Tattoo's

a reply to: WeRpeons

I'm a "senior" and due to taking care of mine they look fine 40 years later. It's shocked more than a few people who expected them to be junk by now.

Let me just say, while you find them distracting and unappealing it also makes a body identifiable should they be a victim of a crime. It also makes you unmistakeable in a surgical/medical setting as far as inpatient treatment oh say....in the ICU or after-care floor.

There ARE legitimate reasons for them.
Grim as they are.

a reply to: billytron

This is SO AWESOME!!!!!

What do you think of the new inks they've been coming out with and the new 3-D artwork????
Have you seen the controversy and resurgence of the Tribal Tat's? Something I think is amazing, but isn't on anyones radar.

it also makes a body identifiable should they be a victim of a crime. It also makes you unmistakeable in a surgical/medical setting as far as inpatient treatment oh say....in the ICU or after-care floor.

a reply to: Caver78

They certainly must help out in those cases you listed. Except how many tats do you need to identify yourself? At some point it's over kill. Police departments must love them because suspects and criminals are much easier to identify when they have tattoos.

a reply to: Caver78

There ARE legitimate reasons for them.

True. My sister has a few, one I dislike and have no idea why she got it, it's across her back and has been unfinished for several years.

The other, however, on her wrist and is a medical tat that says she's diabetic.

a reply to: WeRpeons

Except how many tats do you need to identify yourself? At some point it's over kill.

I can see what you're saying. I generally find an abundance of visible tattoos undesirable. There was a guy I used to work with who had a # ton of tats, most that he did himself, and they looked like complete #. They looked like someone had taken crayons to his body, literally; ironically, since he was right handed they were only on places where he could reach, lol.

That said, I have seen people with full sleeves (and work with people where the majority have nice tats, it's a "thing"), etc, that I thought were absolutely amazing artistically. I wouldn't do it, but it's not my body, and the artwork is awesome. To each his or her own. Sometimes when I see an attractive girl with a lot of visible tats I say to myself "But, why!?" Then again, it's their body, their choice.

The only one I truly find trashy-looking are neck and face tats.

originally posted by: opethPA

Personally I have no issues with people getting ink or following whatever body mod they want.. I just don't want to hear those same people complain when someone doesnt give them the job they want or people look or ask questions about their changes...

Good advice....

As a sometimes casting agent for film and TV, people with visible tattoos will not be considered for most acting roles unless you are already an A lister.
The makeup people are busy enough without having to cover up ink.

originally posted by: Plotus
I wonder how you feel about tattoos?

I look at tattoos about the same as I look at tap dancing. I can admire the artistry. I just don't get the 'why' of it.

a reply to: Caver78

Hi Caver78
(Seen you post a bunch over the years, im a reader mostly, and i figure most of what i have to say isnt worthy of anyones time so this is a nice change!)

I live in australia so everything is well behind the rest of the world, and i tend to avoid social media like the plague. I also find looking at other artists work is stifling and I'd prefer to do my own thing the way i like it.
Ive been in the job 11 years now and tribal was pretty huge when i started, which is great to learn the basics, like neat lines, solid coverage and freehanding designs onto the skin.
We dont get much of it these days, but if i get any i try to approach it with a twist or a different angle. But it comes down to the highly unimaginative clients unfortunately!
I have background in graphic design which sometimes givesme a unique perspective on how to approach things.
Designs that are minimal i love because you have so little to work with, so everything that IS there has to be bang on or it just sinks.

As for inks, i use eternal inks. Have been for a long time now. They are quality, they go in nice and easy and they stay nice and bright for a long time. Again, depending on the clients overall care.
I hear bits and pieces about new fangled #, like UV ink, which you cant buy in australia which makes me wonder why, or this supposed ink that fades over time. I wonder why would you bother?? Spend all that money just to have it disappear?! Bollocks!

I love realism work, colour portraits is one of my favourite genres to work in. Anything 3d is fun and a challenge!

Thanks for listening (:

Got 2 tattoos, will be filling in my right arm soon enough. One of them means nothing, the other one does. I don't think tattoos are something you get when you're young and then just grow out of them, I'll be 27 soon and I'm thinking on getting tattoos for a long time.

a reply to: Plotus

I have three tattoos , one full sleeve and my mates first tattoo on my left forearm
I was 18 when I got my first tattoo
my right arm sleeve is all Shirow Masamune art , because I love his illustrations and he is my favourite artist
I have never once thought I dont like that

my parents dont give a crap about my tattoos because there is nothing they can say or do to stop me from getting a tattoo
not that they would anyway because they respect my decisions as an adult.

so get over it , its not your skin, its just ink !

people get markings on their bodies all the time such as scars etc there is no issue with that , but because they chose a marking its an issue its their body, so why does it matter to you ?

none of your business even though you made those kids , they are old enough to mark their own bodies
with or without your permission and who cares what society thinks of them if they have tattoos!

Oh right , because of the negative connotations of body markings, which are no different from birth marks , accept we have chosen them!

a reply to: Plotus

I am aghast and agog at your particular expression of dislike for this ancient art form.

There are some very tastefully done tattoos out there, and realistically speaking, tats are about expression of the self, not about the preferences of those looking at the work. The tattoo is not for you, its for your daughter, and if she is an adult, then, thank God, your opinion does not, and absolutely should not matter!

You are supposed to have any editorial influence over your children, when they cease being children, and start being adults in and of themselves. People who understand this well enough to deal with the situation correctly, generally tend to be "over themselves" by the time their children reach adult hood!

And another thing...

Having tattoos is not an indicator of any particular placement on the moral spectrum, it says nothing of a persons character, either for good or ill! Those who insist on shallow thinking deserve to be confused by appearances, if you ask me.

What a bizarre position to take on the matter Plotus, really.

Since the age of 20 my opinion has been the same regarding tattoos - I'll get one when I feel I'm old enough and wise enough to know what I want engraved on my skin until my demise.

I'm 25 now, no tattoos yet, I have a lot of friends who've gotten them and it always seems the same - as soon as you have 1 you want more.
I believe it's due to the perception of change, once you've gotten one, the only way to 'change' is to get more.


But I also do believe that certain individuals appreciate it more and to them it's a passion.
Each to their own, just don't do something you'll end up regretting (especially something as simple as a tat)

PS. I have enough scars that will stay with me to the end (I scar easily). They're basically my natural tattoos.

a reply to: Plotus

I wonder how you feel about tattoos? How about your children getting them? Well that is to say adult children. Would you feel a sadness that your time spent instilling values in them was for naught?

I’ve never really cared one way or the other about tattoos. It’s one’s own personal decision IMO but, with that said I do/did have a few ‘rules’, with my own children, regarding tattoos and piercings. My oldest who is now 20 wanted piercings and tattoos when she was a teen. My rule was not so much when she turned ‘18’ (supposed to be some magical number that means you are an adult in the US) that she could do it, although she could ‘legally’, my rule involved a reputable and safe shop, her maturity and research into it, it be something meaningful to her and not a ‘fad’ type piece and that she pay for it herself and to be aware that if she were unhappy or changed her mind one day that it could be an expensive and lengthy process to remove it. She had her ears pierced twice (maybe 3 Xs) due to letting them grow over. She got tired of them so, I think it was a reasonable expectation that I had. Same with my younger daughter who is 17. Same above applies to her. Their father has tattoos and I don’t. I don’t really think that we had much bearing on their decisions to wanting them or not as an awful lot of people do have them these days and to think that I/we are their only role models would be naïve, IMO.

My oldest does not to this day have any piercings, other than her ears, or tattoos. If she decides, one day, that she desires to get one I will support her.

I would also like to say that, IMO, if after instilling values and hopefully help to mold them into productive, compassionate and caring individuals as adults the worst case scenario is a tattoo or even a bad tattoo…then I wouldn’t be disappointed. We live in the buckle of the Bible Belt and there, unfortunately, could be repercussions or consequences for choices that they make as far as their appearance with jobs etc. Their father has experienced some of that, mostly from Doctors for some odd reason. I would just hope that they are aware of those possibilities and judgements that could ensue.

The world is ever changing and what was socially acceptable or unacceptable in my parents young years (1920s & 1930s) were vastly different than the same for me in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

I hope that your daughter is a good and healthy person and that you feel proud in the job that you did raising her. When my oldest daughter got sick, I think it helped me to realize the really important things and helped me let the other less important things go (in the scope of this life we're given). I do hope that you don’t let something like this ruin your relationship or make you or her think that she isn’t a good person due to wanting to decorate her body.

Good luck to you both and I hope you find some sort of peace with it.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Id be more worried about my health/my families health etc rather than how they look, also be happy to make it that far from how things are going



Sometimes we focus on the tree in the middle of a forest

a reply to: Plotus
I got my first tatt when I was 19, I wanted something scary like a skull or a grim reaper but my brother talked me out of it. He said I should get an animal because you won’t regret it. It was a birthday present and I did get a tiger. I always believed my tatts should be hidden for work purposes. I followed that tatt up with a heart that has my wife’s name and my 4 daughters initials, then a butterfly for my mom when she passed away, then when I turned 40 I got the scary tattoo I wanted and got a skeleton on my back. I still kept them hidden for work. Last January my wife passed away from a 2year fight with cancer. She always had a window cling on our front window of a bluebird. She called it her bluebird of happiness. 2 weeks after she died I pulled it down and went to the tattoo parlor and had the bluebird with her initials put on my forearm. I figure I’m almost 50 years old now so screw work if they don’t like it. Then about a month later I had a Phoenix tattooed on my other forearm signifying that even though my family has crashed and burned we will rise. I had ghost flames put around it with some very important hidden messages for myself, kids initials, friends initials that were there for us, my favorite pistol because I shoot often, a knife for my work that helped me immensely and an angry music symbol because I love angry music. Those th8ngsnwere my therapy. These tatts can’t be hidden but at my age I don’t really care. Now, my 16 year old daughter wanted to get a tatt and I was against it. She made her case and I thought it over for a few weeks and decided that she is more than capable of making that decision. She was with her mom when she died and it was very important to her. We went to the tattoo parlor and they tattooed a few words that my wife always wrote on my daughters notes and said to the kids every day. It was done in her writing and there’s 2 red hearts. Hannah often will rub her fingers across the tatt when she’s thinking about mom. I’m glad I let her get it. Our youngest daughter wants to get one when she turns 16 and if it’s mom related I cannot say no, I won’t.

a reply to: Plotus

I'm too neurotic to choose an image that will be on my skin for the rest of my life. Choosing paint colors for the house is difficult enough, and that's something that can be covered over.

But, OP, I think you should get some perspective on what is moral and what is not, along with what is important and what isn't. Tattoos or the act of getting the body tattooed is an amoral act. It doesn't make a person good or bad. Similarly, it isn't that important if the tattoo doesn't hurt you or another person physically (it may bother you mentally, but that's your problem to solve, not your daughter's. Only you are responsible for your thoughts).

Some people get tattoos to signify they're part of a street or prison gang. That doesn't make the tattoo bad. It's only a signal to others that share the same belief system. The person wearing the tattoo has made the choice to align himself or herself with a gang. The tattoo is only window dressing by that point.

And like most fads, tattoos are in style and then suddenly they're not. Body piercing used to be a bigger deal in the 90s than it is today. Or at least I don't see as much of it, beyond the tribal earlobe-stretching earrings. I'm sure body piercing will come back with a vengeance at some point, though. And tattoos will become passe, which will improve the stocks of laser tattoo removal machine peddlers and unscrupulous Internet merchants selling magic elixirs and creams to make the tattoo vanish.