I have full-body blackout tattoos
It took 200 hours, but this woman achieved her dream of looking like an anime character — by getting a tattoo bodysuit.
Tina Alexandra, 30, began her tattoo journey with an inking of a small gun on her hand at the age of 22.
However, the small tattoo was just the start for the Spain-based fashion and logistics worker, who is now covered head to toe in black ink — also known as a “blackout” tattoo.
In just 22 sessions, spanning more than seven months, the avid inker went from having three small tattoos to being completely covered in striking black ink.
Alexandra’s epic experience took 200 hours — or the equivalent of eight days straight of being tattooed.
And she did it without any anesthesia.
Even though Alexandra had deliberated over her decision for months, the rapid change still shocked her at first, admitting she was worried about people’s reactions to her new look.
“The worst moment for me was when I was done with my last session, I had a breakdown because the process was so fast; I had completely transformed in seven months,” she told Media Drum.
Alexandra’s tattoos took 200 hours. mediadrumimages/@tinaxandra
She loves her inky look. mediadrumimages/@tinaxandra
Tina Alexandra was shocked when she first saw her new look — but loves it. mediadrumimages/@tinaxandra
“I was scared I had changed too much too fast and I had a little breakdown. I was crying,” she added.
The tattoo-lover said she made the decision because she loves the art, and her permanent bodysuit is an extension of her and an expression of who she is.
“I had to deal with the people on the street, in stores, at work asking too many questions and looking at you like, ‘what it’s that thing?’ ” she recalled. “But later, I was totally sure about the process.”
Her bodysuit is all one tattoo, with most of the small tattoos she originally had now covered entirely — except her original gun art on her hand.
She went from tattoo-free to completely inked. mediadrumimages/@tinaxandra
Tina Alexandra’s look changed in 200 hours. mediadrumimages/@tinaxandra
Although she was nervous about people’s reactions, she said her family and friends have been supportive and complimentary of her ink, with people mainly likening it to cyber or anime art.
“My mom thinks that I’m always dressed, you could call it haute couture,” she joked.
“People are impressed and shocked,” she continued. “They ask a lot of questions, they look at you a lot and, in some way, most people like it because [it] is not common to see someone like this on the street.”
“I have had good feedback from all the world including tattoo artists,” she said.
Although Alexandra loves her look, she urges anyone thinking of doing blackout tattoo art to carefully think about the decision before going under the needle.
“Well, I can’t recommend this ’cause it’s hard, it’s not something easy to do, and it takes time,” she admitted, adding you have to be financially stable to undergo the transformation, too.
“I guess it’s important for people to know the society it’s not too positive about these things,” she pointed out. “So you have to think a lot about that before to realize any kind of transformation can affect your life.”
Source: New York Post
