Tattoo Tuesday V.122

Name/blog name: Caitlin Lucy Danger - I don't have a blog, but you can find me on instagram: @lucydanger, or Facebook.
Age: 27
Occupation: Hairstylist
Age of first tattoo: 23
Favorite tattoo: My traditional style backpiece with Nina Simone lyrics, which was my first 'big' tattoo. Not only was it wonderfully executed, but the lyrics sum me up perfectly.
Featured tattoo info: My full sleeve, based on a Massachusetts/four seasons theme, by Alastair Cameron-Hodges who an amazing person and fantastic tattooer, based out of Boston. Also be sure to check out his Facebook page and give him a 'Like'!


1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story about why you chose it, or maybe a special meaning?

My full sleeve was what I considered the 'point of no return'. From this moment forward, there would be no more hiding my tattoos if necessary.  By this point in my life, I had decided to make a career change; leaving my desk job and entering the cosmetology industry. I knew that (luckily) it was a field where tattoos are accepted, if not expected...so I decided to go full speed ahead.

Having grown up in Massachusetts my whole life, I decided on something to commemorate my home state, and my love of the changing seasons/wacky weather we are graced with here. I told Alastair just that, and he did the research and came up with something more beautiful than I ever could have put together myself. The background incorporates traditional Japanese-style elements of water and air, while all the Massachusetts state symbols are represented; the right whale, ladybug, mayflower, chickadee, and elm tree. Fall leaves and snowflakes are interwoven into the sleeve as well, to tie it all together. It still requires a bit more touching up before it's completely done, but for all intents and purposes, it's finished, and I love it.

2) Do you have any other tattoos?  If so, what do you have and where?

I have a host of other tattoos, ranging from a fairy-tale themed 3/4 sleeve, to a classy t-rex wearing a monocle and sipping a glass of wine. My calves are a Valerie Vargas inspired design, and I have a traditional style flower on my foot which I got during a visit to LA (which happens to be one of the few tattoos not done by Alastair). I've recently started collecting tattoos on my fingers, which are lovingly referred to as 'finger trinkets'.
 

3) Do you plan on getting more?

Absolutely! I like my tattoos to be somewhat balanced on my body as far as placement, so next on the list is turning my 3/4 sleeve into a full sleeve and adding a piece on my left thigh to go along with Mr. Classy T-Rex (I'm ashamed to admit he doesn't have a name!). I'm also super excited to get started on a chest piece, which despite all my other highly-visible tattoos, is what I consider the biggest deal since it's what people will notice first when they look at me.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)?  Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?
Generally speaking, my family and friends have grown to appreciate (or at the very least, accept) my tattoos. Every time I get a new tattoo, my parents still ask "this will be the last one, right?" even though by now, they already know the answer. My mom actually got her first tattoo on her 60th birthday, so I like to think I converted even her.

As far as negativity, I find that when I'm in the suburbs, I tend to get more judgement and evil glares than I do in the city. I'm ok with that, because let's face it, I generally do stick out in a conservative small town. I find that once I start talking to people, they usually warm up, and that their initial strange looks were more out of curiosity than anything else. I get compliments from people I'd never expect, like little old ladies getting their weekly blowdry in the salon - those are the interactions that make me smile. I've found that even if someone would never get a tattoo themselves, they can at least appreciate mine from an artistic standpoint.

5) What's the most interesting experience you've ever had in regards to your tattoos?

What I find most interesting in regard to my tattoos is children's reactions to them. It seems that kids are still so naive and unscathed by society that they are intrigued, rather than wary or judgemental. I remember being at the salon, shampooing a client's hair, and a little girl who was standing by watching me at the sink was honestly concerned that my tattoos were going to wash off in the water. It was one of the cutest things I've ever encountered.

6) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

Research your artist. Take the time to decide what style
tattoo you want (and there are MANY), and find out who best can execute it. Look at portfolios, talk to the tattooer, and if the shop or the artist doesn't make you feel completely comfortable...leave. There are too many awesome tattooers out there to settle for crappy work or an unsanitary shop. It's going to be on your body for life, so don't cheap out...you absolutely get what you pay for.

Also, if you're going to put words on your body, be sure it's something you won't mind explaining to every curious person you encounter. People seem to lose all sense of personal boundaries when it comes to tattoos, and they WILL want to know why you have whatever specific quote or song lyric tattooed on you. They will ask, and they will ask for the rest of your life. Be prepared.