Your first tattoo help guide. I guess the first thing I would say is why are you are you getting a tattoo. If you can't make up your mind on what to get it can be that you are getting a tattoo for the wrong reasons and the resistance is you minds way of telling you that. If you are sure on the reasons i.e because you want to and it makes you feel good thinking about getting a tattoo then that's awesome. Lets move on. Next point is don't rush there is no hurry Tattooists are not going to run out of ink or time for you, trust me.OK so we are happy and calm, point being never get a tattoo when you are angry about something no matter how it may seem now you wont be angry for ever. You don't want to look at a image on you that reminds you of when you were angry when you become happy. I avoid where ever possible words and names if you have to get a reminder of someone or something do it with a picture, be imaginative, or ask you tattooist to help you with making it an image. For example if you have a girlfriend named Mary and shes red hair and your hair is black, Instead of getting Mary tattooed across your back in big black Gothic letters. What about getting red flames that look a bit like hair and black flames that look like hair in a mobis strip symbolizing your union. If thing ever change in the future just make sure you always date red heads and you'll be fine (yes my attempt at humor) but you see my point.
If you cannot think of anything you have a symbol for. Try writing down 5 things that mean the most to you in the world. Then seek out symbols or flash designs for those or get someone to draw up a design with things that match these for you. You may find one that jumps out for you. But bear this in mind now. Once you have one tattoo the second and the third and so on are much easier so if you set the bar low by rushing you set yourself up to become a patch work of random styles that may not still suit you in 10 or 20 years time.
If all else fails get something universal that lasts for your first tattoo.
Tattoo's for ladies: something beautiful, e.g. flowers of you favorite type will never make you feel bad in the future (unless its across your face!)
Tattoo's for men: something that symbolizes strength, a loin, a dragon
For those who don't want their tattoo to be either feminine or masculine: a symbol of peace or love will endure. You can Google that I'm sure.
Now whatever event or theme you want to put on yourself that will last as long as you body does. Remember it might be in a place you see everyday.
By Scott Bensemann
