I don't know what noise they make.

[slemslempike]

It is the beginning of summer. Two years ago I did this, last year it was this, and today I got a tattoo! This is my first tattoo, and I really like it but it is rather stinging. I had been thinking about getting one for a while, as the main thing stopping me was not really having something I definitely wanted on me forever. I got it done at Chameleon in Lancaster, largely because I had narrowed it down to two places, and the other one mostly had fairies in their portfolio. I did not want a fairy, I wanted something very simple and clear, which Chameleon seemed to do. I did not fear that I would walk out with what I wanted, plus a thorny halo or some delicate wings.

The scariest part for me was actually going in first to see if they would do what I wanted, because while it wasn't too intimidating (shiny laminate wooden flooring), I always feel that people are going to explain, kindly, but with a certain amount of disdain, that tattoos just aren't for people like me. But they didn't, even when I did what can only be described as incoherent babbling about the crust on my nipples. So I got a price from them (£35), and they talked a bit about what I wanted, and whether it was possible, which it was.

So today I picked ironicdutchess up from the station and we went and had lunch at the Whale Tail cafe, did various errands, and came for my appointment at 3.30pm. We had to wait while he finished someone else off (er, someone else's tattoo off), and goodness me, the thing makes a loud buzz, which is especially worrying when it comes through a door and you can't see what's going on. But the person came out looking reasonably happy, with no marks across the face where it had all gone Horribly Wrong, so that seemed like a good sign.

Finally it was my turn to go in, having signed away all m rights on the piece of paper that says I am doing this all of my own accord, and if your limbs fall off and your face explodes, that's really only to be expected, and not at all the fault of the company. Fine. So I went into the small room with a man who looked very nice, if a bit taciturn, and undid my jeans to show him where I wanted it (on my hip), and then hovered in a rather agitated manner, feeling a bit silly for being improperly dressed but not being able to sit down because that was clearly not going to work for the tattooing. Then he smeared my hip with some gunk and transferred my design onto it, and it looked like the really old photocopied things, with the purpleish ink that smelled divine, a bit like bread, when it was first run off.

Eventually he told me to get on the tably thing, and still I hovered, because somehow I processed that as "get on your hands and knees on the table", and I didn't want to because that would be just too terribly embarrassingly awful for words if he just meant to sit. So after asking for clarification again, I sat and then laid, and he wooshed the table (on castors) over to him and then I sort of lounged in a vaguely uncomfortable way while he started up the buzzing (that sounded rather like the drilling that is still going on next door), and zipped it onto my skin. It hurt quite a lot. When he stopped, I asked if Cee could bring me my book so I had something else to concentrate on, and he looked surprised and said that it was about halfway done. Oh. Very quick - it's only a very small tattoo. I didn't much like the filling in, but in general it hurt more directly after than during, though I'm not really aware of it now, after I've taken the dressing off and put savlon on it.

I like it a lot. It's a penguin, the first logo of Penguin Books, like the one on this cover. I chose it when I went to the Penguin Books exhibition at the V&A, and spent ages looking at the development of the logo. It's just over one inch high. It's a bit red at the moment (um, obviously, it was only done four hours ago), but this is it right now:

Comments

[birdsflying]

Oooh, very nice!

I am thinking about getting a tat when I know where I'm going to be. I'm not sure what yet because the one design I know I want, doesn't really seem suitable for why I'd get it done for the first time. (if that makes sense.)

[rudelypinioned.livejournal.com]

The previous two summers sound PAINFUL, even if there wasn't much actual pain! But the penguin is so cute! And such a nifty idea!

[cosmolinguist]

I read the teaser and thought I know she has that pierced, and that ... what's left? But I really enjoyed reading the accounts of those first.

Everybody is talking about getting tattoos, or they just did! Didn't I complain a year ago that if I started piercing and inking random bits of me it would be totally the fault of you and belladonnalin and demiurgician telling me how great it is?!

Your penguin is great. I love penguins. And books. It's a lovely combination.

[coconutswirl.livejournal.com]

That is a FANTASTIC tattoo.

[chiasmata]

Oh! I like. It's lovely, and very... you, I want to say, although I also don't want to imply that you're a penguin. Tattoos are great.

[lsugaralmond.livejournal.com]

That's great! I think that's the absolute most perfect design for you. You are very clever for thinking of it.

the noise they make

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

EEEEEK! Oh no, that's me. As a person who faints at the dentist's, I don't know how you can put yourself through it. P-penguin is p-pretty, though. Il faut souffrir...

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

That's gorgeous! I often think I'd like a tattoo, but hesitate for the usual assortment of cowardy-custard reasons (plus can't decide on a design). Going for the penguin is a stroke of genius.

[whatho.livejournal.com]

Wow! Great choice. And I was thinking the Penguin deckchairs were quite nice.

[hypatia.livejournal.com]

I'm not tattoo inclined myself - tempted at times but the permanant nature of it puts off, I'm sure I'd change my mind at some point - but I do like the Penguin.
Its like walking around with a little reminder of Dorothy Sayers old editions :)

[unhobbityhobbit.livejournal.com]

I've always thought about getting a tattoo but I can't decide what or where so that's been put off indefinitely.

I like your choice of penguin, it suits you very well!

[irradiatedsoup.livejournal.com]

TATTOOS! I love it. I need a new one.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

That's a nice choice! I hope it isn't too sore or itchy today.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

That is a gorgeous tat and so very, very you. Can we have another picture when it's healed, please?

Also, yes to the old photocopied thing with the transfer ink! It always reminds me of the bit in Monica Edwards' Strangers to the Marsh (I think) where they produce the newspaper on the jelly-copy machine and it's all purple and faint.

[sabethea.livejournal.com]

That's such a great idea for a tattoo. Firstly, penguin! penguinpenguinpenguin! Then also, BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKS! Yay.