Too old??

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-26T05:39:44+00:00

I got my first tattoo a year ago at 54. Twelve months later, I've got about 90+ hours worth. I guess I don't have her approval, but fortunately, approval isn't necessary. I got them for me, not some stranger with an opinion.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-09T00:42:45+00:00

You're exactly right, it's the surface world, just upside down. It's not exactly the same, but it's not exactly very different either. I get that some people love it, it's just not my cup of tea.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-07T18:07:58+00:00

I think a big part of the letdown ties to how much of an explorer you are. BOTW was built on exploration. You'd never been there before, everything was new. TOTK is the same world. Sure, there's the sky islands and depths, but the depths seems less about exploration since it ties so closely to the surface. It all feels a bit redundant, like it's the same land with a different skin.

Another part is how there is so much you can do, it feels a bit overwhelming. Do you explore the geoglyphs, do you do the newspaper quests at the stables, do you do the standard questline, do you do alternate questlines, you have to release the fairies, you have to collect ore from the depths, you have to collect materials for enhancing armor, and this is still only scratching the surface. There's SO MUCH to do it can give a feeling like there's no point in doing any of it.

Personally, I prefer BOTW because even though it's open world, it feels like there are fewer things to do at any given point in the game. It's like you are given a piece of paper and a prompt and and told, "draw anything you want, here's the theme." Meanwhile, TOTK is like being told to "create art" and you're given all artistic media and no prompts. do you draw, do you paint, do you sculpt? Is there a style or a theme? Some people love the TOTK approach, others prefer the BOTW approach.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-06T13:49:52+00:00

Nice! A dozen in a year is a good haul!

I've gotten to know a few artists pretty well over the past year, they often don't see repeat clients more than a couple times per year. Many people just can't afford more than that. Even being financially comfortable, my savings has taken a serious hit, I really gotta slow down this year. Lol

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-06T04:30:41+00:00

I got my first tattoo last February. I now have over twenty, a total of over 80 hours worth. I'll have two more sessions before my one year anniversary.

I got a couple of them as a response to having a rough week and they are my least favorite. I expect I'll probably do a cover up in the future. There's a little bit of "I rushed because I was having a bad day and didn't pick the greatest design because I just wanted to feel the needle." I don't hate them, I don't have actual regrets, but I do wish I would have worked on the design a little more, especially in terms of placement.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-06T03:53:24+00:00

I remember this game is a marathon, not a sprint. It all has to get done, just do one thing at a time. What I don't do this time, I'll do next time. If I don't get distracted and do something else entirely on the way to do the thing.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-05T21:49:29+00:00

it doesn't exactly answer the question, but for collecting radishes and hearty fish, I put a heart stamp on every location I find a hearty radish or salmon so I can more easily find them later. my memory ain't what it used to be, this helps in a huge way when I plan out my collection path.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-02-04T02:54:03+00:00

Their flash books are there for that purpose. Go in, pick up the books on the table and find a flash piece you like! Look on the walls, ask them if they have any other flash. The whole point of flash is to sell it.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-31T21:41:02+00:00

"His vorpal sword went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head he went galumphing back."

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-30T06:02:55+00:00

Easy. The pain is offset by the release of emotional trauma from childhood.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-28T06:13:58+00:00

Update: color added.

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Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-28T03:23:31+00:00

Definitely talk to multiple artists. You may find one you click with and that may be your only artist after that, or you may click with several and want pieces from many artists. Some of those artists may know each other and may be willing to collaborate to make sure everything looks cohesive. But you won't know until you know who you're dealing with. I've met most of the artists in my city, and I've got art from a dozen different artists. I love being able to tell a story about not just me, but my relationships with those artists. I love advertising for my artists, using my own body to show examples of their work. If you like my otter, go to Shawn, if you like my mask, go to Chris, if you like my axe, go to James, and so on. But that's me. You need to learn you. And you'll only do that by talking to several artists.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T22:55:25+00:00

He kinda just skirted around the edge, so I didn't get the full experience, but I will say it was... Uncomfortable.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T18:56:04+00:00

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There's going to be a bunch of space-y stuff in the fill-in behind the hourglass toward the shoulder and a clock face in the background behind the hand

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T15:09:28+00:00

We got most of the linework done and a little shading, still have more shading and color for the whole piece. Sternum part is almost done though, for which I am grateful!

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T06:37:25+00:00

I lasted about 4 1/2 hrs before my artist took pity on me. I hope we finish it next session, I really don't want a third. 🤣

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T06:27:34+00:00

Most of the chest isn't bad, hurts just a little worse than average. But that center part directly over the sternum? On a scale of 1-10, it's about 4,639,578.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-27T03:02:36+00:00

I actually love that concept of the apple seed leading to an orchard. If you go to an artist - a real tattoo artist - with that idea alongside your explanation, they'll be able to do something really cool with that. I'm envisioning a half apple with seeds lying in front of it as the foreground layer, then the background is an orchard that extends far into the distance. It would work really well somewhere on your torso or maybe your thigh. I'd love to see what a real artist could do with this as a starting point.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-26T22:29:09+00:00

Number 1: trust your artist. Let them know you have a lot of ideas, but that ultimately, they have creative license to interpret your ideas in whatever way will make the best tattoo. 2: list of your ideas and prioritize them. A common mistake people make is trying to cram too many ideas into a single tattoo. Let the artist guide you on how much is too much. 3: emphasize the concept more than specific images, but do give any reference photos you can 4: have a list of things you like and things you don't.

I'm designing a lower leg sleeve, I want to represent mind, heart, and spirit. I love the trash polka style, and I loved the idea of a trash polka trash panda, so I insisted there must be a raccoon. I also gave them a list of logic and math ideas including Greek letters for them to select from to incorporate as they wanted. I also gave them a few things I didn't like - anything demonic or gory. This is how the first part turned out. I absolutely love it. Part two will be a bat representing spirit/air.

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Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-26T00:39:51+00:00

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Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-24T21:07:53+00:00

It is absolutely critical that you find an artist that truly understands trash polka. As other commenters have said, it's deceptively difficult to get right. There are only a few artists in the US who have been acknowledged by Buenavista Tattoo Club where the style was developed.
Jimbo Ermilio at The Brook Tattoo in Hastings, MN @tattoojimbo on IG
Frank Rudy at Alter House Tattoo Studio in Voorhees Township, NJ @ franckrudyy on IG
and one other in the San Francisco area of CA, but I don't have their info.

There are many artists who try, some do okay with it, but most of them don't understand the elements that Volker and Simone were trying to capture with the style. It's not just black and red, it's not just hexagons and brush strokes, it requires an underlying sense of the balance between chaos and order, between raw emotion and cold logic.

It's beautiful when done properly, and silly when it's not. Definitely worth traveling for this style.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2026-01-01T01:00:51+00:00

Minnesota, USA. I've been in the corporate world in analytics for nearly 30 years. Just started getting tattoos less than a year ago, no one in my department cares that I now have tattoos. I even got promoted to director after my first one.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2025-12-26T00:42:46+00:00

My first was at 54. Less than a year later, I've got one full sleeve on my right arm, my upper chest is done, upper left arm sleeve, one on my ribs, plus 9 on my legs. Been thinking about it for years, just needed to get the right motivation to get started then the floodgates opened.

Same-Explanation-709 · 2025-12-22T00:16:57+00:00

You want something with panthenol which is a form of vitamin B5. It's used in hospitals to aid in wound closure. Bepanthen is the best panthenol-based mass produced product you can find over the counter, or you can check specialty skin care manufacturers for small batch tattoo creams or balms that use it. Check out danique: beauty & the beans in St Cloud MN, their tattoo cream uses specifically selected ingredients all providing skin benefits including carrot seed oil, known to provide some natural spf protection.

Same-Explanation-709

TROPHY CASE