Tattoos last forever, or at least as long as your body lasts, which is pretty much forever in human terms. For a lot of people (your boss and your grandpa), this is the main reason not to get them. For other people (you), this is what makes them so great. Your pets and your parents will die, your house will get bulldozed to build a superhighway, your friends will move to New York City. But your tattoos? Barring a full-body burning accident, they will be with you through the whole scary, sublime thing, until you are sitting in your easy chair, unable to pee without the help of an in-home care assistant. Until finally, you lose consciousness and stop existing. How comforting to know that a) your memories will be written on your body no matter how badly your brain disintegrates and b) your in-home care assistant will have something pretty to look at while he's pulling down your pants for you.
I have 6 tattoos and I know an amazing tattooer, so I consider myself enough of an expert to educate you on the process of getting art permanently inscribed on your skin. To fully commit to this project, I decided to go get a tattoo and, while it was happening, interview Derick Montez, who works at Picture Machine Tattoo. He's the guy who has given me 3 of my tattoos and who is, in my opinion, the best tattoo artist of all time ever. Derek isn't even 30 yet but he apprenticed with well-known graffiti and tattoo artist Mike Giant and is a great visual artist in a bunch of different mediums, beyond being a respected tattooer. So, without further ado, your step-by-step guide to getting a tattoo you won't regret for the rest of your life:
Before your tattoo: