But first I need to be completely sure about what I want. It is permanent, after all.

Since this is such an important decision, I've decided to wait until the end of summer to get it done. This way, I have enough time to decide on the final design (although I have been planning and wanting to get a tattoo for about four years now). 

Right now, I'd just like suggestions on what I could do to improve the design. Here it is:

(In case you were wondering, it refers to a repeated line in the book "House of Leaves." It's basically how to phonetically pronounce "non sum qualis eram," a Latin phrase that means "I am not what I once was.")

Keep in mind that it is going to be my first tattoo, and I want to ease myself into the process by starting off with something pretty small and simple. :) 

Also, I live in Toronto, can anyone recommend me a good place to have it done? I'm leaning towards New Tribe, if anyone's heard of it, because everyone I know with pretty much any mods of any kind has gone there and totally loves it. 

Before I get a tattoo, I wait at LEAST a year after I decide on the design to get it done. I sat at least a year, because, I've never actually waited less then 5 years, but my plan in the future is that, after I get all the tattoos I've been planning on for several years, if I ever want another I'll wait at least a year. If the design changes, then I restart the clock on waiting. I know a lot of people with stuff on their bodies, and they go "I cant believe I have this crap on my body, this is so dumb". Because they got it on a whim. Covering up a tattoo doesn't always look good, and having it removed is expensive and can leave scars. Also, you may want to reconsider getting wording done... I want wording on a tattoo myself, I want "Be the change" across my hip bones under a planned full back tattoo I have in my head, but I'm still reconsidering it, cause I know a lot of artists wont do wording, for one, and I know several people who say they regret having wording put into their tattoo.

Just my two cents, good luck in your inky adventures ^^

Yeah, the idea for this paticular tattoo I've been thinking about for the last two years, I just want to perfect it as of now. I'm usually pretty patient when it comes to deciding on permanent things (I first wanted to stretch my ears when I was 12 and didn't start until I was 18, haha), so if I feel like I'm not entirely sure if I want to have that particular design on my body forever, I'm going to wait another year or so again.

I've also planned to have the tattoo done in a place that isn't often visible (the left side on my lower waist), in addition to any other tattoos I might get, because I work in an office right now and probably will have office jobs for a long, long time. I don't want my appearance to limit my job opportunities. 

And I have visited the tattoo artist who will most likely be doing mine, and he does do wording. 

But thanks for the advice :) 

it's really cool that you've waited so long to think about what you want. 

 i personally would be a little iffy getting something lower waist because i'd be concerned with the design becoming distorted and stretched out in the future if i had a child. 

 when i saw your design, i imagined it upper back on the left or right. 

 the design itself looks really neat-o!

Just curious... where did you get the idea for that specific tattoo? It's different, and I like it. (Don't worry, I won't copy anyone's ideas)

Well, most if it is influenced by "House of Leaves," which is a book that I fell in love with and changed my way of thinking and all that jazz (not to mention making me scared of my closet for weeks).

It's very hard to describe, but its basically about a tattoo apprentice (how appropriate, hahaha) named Johnny Truant who moves into an apartment an old blind man used to live in before he died. Johnny finds a trunk in the apartment that contains bits of paper that form a book the old man wrote, called "The Navidson Record," which is a critque of a film the old man invented in his mind about a closet that mysteriously opens up in a house and eventually starts expanding. Johnny eventually starts becoming a little unhinged after reading all this creepyness, he has a panic attack at work and keeps repeating the words "known some call is air am" in his head. 

And the leaves bordering it are just a design I created as a reference to the title. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_leaves

I love it :) 

alison time: I thought about that too (stretching if I ever become pregnant), but the design is actually closer to my hip. It's on the side, pretty much directly underneath my ribs and above the side of my leg. It's hard to describe for some reason XD  

That's really neat. When you do get it you'll have to post some pics.

House of Leaves is a great book.

   And yes... go to New Tribe. They're great there. They're very steril and hygenic. I've gotten two out of my four tattoo's there, and it's a good experience. I'll defiently go back there for more ( :

 

Good luck!

Is there a reason you've chosen the phonetic sound-alike English words rather than the original latin? While it's ultimately your decision and it will definitely get a lot of questions, it might make you look, well... grammatically challenged, if no one decides to ask what it means. If you're intent on getting the phonetics rather than the original spelling, then have you considered getting the IPA pronunciation instead? Personally, I would stick with either the IPA notification or the original latin, but it's up to you!

I did consider getting the original Latin for awhile, and someone did mention the phonetic alphabet, but I sort of thought that this way, it has more of a connection to the book (which is what I was aiming for). Plus I like the way the grammatical-incorrectness looks for some reason. That's an aspect of my personality it could reflect too. XD 

Ha, cool. Rock on! :) 

 I LOVE House of Leaves!!! It's such an amazing book!

I like the tattoo idea too :) 

i think it'd look really great as a forearm piece, then you could always add more foliage around it.

I love this idea and I think you need to get it. This book is amazing. It more or less controlled my life for months after I read it. And his sister's album Haunted along with it... ugh. Can't stand all the talent in that family.

 

*edit*

If it were my tattoo... I'd want to somehow incorporate some notes of royal blue in there. Though, maybe just a few pieces. Kinda like a play on the word house.