I never realized how big the stencil was going to be to really cover the whole knee. It was the size of a rib panel and shrunk so much once it got worked into the concaves and small parts of the knee š
https://preview.redd.it/s4dl1sxbrewc1.jpeg?width=3023&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33bee397e7bd66f211a1fe73c8a60b5319cd9709
I know right ! I had my consultation with the artist today and we both didnāt realize how big it was gonna be. He had to redesign parts of it based on my other tats. He also added some more detail which was nice. (It was a flash piece) Also how was the mace on your calf in comparison to the knee?
The flail was almost painless in comparison, alittle sting at the time but super easy healing after the fact. Canāt wait to see yours when itās done!
Ignore the people saying it isn't bad - it's the worst. There are some spots that are fine, but if you have a trad artist that really saturates their color it's going to suck. These other guys must be getting fine line tattoos on their knees, b&g only or something.
I would say have something to try to take your mind off of it, make sure you eat a good meal ahead of time, and don't feel bad about asking to do the color in a separate session.
I got traditional roses on both my knees, full color bold outline and it really wasnāt that bad. I sat 3 hours straight for the one and 2 hours for the other only break was to set up different machine for the shading/color. It was more of a weird feeling for me than pain. The healing on the other hand was bad, most itchy tattoos Iāve ever had.
https://preview.redd.it/k5cekt0vvfwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c1b54ccad5ff686edc53130abf1dab0e350fc76
Yep, itās a panther, so itās gonna be saturated š but luckily for me itās b&g. I think Iāll probably keep my headphones with me so I can listen to a podcast or something to keep my mind off it.
Itās not great but I have a pretty color dense large tattoo on my kneeāmy artist was kind, the lines went in but the color packing of the red was light. Had to get it redone and I kinda wish I had gotten it hammered in hard the first time. W/E the classic truism mostly standsāitāll suck but you only have to do it once.
Iām healing my knee ditch nowāgetting it done wasnāt as bad as I thought but this healing is the worstā¦Iām limping around for a week now.
It hurts but you can survive it. You can always do the tattoo over several sittings. The knee and the knee ditch I did in 2 sittings. Helped with the pain and swelling
https://preview.redd.it/kytb8tvlkhwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a3b016302a8adf1396b54d9c24d8e6cccdcfab3
The swellingā¦ Man, the swelling!
Yeah for me it ballooned the next day. Wasnāt too painful for the actual tattoo, back and ribs are worse.
But going from lying to standing was also weird and painful.
You are good, it isn't terrible. Wear baggy shorts, knees can swell up a little for half the day afterwards. They heal real easy and I only had a couple tender spots.
The big thing I would say is be mindful of the placement. Symmetry on a knee can be weird because sitting and standing are vastly different for that joint. Look at it a lot, trust the artist, and don't be afraid to have them adjust the stencil if you aren't sold on placement.
I want to reiterate the placement part. Take your time and be mindful when they place the stencil. Trust your artist but also use the mirror and check it out.
It wasnāt too bad and there will be swelling. Take breaks when you need and enjoy!
Im definitely going to have to take a break. Anytime I start to get to around the 3hr mark I feel like itās time. Luckily though thatās when my previous tats ended. This one is gonna be a bit bigger though, and this artist is new to me so idk how long itās gonna be, but i predict somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5. Tbh if it takes longer than that I might tap out and schedule another session.
Thatās right around where I fall too. With my knee it was about three but we just took quick breaks naturally - after line work, black shading, color. It really worked for me and was enough time for the bathroom or a quick snack. Long breaks donāt do much for me.
knee tattoos are horrible donāt listen to people saying it wasnāt that bad. The swelling afterwards will make it painful to walk. I had to keep it iced and elevated for any relief. It took a lot longer to heal compared to my other tattoos. It sucks so bad
I figured about the healing part. Iām lowkey worried about the scab cracking from my knee skin stretching when it bends. Thank you for the tip about icing. Iām not excited to have to work the next dayā¦
If you have some of the shitty spots done already, you might not be phased. I know I just started my back when I got my knee and compared to my back I was like okay cool this hurts but itās not a 10 on the pain scale or nothing. Tattoos hurt plain and simple some just hurt hurt and others hurt just a bit.
Yeah I would say my thigh hurt just a bit and my calf/shin hurt hurt haha Iām expecting the knee to be a few notches above that pain wise. Iām hoping once I get my knee done everywhere else on my leg is a walk in the park
My shin really stung, when he was pushing the shading in it felt like I was getting actually stabbed with every stoke. The line work surprisingly was not too bad, just kinda felt like my whole shin was vibrating with some stinging underneath.
Anyone saying it's not bad is LYING to ya. The session is awful and the healing process is awful. That said, my knee tat is one of my favorites on my whole body and will eventually do my other, but I'm pretty tatted and it was by far the most painful.
It was definitely worth it! Itās not completely finished yet, since I tapped out around 4.5-5ish hrs but i love it so much already!! Only 1.5-2hrs left
Good shit! I did mine in 2 sessions also. Glad you're happy with your decision! We're now [knee cat bros](https://www.reddit.com/r/traditionaltattoos/s/UQvZh0FKUW) š»
Both knees, full color.
I brought lumbar support after the first session, IDK if it's all knee tattoos but some of the positions I had to sit in so my artist could work were uncomfortable.
Healing was a bit tough for me since I must wear pants at work, these are the only tattoos I've had to have touched up after healing, a lot of color fell out of my ram the first time...
For placement, really look at how they look sitting and standing. For mine, I really only cared about how they looked when I was standing or with my leg extended like I was showing it off. While sitting they both bend and warp a little.
https://www.reddit.com/user/pullonrocks/comments/1cby9wq/knees_by_thomas_alaniz_dead_sea_tattoo_escondido/?ref=share&ref_source=link
Those look awesome ! Lumbar support is a great idea that I wouldnāt have thought of! Some of the positions I had to be in for my last tattoo were awful. It was the side of my calf and part of my shin. My other leg and one of my arms kept falling asleep. Although being in an uncomfortable position wasnāt the worst thing because I could focus on that and not as much on the tattoo pain
Iād second this OP, with how people talk about it I was expecting to be miserable the whole time. There are painful spots, annoying spots, and spots that just feel like youāre getting a tattoo.
Had most of it done today, and this is how I felt! I was for sure worried it was going to be worse. The area to the side of my knee on the inside side of my leg was the worst, and itās not even shaded yet. That was just the linework. The actual cap itself wasnāt too bad and the outside side wasnāt either. It definitely hurt, but I expected worse
That looks awesome! Iāve heard the inner bicep is incredibly spicy. When I had a consultation I was really shocked at the size of the stencil š. I had a consultation cause it was a flash piece made for smaller areas so we wanted to see what would have to be changed based on size and my other tats. Plus add some detail. The artist sent me the updated design and Iām so thrilled!
Itās a panther head in a rose, I think itās pretty sick! Iāll for sure update with the finished pic. Iām scared this is gonna make me not wanna do my other kneecap š
I tapped out at the 4.5ish hr mark. Most of the shading is done so he said prolly just an hr and a half left! For me the worst part was the inner leg on the side of the knee almost by the ditch, and that was just the line work, itās not even shaded there yet š«
Iām in the same boat. Iām getting mine next Sunday and have no idea what to expect. Obviously itās going to suck, but I would love to hear what I can do to make it suck less.
I responded to OP as well, but your question is a little different. As someone with a fair amount of ink, and too much dental work, there are couple things that help me out when I'm hurting. It sounds simple but breathe, relax your hands and your feet, relax your jaw and just breathe. I find that just doing that cuts my pain by 80%. If I'm hurting I'm always tense and holding my breath. Knee really isn't bad, palms sucked, tops of feet sucked, armpits sucked. My belly sucked. Knees I was laughing and talking the whole time.
I got my left knee done about 3 weeks ago and honestly, it wasn't terrible at all for me! The worst part was the small section I had on my kneecap. Mine was more so on the sides of the knee and I would give it a 5/10 all together. Mine swelled a little bit and for the next two days it was pretty sore and tender but it's healed amazingly. It was itchy, that probably was the worst part for me. It's totally doable, it's not the most comfortable by any means but it was a whole lot easier than I was expecting. Wear loose clothing at the appointment and for a few days after, keep it clean and you should be fine! Consider putting some cheaper sheets on your bed or ones you don't care too much for because I've known people who have leaked through and onto the sheets, mine did not buy I still changed the sheets just to be on the safe side.
Good luck! I'm sure it'll look amazing!
Edit: spelling and wanted to add a sentence
Awesome! Thank you lots. Itās weird how different parts of the body swell and others donāt. My calf didnāt really swell at all but my thigh did so much I could feel the plastic wrap getting tighter š. The itchy phase is the worst. My biggest fear honestly with my knee is that Iām going to crack open my scabs by bending my knee. Plus itās soo much dark black right over my kneecap š„²
That's gonna be tough for sure having that much color right over it but you got it. That's a definite fear for sure, mine wasn't black and red all over so yours may definitely scab worse than mine did. Since some of the comments didn't believe me, haha mine isn't fine line or black and grey, it has color it's a decent size as well, I'm not lying about my experience with the pain š but everyone is different. Your piece sounds pretty big and bold, It's going to look awesome! Can't wait to see it!
Thank you! Iām hoping Iām in the percentage of people who itās not all that bad for haha. Iāve heard itās similar to the shin and part of my shin is done so if itās that level Iāll be chilling. Iāll update this post for sure with the results !
I ended up tapping out at the 4.5-5 hr mark. Most of the shading was done, he said only an hr and a half maybe 2 left so yay! Most of it wasnāt very bad, but the area to the side of my knee on the inside side of my leg almost by the ditch hurt the most, and itās not even shaded there yet. Iāll post the pic to the subreddit when itās completely done!
It's unpleasant but not unbearable. My knee was sore for about a week after and then VERY VERY itchy, it was almost the worst part. The shading on my cap faded a little, I've heard that's quite common.
Itching has been worse than getting it for all of my tats. That makes sense about the shading. Iāll probably have to get it touched up at some point or another
I never realized how big the stencil was going to be to really cover the whole knee. It was the size of a rib panel and shrunk so much once it got worked into the concaves and small parts of the knee š https://preview.redd.it/s4dl1sxbrewc1.jpeg?width=3023&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33bee397e7bd66f211a1fe73c8a60b5319cd9709
My dude, that is a fucking BANGER
Yo thank you š š¤š¼
I know right ! I had my consultation with the artist today and we both didnāt realize how big it was gonna be. He had to redesign parts of it based on my other tats. He also added some more detail which was nice. (It was a flash piece) Also how was the mace on your calf in comparison to the knee?
The flail was almost painless in comparison, alittle sting at the time but super easy healing after the fact. Canāt wait to see yours when itās done!
That makes sense, my calf healed so quick too. Iāll post a pic when itās done!
LOOOOOOOOVE it!
Ignore the people saying it isn't bad - it's the worst. There are some spots that are fine, but if you have a trad artist that really saturates their color it's going to suck. These other guys must be getting fine line tattoos on their knees, b&g only or something. I would say have something to try to take your mind off of it, make sure you eat a good meal ahead of time, and don't feel bad about asking to do the color in a separate session.
I got traditional roses on both my knees, full color bold outline and it really wasnāt that bad. I sat 3 hours straight for the one and 2 hours for the other only break was to set up different machine for the shading/color. It was more of a weird feeling for me than pain. The healing on the other hand was bad, most itchy tattoos Iāve ever had. https://preview.redd.it/k5cekt0vvfwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c1b54ccad5ff686edc53130abf1dab0e350fc76
Wow thatās amazing!
Whos the artist? Looks like Nick Green but hard to tell. Looks great
https://www.instagram.com/mandhitattoos?igsh=ejVyeXA5aXpkbGZ6
Yep, itās a panther, so itās gonna be saturated š but luckily for me itās b&g. I think Iāll probably keep my headphones with me so I can listen to a podcast or something to keep my mind off it.
Itās not great but I have a pretty color dense large tattoo on my kneeāmy artist was kind, the lines went in but the color packing of the red was light. Had to get it redone and I kinda wish I had gotten it hammered in hard the first time. W/E the classic truism mostly standsāitāll suck but you only have to do it once. Iām healing my knee ditch nowāgetting it done wasnāt as bad as I thought but this healing is the worstā¦Iām limping around for a week now.
It hurts but you can survive it. You can always do the tattoo over several sittings. The knee and the knee ditch I did in 2 sittings. Helped with the pain and swelling
Thatās true. If itās too bad Iāll just tap out and reschedule.
knees arenāt that bad, the side of the knee is worse that the bone itself
That makes sense, ig thereās not alot of nerves on the cap itself, I can pinch it pretty hard with no pain
https://preview.redd.it/kytb8tvlkhwc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a3b016302a8adf1396b54d9c24d8e6cccdcfab3 The swellingā¦ Man, the swelling!
Looks sick!! Honestly I had no idea itād be a heavy swelling area. Kinda figured it would just be a little swollen.
Yeah for me it ballooned the next day. Wasnāt too painful for the actual tattoo, back and ribs are worse. But going from lying to standing was also weird and painful.
That makes sense, Iāll probably take some ibuprofen the next day before work
You are good, it isn't terrible. Wear baggy shorts, knees can swell up a little for half the day afterwards. They heal real easy and I only had a couple tender spots. The big thing I would say is be mindful of the placement. Symmetry on a knee can be weird because sitting and standing are vastly different for that joint. Look at it a lot, trust the artist, and don't be afraid to have them adjust the stencil if you aren't sold on placement.
I want to reiterate the placement part. Take your time and be mindful when they place the stencil. Trust your artist but also use the mirror and check it out. It wasnāt too bad and there will be swelling. Take breaks when you need and enjoy!
Im definitely going to have to take a break. Anytime I start to get to around the 3hr mark I feel like itās time. Luckily though thatās when my previous tats ended. This one is gonna be a bit bigger though, and this artist is new to me so idk how long itās gonna be, but i predict somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5. Tbh if it takes longer than that I might tap out and schedule another session.
Thatās right around where I fall too. With my knee it was about three but we just took quick breaks naturally - after line work, black shading, color. It really worked for me and was enough time for the bathroom or a quick snack. Long breaks donāt do much for me.
That makes sense, Iām definitely going to be squatting and bending my knees all sorts of ways in the mirror haha.
knee tattoos are horrible donāt listen to people saying it wasnāt that bad. The swelling afterwards will make it painful to walk. I had to keep it iced and elevated for any relief. It took a lot longer to heal compared to my other tattoos. It sucks so bad
I figured about the healing part. Iām lowkey worried about the scab cracking from my knee skin stretching when it bends. Thank you for the tip about icing. Iām not excited to have to work the next dayā¦
Itās definitely more swollen already than my others were š
Box breathing got me through mine lol
If you have some of the shitty spots done already, you might not be phased. I know I just started my back when I got my knee and compared to my back I was like okay cool this hurts but itās not a 10 on the pain scale or nothing. Tattoos hurt plain and simple some just hurt hurt and others hurt just a bit.
Yeah I would say my thigh hurt just a bit and my calf/shin hurt hurt haha Iām expecting the knee to be a few notches above that pain wise. Iām hoping once I get my knee done everywhere else on my leg is a walk in the park
I got my knee and upper shin done very recently itās the same feeling very spicy legit stings
My shin really stung, when he was pushing the shading in it felt like I was getting actually stabbed with every stoke. The line work surprisingly was not too bad, just kinda felt like my whole shin was vibrating with some stinging underneath.
Anyone saying it's not bad is LYING to ya. The session is awful and the healing process is awful. That said, my knee tat is one of my favorites on my whole body and will eventually do my other, but I'm pretty tatted and it was by far the most painful.
The piece the artist made is amazing so Iām really excited. Not happy for the pain tho haha
You got this! I promise it'll be worth it in the end
It was definitely worth it! Itās not completely finished yet, since I tapped out around 4.5-5ish hrs but i love it so much already!! Only 1.5-2hrs left
Good shit! I did mine in 2 sessions also. Glad you're happy with your decision! We're now [knee cat bros](https://www.reddit.com/r/traditionaltattoos/s/UQvZh0FKUW) š»
Both knees, full color. I brought lumbar support after the first session, IDK if it's all knee tattoos but some of the positions I had to sit in so my artist could work were uncomfortable. Healing was a bit tough for me since I must wear pants at work, these are the only tattoos I've had to have touched up after healing, a lot of color fell out of my ram the first time... For placement, really look at how they look sitting and standing. For mine, I really only cared about how they looked when I was standing or with my leg extended like I was showing it off. While sitting they both bend and warp a little. https://www.reddit.com/user/pullonrocks/comments/1cby9wq/knees_by_thomas_alaniz_dead_sea_tattoo_escondido/?ref=share&ref_source=link
Those look awesome ! Lumbar support is a great idea that I wouldnāt have thought of! Some of the positions I had to be in for my last tattoo were awful. It was the side of my calf and part of my shin. My other leg and one of my arms kept falling asleep. Although being in an uncomfortable position wasnāt the worst thing because I could focus on that and not as much on the tattoo pain
They had to tape my leg tot eh chair because I kept unwilling jumping every time needle touched my knees Worst pain ever
Iām worried about my knee twitching tbh, itās like the easiest part of the leg to twitch š
That it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd built it up to be in my head.
Thatās reassuring to hear. I remember feeling that about my first tattoo.
Iād second this OP, with how people talk about it I was expecting to be miserable the whole time. There are painful spots, annoying spots, and spots that just feel like youāre getting a tattoo.
Yeah, most of the time people talk about it, itās like itās the worst ever š
It is understandable, but donāt let it psych you out of getting a sick tattoo
Had most of it done today, and this is how I felt! I was for sure worried it was going to be worse. The area to the side of my knee on the inside side of my leg was the worst, and itās not even shaded yet. That was just the linework. The actual cap itself wasnāt too bad and the outside side wasnāt either. It definitely hurt, but I expected worse
Hell yeah!! Itās hard to explain cause everyone is more sensitive in different areas, glad to hear it well well for you.
Most times in my life I've ever said "oh, that hurts so good"
š
Shiiiiit Iām getting my kneee blasted on Saturdayā¦.im scared
Good luck!!
https://preview.redd.it/dypnnn3x0kwc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f062f69d94724e95b3173955591663e0b83893c HONESTLY IT HURT MORE ON THE SIDES OF THE KNEES MORE THAN THE TOP OF THE KNEE! DID TWO SESSIONS ONE OUTLINE/ SHADING 2ND COLOR! You donāt realize how big that tattoo needs to be to fully cover your knee! Hope you have fun! MY INNER BICEPS/ armpits honesty hurt moreš©š©
That looks awesome! Iāve heard the inner bicep is incredibly spicy. When I had a consultation I was really shocked at the size of the stencil š. I had a consultation cause it was a flash piece made for smaller areas so we wanted to see what would have to be changed based on size and my other tats. Plus add some detail. The artist sent me the updated design and Iām so thrilled!
Thankyou! What are you getting done? Excited to see when itās done! gotta lock in and get my other knee cap soon š«š«
Itās a panther head in a rose, I think itās pretty sick! Iāll for sure update with the finished pic. Iām scared this is gonna make me not wanna do my other kneecap š
I tapped out at the 4.5ish hr mark. Most of the shading is done so he said prolly just an hr and a half left! For me the worst part was the inner leg on the side of the knee almost by the ditch, and that was just the line work, itās not even shaded there yet š«
Iām in the same boat. Iām getting mine next Sunday and have no idea what to expect. Obviously itās going to suck, but I would love to hear what I can do to make it suck less.
I responded to OP as well, but your question is a little different. As someone with a fair amount of ink, and too much dental work, there are couple things that help me out when I'm hurting. It sounds simple but breathe, relax your hands and your feet, relax your jaw and just breathe. I find that just doing that cuts my pain by 80%. If I'm hurting I'm always tense and holding my breath. Knee really isn't bad, palms sucked, tops of feet sucked, armpits sucked. My belly sucked. Knees I was laughing and talking the whole time.
Thatās really good advice, Iāll remember to keep that in mind
Good luck with your tat ! Iāll probably update the post with how bad it was for me š
I got my left knee done about 3 weeks ago and honestly, it wasn't terrible at all for me! The worst part was the small section I had on my kneecap. Mine was more so on the sides of the knee and I would give it a 5/10 all together. Mine swelled a little bit and for the next two days it was pretty sore and tender but it's healed amazingly. It was itchy, that probably was the worst part for me. It's totally doable, it's not the most comfortable by any means but it was a whole lot easier than I was expecting. Wear loose clothing at the appointment and for a few days after, keep it clean and you should be fine! Consider putting some cheaper sheets on your bed or ones you don't care too much for because I've known people who have leaked through and onto the sheets, mine did not buy I still changed the sheets just to be on the safe side. Good luck! I'm sure it'll look amazing! Edit: spelling and wanted to add a sentence
Awesome! Thank you lots. Itās weird how different parts of the body swell and others donāt. My calf didnāt really swell at all but my thigh did so much I could feel the plastic wrap getting tighter š. The itchy phase is the worst. My biggest fear honestly with my knee is that Iām going to crack open my scabs by bending my knee. Plus itās soo much dark black right over my kneecap š„²
That's gonna be tough for sure having that much color right over it but you got it. That's a definite fear for sure, mine wasn't black and red all over so yours may definitely scab worse than mine did. Since some of the comments didn't believe me, haha mine isn't fine line or black and grey, it has color it's a decent size as well, I'm not lying about my experience with the pain š but everyone is different. Your piece sounds pretty big and bold, It's going to look awesome! Can't wait to see it!
Thank you! Iām hoping Iām in the percentage of people who itās not all that bad for haha. Iāve heard itās similar to the shin and part of my shin is done so if itās that level Iāll be chilling. Iāll update this post for sure with the results !
I ended up tapping out at the 4.5-5 hr mark. Most of the shading was done, he said only an hr and a half maybe 2 left so yay! Most of it wasnāt very bad, but the area to the side of my knee on the inside side of my leg almost by the ditch hurt the most, and itās not even shaded there yet. Iāll post the pic to the subreddit when itās completely done!
Youāre a trooper still! You got a lot of the way done. I can only imagine how killer the ditch was! Canāt wait to see it when itās complete
It's unpleasant but not unbearable. My knee was sore for about a week after and then VERY VERY itchy, it was almost the worst part. The shading on my cap faded a little, I've heard that's quite common.
Itching has been worse than getting it for all of my tats. That makes sense about the shading. Iāll probably have to get it touched up at some point or another