Best First Tattoos For Girls
Tattoos are permanent and personal, and getting your very first tattoo is a big step that can seem very intimidating. Getting a tattoo is a commitment, and the subject of your first tattoo is as significant as where it is placed, especially for a female. If you are considering getting your first tattoo done and wondering what it should be and where to get it, you have come to the right place!
The best first tattoo got a girl should be well-placed depending on the visibility of the tattoo and how the piece interacts with the body. The tattoo should be significant in some way or designed to be beautiful and inspiring. Never get a first tattoo just for the sake of it.
What tattoo to get and where to place it is an important decision, as it will be something that marks you and your tattoo experience for the rest of your days. Tattoos can be especially challenging for girls, and where a tattoo is placed is especially important in this situation. Let’s explore the best first tattoos for a girl, regarding the best places to get a first tattoo, and what some good first tattoo ideas are.
The Best First Tattoo Placement
When you are considering your very first tattoo, one of the most important factors is where the tattoo is placed. This aspect of the tattoo is critical as it determines how painful the tattoo will be, how visible the tattoo will be, and how long the tattoo will last.
Where the tattoo is placed is also likely to help determine the subject matter of the piece, the size of the artwork, and how the tattoo interacts with your body.
Deciding where you want to get your tattoo should be the first step in the process, and understanding what the placement means for you and your tattoo is vital.
Let’s begin by discussing the various aspects of first tattoo placement and the impact that it has before we get into what the tattoo should be.
Visibility
The visibility of a tattoo, especially a woman’s first tattoo, is vital. Where the tattoo is applied will determine how visible the piece is to others, and this will, in turn, determine how often other people see your tattoo.
Some locations allow the tattoo to be completely hidden at all times by clothing, such as on the ribs, sternum, thighs, or hips. However, some of these locations are incredibly painful for getting a tattoo.
Other locations are visible all the time, such as hands, neck, forearms, and ankles, but other locations are only visible when you want them to be, such as shoulders, back, upper arms, collar bone, or calves.
However, some tattoo locations are visible but easily hidden in plain sight. These locations include the inside of the writs, the inner bicep, the back of the arm above the elbow, or the waistline.
These are all important placement factors to consider because where the tattoo is will determine how often people see it, which people will see it, and how easily the tattoo can be hidden in certain situations and circumstances.
If you will never need to hide your tattoo for any reason, then the visibility of the piece is not important, but if you will need to conceal it for work, for cultural reasons, or for specific events, then it is important to consider where the tattoo is placed.
The visibility of the tattoo is also determined by the style, size, and colors of the piece. If you get a thin, small, black, and gray line-art tattoo, then it will be very simple to conceal. However, a large, colorful, bold, saturated piece will be very difficult to hide well.
Be sure to carefully consider the visibility of your first tattoo and how concerned you need to be about tattoo visibility before you move on with determining what your first tattoo should be.
Pain
The next biggest factor in tattoo placement after visibility is how painful the tattoo will be to apply. Every tattoo application is painful and takes time. Regardless of what the tattoo is or where it is placed, some areas of the body are more painful for tattooing and take much longer for the artist to work on, and the longer the application requires, the more pain you will have to endure.
Certain areas of the body are very easy for tattooing and are much more bearable than others. Tattooing the top of the thigh is very bearable, and this area is easier to work on than other areas.
Tattooing the ribs or sternum is very challenging for the artist and incredibly painful for the person receiving the ink. Areas like this are not ideal for the location of a first tattoo unless the piece is very small or you have a very high tolerance for pain.
Any area of the body that has thin skin, is close to the bone, is a sensitive area, or an area that contains many nerves close to the skin are painful areas to tattoo. This includes hands, elbows, collar bones, neck, face, buttocks, chest, heels, feet, sternum, ribs, shins, armpits, and inner thighs.
Easy areas for tattooing include the arms, wrists, outer thigh, calves, and back. Any area that is not too sensitive has thick muscle or skin, or an area that is already toughened by daily use are good areas for tattooing regarding how painful it will be to apply.
If your tattoo placement means more to you than the pain of getting the tattoo, then you will have to endure the pain, but if you are concerned about the pain of the experience, then try to choose a placement location that will cause the least pain possible.
Longevity
The longevity of a tattoo and how long it will last are also important factors that fall under the placement of the tattoo.
If any tattoo is placed on a part of the body that moves a lot, where the skin is stretched repeatedly, an area that is never covered, or an area that is constantly exposed to sunlight, the tattoo will not maintain good condition for as long as you may want it to.
Tattoos on hands, elbows, fingers, feet, and ankles do not last as long as tattoos placed on upper thighs, inner arms, or calves because the skin is constantly moving, and the area is often exposed to sunlight.
If you want your tattoo to retain vibrancy and clarity for as long as possible, choose a location that is on static skin and not exposed to sunlight much. This will help your tattoo remain looking as fresh as possible for as long as possible.
Tattoo Size
The last placement consideration to make is the size of the tattoo. The size of the piece will determine where it is possible to place it, and the placement of a tattoo will determine how big it can be.
Small tattoos can fit anywhere on the body but consider the shape of the piece and how it flows with the shape of that area of the body. Large tattoos require a large area of skin and therefore are limited regarding placement.
Be sure to choose an appropriate location and placement for your tattoo regarding its size. If the area around the tattoo is too large and open, the art may be lost, but if the piece fills too much space, it may be overwhelming.
Take time to consider the size of the tattoo that you want to get and where it will suit your body best.
The Best First Tattoo Subject Matter
Now that we have covered the important intricacies of first tattoo placement on a woman, it is not important to explore the subject matter of a first tattoo.
The subject matter of a tattoo is what the piece consists of. A tattoo could be an image, script, text, symbol, or something more impressionistic and interpretative. Every tattoo has a composition, and what the art is composed of is significant.
If you already know what you would like your first tattoo to be, then it is important to consider what that subject matter will look like and how to portray that to an artist. If you do not know what you want to get yet, let’s explore how to go about deciding what your first tattoo should be.
What Is Important To You?
A first tattoo is something that you will remember forever. Not only will the tattoo itself be permanent, but this tattoo will be marked as the very first piece that you applied. For this reason, it is so vital to not only think about the subject of the tattoo but how what the subject of the tattoo means to you.
It is important to not get a tattoo of something that looks good for the sake of aesthetics as a first tattoo, but rather think of a symbol, phrase, image, or design that engines a feeling, depicts a memory, or represents something personal and significant to you.
Subjects such as a way of life, a way of thinking, a reminder of who you want to be or who you are, a symbol depicting family, an image that reminds you of an event, or a design that represents something that you aspire to or admire are all good starting points for a first tattoo.
Is There A Story?
Another good place to find tattoo subject matter is a story. All great tattoos have a story attached to them, either of how the tattoo came to be, what the tattoo represents or a tattoo that brings a specific event to mind.
A story from your own life is a fantastic place to draw inspiration for a tattoo. A great story will provide the muse for a great tattoo, and the piece of art that is produced will be something that you cherish forever.
Your first tattoo should be something that signifies a personal event or moment rather than a generic symbol that is applied for the sake of it. Take your time to really think about something in your life that bias significant to you, and this will lead you down the path of discovery that creates the perfect first tattoo.
What Do You Find To Be Beautiful?
If you do not want to immortalize a story or mark a specific event, another good route for inspiring a great first tattoo subject is what you find beautiful in the world.
A tattoo does not have to have specific personal significance if it is something that you simply love and will enjoy looking at every day. These subjects can make excellent tattoos as well.
Is there something that refuels inspires you? Is there something in nature that you find stunningly beautiful? Is there a place or creature that you find your thoughts visit frequently? These are all ideal starting places when you are thinking of what a first tattoo should be.
This is a tattoo that you will remember forever and wear forever, so having the tattoo be something that you find beautiful or inspiring is an ideal subject.
The Effect On Your Appearance
A final thought on the subject matter for a first tattoo is something that not everyone getting a first tattoo thinks about. Your tattoo will affect your appearance. Getting a tattoo permanently alters the way you look, even if it is a very small tattoo in an unnoticeable area of the body.
For this reason, it is very important to choose a subject matter that you think will suit you, suit your body, suit your personality, and ultimately elevate your appearance rather than detract from it. Consider this aspect of a tattoo very carefully before committing to it.
What To Consider When Getting A First Tattoo
We have discussed the subject matter of a first tattoo and ideal placements for a girls’ first tattoo, but there are some other important considerations that should not be overlooked when getting your first tattoo done.
Always be sure that you do your research and find a tattoo artist that suits your style, is able to execute your tattoo well, and an artist that you will get along with. The chances are that if you enjoy your first tattoo artist, then you are likely to return to the same person for your next tattoos, sparking a years-long relationship that will determine the tattoos that you get.
Finding the right person to apply your tattoo is critical to how good the tattoo looks and what your experience will be when it is applied. Find someone with an artistic style that you like and a tattoo parlor that operates hygienically and at a very high standard. This will cost more, but the cost is well worth the quality of the tattoo.
When considering your first tattoo, it is always important to consult people that are close to you regarding the tattoo itself and its placement. If you have a person in your life whose opinion you trust, consult with them before going ahead with the tattoo.
Another consideration is to remember your heritage and your culture; getting a tattoo may be something that you regret later in life if it goes against your own cultural beliefs, even if a tattoo seems like a good idea right now.
Take your time and consider every aspect of applying a permanent tattoo to your body, and you will be sure to get something that you like, and it will be something that you will never regret as you move forward in your life.
Conclusion
At the end of it, a girl’s first tattoo should be something that is significant and well-placed. The placement and the subject matter of the tattoo are vital, so if you take the time to truly consider these aspects of the event, then you will be sure to end up with something that you will love for the rest of your life.
These tips are true for a first tattoo and every subsequent tattoo. Ink is permanent, so carefully consider what you are applying to your body and where it is placed. After all, this is an opportunity to tell a story or set achieving a goal in motion. This is a significant event that should be enjoyed but taken very seriously.
Some of my favorite designs, tattoo books, and aftercare products, selected for you
Thank you for reading my article, I hope that you have found it helpful. If you would have trouble finding ideas for your tattoo, wonder what is meaning of design that you have found or what to buy for aftercare, to make sure that your tattoo will be healing quickly and easily, here are some of my favorite products in one place, hope that this will also help.
Design and tattoo ideas
For some ideas you can have a look at those 3 books with hundreds of designs that I use with my clients, they are available on Amazon for Kindle or in classic, paper version (links below):
- Great Book of Tattoo Designs, Revised Edition: More than 500 Body Art Designs (Fox Chapel Publishing) Fantasy, Celtic, Floral, Wildlife, and Symbol Designs for the Skin by Lora Irish
- The Big Book of Small Tattoos – Vol.1: 400 small original tattoos for women and men by Roberto Gemori
- Tiny Tattoos: Over 1,000 Small Inspirational Artworks by Rebecca Vincent.
Tattoo meaning
If you would like to read more about the meaning of different tattoo styles and designs before you will decide what you would like to have, I can recommend a book that was really useful for me when I was starting my tattoo adventure – it’s “Conscious Ink: The Hidden Meaning of Tattoos” by Lisa Barretta (through the link you can find it on Amazon for around $10).
Tattoo aftercare
The skin at the tattoo site often dries out. To prevent it and speed up healing for my clients, I usually recommend one of those tattoo aftercare balms (you can find them on Amazon):
