I actually just got my very first tattoo last Saturday. It would be cool to get a couple more, but I don't want to just because OMG IT FUCKING HURT. And I purposely got something relatively small and simple in an effort to minimize the pain.
Seriously, I don't think I would have been able to take it at all if it weren't for the artists' need to frequently wipe up the excess ink. I kinda think they don't really need to, they just do that to give the tattooee moments of respite so the pain is bearable.