What the fuck is this thing on my leg?

After going back and reading a few of my blogs, I realize that even after four sessions, I have not updated at all on the progression of my beautiful leg-length tattoo. For those of you just tuning in it has been an incredible experience, and with many hours, a couple Valium and lots of money later, we are finally in the home stretch. I have one session left! Here's the progression for you crazy, crazy kids.

This is where it all started. About 

four hours of intense outlining, followed by hours, days even of total and complete leg-narcissism. I would miss my favorite TV shows to lovingly spread lotion across the branches. Though, so much love has a price, and it was the most painful experience I thought I'd ever have...or so I thought...

 

Session two was a lot easier to handle. A little over two hours and finally my tree actually started to look like, well, a tree! The legoism (leg+egoism) continued full force and I was constantly just itching (literally and figuratively) to get back into the shop and get more work done. As opposed to it's predecessor, after this session, I had minimal soreness and could walk perfectly fine.

AND SO THE COLOR BEGINS! This was definitely a fun, short session where everything really starting coming to life. I've always been a fan of shading over outlining, comparing it to a pleasant scratch and this was no exception. The colors for the flowers and greens were chosen (I got to avoid pink at all costs) and I was left just wishing we had done more.

I probably wouldn't have sung the same tune had I known what I was in for next...

THREE AND A HALF HOURS OF THE WORST PAIN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I mean, look at that! Okay, okay, it's gorgeous and I love it, but here, let me blow something up for you...

 

THAT IS THE VERY BALL OF MY ANKLE, or the bottom of my fibula, if you want to get technical. Now, I'm a bigger girl, but no amount of bread is going to get me fat RIGHT THERE. There's nothing to it! Skin on bone with no mercy. For the first time in any of my body modifying history (and there has been so much) I shed a couple tears.

Oh, I didn't even tell you the worst part. Where as most tattoo and shading-familiar people will tell you, the most common shading needle to use is a size 8 or an 11 (I believe). That is what I've always been accustomed to. But Todd, in his infinite wisdom and possibly sadistic tendencies decided it would only be proper to use a 25 needle on me. The width of the tip of the gun itself is comparable to my two thumbs put together* and where I've always recognized shading as a pleasant, pleasurable experience, this has destroyed that world into a dystopian society of pain.

But, let's face it; it's gorgeous. The bigger the needle the faster the work gets done and the less money I spend. I'm in love with everything about this tattoo and now that it's so close to being finished I'm holding off on the last session until everything is completely healed. I'll miss my weekly visits to Studio City Tattoo, but I'm sure I'll have more work to bring back to the boys in due time.

If you're in the area, I implore you to go to SCT above anywhere else for all your tattooing and piercing needs. This is my third piece by Todd Townsend and I'm just as thrilled as ever with how it's turning out.