I will humbly disagree with Tony
My tattoo wasn't painful. If was uncomfortable when we'd stop for lunch and he'd start back up again on shading an area. The strong lines felt like a pizza cutter on my back, but didn't really hurt. I guess pain is in the eye of the beholder? If there was anywhere I'd say it started to hurt would have been my love handles, it was a strong pinching sensation.
Funny Aquattro mentions ribs. When I was getting my back done a fellow came in and my tattoo artist asked him to show me his ribs. He gets a big grin on his face a rips his shirt up exposing a huge graffiti style BBQ with green flames leaping off the grill, he looks at me and with a stoner accent goes "BBQ ribs man!". It was priceless.