Being tattooed can be painful for some and not at all for others. It depends on several factors, chiefly among them being where on the body the tattoo is going and how sensitive a person is.
Tattoos close to the bone, on the rib cage, the inner arm or close to the neck, some say, can be more painful than in other places, but the consensus is that this, too, varies from individual to individual.
Common descriptions of how getting a tattoo feels include comparisons to a bee sting, a cat scratch or a sunburn but others still refute all these saying it is just a pinching sensation or a minor abrasive stinging.
When getting tattooed it can be traumatic for people who have problems with needles or seeing their own blood but a lot of this discomfort is psychosomatic in nature, and by simply taking some deep breaths and relaxing and sitting or standing comfortably (depending on the location of the tattooed area) much of the awkwardness and pain can be alleviated.
After being tattooed, there is a period where the scarring that the tattooist has made on your skin (if you really think about it, what these artists do is deeply scar your skin) heals, and this period of healing -- anywhere from up to a day or a week -- will involve a lot of itching. But this is only temporary, and the itching, which can be very bothersome and distracting, can be remedied by moisturizing.
Once your tattoo has healed, it is rare that any more discomfort or unease will result from it. However, some people have reported that the tattooed area may raise or itch in heat or when having an allergic reaction.
Similarly, as when your tattoo is initially healing, a good moisturising spray or lotion can calm and remedy this.