Yes, but it's not as bad as you might think. The pain comes from the needle group in the tattoo machine hitting your skin very rapidly. This sensation, however, doesn't feel like the pain of an injection it's more of a constant irritation.

The pain will also vary according to where on your body you get worked on. Areas of the body that have bones close to the surface (collarbone, anklebone, ribs, etc.) tend to be more painful than other areas.

Different types of needle groups tend to feel different. The needles used for outlining produce a sharp, hot, and more noticeable pain, though the outlining is USUALLY the quickest part of the tattoo. The needles used for shading usually produce an abrasive and hot feeling, which is more tolerable for most people.

Do not drink alcohol or take drugs for pain relief purposes prior to your tattoo sessions. Both aspirin and alcohol thin your blood and promote excessive bleeding. Aspirin also decreases the clotting of blood, which will slow down your healing as well. In addition, artists do not appreciate tattooing people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

I personally view the pain part of tattooing as a challenge to be overcome. When I get tattooed and it hurts, and I can still make myself sit there and allow the experience and not have it get the better of me; then I can leave with a bit more than a tattoo. I can leave with the sense that I am stronger than a lot of things I once thought were stronger than me. My tattoos have then become talisman if you will, to remind me of this lesson every day.