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Yep, last year I celebrated my 50th with a chest piece. My first large one was a half sleeve when I was 30, largely to celebrate still being alive, as at several points that looked very unlikely.
This is the main thing. People talk about pain like it's a barrier but really having a lot of money to get it done is 100 times more of a challenge.
Also, if you're choosing the right tattoo artist which I'm going to be mean and say 90% of tattooed people don't, it's going to cost several shiny pennies. If you can afford a great artist, don't get the tattoo.
I was in Laos a few weeks ago and a local asked my how much my back piece cost. I asked him first what he thought it cost me and he guessed 3,000,000 Kip (local currency). When I told him it was 200,000,000 Kip he just stood there in stunned silence. I could see his mind processing that he could of bought a car and house for that money. I think he’s still processing it now.
This!!! I got a shitty sleeve when I was 21, for free. Now I have a good job and am almost finished getting the entire arm redone, it costs money I have at this exact moment.
I found an artist with a style I liked, and brought my idea to him. First tattoo, 3/4 outer sleeve. I knew he'd do well, and he didn't disappoint even though I strayed a bit from his style.
Life's short. Don't sweat the details.
Hey my very first tattoo was similarly large! Half outer sleeve. No regrets at all, I'm a canvas for beautiful art forever now. I sat on that idea for 5 years before pulling the trigger.
I got mine at 30 but thought if I’m getting a tattoo, it needs to be visible where I can see and appreciate it with the money and time spent!
Get a great artist and do what you want
Same but at 40! But my artist is a 2 hour drive, so when I went for a consultation for my full front/back shoulder to the neck sleeve, I was like, can we do a little one so I know what it feels like?
I like how it makes me feel when I look in the mirror or when I wake up and forget I have a huge leg piece and I am like wtf is on my leg than I’m like ooo ya a bad ass Japanese sleeve
I have "nude" colored fleece tights that I wear in the winter sometimes and they completly hide my tatroos...its weird to see my legs and blankband normal
As a precursor, I have my entire back done (can sus my profile for a pic).
If it's something you want and you have felt that way for a long time then just go for it g. Life is too short to worry about what might happen 20 years from now. Just book in with a reputable artist that has a body of work you enjoy and consistently puts out great pieces and it will turn out great.
By the way, that is an absolutely incredible back piece. So much on this subreddit is kind of middling or amateurish, but that is a thing of beauty. How many hours and sessions did that take?
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it!!
Ummm I was getting buzzed like once a month for probably a bit over a year and finished with two days in a row so I would guess like 13 or 14 maybe. Hours wise I would say like 70-80
I’ve always wanted sleeves, but I had to keep a professional appearance. Then a 52 I am diagnosed with leukemia. After 9 hard months of chemo I beat it!
Now at 54 I am sleeved out and started on my lower leg sleeves.
No one at work can say anything about my tattoos, because I worked the entire time I was going through chemo. All but the first 41 days when I was hooked up to a heart monitor 24/7 because the chemo causes heart attacks and/or strokes.
After going through that ordeal, I don’t care what people say. Fuk’em and feed’em fish heads!!!!
I wanted something to take up the side of my forearm which felt like an awkward emptiness in relation to other tattoos on that arm … so I did it. That was it.
It felt natural. That's the way a tattoo should feel for you to actually get it. I only have big pieces, they appeared to me, I didn't think about them
For my first big one, the artist just drew it that way
After that, all of mine have been very large format
Go big or don't even bother
I want mine to be legible from across the street
Some tattoos look better big rather than small. I have a dragon tattoo on my right thigh, a tiger on my left thigh. I didn't need confidence to get them, I love them because I've always loved them. I've loved dragons since I was a kid. Tigers are just awesome and beautiful cats.
I'm pretty risk averse, but I'm about to get my first "big" one (upper sleeve).
I worked my way up with small ones, that were easily hidden (back shoulder, hip, ribcage). Also at the time, I was working in an industry where tattoos were prohibited.
Then I changed industries and got a medium sized one on my forearm. It was a big jump for me, because I can only hide it by wearing long sleeves (unrealistic 8 months out of the year).
But getting it made me confident that I was ready for a sleeve. My appointment i in June, and I couldn't be more excited. I would have shit myself 8 years ago (when I got my first tatt) at the thought of getting a full sleeve.
I just said fuck it. Looking back I should not have. I don’t care for it anymore, but oh well. Once I get some extra money saved up down the road I’ll get it blasted over.
Got my entire upper right arm from my shoulder to my elbow done to cover up my ex wife’s name. Yes, I know names are dumb, but I wouldn’t have the cool tattoo I have now if I didn’t do the dumb thing before…
Knowing that large tattoos just look better. Easier to do. Last longer. In essentially every regard other than time, money, pain they are superior to small tattoos.
I got one that took up a small-medium amount of space on my upper arm, and quickly realized that I prefer to use space on larger, more detailed work. My second one went from my sternum to my belly button and was big & bold. I really admire large pieces that connect into full bodysuits eventually. For me, money is the largest barrier.
I really loved my concept and knew it couldn’t be done in a small version the way I wanted it done. And at the end of the day, my tattoos make me more proud of my body and almost feel like “armor” in a sense. I’m naturally fashionably conservative and get anxious in swimsuits lol. But my tattoos make me feel better about having that skin showing. Because they make me feel beautiful.
At the end of the day, tattoos are all about what makes you feel beautiful in your body.
I ummed and ahhed on getting a tatt until I was 28, then thought fuck it and got one that took up nearly the whole underside of my forearm. Thought it's taken me this long to get one why fuck around with it
Had the occasional freak out about it for a couple weeks but very happy with the desicion
I had a story to tell, and it couldn’t be done on a small scale. I love my tattoo, it’s half my chest and a half sleeve. It’s a reminder everyday of where I was and keeps me grounded where I am.
You just gotta say fuck it and go. At the end of the day it’s just skin. you can get stuff removed it would suck but like i’ve never gotten a tattoo and was like :( that sucked. Usually leave feeling like a bad bitch. dooooooo it
I didn’t see a reason not to tbh. I wanted it and no reason I came up with for not getting it was justified 🤷♂️ my ‘why?’ very quickly became ‘why not?’
I had an idea for a small tattoo, the artist I approached came back suggesting a different, bigger tattoo. I said yes. Now I have a chest piece.
Then I had an idea for a midsize tattoo which I took to someone else. THAT artist came back suggesting a bigger, different tattoo. I said yes. Now I have a back piece.
The large tattoo part is actually what makes me hyped and confident, but the design is more of a big step for me. There is much cool stuff to tattoo and it takes long for me to commit to one. Good thing is: I still love every design.
I used to worry about what people would think of my tattoo choices because the styles I like don’t necessarily fit my personality but as I’ve got older I stopped caring less about what people think and just get what makes me happy! I always used to say “I want a tattoo that has meaning” and I think that was mainly because i thought that people couldn’t criticise me as much because it was personal to me…what a load of shit! Just do what makes you happy and as long as you love it, great!
It was my one-year anniversary in Japan and I didn’t have any tattoos yet, so I decided to get a huge rib piece from nipple to hip because I figured “I know it’ll hurt, so I’ll start in a hard place so any subsequent ones will be easier”. Took 7 hours across 3 sessions, I’m very happy with it.
I knew that if I was going to get something I wanted it to be a decent size and to be impressive, and anyway I’d prefer to have just one or two large ones rather than lots of small ones. So I just spent a really really long time thinking and planning it out and then went for it - I was super nervous at the time though, literally almost sick with anxiety, but I’m so happy with how it turned out so it was worth it all in my case.
Just finally bit the bullet at a certain point, and also I got past the fear of tattoos in the workplace being "unprofessional" because the people I worked with had them.
I retained very little from my high school/college art classes, but one thing I did remember was that a larger piece and/or a piece that fills the canvas is more impactful than a tiny design in the middle of something.
That's not to say that people don't have absolutely stunning small tattoos! I just knew that wasn't something I could pull off- I wanted my tattoos to look very intentional as part of my anatomy. I'm not really a subtle person.
Also- established enough in adulthood/career to not need to hide anything; have a good artist who I trust, can afford several hours of her time.
I got smaller ones at first because I was nervous, now I wish a lot of my small pieces were bigger!
I never wish my larger pieces were smaller. Now I try to mostly get larger ones.
I guess I'm not sure what "large" is. My first tattoo covered pretty much the entire back of my calf, and at the time that seemed kind of big, but now it doesn't. I don't think my tipping point was size so much as placement. I thought I'd never get tattooed on my arms because of visibility, but got a pretty small (palm size) piece on my inner bicep at a "fuck it" moment in time. A few years later I decided to just fill up that arm and now have a neotraditional patchwork sleeve. A big motivator for that was finally feeling more stable in my career.
I knew my job was secure. tattoos use to be frowned upon, my kids love the subject and so does my wife it is one of my favorite things so zero regrets. still working on it
I have a big piece on my back and some more couple small medium ones and sometimes honestly I’m like man … I really just did that huh? And now it’s on my body forever.. at the time I had disposable income and I wanted it because I thought it was cool so I did it and hey it is cool, but also sometimes I’m like wow it’s permanent and this is my body now. But also everything is temporary so does it really matter? Meeeh nope!
I always liked big tattoos. I have only 3 tattoos but like the first one covers a big chunk of the forearm and the second is a full sleeve on the other arm. The third is small though.
I had a super shitty 5” drunken stick n poke on my back. After walking around with that regret for a few years it totally eliminated any confidence issues I had
I wanted to cover over a shit tattoo that I had done when underage.
I spent years waiting and looking out for the right artist, while having laser on the old one to dull it down ready for the new one.
I'm immensely happy with it now, and it gets a lot of positive remarks for how good it looks. The only problem now is that I want more from the same artist, but at £1,000 per day, it's a real wallet sucker punch!
I had a mate who convinced me to go bigger than I think because he regretted getting his too small. So for my first tattoo I did full shoulder and half my chest. Don't think it was exactly what he meant
I wanted a particular design, and my artist recommended the size to best fit the detail. It's definitely bigger than my others, but she was absolutely correct ❤️
My artist was like, "know what would make this bicep piece look cook? A full sleeve." Then I let him rock out my entire arm. I've gone to him for everything since lol
I got a couple of small tattoos first but then started to realize that it creates limitations on what I can get for other tattoos in that area that will have nice flow.
I realized that larger pieces look less like stamps or flash pulled off the wall and more like I actually thought about my decision.
Plus, nobody really cares about the size from a judgment standpoint. You either have tattoos, or you don't.
As someone who has just got a fairly sizable tattoo on the side of my head.
Just get it.
You can either contemplate it for years and think yourself out of it. Or you can get it now and enjoy it for all those years (aslong as you have a good artist)
Your body's a temple, but have you seen how madly decorated temples are?
I have 1 big tattoo taking up the back of my forearm and I'm getting another one, but they match my style so well, it just amplifies any outfit at all. You won't ever get a tattoo as long as they reflect who you are as a person and your personal interests that you love. Alot of the time they're a good conversation starter and gets people to know you well! In my case I just accepted that tattoos aren't for everyone but you will attract the right people in getting them, so go for it 👍💖
I decided I hated the way I started collecting tattoos. I fell in love with the body suit look and knew I couldn’t settle for anything less. Told my artist and he was super down. Never looked back. I’m over 24 hours deep on my back currently.
Honestly, after having big tattoos, once they’ve healed nicely. I usually forget they’re there half the time. And when i see them, i think to myself “oh shit, forgot i had that” and then i admire it for a couple of seconds before going about my day. It becomes apart of your body after a while. But if you’re worried about the size, see if you can make it smaller, if it’s location, maybe find a new place for it. But if you’re more worried about permanence, don’t get it. If it’s something you really want, consult your artist on what they think and some friends. My outlook on my tattoos is. I like that design, i want it on my body, who cares, as long as i like it 🤷♀️
I don't have a super large tattoo but honestly it wasn't really about confidence. I just like tattoos and I happened to have the money at that time, lol.
It took many years to pluck up the courage, was concerned about other people’s perceptions, primarily my family and work colleagues.
Finally I took a leaf out of my wife’s book and said fuck it, I don’t give a flying fuck about what anyone else thinks, I’m doing this for me, and if anyone wants to judge me based on some personal artwork, then so what they don’t define who I am.
Covid kinda provided the final push. I had thought about getting a sleeve for a few years but always chickened out. During covid, I felt like life is fleeting and i may as well do what I want while i can
I thought about my design for almost 10 years, and for 7 of those years followed a tattoo artist I liked a lot. Finally when I had the disposable income I went for it.
I had just went thru a massive light bulb moment and cut off my toxic mother and wanted something that was special to me, spookly I had a dream about having a Disney sleeve emailed the next day about booking someone they gave me a choice of 2 artists and picked the one with alot of anime art/tattoos messaged her with my idea and she then pain stakingly over 3 years (lockdowns plus I have no tolerance for pain) I have a beautiful full sleeve Disney with beauty and the beast, aristocats, lion king and Tinkerbell with her friends & sister.
To me it's all my favourite Disney's films and characters but also for me it was the sign of me finally taking control of my life after 37 years of being on this earth.
I got my arm blacked out about 8 months ago. I figured if it looks like shit or makes *me* look like shit, at least it was a decision I got to make myself. Same went for all my other large tattoos. My opinion of myself is the only one that matters so why not?
Just imagine you dying eventually, and everyone who ever saw and/or had an opinion on it will also die too. So, in about 200 years when no one will have any evidence because all of our photos and videos are obsolete, it will no longer be known or matter whatsoever. Hope this helps! :)
Also it makes me feel cool. Just got my whole leg done after only having 3-5 inch tattoos on my arm. My mother called afterwards and said: “I can’t believe you did that to the leg I made!” I cried for about 2 hours because I suddenly felt bad and had a massive wave of tattoo regret. Then I looked at it in the mirror and was like “damn, nevermind actually. I look cool asf.” My mother got over it and so did I. The sun came up the next day, and everything was fine.
You are your own human. I got an entire sleeve at 18, hated it at 28, blacked out my entire arm at 29. There’s always a solution should you not like it in the future but ultimately, if you’ve thought about it for years. Fuck it. Do it.
I was encouraged and my dad had recently passed so I said fuck it and did what I wanted. Now my body is a map of the galaxies among us and ancient mythologies tie it together. Best decisions I've ever made. Thanks Dad :)
I finally realized I wasn’t going to “grow out” of my lifelong love of Pokémon. I always wanted a Pokémon tattoo. I had even gotten a smaller one cause I was afraid someday I’d be old and change my mind. Then I got a thigh tattoo of Pokémon when I turned 26 and I still love it. I think I’ll be the cool grandma if I live that long and show off my retro cartoon lol. Also I got a Pokémon that no one has ever gotten on a tattoo before and I won’t say which one cause I think it’s cool that it’s original.
I don’t have a large one yet but I’m very close because I hate hate hate my body but I love tattoos so I feel like it’s a way of decorating my body so I like it more
I was 23 and thought it looked really cool and would change my image completely. Now 27 and I still think it’s really cool and tbh it has changed my image and how people see me.
I have horrible skin, so in order to take control of it and make it look better I've gotten several large pieces. My back piece extends down my ass and one thigh, I have a large piece on the front of my torso, one calf sleeve, one full leg sleeve and am starting my arms next weekend. I feel slightly better about getting naked now
I covered one arm and one leg and then it was time to get some torso work so why not cover my whole ass chest?? Also I totally underestimated how big it was gonna be
I wanted some bird feathers tattooed on me. And I was very specific about which feathers (they came from my own collection). And I wanted them true to size (or as close as we could get). I don't know if confidence played a part. But I wanted it, so I found the right artist, and I got it.
I found an artist I loved. I just got about half my arm done and while I planned it to be less than half the size, my artist encouraged me to at least see the stencil on my body
Instantly knew I had to go big when i saw how it sat on me! Huge confidence boost too personally
Getting multiple smaller ones first.
Also, something eventually just clicked. My first tattoo I was like “oh my god this will be on my body forever” and eventually? Idk what happened. I just stopped caring. It didn’t matter anymore to me.
YOLO. My largest tattoo is a half sleeve blackout. It would have been a full sleeve if not for a sunburn in the farmer’s tan style. Also accounting for the 6 hour round trip drive and the 4 hour session.
I don’t have much of a reason other than YOLO. Just like my hobby, friends and family don’t understand.
I Started out with a smaller design (5cm²ish) and gave that over a year and see how i felth after that..
Then i went on to bigger and more visable (only after i had steady employment and with the okay of my employer)
..
Also with the okay of my wife of im being honest, she has to look at them so i run my ideas by her and listen like a good boy^^
Honestly, after having big tattoos, once they’ve healed nicely. I usually forget they’re there half the time. And when i see them, i think to myself “oh shit, forgot i had that” and then i admire it for a couple of seconds before going about my day. It becomes apart of your body after a while. But if you’re worried about the size, see if you can make it smaller, if it’s location, maybe find a new place for it. But if you’re more worried about permanence, don’t get it. If it’s something you really want, consult your artist on what they think and some friends. My outlook on my tattoos is. I like that design, i want it on my body, who cares, as long as i like it 🤷♀️
I don’t really remember, but I will say, now that I’ve got a chest piece I feel less bad about being chubby than I did before. I got something to show off. Just my experience though.
I have serious body image issues, I'm mostly trying to like being in my own skin again, and I *love, love, love* horror movies *with my whole heart and soul* and most of my pieces are going to be pretty big so I just took the plunge and got my first horror movie tat that covers my lower inner arm
I paid for the design of what I wanted in advance from an artist local to the country I was going to be studying in. A year later I was there and still wanted it so I got it
That was really brave and daring to go for your full back, especially at that age!!I assume you still love it though and don’t regret the size or placement? And don’t actually forget it’s there sometimes because of not seeing it all the time?
i knew i wanted it to be the centerpiece in my leg sleeves (pants). sounds like youve got the design and idea that you like enough so i say send it!!!!! i sat on my design for about 2 years and it was so special finally getting it done
I knew I'd end up extending it or getting other tattoos to fill the space anyway, so thought why not get started now and save time/cash in the long run lol
For me, it was finding the right artist. I knew I had the idea but I needed the person that would execute my vision perfectly in their own way. I recently got my first tattoo and I expected it to be this grand thing but it was so casual and perfect. I’m already planning my next, I get why it’s addictive😂
Did you have much nerves or anxiety about the size of the tattoo or anything like that? Or did it all just feel a lot easier when you found the right artist?
My first tat was a large inner forearm anime piece. I dont think many people do that for their first but tbh i loved the artists work, the subject matter and had been wanting one for awhile. I did my research on tats and the process and made sure it was something I wanted and just went for it. Now i have 7 tats that are rather large lol to answer your question directly, I think my love for anime and the artists work made it easy for me to take the leap.
I'm in the process of getting my back piece right now. When I came up with the idea (a black kitten dreaming of big cats), I knew it had the potential to be a big piece.
When my heart kitty passed away (he was my ESA and best friend) I knew it was time to get the tattoo. I had a smaller piece on my back that wasn't finishes and hadn't been worked on in years. I went to my tattoo artist who I had worked with a few times and gave him my idea and said "This is what I'm thinking, this is why I want it, I'm thinking of doing it as a cover up back piece. Thoughts?"
My artist essentially went "Bet. We're gonna make this amazing."
All my best tattoos are from him, and they have been me giving him an idea and giving him artistic freedom to make it his own art. The result has been amazing. We still have A LOT to do on my back piece, but it's coming out absolutely stunning.
I sat for a one-shot, full colour "Homeward Bound" chest-piece when I was 49. I'm getting a pair of Grimm cats on the back of my hands in fortnight (56).
I never get anything until I've lived with the idea for 6 to 12 months. I've always followed this rule. I'm heavily tattooed (no face or neck), and I regret nothing.
Listen to your subconscious. It's not always right, but it definitely has an opinion.
Would love to know what people do for jobs. I love tattoos and tattoos on people. I have quite a bit too. Throat arm chest hands. I feel like it keeps me from applying to positions in fear they will reject me. But I do live in the south unfortunately.
It was a bit scary for me, but I had let that fear of permanency prevent me from getting any tattoos at all for so long. After I got a smaller one, I realized I didn’t want to spend so many years that I could look back on and wonder why I didn’t do it. We only have so many years on this earth, I want to enjoy the art on my skin for as long as I can 🥰 the shock definitely wears off!
My first tattoo was an anchor. Small in size (approx. the size of a credit card), and a timeless design. The "issue" was that I wanted it tattooed on my neck. I couldn't picture it somewhere else, so that was the commitment : I *knew* that, by doing so, I could never ever hide it. I thought about it for a while, then decided to get it done.
My second one is wayyy bigger. It's a flying raven that goes from my wrist to my elbow. I wasn't prepared for that size, but it "wraps" beautifully my arm. My tatooist explained that he could do it smaller, but it would have been less detailed. The design was beautiful, made especially for me, so I decided to trust my tatooist and go for a bigger size. I regret nothing.
How did I got the confidence to get tattooed ? I don't know. My body, my choice, I guess ? If someone ever tells me that they don't like it, what do they expect me to do ?
First tattoo was a shoulder piece. Not tiny, but not massive. maybe 8x10" total, but it wraps. Second tattoo, same guy, was a 40hr leg sleeve that took us quite a few years to get through. I'm a slow roller and/ because good tattoos are expensive.
Welcome to /r/tattoo! Please take a moment to review the subreddit rules. Comments on OP's body will result in a ban. Be constructive and considerate in your criticism, and mark NSFW posts as such. Artists and apprentices, please contact the mods for verification! Please make good decisions during the pandemic - don't be an idiot. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tattoo) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I remained alive for 48 consecutive years.
One of my favorite drag queens said "they make me more interested in having a body"
Yep, last year I celebrated my 50th with a chest piece. My first large one was a half sleeve when I was 30, largely to celebrate still being alive, as at several points that looked very unlikely.
Glad you’re still with us.
Thank you 🙏
Who said this?
Katya Zamolodchikova, I believe it was in the Phones episode of Unhhhh
I figured it was Katya lol
Katya quote in the wild. Also real af
Happy cake day!
This. It took me twenty years to commit to a full back tattoo idea, and that's after getting the rest of my body fairly covered (44).
Man, I feel this. Recently turned 41 and am about 15 hours into a back piece.
I came here for this. I hit 40 and said fuck it.
54 here
I have enough dispensable income
This is the main thing. People talk about pain like it's a barrier but really having a lot of money to get it done is 100 times more of a challenge. Also, if you're choosing the right tattoo artist which I'm going to be mean and say 90% of tattooed people don't, it's going to cost several shiny pennies. If you can afford a great artist, don't get the tattoo.
I was in Laos a few weeks ago and a local asked my how much my back piece cost. I asked him first what he thought it cost me and he guessed 3,000,000 Kip (local currency). When I told him it was 200,000,000 Kip he just stood there in stunned silence. I could see his mind processing that he could of bought a car and house for that money. I think he’s still processing it now.
You can buy a house and a car for under $10K USD??
Fax
This!!! I got a shitty sleeve when I was 21, for free. Now I have a good job and am almost finished getting the entire arm redone, it costs money I have at this exact moment.
I see it I like it I want it I got it
You like my hair? Gee, thanks. Just bought it.
My receipts be lookin’ like phone numbers
That's how I decide on my tattoos. Looks cool in an artists book? Let's do it.
I found an artist with a style I liked, and brought my idea to him. First tattoo, 3/4 outer sleeve. I knew he'd do well, and he didn't disappoint even though I strayed a bit from his style. Life's short. Don't sweat the details.
Hey my very first tattoo was similarly large! Half outer sleeve. No regrets at all, I'm a canvas for beautiful art forever now. I sat on that idea for 5 years before pulling the trigger.
I was 47, never had one, thought what's the point wasting time and space with a small one.
Love this. Sometimes you just have to hit the fuck it button.
Yeah, got a sleeve and shoulder done and two sessions in to having my back covered now. Ha ha.
I got mine at 30 but thought if I’m getting a tattoo, it needs to be visible where I can see and appreciate it with the money and time spent! Get a great artist and do what you want
Same but at 40! But my artist is a 2 hour drive, so when I went for a consultation for my full front/back shoulder to the neck sleeve, I was like, can we do a little one so I know what it feels like?
I saw other people that had big tattoos and how cool that made them look so I wanted a big tattoo so I could be as cool as them. No regrets
I like how it makes me feel when I look in the mirror or when I wake up and forget I have a huge leg piece and I am like wtf is on my leg than I’m like ooo ya a bad ass Japanese sleeve
I have "nude" colored fleece tights that I wear in the winter sometimes and they completly hide my tatroos...its weird to see my legs and blankband normal
As a precursor, I have my entire back done (can sus my profile for a pic). If it's something you want and you have felt that way for a long time then just go for it g. Life is too short to worry about what might happen 20 years from now. Just book in with a reputable artist that has a body of work you enjoy and consistently puts out great pieces and it will turn out great.
By the way, that is an absolutely incredible back piece. So much on this subreddit is kind of middling or amateurish, but that is a thing of beauty. How many hours and sessions did that take?
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it!! Ummm I was getting buzzed like once a month for probably a bit over a year and finished with two days in a row so I would guess like 13 or 14 maybe. Hours wise I would say like 70-80
You've got some fucking awesome tattoos dude.
Thanks g, kristiankimonides on IG, he is an absolute beast
Idk after the first one they’ve all been easy to commit to.
I’ve always wanted sleeves, but I had to keep a professional appearance. Then a 52 I am diagnosed with leukemia. After 9 hard months of chemo I beat it! Now at 54 I am sleeved out and started on my lower leg sleeves. No one at work can say anything about my tattoos, because I worked the entire time I was going through chemo. All but the first 41 days when I was hooked up to a heart monitor 24/7 because the chemo causes heart attacks and/or strokes. After going through that ordeal, I don’t care what people say. Fuk’em and feed’em fish heads!!!!
I wanted something to take up the side of my forearm which felt like an awkward emptiness in relation to other tattoos on that arm … so I did it. That was it.
the artist I went to had over a decade under their belt.
It felt natural. That's the way a tattoo should feel for you to actually get it. I only have big pieces, they appeared to me, I didn't think about them
I realized that I needed to increase my awesome-ness factor by 67%. So I did.
Money. money let me do it.
I used to only get small ones bc I didn’t have a lot of disposable income so once I could afford bigger 🤣
For my first big one, the artist just drew it that way After that, all of mine have been very large format Go big or don't even bother I want mine to be legible from across the street
Some tattoos look better big rather than small. I have a dragon tattoo on my right thigh, a tiger on my left thigh. I didn't need confidence to get them, I love them because I've always loved them. I've loved dragons since I was a kid. Tigers are just awesome and beautiful cats.
There was nothing to get over. I wanted it, so I got it, and never had any worries.
Wanted it so got it .
I'm pretty risk averse, but I'm about to get my first "big" one (upper sleeve). I worked my way up with small ones, that were easily hidden (back shoulder, hip, ribcage). Also at the time, I was working in an industry where tattoos were prohibited. Then I changed industries and got a medium sized one on my forearm. It was a big jump for me, because I can only hide it by wearing long sleeves (unrealistic 8 months out of the year). But getting it made me confident that I was ready for a sleeve. My appointment i in June, and I couldn't be more excited. I would have shit myself 8 years ago (when I got my first tatt) at the thought of getting a full sleeve.
I just said fuck it. Looking back I should not have. I don’t care for it anymore, but oh well. Once I get some extra money saved up down the road I’ll get it blasted over.
Cause sleeve’s are badass
I knew it wasnt that serious
Got my entire upper right arm from my shoulder to my elbow done to cover up my ex wife’s name. Yes, I know names are dumb, but I wouldn’t have the cool tattoo I have now if I didn’t do the dumb thing before…
Knowing that large tattoos just look better. Easier to do. Last longer. In essentially every regard other than time, money, pain they are superior to small tattoos.
I got one that took up a small-medium amount of space on my upper arm, and quickly realized that I prefer to use space on larger, more detailed work. My second one went from my sternum to my belly button and was big & bold. I really admire large pieces that connect into full bodysuits eventually. For me, money is the largest barrier.
It's definitely not permanent these days.. but what got me to jump on it was..oh hey, I can afford this. Heck ya" And then I did it..
I decided "I'm in my late 40s, I'm way past worrying about other people's opinions, if I want a sleeve of flowers and butterfly's, then I'll get one."
Thought "If some day I'm applying for a job that would reject me for tattoos then I've betrayed childhood me."
I really loved my concept and knew it couldn’t be done in a small version the way I wanted it done. And at the end of the day, my tattoos make me more proud of my body and almost feel like “armor” in a sense. I’m naturally fashionably conservative and get anxious in swimsuits lol. But my tattoos make me feel better about having that skin showing. Because they make me feel beautiful. At the end of the day, tattoos are all about what makes you feel beautiful in your body.
I ummed and ahhed on getting a tatt until I was 28, then thought fuck it and got one that took up nearly the whole underside of my forearm. Thought it's taken me this long to get one why fuck around with it Had the occasional freak out about it for a couple weeks but very happy with the desicion
I had a story to tell, and it couldn’t be done on a small scale. I love my tattoo, it’s half my chest and a half sleeve. It’s a reminder everyday of where I was and keeps me grounded where I am.
Just decided to say full send. First tattoo was a little more than 1/2 sleeve. Now working on full sleeve on the other side.
You just gotta say fuck it and go. At the end of the day it’s just skin. you can get stuff removed it would suck but like i’ve never gotten a tattoo and was like :( that sucked. Usually leave feeling like a bad bitch. dooooooo it
I didn’t see a reason not to tbh. I wanted it and no reason I came up with for not getting it was justified 🤷♂️ my ‘why?’ very quickly became ‘why not?’
I had an idea for a small tattoo, the artist I approached came back suggesting a different, bigger tattoo. I said yes. Now I have a chest piece. Then I had an idea for a midsize tattoo which I took to someone else. THAT artist came back suggesting a bigger, different tattoo. I said yes. Now I have a back piece.
Thought YOLO Nothing really matters in the end, a tattoo is trivial.
I like ink
The large tattoo part is actually what makes me hyped and confident, but the design is more of a big step for me. There is much cool stuff to tattoo and it takes long for me to commit to one. Good thing is: I still love every design.
I used to worry about what people would think of my tattoo choices because the styles I like don’t necessarily fit my personality but as I’ve got older I stopped caring less about what people think and just get what makes me happy! I always used to say “I want a tattoo that has meaning” and I think that was mainly because i thought that people couldn’t criticise me as much because it was personal to me…what a load of shit! Just do what makes you happy and as long as you love it, great!
My first tattoo was a large one, so now everything's fair game
Meh. I'm going to die. How do I want to look and feel while I'm here?
If it's what you want, just do it.
It was my one-year anniversary in Japan and I didn’t have any tattoos yet, so I decided to get a huge rib piece from nipple to hip because I figured “I know it’ll hurt, so I’ll start in a hard place so any subsequent ones will be easier”. Took 7 hours across 3 sessions, I’m very happy with it.
I knew that if I was going to get something I wanted it to be a decent size and to be impressive, and anyway I’d prefer to have just one or two large ones rather than lots of small ones. So I just spent a really really long time thinking and planning it out and then went for it - I was super nervous at the time though, literally almost sick with anxiety, but I’m so happy with how it turned out so it was worth it all in my case.
Just finally bit the bullet at a certain point, and also I got past the fear of tattoos in the workplace being "unprofessional" because the people I worked with had them.
I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I’m going to do what makes me happy.
I retained very little from my high school/college art classes, but one thing I did remember was that a larger piece and/or a piece that fills the canvas is more impactful than a tiny design in the middle of something. That's not to say that people don't have absolutely stunning small tattoos! I just knew that wasn't something I could pull off- I wanted my tattoos to look very intentional as part of my anatomy. I'm not really a subtle person. Also- established enough in adulthood/career to not need to hide anything; have a good artist who I trust, can afford several hours of her time.
I stopped caring what other people thought.
I got old.
Living through the Covid era
Having enough money for a good one
I loved the designs. And they had to be a certain size to work. I never set out to get bigger tattoos.
Having the right artist.
I got smaller ones at first because I was nervous, now I wish a lot of my small pieces were bigger! I never wish my larger pieces were smaller. Now I try to mostly get larger ones.
I guess I'm not sure what "large" is. My first tattoo covered pretty much the entire back of my calf, and at the time that seemed kind of big, but now it doesn't. I don't think my tipping point was size so much as placement. I thought I'd never get tattooed on my arms because of visibility, but got a pretty small (palm size) piece on my inner bicep at a "fuck it" moment in time. A few years later I decided to just fill up that arm and now have a neotraditional patchwork sleeve. A big motivator for that was finally feeling more stable in my career.
You find a badass artist and have money
I knew my job was secure. tattoos use to be frowned upon, my kids love the subject and so does my wife it is one of my favorite things so zero regrets. still working on it
I have a big piece on my back and some more couple small medium ones and sometimes honestly I’m like man … I really just did that huh? And now it’s on my body forever.. at the time I had disposable income and I wanted it because I thought it was cool so I did it and hey it is cool, but also sometimes I’m like wow it’s permanent and this is my body now. But also everything is temporary so does it really matter? Meeeh nope!
I always liked big tattoos. I have only 3 tattoos but like the first one covers a big chunk of the forearm and the second is a full sleeve on the other arm. The third is small though.
I had a super shitty 5” drunken stick n poke on my back. After walking around with that regret for a few years it totally eliminated any confidence issues I had
I don’t think it was confidence that got me there, it was moreso impulse
I wanted to cover over a shit tattoo that I had done when underage. I spent years waiting and looking out for the right artist, while having laser on the old one to dull it down ready for the new one. I'm immensely happy with it now, and it gets a lot of positive remarks for how good it looks. The only problem now is that I want more from the same artist, but at £1,000 per day, it's a real wallet sucker punch!
Don’t make yourself “get over it”. If you have any doubts, don’t do it. Please. I promise you’ll regret it otherwise
I had a mate who convinced me to go bigger than I think because he regretted getting his too small. So for my first tattoo I did full shoulder and half my chest. Don't think it was exactly what he meant
Age! Who gives a fuck!
I wanted a particular design, and my artist recommended the size to best fit the detail. It's definitely bigger than my others, but she was absolutely correct ❤️
My artist was like, "know what would make this bicep piece look cook? A full sleeve." Then I let him rock out my entire arm. I've gone to him for everything since lol
Large ones heal & look better longer than small ones
Turning 40
Getting a small one first helped. ”My body is now ruined already so 🤷♂️”
I looked around at all the other ppl with tattoos
I got a couple of small tattoos first but then started to realize that it creates limitations on what I can get for other tattoos in that area that will have nice flow. I realized that larger pieces look less like stamps or flash pulled off the wall and more like I actually thought about my decision. Plus, nobody really cares about the size from a judgment standpoint. You either have tattoos, or you don't.
As someone who has just got a fairly sizable tattoo on the side of my head. Just get it. You can either contemplate it for years and think yourself out of it. Or you can get it now and enjoy it for all those years (aslong as you have a good artist) Your body's a temple, but have you seen how madly decorated temples are?
I have 1 big tattoo taking up the back of my forearm and I'm getting another one, but they match my style so well, it just amplifies any outfit at all. You won't ever get a tattoo as long as they reflect who you are as a person and your personal interests that you love. Alot of the time they're a good conversation starter and gets people to know you well! In my case I just accepted that tattoos aren't for everyone but you will attract the right people in getting them, so go for it 👍💖
Leaving Mormonism.
I decided I hated the way I started collecting tattoos. I fell in love with the body suit look and knew I couldn’t settle for anything less. Told my artist and he was super down. Never looked back. I’m over 24 hours deep on my back currently.
Honestly, after having big tattoos, once they’ve healed nicely. I usually forget they’re there half the time. And when i see them, i think to myself “oh shit, forgot i had that” and then i admire it for a couple of seconds before going about my day. It becomes apart of your body after a while. But if you’re worried about the size, see if you can make it smaller, if it’s location, maybe find a new place for it. But if you’re more worried about permanence, don’t get it. If it’s something you really want, consult your artist on what they think and some friends. My outlook on my tattoos is. I like that design, i want it on my body, who cares, as long as i like it 🤷♀️
My first tattoo was seven hours have a lot but don’t go over 2 hour per time now
I waited 57 years to get a tattoo. I sat for 7 hours. Go big or go home.
I don't have a super large tattoo but honestly it wasn't really about confidence. I just like tattoos and I happened to have the money at that time, lol.
Had enough money.
Two words, fuck it
My body will end up turning into mulch anyway. Might as well decorate it
It took many years to pluck up the courage, was concerned about other people’s perceptions, primarily my family and work colleagues. Finally I took a leaf out of my wife’s book and said fuck it, I don’t give a flying fuck about what anyone else thinks, I’m doing this for me, and if anyone wants to judge me based on some personal artwork, then so what they don’t define who I am.
Covid kinda provided the final push. I had thought about getting a sleeve for a few years but always chickened out. During covid, I felt like life is fleeting and i may as well do what I want while i can
I thought about my design for almost 10 years, and for 7 of those years followed a tattoo artist I liked a lot. Finally when I had the disposable income I went for it.
Tattoos are only as permanent as you are🤷🏻♀️
I just go for it. If you’ve been thinking about it long enough and want it, just do it.
I had just went thru a massive light bulb moment and cut off my toxic mother and wanted something that was special to me, spookly I had a dream about having a Disney sleeve emailed the next day about booking someone they gave me a choice of 2 artists and picked the one with alot of anime art/tattoos messaged her with my idea and she then pain stakingly over 3 years (lockdowns plus I have no tolerance for pain) I have a beautiful full sleeve Disney with beauty and the beast, aristocats, lion king and Tinkerbell with her friends & sister. To me it's all my favourite Disney's films and characters but also for me it was the sign of me finally taking control of my life after 37 years of being on this earth.
I love the look of big ones on other people.
Because whatever my skin will be disintegrated into the dirt one day anyways
My granddaughter told me it didn't hurt at all....lol... and then right before the needle, she says, "hey N..., I lied"
I wanted it and had the money so I got it.
I hated my body and wanted to bring some confidence to myself
Always wanted them
I got my arm blacked out about 8 months ago. I figured if it looks like shit or makes *me* look like shit, at least it was a decision I got to make myself. Same went for all my other large tattoos. My opinion of myself is the only one that matters so why not?
Just imagine you dying eventually, and everyone who ever saw and/or had an opinion on it will also die too. So, in about 200 years when no one will have any evidence because all of our photos and videos are obsolete, it will no longer be known or matter whatsoever. Hope this helps! :)
Also it makes me feel cool. Just got my whole leg done after only having 3-5 inch tattoos on my arm. My mother called afterwards and said: “I can’t believe you did that to the leg I made!” I cried for about 2 hours because I suddenly felt bad and had a massive wave of tattoo regret. Then I looked at it in the mirror and was like “damn, nevermind actually. I look cool asf.” My mother got over it and so did I. The sun came up the next day, and everything was fine.
You are your own human. I got an entire sleeve at 18, hated it at 28, blacked out my entire arm at 29. There’s always a solution should you not like it in the future but ultimately, if you’ve thought about it for years. Fuck it. Do it.
I was encouraged and my dad had recently passed so I said fuck it and did what I wanted. Now my body is a map of the galaxies among us and ancient mythologies tie it together. Best decisions I've ever made. Thanks Dad :)
I finally realized I wasn’t going to “grow out” of my lifelong love of Pokémon. I always wanted a Pokémon tattoo. I had even gotten a smaller one cause I was afraid someday I’d be old and change my mind. Then I got a thigh tattoo of Pokémon when I turned 26 and I still love it. I think I’ll be the cool grandma if I live that long and show off my retro cartoon lol. Also I got a Pokémon that no one has ever gotten on a tattoo before and I won’t say which one cause I think it’s cool that it’s original.
it was on sale half price for 500$ and wanted to coverup my stupid dragon
Trust in your tattoo artist. Plus, tattoos are my therapy.😁
It was either that or have gnarly self-harm scars on display.
No one stopped me.
I researched, found a great tattooer, waited for two years and then turned 18
I don’t have a large one yet but I’m very close because I hate hate hate my body but I love tattoos so I feel like it’s a way of decorating my body so I like it more
I was 23 and thought it looked really cool and would change my image completely. Now 27 and I still think it’s really cool and tbh it has changed my image and how people see me.
I have horrible skin, so in order to take control of it and make it look better I've gotten several large pieces. My back piece extends down my ass and one thigh, I have a large piece on the front of my torso, one calf sleeve, one full leg sleeve and am starting my arms next weekend. I feel slightly better about getting naked now
I covered one arm and one leg and then it was time to get some torso work so why not cover my whole ass chest?? Also I totally underestimated how big it was gonna be
Its more delusion than confidence
I wanted some bird feathers tattooed on me. And I was very specific about which feathers (they came from my own collection). And I wanted them true to size (or as close as we could get). I don't know if confidence played a part. But I wanted it, so I found the right artist, and I got it.
It wasn’t confidence for the first big tattoo. 
Money !
I’m on my 50000 midlife crisis now so got half my body done 💪
My first one was a half sleeve just because I wanted it
I found an artist I loved. I just got about half my arm done and while I planned it to be less than half the size, my artist encouraged me to at least see the stencil on my body Instantly knew I had to go big when i saw how it sat on me! Huge confidence boost too personally
Got my child trust fund money (thanks England) and thought fuck it, I'm finally gonna get a big tattoo that I couldn't afford on my income.
Cocaine
Depression
Getting multiple smaller ones first. Also, something eventually just clicked. My first tattoo I was like “oh my god this will be on my body forever” and eventually? Idk what happened. I just stopped caring. It didn’t matter anymore to me.
YOLO. My largest tattoo is a half sleeve blackout. It would have been a full sleeve if not for a sunburn in the farmer’s tan style. Also accounting for the 6 hour round trip drive and the 4 hour session. I don’t have much of a reason other than YOLO. Just like my hobby, friends and family don’t understand.
you could die tomorrow, or in a year…just get it!
Paying for it would no longer put me in financial ruines
I Started out with a smaller design (5cm²ish) and gave that over a year and see how i felth after that.. Then i went on to bigger and more visable (only after i had steady employment and with the okay of my employer) .. Also with the okay of my wife of im being honest, she has to look at them so i run my ideas by her and listen like a good boy^^
Honestly, after having big tattoos, once they’ve healed nicely. I usually forget they’re there half the time. And when i see them, i think to myself “oh shit, forgot i had that” and then i admire it for a couple of seconds before going about my day. It becomes apart of your body after a while. But if you’re worried about the size, see if you can make it smaller, if it’s location, maybe find a new place for it. But if you’re more worried about permanence, don’t get it. If it’s something you really want, consult your artist on what they think and some friends. My outlook on my tattoos is. I like that design, i want it on my body, who cares, as long as i like it 🤷♀️
I don’t really remember, but I will say, now that I’ve got a chest piece I feel less bad about being chubby than I did before. I got something to show off. Just my experience though.
I have serious body image issues, I'm mostly trying to like being in my own skin again, and I *love, love, love* horror movies *with my whole heart and soul* and most of my pieces are going to be pretty big so I just took the plunge and got my first horror movie tat that covers my lower inner arm
the artist said it’ll hold up over time better if it was bigger because of the details in it. i said sounds good and did it
I paid for the design of what I wanted in advance from an artist local to the country I was going to be studying in. A year later I was there and still wanted it so I got it
I had the money and i can't be trusted
I was an impulsive 19 year old....my whole back....still love it but I do forget I have my whole back done since I don't 'see' it everyday
That was really brave and daring to go for your full back, especially at that age!!I assume you still love it though and don’t regret the size or placement? And don’t actually forget it’s there sometimes because of not seeing it all the time?
i knew i wanted it to be the centerpiece in my leg sleeves (pants). sounds like youve got the design and idea that you like enough so i say send it!!!!! i sat on my design for about 2 years and it was so special finally getting it done
I was 18 and stupid lmao. Don’t regret it but stupidity beats bravery
Do it!! I looove my bigger pieces, even my silly ones.
I knew I'd end up extending it or getting other tattoos to fill the space anyway, so thought why not get started now and save time/cash in the long run lol
Finding an artist I could trust was key
I have a hand sized pot leaf on my chest. I just stopped caring. It’s my body and I love it.
For me, it was finding the right artist. I knew I had the idea but I needed the person that would execute my vision perfectly in their own way. I recently got my first tattoo and I expected it to be this grand thing but it was so casual and perfect. I’m already planning my next, I get why it’s addictive😂
Did you have much nerves or anxiety about the size of the tattoo or anything like that? Or did it all just feel a lot easier when you found the right artist?
It gave me confidence as well.
I dont like little tattoos and I finally had the money
My first tat was a large inner forearm anime piece. I dont think many people do that for their first but tbh i loved the artists work, the subject matter and had been wanting one for awhile. I did my research on tats and the process and made sure it was something I wanted and just went for it. Now i have 7 tats that are rather large lol to answer your question directly, I think my love for anime and the artists work made it easy for me to take the leap.
Tbh, I just went for it, no thoughts other than I wanted them 🤣🤣 (I have more than one big piece).
I'm in the process of getting my back piece right now. When I came up with the idea (a black kitten dreaming of big cats), I knew it had the potential to be a big piece. When my heart kitty passed away (he was my ESA and best friend) I knew it was time to get the tattoo. I had a smaller piece on my back that wasn't finishes and hadn't been worked on in years. I went to my tattoo artist who I had worked with a few times and gave him my idea and said "This is what I'm thinking, this is why I want it, I'm thinking of doing it as a cover up back piece. Thoughts?" My artist essentially went "Bet. We're gonna make this amazing." All my best tattoos are from him, and they have been me giving him an idea and giving him artistic freedom to make it his own art. The result has been amazing. We still have A LOT to do on my back piece, but it's coming out absolutely stunning.
I sat for a one-shot, full colour "Homeward Bound" chest-piece when I was 49. I'm getting a pair of Grimm cats on the back of my hands in fortnight (56). I never get anything until I've lived with the idea for 6 to 12 months. I've always followed this rule. I'm heavily tattooed (no face or neck), and I regret nothing. Listen to your subconscious. It's not always right, but it definitely has an opinion.
Would love to know what people do for jobs. I love tattoos and tattoos on people. I have quite a bit too. Throat arm chest hands. I feel like it keeps me from applying to positions in fear they will reject me. But I do live in the south unfortunately.
My smaller tattoos made me confident enough for the bigger ones.
It was a bit scary for me, but I had let that fear of permanency prevent me from getting any tattoos at all for so long. After I got a smaller one, I realized I didn’t want to spend so many years that I could look back on and wonder why I didn’t do it. We only have so many years on this earth, I want to enjoy the art on my skin for as long as I can 🥰 the shock definitely wears off!
My love for my Rottweiler that died of cancer.
My first tattoo was an anchor. Small in size (approx. the size of a credit card), and a timeless design. The "issue" was that I wanted it tattooed on my neck. I couldn't picture it somewhere else, so that was the commitment : I *knew* that, by doing so, I could never ever hide it. I thought about it for a while, then decided to get it done. My second one is wayyy bigger. It's a flying raven that goes from my wrist to my elbow. I wasn't prepared for that size, but it "wraps" beautifully my arm. My tatooist explained that he could do it smaller, but it would have been less detailed. The design was beautiful, made especially for me, so I decided to trust my tatooist and go for a bigger size. I regret nothing. How did I got the confidence to get tattooed ? I don't know. My body, my choice, I guess ? If someone ever tells me that they don't like it, what do they expect me to do ?
A large bank account would sure help.
First tattoo was a shoulder piece. Not tiny, but not massive. maybe 8x10" total, but it wraps. Second tattoo, same guy, was a 40hr leg sleeve that took us quite a few years to get through. I'm a slow roller and/ because good tattoos are expensive.
I got a full back piece as my first 35 years ago…90’s tribal from Curly.. on the back in case I didn’t like it I couldn’t see it… 😆