Appointment card read:

Sunset Strip Tattoo
7524 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, California 90046
323.874.4596
Wednesday, November 21st, 2:00pm
w/ Greg James

Today was the second and final appointment for my tattoo that I started on last month. I'm so glad that Greg James over at Sunset Strip Tattoo could fit me into his schedule before the end of the year. He is truly a genuine person not to mention awe inspiring at what he does best -- tattooing (although I'm sure he's great at alot of other stuff too). There's some people you meet right off the bat and can feel comfortable being with and luckily for me, Greg is one of them.

I was not as nervous this time to get the rest of it done, probably because I already knew what to expect but I was still anxious to see how the tattoo would turn out after the color has been added to the rest of it. Looking at it now, the tattoo I showed last month looks completely different from what's on my back now. With color added, the kois and the flower came alive and looks so absolutely amazing.

Needless to say, one can never prepare oneself for the initial feeling of when the needle first touches the skin and for the first 15 minutes, it was a wee bit uncomfortable but after the endorphins kicked in, I had no trouble sitting for the rest of the two and a half hour session. In fact, after awhile I can actually trick myself into thinking that it feels like an electric massager instead of 4-5 heads of needles pounding into my skin with every impact. Although I have the tattoo on my back, there are certain areas that are more sensitive than others, particularly those areas with alot of nerve endings and where certain muscles overlap. I think it's different for everyone regarding their sensitive spots but most can agree that the bony areas can be a killer. I found that on me however, the shoulder blade area was especially tender whereas the rest of it was rather painless.

One thing about Greg's tattooing and use of color is that it's BOLD. Everything will contrast and stand out beyond your imagination. Colors literally leap off your skin and grabs your attention. The hard part I think is deciding where to begin looking at the tattoo in detail first because there's so much to take in and analyze. And when you think you know what the tattoo looks like, you often get taken off guard by the amount of precision there is drawn in the artwork. And then it really sinks in on how much variation of colors and shading there is devoted to a certain area to bring it "alive". The funny thing is that I really don't know what my tattoo looks like in detail since it's on my back and I have to depend on photos to capture the parts I can't see up close.

The two and a half hours went by quickly as we tossed around some conversation here and there (i didn't want to bother him too too much by distracting him). But I did begin talking about my next tattoo concept with him and he gave me some great suggestions that I never even considered. If I decide to proceed with that, then I better start saving some money again and set it aside for my little "project". What I have in mind will really tie this current tattoo into one with the other and create a large "relief" on my back. But all in good time. As Greg says, "when the tattoo god talks to you, you'll know what to do." Oddly enough, I really believe that someone was talking to me about this particular tattoo that I just got because the concept just came in my mind and all the who, what, where, how literally fell into my lap. Everything bonded together so smoothly -- it was pretty miraculous.

The coloring of the finished tattoo is as follows:

top koi: blue with red spots and tan fins. blue green eyeballs.

bottom koi: golden yellow with flecks of orange and red with black spots and whitish fins. blue green eyeballs.

peony: red with yellow outer petals and green center. leaves of the flower is green with slight tinge of yellow.

total time under the needle: 6 hours (3.5 first session + 2.5 second session)

The Whys. Getting a tattoo is very personal and it can be very spiritual in a way. The reason I got these certain elements on my back is not only because of my appreciation for the beauty of these things in nature but also of their symbolism. The peony symbolizes strength. The kois (carp) symbolizes longevity, prosperity and wealth. Kois are also known to turn into dragons if they are one of the lucky "chosen" kois and in Japanese tattooing, kois also symbolizes one who has accepted their fate. I also chose to have two kois depicted because there are two fishes in the Pisces astrological sign, which I am of.

As for why a person chooses to get a tattoo done at all is something only that person can explain. There may be a multitude of reasons for doing so or merely just because they love this type of livable, breathable artform. It truly is art appreciation at its highest (unlike a painting you can take off the mantel when you're bored of it). I often find it hard to explain why I like tattoos aside from the fact that I think it's absolutely astounding how they put this form of bodyart onto flesh and how I admire the beauty of it all (except for racist tattoos of course). And in all fairness I don't think you can really answer the "whys" of tattooing except only to yourself. I don't think there's a reason to justify the purpose of getting a tattoo at all to anyone else really.

The Rest. As for the who, what, where and how -- I can't stress enough the importance of doing the proper research. Getting something you're going to be wearing on skin for the rest of your life is a big decision. So it's doubly important to be sure of what you want to get and from whom you're going to get it from. I would suggest doing lots of reading into magazines such as International Tattoo, Skin and Ink and check out websites and talk to people who wear tattoos that you find "suits" your taste. Each artist has their own style and their own specialty. Although most can be very flexible and can do varied forms of design, you still want to make sure you find the one who can do the job for you correctly - the first time.

Tattooing isn't cheap. It's money that's well spent however if you decide to take that step and adorn your body with it. Therefore, be sure you look at alot of pictures from various artists before deciding who can do the design you want. [For example, I wanted an Asian-Japanese style with bold coloring from someone who can do fantastic kois and peonies and Greg was that person.] Then you should go and talk to them about the design and see if they can and are willing to do it (because yes, they may turn down the job). True artists will know how to make these one of a kind artwork suit your body shape depending on the locale that you're going to place it at. I believe if you work with an artist who specializes in the design that you want, both you and they will be excited to work on this together. Because if your artist isn't passionate about the type of design you want, I would dare guess that it won't come out as good as they can do it.

Deciding on the design that you want and narrowing it down to who you should get it from is the tough part. If you see someone who has a tattoo style that you think you'd like, go ask them who did it for them. And please do go to a respectable place that practices the proper hygiene in terms of sterilization of needles using the Autoclave. Also, be sure to take a look at the artist's "book" that should display a selection of photos of the tattoos he/she has done. These books can give you great ideas on coloring and design of your final product. Be open minded about his/her suggestions and comments since they know what can/can't be done and what does/doesn't look good. You'd be surprised at the type of stuff they come up with that will surpass all the expectations you had in the first place. Also, be prepared to spend a good chunk of money on something great. The price between something awesome and something mediocre isn't very much if it's something you're going to be appreciating over the many years to come. So even if it's a bit more than you expected to spend, it will definitely be worth it in the end. Without regrets.

Thank you once again to Greg James for doing such an amazing job on the artwork and the tattooing and for everything else. If it wasn't for him, I would still be dreaming about getting a tattoo. And now, I can start planning for my next one! Not only did he make one of my longtime dreams come true but he made the experience a very pleasant one as well. Anyone who's interested in Asian style tattoos should definitely consider getting theirs done by Greg. I have to say, he's the best! Or if you're interested in getting a tattoo -- all the folks at Sunset Strip Tattoo are talented individuals. So check them out if you're so inclined.

Read last month's inked part 1 to learn how it all started.

Got questions or comments? You know how to reach me.

Now....let the healing begin.

[author's disclaimer: all opinions and thoughts herein on tattooing are based on my personal experiences only. you may have your own opinion and experiences on body art and tattooing but this is all my own. thanks for reading.]

I'm out.