Yes probably. Having a bunch of needles stab you at a rate of 1000 times per second isn’t exactly a pain free journey. But here’s some things you should know about that:
Is it bearable? Yes absolutely
Is it worth it? Yes! Definitely!
Pain threshold varies greatly from person to person, what one person find agonising, someone else might not even notice. For most people, the sensation is like being scratched by a cat. It’s more annoying af than painful.
The level of pain varies depending on where on the body your tattoo is placed, the thin skin quite close to bone for example is usually a lot more sensitive than somewhere that’s more fleshy. Ankle tattoo’s and rib tattoo’s are among the most painful for most folk.
It also depends on your artist and the design, some designs require lots of deep ink work, where as more delicate designs may not. Some artists are more heavy handed than others, and this is something that you’d be able to see in their style of work before you get tattooed. If in doubt – just ask!