Do you remember the first time.........

So, i have popped my cherry, broke the mold, no going back now.
That was an experience!
Nothing like running a SPACE party for 10 4yr olds to take your mind off scarring your sister for life! Up until 1.30pm I was dressed as a Thunderbird, running dance contests and picking party poppers out of my hair.
Then, quick change, grab the sis and walk down to the town.
I didn't think I was nervous, until I realised that I kept sighing and breathing heavily....

When I got there, I was all ready to have a quick whirl on the old pigskin, when the Tattooist came upstairs and told me that I was not allowed a practise! As he put it, "You've done 25 birds on pigskin and it's not going to be the same, so just get on with it!"
I did look to Kelly, for reassurance, but fuck me, she agreed with him!

Nerves kicked in, my machine wouldn't work......my gloves were too small, i could feel the sweat building up in the gloves.
Meanwhile, my poor sister is lying on the couch, hotpants on, at the ready.
I started, the line kept running out, machine lost power. The tattooist came up and fiddled with my machine - usually I would do it myself, but it seemed that the only things I could focus on were holding the machine and breathing.

Swopped the machine to another one....and that did the same! Was getting seriously pissed off with the machines and myself by now! My hand is shaking like someone with motor neurone disease, the Tattooist is telling me to calm down machine is making a weird noise.....

Rose came upstairs and gave me the best bit of advice I had heard all day - "Sometimes you've just got to grow a pair!"

Suddenly, the machine made it's proper noise. I did one line and it came out black, even and straight! Something clicked in my head and my hand stopped shaking....
After that, it was ok! I managed to cover up my first crap line with some shading, gave it a cute little beak..

I even went in for some shading on the wing and tail. I really got into that...and even managed a little chat with someone who came in to get some work photographed.

So, it's over. The first one is done. I think i will probably still be terrified the next time I do one. I learnt that I was not actually worried about hurting my sister, just giving her a shit tattoo....once I stopped over thinking and just drew, it was much easier
and i have learnt that my sister is even more brave and patient than i thought she was.

Today I learnt that Rose hates figs. and dates.
So, you see, it's a steep learning curve.

xx