Tattoo Tuesday V.88

Name and blog name: Zoe // www.pretty-zoo.com

Age: 24

Occupation: Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Jewelery Designer & Maker

Age of first tattoo: 19

Favorite tattoo: My Blue Rose or my Hot Air Balloon

Featured tattoo/location: My Hot Air Balloon on my right arm

Artist/shop of feature tattoo: Sascha at Frankfurt Tattoo, Frankfurt, Germany

1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

It's an old-school style hot air balloon surrounded by clouds and blue flowers, with some little rain-drops. It's my most recent tattoo, I got it in March this year while I was living in Frankfurt. I moved from New Zealand to Germany in August 2010 and I'd wanted a hot air balloon for a while. I don't really have any meanings behind my tattoos (I just like them visually) but it seemed to make sense to get it while I was beginning a travel adventure! Sascha painted a watercolor of the design up for me to check out before he tattooed it, and I love the old-school style and colours! It took 4 hours of inking time and I may or may not have had my feet propped up on a 12 pack of toilet paper and given a Scooby-doo lollipop for a sugar hit when I got dizzy towards the end...

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

Yes, they're mostly surrounding my balloon! I've got a blue rose on the inside of my arm which I got in New Zealand in 2008, and a colorful fan design on my upper arm/shoulder (same artist in NZ but in 2010) The balloon fills in the space in-between, and I think Sascha did a great job in 'merging' them. Apart from those, I have a little colourful heart and flower design on my upper back, in the middle, which was my first tattoo when I was 19. And I still like it! ;)

3) Do you plan on getting more?

Yes…. there's still a strip on the underside of my arm I'd like to fill. I have joked about leaving it un-tattooed for when I'm an old lady and get saggy arm skin, I can get it nipped & tucked it without affecting my tattoos, but that's just being silly! ;) I'll get it filled eventually when I find a great artist and think of something I'd really like to go there. I like the idea of 'collecting' tattoos from artists around the world, from the cities I live in or visit.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos?

My parents like my tattoos- my Dad has a forest scene back-piece and my Mum has some roses and a bird on her back. I started getting interested in tattoos when I was about 12 or 13 when my Dad started his back piece. He took one of my drawings to his tattooist one session, just to show him, and came home telling me his artist thought it was really good- I was so excited! I wanted to be a tattooist ever since then, but my family 'steered' me towards doing a university degree first and then deciding. So now I'm a designer but I'd still love to try my hand at tattooing!

My twin sister has one and is planning a tribute tattoo for her two boys, and quite a few of my friends have them too. I designed a nurse Russian Doll for my friend which covers the side of her thigh, it's really cool having my design on my friends skin forever! My boyfriend hasn't got any and I don't think he ever will; he's not a huge fan of my tattoos but his attitude is that it's my body, so I can get tattoos if I want!

I haven't experienced any negativity really, but I've had people ask me about them (which is totally fine) or grab my arm as I walk past (not so fine...)

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

Research your tattoo artist, find someone that has a portfolio full of the kind of work you're going for. Expect to go on a long waiting list for a good artist (it'll be worth it)

Eat before your appointment! And take along some real food (like a sandwich or fruit) if it's going to be a long session. Also a sugary drink or candy ;) I'm the queen of shock and fainting so I really need to keep my sugar levels up when being tattooed.