Approximate reading time for this publication is 2-3 minutes.
1) If I move, will you draw a zigzag instead of a tiger?
Rinat: I don't think that will happen.
Even if the client is very nervous, within the first five minutes of starting, most of them completely relax and realize that it's not as painful as they imagined.
Newbies often exhale and say, “I thought it would be much more painful.” The likelihood that you will flinch from pain is very low almost zero.
People are more likely to flinch when, for example, a phone falls out of their hand while they are getting a tattoo on their other hand.
But a professional will not make a mistake at such a moment.
Even if the client is very nervous, within the first five minutes of starting, most of them completely relax and realize that it's not as painful as they imagined.
Newbies often exhale and say, “I thought it would be much more painful.” The likelihood that you will flinch from pain is very low almost zero.
People are more likely to flinch when, for example, a phone falls out of their hand while they are getting a tattoo on their other hand.
But a professional will not make a mistake at such a moment.
2) What does tattoo pain feel like?What can it be compared to?
Rinat: Try scratching a part of your body hard with your thumbnail, pressing your finger firmly against your skin. It will feel something like that.
3) Is it possible to get a tattoo without pain if I breathe carefully?
Rinat: You can greatly reduce discomfort by breathing deeply, relaxing, and not holding your breath.
When a person holds their breath and concentrates on the pain, that's when everything becomes most unpleasant.
If you have the opportunity to distract yourself talk to the artist, turn on your favorite music or TV show you should take advantage of it, as it makes the session much easier.
When a person holds their breath and concentrates on the pain, that's when everything becomes most unpleasant.
If you have the opportunity to distract yourself talk to the artist, turn on your favorite music or TV show you should take advantage of it, as it makes the session much easier.
4) If a tattoo ruins someone's reputation, is that the client's problem or the artist's?
Rinat: Every artist has their own taboos things they won't do for personal reasons, and they are not obliged to explain why in detail.
With specific requests, you have to be prepared for refusal, especially when it comes to symbols that are condemned by society or contradict the artist's beliefs.
Journalist: And if the artist does not refuse and does the tattoo, whose reputation suffers the artist's or the client's?
Rinat: The artist is first and foremost a performer, and sometimes their motive may be purely financial.
If a person is deeply interested in Indian culture or Buddhism and comes to get a swastika tattoo in this context, then we are talking about a religious symbol, and no one's reputation should suffer.
If, however, it is the Nazi context, then you have to be prepared for public condemnation and the fact that both the artist and the client will be criticized.
With specific requests, you have to be prepared for refusal, especially when it comes to symbols that are condemned by society or contradict the artist's beliefs.
Journalist: And if the artist does not refuse and does the tattoo, whose reputation suffers the artist's or the client's?
Rinat: The artist is first and foremost a performer, and sometimes their motive may be purely financial.
If a person is deeply interested in Indian culture or Buddhism and comes to get a swastika tattoo in this context, then we are talking about a religious symbol, and no one's reputation should suffer.
If, however, it is the Nazi context, then you have to be prepared for public condemnation and the fact that both the artist and the client will be criticized.
5) How do you see yourself in your dreams, with or without tattoos? Do you see your tattoos in your dreams?
Rinat: I rarely remember my dreams: I might wake up with the feeling of “wow, I had a dream”—and then immediately forget everything.
So I can't say for sure, but I suppose that, considering how long I've had tattoos, I probably have them in my dreams too.
Journalist: How soon does a person who has gotten a tattoo start seeing themselves with it in their dreams?
Rinat: Ideally, after about two weeks, when the person gets used to their new image in the mirror.
That's a good amount of time to start seeing yourself with tattoos in your dreams.
Journalist: And if I don't start seeing myself with tattoos in my dreams after two weeks, who should I contact?
Rinat: There is a profession called somnologist, a sleep specialist. You can ask them a very specific question: “Why don't I see myself with tattoos in my dreams?”
So I can't say for sure, but I suppose that, considering how long I've had tattoos, I probably have them in my dreams too.
Journalist: How soon does a person who has gotten a tattoo start seeing themselves with it in their dreams?
Rinat: Ideally, after about two weeks, when the person gets used to their new image in the mirror.
That's a good amount of time to start seeing yourself with tattoos in your dreams.
Journalist: And if I don't start seeing myself with tattoos in my dreams after two weeks, who should I contact?
Rinat: There is a profession called somnologist, a sleep specialist. You can ask them a very specific question: “Why don't I see myself with tattoos in my dreams?”
6) If I lose weight, will the tattoo also become smaller? To be specific, let's take the stomach as an example.
Rinat: If we're talking about significant weight loss, the shape and size of the tattoo will change.
On the shoulder, most likely, almost nothing will happen, at most something will “fall” slightly at the edges, but the image as a whole will remain, as on the lower back.
The stomach is a different story: if the tattoo is on a round stomach and after a few months the stomach becomes flat, the image will shrink along with the volume.
The skin is part of the body, it stretches and shrinks along with the person, and the tattoo repeats these changes.
On the shoulder, most likely, almost nothing will happen, at most something will “fall” slightly at the edges, but the image as a whole will remain, as on the lower back.
The stomach is a different story: if the tattoo is on a round stomach and after a few months the stomach becomes flat, the image will shrink along with the volume.
The skin is part of the body, it stretches and shrinks along with the person, and the tattoo repeats these changes.
7) Why can't you just print a tattoo with a printer?
Rinat: Actually, you already can there's a project in San Francisco with a tattoo printer that actually prints tattoos.
Technically, it's a device with a large mechanical “arm” that can now do micro-tattoos.
The style is reminiscent of miniature engravings, like the portrait on a dollar bill — small and very neat.
So far, these are small “here and now” works, but I think that in the future, such machines will learn to do large tattoos as well. It's interesting that it looks neat, with no obvious places where “everything will float.”
Technically, it's a device with a large mechanical “arm” that can now do micro-tattoos.
The style is reminiscent of miniature engravings, like the portrait on a dollar bill — small and very neat.
So far, these are small “here and now” works, but I think that in the future, such machines will learn to do large tattoos as well. It's interesting that it looks neat, with no obvious places where “everything will float.”
8) Did you do all your tattoos yourself?
Rinat: I started tattooing myself and realized after my first attempt that I didn't want to do it anymore.
In my opinion, it's strange: you hurt yourself and start looking for reasons to take breaks “I did 15 minutes, I'll finish next time” and the process can drag on for years.
When another artist is tattooing you, you can't just stop them at any moment they have their own plans and they finish the job.
I find it much more interesting when another artist works with me, with their own style and technique.
In my opinion, it's strange: you hurt yourself and start looking for reasons to take breaks “I did 15 minutes, I'll finish next time” and the process can drag on for years.
When another artist is tattooing you, you can't just stop them at any moment they have their own plans and they finish the job.
I find it much more interesting when another artist works with me, with their own style and technique.
9) Is it possible to get a scented tattoo, like in cosmetics magazines, such as Avon? So that you can rub it and smell the fragrance.
Rinat: Yes, you can achieve a scented effect with special care products — various oils and creams such as Hustle Butter.
While you are working and applying the tattoo, it smells like vanilla or coconut, for example.
If you continue to use these products during and after healing, the skin in the tattoo area will smell the same.
While you are working and applying the tattoo, it smells like vanilla or coconut, for example.
If you continue to use these products during and after healing, the skin in the tattoo area will smell the same.
10) Is it possible to make a temporary tattoo permanent by pressing down hard?
Rinat: Theoretically, it sounds like this: press down hard on the transfer after treating the skin with sandpaper so that the image “absorbs” better.
In practice, no, it doesn't work that way.
In practice, no, it doesn't work that way.
11) If you make a mistake with a letter, can you just erase it until it heals?
Rinat: I had a client who decided to remove his tattoo himself using a magnifying glass and the sun — his parents didn't like the design.
He burned the image with the sun's rays and ended up with a red spot instead of a rose, something like “red cabbage.” He couldn't remove the tattoo that way, he just ruined the shape.
It's better to go to professionals who work with the latest generation of lasers, such as picosecond systems — they are more effective and less painful.
It's not worth trying to remove a tattoo with sandpaper, a stone, or homemade methods.
He burned the image with the sun's rays and ended up with a red spot instead of a rose, something like “red cabbage.” He couldn't remove the tattoo that way, he just ruined the shape.
It's better to go to professionals who work with the latest generation of lasers, such as picosecond systems — they are more effective and less painful.
It's not worth trying to remove a tattoo with sandpaper, a stone, or homemade methods.
12) Is it possible to get a temporary tattoo that will disappear on its own after a year if you get tired of it?
Rinat: A real tattoo is a design that is injected under the skin with a needle and ink and does not fade away on its own.
Things that are applied on top of the skin, such as stickers, transfers, and henna, are not technically considered tattoos. Nowadays, you can print transfer pictures at copy shops and try them on your skin to see what the tattoo will look like. But it is not yet possible to get a real tattoo that is guaranteed to disappear in a year or two.
Things that are applied on top of the skin, such as stickers, transfers, and henna, are not technically considered tattoos. Nowadays, you can print transfer pictures at copy shops and try them on your skin to see what the tattoo will look like. But it is not yet possible to get a real tattoo that is guaranteed to disappear in a year or two.
13) Tattoos prevent the skin from breathing, is this dangerous or just an internet scare story?
Rinat
This is definitely an internet myth. The skin breathes just as it always has.
There are many people covered in tattoos from head to toe, and they live normal lives without any problems with “suffocated” skin. I myself am almost completely covered and do not feel any lack of oxygen or discomfort.
So let's add this to the list of myths: skin continues to perform its functions.
Skin “breathes” much worse in a smoke-filled Irish pub, where it has to passively “smoke,” than under a thick layer of tattoos.
This is definitely an internet myth. The skin breathes just as it always has.
There are many people covered in tattoos from head to toe, and they live normal lives without any problems with “suffocated” skin. I myself am almost completely covered and do not feel any lack of oxygen or discomfort.
So let's add this to the list of myths: skin continues to perform its functions.
Skin “breathes” much worse in a smoke-filled Irish pub, where it has to passively “smoke,” than under a thick layer of tattoos.
14) If you make a mistake with a letter, can you quickly erase it before it dries?
Rinat: If the tattoo has already been done, it will be impossible to erase it, even “before it dries.”
You can quickly do a cover-up covering the unsuccessful tattoo with a new design.
That is, if you realize that you are not satisfied with the old version, you need to urgently find another artist who will do the cover-up before you become emotionally “stuck” with a broken tattoo.
You can quickly do a cover-up covering the unsuccessful tattoo with a new design.
That is, if you realize that you are not satisfied with the old version, you need to urgently find another artist who will do the cover-up before you become emotionally “stuck” with a broken tattoo.
15) Did any of the artists do something to you that you wanted to have redone right there and then during the session?
Rinat: I've had many different tattoo artists, and some of them were mischievous — they wrote obscene words on me.
For example, one artist was doing a freehand tattoo on my forearm, waited for the moment when I was looking at the process, and started writing a swear word. He looked me in the eyes and waited for my reaction: “What are you going to do about it?”
Then he covered it up, but the fact that such a word was written on you for a while is slightly unsettling.
For example, one artist was doing a freehand tattoo on my forearm, waited for the moment when I was looking at the process, and started writing a swear word. He looked me in the eyes and waited for my reaction: “What are you going to do about it?”
Then he covered it up, but the fact that such a word was written on you for a while is slightly unsettling.
Read the second part of the questions here