Painting the town a little brighter: The Libra and the Egyptian

For my third blog....I've decided to write about my "other" passion....TATTOO!

This "weird" passion as some would call it actually freaked me out back in my younger years. Quite frankly, this was brought by my strange fascination with (blank) that I can't share on this blog.

According to Manang Wiki, the first written reference to the word "tattoo" (or Samoan "Tatau") appears in the journal of Joseph Banks (1743-1830). To learn more about this, Google it!

First thing to do after you've decided (a million times - you should as this would be part of you for the rest of your life....unless you undergo tattoo removal which is far more painful than getting inked!) -- is your tattoo design. I opted to have a Libra sign (my zodiac sign) and Egyptian letters of my name (why? duh! it's my skin!)

July 17, 2011 marked my first ever association with two-coil tattoo machine, ink and tattoo artist. The tattoo shop - Skinworkz Studio in Cartimar owned by Ricky Sta. Ana, Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild (PhilTAG) President for quite some time. Too bad he wasn't there to do my ink.

Reception area at Skinworkz Studio in Cartimar, Pasay

Artist workstation beside reception area

Ricky Sta. Ana poster placed on one of the shop walls

Available artist on that day was Kenny (inglesero ang artist ko, in fairness). Can't remember if he grew up in the States or part American because I was too busy questioning him if this would sting....a lot.

me and the artist, Kenny

My palms are sweaty, my mind is numb, my hearing a bit impaired and all I can think about is the buzzing sound of the machine piercing on my skin. 'Damn, I'm getting ink!'

Stencil of my first tattoo

The session lasted close to an hour, 'yes!' an hour!' Kenny had a hard time fixing those little Egyptian letters.
Surprisingly, the pain was tolerable. Beware of the outlines, they sting more than the shaded part of the tattoo.