Should I get it all done in one session or should I break it down into a few different sessions?

Question

I'm planning to get half or possibly 3/4 sleeves some point next year. So I was wondering if I should get the outline,and shading down in one session or have the shading down in a few sessions to make the sit down time shorter.

If your going to be rude/hateful,etc don't bother wasting your time,and my time with a response that will end up being reported.

10 points for most helpful answer.

Answer 1

im not sure, but i know i have over 300 hrs of ink on my body. some hurt more, some hurt less. everyone is different, and every artist will agree. my husband wont do more than 2 hrs of inking at a time, because a tattoo is a wound. you do not want to make ur skin hamburger. (thats if ur going for coloring)  if u just want the outline done, get it done, then, after it heals, go back and get as much ink as both you can take, and ur artist recomends.

good luck.

Answer 2

Most probably wouldn't have time to do shading and outline in one session. Its probably best to break it into a few sessions, though obviously how many depends on how complicated your tattoo is.  

Answer 3

I wish I had the guts to get a sleeve!  If you can handle the pain for a long period of time, you should get as much done as you can in one session. If you do, I would also consider finding an artist who is willing to sit and tattoo you for a long period of time without getting sleepy. Then again, it might be a good idea to break it up into multiple sessions as well b/c just like your hands get weak after coloring for so long, tattoo artists hands will get weak from tattooing for so long! Have fun! Hope I helped! :)

Answer 4

I agree get the outline done a day before the shading next it not only gives you a rest it also gives the skin time to strengthen again.

Or if your up for it get it done the same day but something like outline morning shading afternoon getting it done in one go tightens the skin  

Answer 5

id honestly get the outline done one day and the shading done another time or a few times

or do it in 1/4s and get both the outline and the shading done in one day, the outline hurts more than shading since the shading is in one spot and it numbs it more

Answer 6

Depending on the size I'd say outline first, then go back a few weeks later for the fill in. Not sure if you have tattoos, sorry if you already know this, but you usually have to wait a few weeks before sittings on the same tattoo so the skin can fully heal. So anyone suggesting you get half done one day and go back the next day/later that day for the rest should be ignored. A Overwork the skin and don't give it time to heal in between sittings and the tattoo will be completely messed up.

Most people forget that tattooing is tiring on both the person being tattooed, and the artist doing the tattoo. You for the obvious reason, and the tattooist because they're having to concentrate completely for long periods of time, that is incredibly tiring.

Obviously you want the artist at their best, since you want the tattoo to look the best it can look. That said, I'd say have a talk to your artist about it, since they're the one doing the work.

Answer 7

i found the worst part of getting a tattoo is the care taking over the next 2 weeks, so i get all mine done in 1 sitting so its not a constant hassle

Answer 8

I would do all of the outlining first. Then wait awhile and let that heal because a piece that big is going to be sore. Then go back and get the shading done in either one or two sessions. If you decide to do it in 2 make sure that they fill all of the tattoo in before they start again. For example. If you get a tribal done around your bicep, do all of the coloring at once because if you get half of it done around the outer part  of the bicep,and let that heal and then go back for the inner bicep the inks will be off. Also make sure that the artist uses the right inks for the other half of the tattoo if you decide to do it in 2 sessions.

Answer 9

1 session...just save urself the trouble.

Answer 10

Something as large as a half sleeve should probably outlined first and shaded in a second sitting. If your design is detailed, this is especially true since you'll have lots of smaller lines. If you were filling in your arm with something relatively simple like clouds you may be able to get away with shading and outline in one go, but for the sleeves most folks choose you may want to do it in two sessions.

Your tattoo is a wound and will take time to heal. It's also going to trigger all of the responses in your body that a big injury usually would. So you will probably be sore, tired and just not in shape to continue being tattooed all day long. There are lots of people who can sit down for an 8 hour tattoo. However there are a great many more people who can only sit for 2-3 hours before they've had more than enough. How long and well you can sit depends on your body's response and the area being tattooed. In general, you shouldn't sit for sessions that are so long that you feel literally sick when you're done. If that happens, consider taking a shorter session next time.

Once you've got your design picked out, you should work with your artist on how they think the piece should be broken up. For example my backpiece is sort of a stained glass window with a large, solid black tree as the focus. I had one day of putting the tree itself on and partially filling it which took 8 hours. The next session weeks later was to fill more tree and put the lines for the stained glass in which took another 8 hours. The session after that was 6 hours of filling in the last of the tree and some of the glass itself. I still have several more sessions of coloring to go.

Part of the reason I was able to sit so long for my backpiece was that we were spreading the work out over a large area. Since no one spot was getting overworked, we were able to keep moving around and making progress. If I had tried to fit 8 hours of work onto my arm I would have had one swollen, agonizingly sore arm afterwards. Worse still, my body would have been in a panic to try to heal all of that damage and might have disturbed my tattoo.

Work with your artist to find a reasonable, manageable way to divide up your tattoo. Anyone who's ever had a really large tattoo will understand that it's not about how long you can possibly survive sitting; it's about sitting well and feeling good enough at the end to come back again in a month for more work on the piece.  

Answer 11

To get the best advice...

talk it over with your artist.

He may need a break as much as you

if the piece is very large. He is the one

who will decide how much time he can

put in at one time. You may take as

many breaks as are needed. Large pieces

are almost always done in several sittings.