further proof I know nuthin' about tats, it is something I had not considered. I was going for all black ink to avoid different rates of colour fade, but did not know that it can bleed into one big blob. 
confused!!!!
Yes, you can get some pretty bad "bleeding". It depends on where you put it, what kind of needle is used (sort of) and how well you care for it, but even then, sometimes you get bleeding. My own tat is several years old, it's black and he used a big needle on it, and I used udder cream while it was healing (yes, I do mean udder cream), and my tat is as crisp today as it was when I got it. The lines on it are wide, though, and it is fairly big, so even with bleeding, it wouldn't end up looking like a blob. Bleeding is more obvious with the thin lines and small patterns. Then you can end up with tats that, after a few years, look like a blob. Lots of people get cover up tats for that reason. The artist will know how small you can go without getting too much of that - it's a matter of actually listening to their advice.Er?
Boyfriends can be hard to sway too. Mine is a proper metal dude and he is not convinced about my getting a tattoo.
Er?
Now seriously I think I may sacrifice the "filling" of the pattern, make it simpler, avoid the risk. I had always wondered why celtic tattoos with intricate patterns were so big...
Getting that cream seems like udderly useful advice.
Edit: Simpler pattern. I think it's even nicer:
I'll definitely shop around to find someone who knows what they're doing, but being a newbie myself I hope I can spot them!
