Okay this is it.

Some of you have been requesting to see my tattoos (since 2 years ago – so sorry!) but I somehow didn't quite feel like sharing it in a blogpost.

But finally, I relented. Here's an entire post about my tattoos. Random decision, but here goes!

For those of you in the know, my most recent body art is a Greek tattoo on my ribcage; got it done last month in Singapore.

Greek scriptures and an original quote written by me

Just before I made my final decision to have it imprinted on my body forever

Just like all my previous tattoos, my design was printed out and carbon-copied onto my ribcage for positioning and preference purposes. 

So far so good!

I took an immediate liking to it and gave my inkmaster the green light

On the tattoo bench. Yup, I'm all set and ready to begin!

What did I get myself into?

Bring on 5 hours of intense and gruelling pain.

With each and every time I endure hours & hours of yet another hellish tattoo session,

I ask myself one question :

But oddly enough, I never fail to keep coming back every year and mark myself with another body art

Simply 'cos I adore tattoos, its intricacy on human flesh & how it is a new experience for me

They say pain is addictive. What say you?

I daresay that my ribcage tattoo was the worst, most excruciating experience I've ever had amongst all my other tattoos.

Funny thing was, I've always known the ribcage tattoo to be the most painful spot to ink on.

So intense that my inkmaster gave me some Tequila shots to down

Felt better after 2-3 shots. It helped to numb my senses

Alright. Breaktime over, continue the buzzing of the needle!

I've always wanted a tattoo in a foreign language, but never knew what language.

Chinese? Nah, I have Chinese heritage.

French? Nah. Too mainstream.

Latin? Nah. Sexy… but *still* quite mainstream.

Thai? Sanskrit? Arabic? Japanese?

Then it struck me 

A Greek tattoo came vaguely to mind since my high school days.

Unfortunately, I hadn't a single grasp nor knowledge whatsoever about the language and I didn't wanna trust Google Translate – of all things!

But guess what?

This year proves to be the best & most coincidental time for me to finally get started on my Greek tattoo because my Greek boyfriend and his father so kindly helped me translate the quotes I had in mind and pen out the sentences in perfect grammar for me.

For that, I wholeheartedly thank the both of you, Σας ευχαριστούμε Κωνσταντίνος και Γεώργιος!  

SEMI FRONTAL VIEW

After 5 hours into the procedure : and it's done!

So that was it. My latest (5th and counting!) tattoo – the ribcage tattoo in Greek.

What's next? Okay so… I know I owe you stories of my past 4 tattoos in the past.

So hit the button and let's begin!

It was my freshman year of college back in 2007.

So young and innocent… yet wild, bold and raring to go! 

2007 : 1st ink

The tribal heart lower back tattoo

It was done at a friend's house by a tattoo artist from Singapore who was touring Malaysia at that time.

Oh guess what? I found something quite interesting. My blogpost about this very first tattoo!

My reaction after reading that blogpost written by my 18 year old self :

Oh geez. Seriously, 18 year old Jess, seriously?

Exactly a year later….

2008 : 2nd ink

The tribal cat outline left shoulder blade tattoo

Trivia time! 

I deliberately requested one of my kitty's right eye to be blacked out.

Bet you didn't know, my own right eye is semi-blacked out as well. My right vision is terribly impaired.

Felt somewhat proud yet nervous at the same time.

Someone was interviewing & filming me throughout the process!

DONE DONE DONE!

Had it done in Mandala Tattoo parlour

Candid shot displaying my 1st two tattoos

Expecting another tattoo a year later? Well no, not in 2009.

Skipped a year of tattooing; that year put me through something more painful than that.

What can I say? The emotional pain that lingered outweighed physical pain any day.

But once that was over and dealt with…….

MADE A COMEBACK

2010 : 3rd ink

The Egyptian Eye of Horus wrist tattoo

If you haven't read it, I found my blogpost that I wrote about this wrist tattoo written back then! 🙂

Since I've skipped out on a year, I had TWO tattoos done in that year to make up for it.

So here's the second tattoo done in 2010 :

2010 : 4th ink

A winged camera + film neck (nape) tattoo

Inking session in motion – outlines first!

Keep on going!

My not-so-enthusiastic-but-holding-in-the-pain face

Had both my tattoos of 2010 in Singapore by this Phillipino tattoo artist who owns a shop in Orchard Road

Filling it in….

Done before you know it!

I absolutely love how it peeks outta my back collar like that 

I hope you've enjoyed the short history trip back into time.

And now…… as mentioned in the beginning of this post.

2011 : 5th ink

A Greek scripture ribcage tattoo

So there you have it, an entire post which encapsulates my entire journey of tattoo thus far.

Don't ask me why I do this, why I inflict myself with pain on the surface of my skin is honestly beyond me

Perhaps, I find it an incredible journey of self discovery, personalization.

Truth be told, it does not, in any way alter my personality even one tiny bit

I know will look back with nostalgia and reminisce my younger days of what was significant to my youth.

My body is a canvas and body art leaves an indelible mark I will hold close & personal to me for life.

Bear them to my grave, I shall.