tattooist is good with color, and he seems to like doing tatts with color more than tribals, which tend to be blackwork (some artists love doing tribals, some celtic, some japanese). He also refuses to do celtic tattoos. So, ask around to get what you want.
Hey now. Watch yourself.
Hey! I can push buttons just as well as any geriatric Floridian.
eh. whatever. I don’t want one, so I don’t care. But I thought you were cool. Then you go and try to stomp all over the few rights I have as a whippersnapper. You’re harshing my buzz, fogey.
Superdude, in my personal opinion anything that draws attention to the inner edge of a guy’s hip bone is a good thing. But I’m so neutral on the idea of tattoos its laughable. (Unless they get big and gaudy…then they are ugly.)
[sub] I actually previewed this to check the coding. I almost never do that. (As a quick overview of my stuff will show.)[/sub]
It is gross and disgusting and lowers you in my eyes.
Besides, the Superman theme makes you seem like a narcicisstic individual.
Are you one?
By the way,people with tattoos are more likely to have a criminal record than others.
Why not just get a haircut?
Or have been in the military.
Correlation does not = causation, ya know.
berdollos I kind of doubt the OP really cares how he appears to you. I know I don’t. But thanks for your opinion!
Humbly yours, the gross & disgusting Carina. 
(if the above post was in humor, apologies, if not…)
Gee thanks berdollos, glad i’m lower in your “eyes”. And wow, i’m more likely to have a criminal record than others? Funny, since my family is big into law enforcement and public safety in general.
I wanna tattoo too. I’m 56, and now I want a tattoo.
Wierd, huh?
Haven’t decided what yet, but I’ll be following this thread for ideas.
Thanks, Superdude.
Peace,
mangeorge
People with tattoos are more likely to have criminal records? Wow. I’ll never look at my mother (3 tattoos, works in the city library) the same way again.
Back to the OP … Consider not only the appearance, and the ability to conceal the tattoo for job interviews, etc, but the way your skin will change when you get older. Someone suggested the abdomen (superior anterior pelvic crest … glad to know I’m not the only one who owns a copy of Gray’s Anatomy ) but I’d only reccommend that if you’re sure you won’t gain weight there. I’ll bet the straight edges of the design might show sagging pretty easily, but I’m not a tattoo artist.
Also consider the pain factor. Some people are more sensitive to tattooing pain than others (getting my armband done actually turned me on ) but as a rule of thumb the closer the skin is to the bone, the more it will hurt. Getting it done over your spine might be quite an experience. But then again, it’s a fleeting pain, and having a design on your skin that means a lot to you is worth it.
On a side note, choose your tattoo parlor carefully. One of the best ways to shop is to keep your eye out for people with particularly good-looking tattoos and ask where they got them. Also look around the shop when you go in – make sure it’s clean, that they have an autoclave, that they’re professional, etc. Most artists will have a book of photos of their previous work, and it’s worth taking the time to look at that. Whoa, where did this soapbox come from?
Dragonblink (2 tats and counting … must catch up to Mom!)
A guy wakes up hung over. He discovers that last night he got a tattoo-a full size Superman logo on his chest. As a result, his life changes.
The Realworlds series examined the impact superheroes have on the ... real world. There are no super powers, flying cars etc. The real worlds Batman told the story of a mentally-retarded man who dressed up as Batman and tried tp fight crime.
PS Get the S on your chest. Then get a heart that says LL. Is it Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Linda Lovelace, LL Cooljay? Keep 'em guessing
Colors should look pretty brilliant on you then. My current tattoo has color and the fuchsia was softened by my natural skin color (brown). The turquoise is bright though. Also, if you apply sunscreen to your tattoo, that will keep them from fading. It’s the UV rays that damage your tattoos (will fade and cause them to go blurry). It’s the reason why all those tattoos on old military guys who got theirs in the 40’s all look blueish and blurry.
Hey, sucker!!!
Peace,
mangeorge