They sound beautiful Aggie! The large tattoo in particular sounds incredible! If it helps, I doubt seriously that the work on your back will be near as painful as your ankle - there is more cushion there before bone

My large tattoo didn't start out that way. I originally had something much smaller in mind but THEN I saw a drop-dead gorgeous Phoenix in some illustrations in a book she gave me to look it. It looked like a work of art, and it turned out that way. I HAD to have it and being my first tattoo, I didn't know what I was in for. The tattoo artist was from Hawaii and had many years of experience there. She made her own needles and inks - apparently in Hawaii the license requirements for tattoo artists is substantial.

The first appointment was just for the black-work for outlines and details. That took about 6 hours if my memory is correct - not 8. Two weeks later I took the day off work and went in for the 8 hour color session. That was fine, but my endorphins disappeared for that last hour. I was in a full sweat by the end. She made me promise not to tell anyone that I only paid $150 for that beautiful work of art while I still lived in the state! She was totally sick of doing fad tattoos like skulls and cartoon characters and she had been wanting to do that tattoo for a long time. I believe she featured her photography of my tattoo at her next conference. I wish I had a good picture of it, lo these 20 years later it is still beautiful. It hasn't faded much at all!