You And I We're Gonna Live Forever

Excuse my fat foot.. This was a couple of days after it was done so was pretty swollen!

I got my tattoo, woo! I was so excited to get it done, I've wanted to get for 3 years so I knew it was something that I wouldn't regret. This post is just going to be a breakdown of the meaning and the actual process of getting the tattoo done. Enjoy!

Meaning
This tattoo is personal and close to my heart - I chose a feather to symbolise the angel feathers which are said to be seen after someone dies. My uncle died almost four years ago and I knew I wanted to get something to represent him, as he was honestly the nicest man you could ever meet. We were very close, and I trusted and adored him more than my dad if I'm honest. He was only 31 so the thought of losing him had entered no one's head. He loved music, Oasis and The Beatles being his two favourites, but he could appreciate all types of music and respected anyone who could sing or play an instrument.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to get a lyric to represent him, but in the end I couldn't pick one that didn't sound too cheesy, and so the feather was definitely the best option.

Process
I asked my uncle's close friend if he wanted to do the tattoo, as I knew it would mean a lot to him, and it also made it more personal for me rather than having a stranger who didn't know him do it.
I showed him a picture of a similar feather, although he changed it slightly as he didn't want to so an exact copy of someone else's work. He drew two marks on my foot - the start and the end points - and then did the tattoo freehand, with the exception of a few areas which he drew guidelines to make sure it was even.
It took an hour and a half, because there is no shading at all on this tattoo, it is made up of hundreds of lines but I feel that this means that it looks a lot more realistic than a simple outline and shading. I did bleed a little after about an hour, but that's nothing to worry about!
After this he put on a layer of Bepanthen, and then wrapped it in cling film to stop any dirt getting into it and to ensure it wasn't irritated by my shoes (I was wearing vans.. should have probably worn dolly shoes..)
I'm really pleased with how he did it, it was hygienically done and I can't fault it at all.

After Care
After a couple of hours I removed the cling film and let the air get to it. My foot had swollen quite a bit and to walking was uncomfortable for the first 2-3 days, but it wasn't anything to cry about. Each person I speak to about tattoo after care seems to have done something different, but for me it was simple. I cleaned it with water (no soap) every morning and every night, each time followed by a thin layer of Bepanthen for two weeks. It has healed really well and I would recommend this method to anyone who was wondering about tattoo after care, although of course listen to what the artist says as after all, it's their job!

Pain
Because it's on my foot, and everyone who I had spoken to about it said that the foot is one of the sorest places to get tattooed, I was pretty anxious. However when I was in getting ready to have it done, I wasn't nervous at all and the excitement of finally getting the tattoo took over. I have a high pain threshold, but even if I didn't I don't think that it would be too bad. I would say that this tattoo was a 8/10, it was sore yes, but it was a bearable pain that after a while just got to the stage where it was annoying and I waned it to stop because it was getting on my nerves rather than because it was painful. 
I've heard that the outline is the worst part, and the shading is much less painful however I don't know if this is true as my tattoo has no shading.

All in all I'm SO pleased with it, it's exactly what I wanted and I'm now looking at what I want to get next.. I've got a few ideas which may be appearing on me in the future! I think that if you want to get a tattoo and are worried about the pain, then don't be! Yes it hurts but it stops immediately and it's so worth it when it's healed and looking sweeeeet! Seriously though don't let the thought of the pain put you off if it's something that you want to do!

Have you got a tattoo? How did you find the experience?
Are any of you thinking of getting a tattoo?

Evie x