NationStates Jolt Archive

So, my friends and I have been talking about tattoos for a while now. I'm really excited about the idea, and I think I'll get a tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area in the next 6 months.

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!

Colour tattoos are cheesy. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm............ cheese. I like Bree.

Wait... I hate cheese.

I get bored easily, and tattoos isn't something that you can erase easily.Which is why I stayed away from them. (Ironically, I have designed a few of them for other people)

Though I'd like a tattoo of identification (name, address, closest kin) on a part of my body in case my body was found naked and without a face in some wet and stinking back alley.

Worst idea ever. A permanent marking in your skin that you could well find yourself embarassed about? Nice.

I have 4 tattoos, upper arms and back. They hurt, some less some more.
Think really carefully before you have a tattoo, in 20-30 years time how will it look and will you still want that design. Talk to the tattooist about designs, colours etc and how they will look. Tattoos spread out and the colours can fade with time, take a look at any old guy with tattoos. Avoid names in any language script if you can (see Johnny Depp with Winona/Wino Forever), it may be embaressing later, that Chinese script you liked could really say King Prawn Balls and Fried Rice.

I plan to get a tattoo of a song lyric written in Tengwar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengwar) runes on my upper left arm.

I just have to decide what lyric I want. :p

I know, I know...I'm a geek. ^_^

Have a look at what tattoos look like on an old person first and then see if you still want one.

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?
All I can get is a henna tattoo. It's discouraged (well... okay, forbidden) in school. You can have it on unexposed places, but hey, what's the point of a tattoo when it can't be seen?

And plus I won't be able to donate blood anymore.

So, my friends and I have been talking about tattoos for a while now. I'm really excited about the idea, and I think I'll get a tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area in the next 6 months.

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!

Yep a fair few, mostly black or grey, but I was looking at them a while back and decied I needed somethin a bit brighter, so I went out and got it!

In fact now that I have been told I can't donate blood anymore, I have many more planed!

I plan to get a tattoo of a song lyric written in Tengwar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengwar) runes on my upper left arm.

I just have to decide what lyric I want. :p

I know, I know...I'm a geek. ^_^
Why a song lyric? "Here be dragons" is always good to write out. With a song lyric, people ask you what that imaginary language on your arm says and you quote some 30 year old song lyric and how famous the song nad band were and everyone is like "Wtf old man, that's old."

I've got one tattoo and two more planned, but they're all things that are images and not script, placed in areas that are easy to cover if necesarry, and have a great deal of meaning behind them. I have a friend who gets tats cause he likes them, tat-addict, and they're all over and he gets the weirdest stuff. I couldn't do that. But if it means enough to you that you're certain you're never going to change your mind, like a faith or your kids, and you're not getting it done on your forehead, then go ahead!

I had been looking forward to my first tattoo for so long, and I was so nervous and excited, that when I finally got it done I actually fainted. It felt like one of my little brothers was drawing too hard on me with a pen. Course, this is on my shoulder/upper back... I can imagine a couple of places that would be more painful, but it was more of a slight annoyance than ouchies.

So, my friends and I have been talking about tattoos for a while now. I'm really excited about the idea, and I think I'll get a tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area in the next 6 months.

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!
Got one on the inside of my left wrist. Hurt, the way it hurts if you scratch your arm after you've got a sunburn.

Love it.

Love tats, love getting tats, but only have one of them because I haven't been able to make up my mind about my next one. Took me five years to be sure about the first one.

Why a song lyric? "Here be dragons" is always good to write out. With a song lyric, people ask you what that imaginary language on your arm says and you quote some 30 year old song lyric and how famous the song nad band were and everyone is like "Wtf old man, that's old."

I've got a few in mind...but it's hard to pick one particular line from one particular song that I want on my skin for the rest of my life...even if it is in a language noone can really read. :p

I've been mulling the subject over for a couple of years now...it'll probably be a couple more before I make a decision.

Worst idea ever. A permanent marking in your skin that you could well find yourself embarassed about? Nice.
Worst idea EVER? Really?

What about, say, promising to spend the rest of your life with a random dude you got drunk with at the craps table?

What about, say, "Don't worry about the condom, baby, I'll pull out in time"?

What about, say, "I've only had a few beers, I'm good to drive"?

Seriously, let's have a bit of perspective.

People make far more lasting, and far more stupid, decisions every day.

I have three tattoos currently, with several more planned out.

I'll give the benefit of my 4 years of body modification.

1) It will hurt. If someone tells you it won't, they are lying. You have having various gauge needles beinfg repeatedly rammed into your flesh.

2) Colours will fade eventually. It may take a couple years but red will eventually turn pink.

3) Be prepared to pay up for a quality tattoo. Tattoo parlours generally charge a sitting fee ($25-$60) and then charge you by the hour (or just incorporate the sitting fee into the hourly cost). Don't expect to pay any less than $100 an hour.

4) Be fucking careful. If the artist is not wearing gloves, did not use new needles, and/or did not sterlize his needle gun, walk away. This is a erfect way to get AIDS, Hepatitis, or a host of other diseases.

5) As a rule of thumb, I generally look for a shop that has a bit of credit behind the name. When you look at the website or shop itself, look for awards and positive news articles. These are usually the best way to spot a quality tattoo shop.

6) Avoid getting tattoo's on your face, neck, and lower arms. Tattoo's may be coming into the mainstream, but a big gnarly tat on the face screams 'BIKER!!!' to a prospective employer. Make sure your tattoo can be easily concealed for the workplace.

In conclusion, be prepared to shell out some cash for a quality tattoo. I have a bolt of lightning on my leg ($100), a CND falg on my back ($150), and a cross on my arm ($300).

I have three tattoos currently, with several more planned out.

I'll give the benefit of my 4 years of body modification.

1) It will hurt. If someone tells you it won't, they are lying. You have having various gauge needles beinfg repeatedly rammed into your flesh.

2) Colours will fade eventually. It may take a couple years but red will eventually turn pink.

3) Be prepared to pay up for a quality tattoo. Tattoo parlours generally charge a sitting fee ($25-$60) and then charge you by the hour (or just incorporate the sitting fee into the hourly cost). Don't expect to pay any less than $100 an hour.

4) Be fucking careful. If the artist is not wearing gloves, did not use new needles, and/or did not sterlize his needle gun, walk away. This is a erfect way to get AIDS, Hepatitis, or a host of other diseases.

5) As a rule of thumb, I generally look for a shop that has a bit of credit behind the name. When you look at the website or shop itself, look for awards and positive news articles. These are usually the best way to spot a quality tattoo shop.

In conclusion, be prepared to shell out some cash for a quality tattoo. I have a bolt of lightning on my leg ($100), a CND falg on my back ($150), and a cross on my arm ($300).

Damn me $100 an hour? Shit, come over to the UK for your tat needs then. Last tat I got was £20 an hour, and it is a masterfull work of art!

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!

Well yes I have. I have a 'tribal' band around my upper arm that goes right round. Getting what is really part of your armpit tattooed is VERY painful, so be under no illusions that it won't hurt. It is however a bearable pain. Imaging someone slowly and deliberately drawing a rose thorn slowly across your arm several times. It hurts like hell but it's not like you're being burned with a cigarette - you wont pass out or cry like a baby.

Think very carefully before you get it done. This will be with you for the rest of your life so choose wisely.

AVOID: current music trends. You can get away with classics like Hendrix but imagine if you'd had Milli Vanilli tattooed on your chest.
AVOID: Names of any sort. the exceptions are people close to you that have died (wait six months) or the names of your children.
AVOID: Logos. They change and they make you look stupid. You might get away with Atari.

good luck

Have a look at what tattoos look like on an old person first and then see if you still want one.

Yeah, but anybody over 30 is ugly anyhow, whether they have a tattoo or not.

You know, I heard about this funny story about tatoos a while back.

There was this one guy who got a chinese character for a tatoo and when he showed it to his Asian girlfriend, she burst out laughing. He asked her why and she replied the characters meant 'gullible white boy.':D

Funny, though that would really suck if it happend to you. Luckily, I'm not white...or even Chinese for that matter.

Yeah, but anybody over 30 is ugly anyhow, whether they have a tattoo or not.

Oi shuuuut it!

If you're going to get a tattoo pick something unique, something meaningful to you. Dragons, flags, crosses, eagles, yeah yeah, cliche. Get something that means something to you. Get it somewhere that won't contort much if you put on weight or lose weight, or when you get older. Take your time picking out the design, I'd avoid most colors because they fade and look like ass later on. Good solid black should last the rest of your life and still be visible.

I don't have any tattoos nor do I plan on getting any. My brother has a very nice wolf on his upper arm. Sort of howling at the moon, looks nice and he's obsessed with wolves so for him it works.

i'm getting a spitting black wildcat on my left shoulder or upper arm whenever i get round to designing it. i've got tonnes of pictures and photographs to work from and i've got the face pretty much right but i haven't quite worked out the stance i want it to have, arched back, crouching, something more of a snapshot of movement, i dunno. i just want to make sure i'm totally happy with it before i go and find a good tatoo artist.

I know a guy with a huge Jack Daniels tattoo on his back, I won't lie its pretty bitching...

I might get the Rod of Asclepius on my arm or something depending on whether it can be made to look any good

Yeah, but anybody over 30 is ugly anyhow, whether they have a tattoo or not.

But anybody under 30 is too stupid to make a sensible decision...

But anybody under 30 is too stupid to make a sensible decision...

Ergo, being 30 is the finest point in all life.

Hmmm. Can we revise that to 35?

The process feels like dragging a safety pin across your skin (depending on location, of course).

These are my two:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/zbronto/P9220058.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/zbronto/P4260029.jpg
sorry for the blood in the second

I really want to get another one soon...this one I'm going to let my tattoo artist design, so it'll be fun.

I am totally going to get a tattoo done by those guys on the discovery channel, Miami Ink. I heard though it costs a ton of money to get it done. I would get a huge bald eagle on my chest, with red, white and blue ink. It would be so cool!:cool:

The process feels like dragging a safety pin across your skin (depending on location, of course).

These are my two:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/zbronto/P9220058.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/zbronto/P4260029.jpg
sorry for the blood in the second

I really want to get another one soon...this one I'm going to let my tattoo artist design, so it'll be fun.

Ohh you can look here if ya want, there are a few pics of some of my tats. More importantly you get to see me!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lee_douglas/

Damn and now you all know my name!

Ohh you can look here if ya want, there are a few pics of some of my tats. More importantly you get to see me!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lee_douglas/

Damn and now you all know my name!

Yay the facial hair.

Yay the facial hair.

Heh yeah that was my stint as a member of The Handlebar Club, now I have the full beard back.

So, my friends and I have been talking about tattoos for a while now. I'm really excited about the idea, and I think I'll get a tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area in the next 6 months.

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!

I have a stylised ankh on my left shoulder.

I think symbols are better than 'pictures' (for me), and I have the next couple pretty much planned out. The 'ankh' is the symbol of life and rebirth. The next tat will be a snake eating his own tail, around the ankh I already have - symbolising eternity and continuity.

Did it hurt? No... the best comparison I have for the sensation would be that electrical shocking feeling of pins-and-needles you get when the blood gets back into the arm you were sleeping on... only, in your skin.

Should you get one? Sure... if you want. Just think about it a while first, because you're gonna be pretty much stuck with it.

My friends all have a number of tattoos. I'd get one but I'm poor and can't thing of a good place to put anything.

My friends all have a number of tattoos. I'd get one but I'm poor and can't thing of a good place to put anything.

for guys, good places are upper back, bicep, chest (hurts), calf

So, my friends and I have been talking about tattoos for a while now. I'm really excited about the idea, and I think I'll get a tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area in the next 6 months.

Has anyone on NS had a tattoo? If so, did it hurt? What'd you get, and where? (If you want to tell)

Anyone have strong feelings for or against tattoos? Hate 'em? Love 'em?

Discuss!

Personally, I think that tattoos are great as long as they aren't overdone. The significance of them is lost when the skin is completely covered with a mishmash of designs. And I agree that tattoos on the face and neck are not a good idea unless you are an ex-con or a biker and want the world to know it.

I have two tattoos, myself. The first one is near my hip, over muscle, and didn't hurt a bit. The second is on my ankle and hurt like a bitch, but certainly not enough to make me either cry or faint. ;) Basically, the closer the bone is to where you are getting tattooed, the more it's going to hurt, as well as the places where your skin is already sensitive.

Be sure it's a design that means something to you and won't look idiotic when you get older.

Personally, I think that tattoos are great as long as they aren't overdone. The significance of them is lost when the skin is completely covered with a mishmash of designs. And I agree that tattoos on the face and neck are not a good idea unless you are an ex-con or a biker and want the world to know it.

I have two tattoos, myself. The first one is near my hip, over muscle, and didn't hurt a bit. The second is on my ankle and hurt like a bitch, but certainly not enough to make me either cry or faint. ;) Basically, the closer the bone is to where you are getting tattooed, the more it's going to hurt, as well as the places where your skin is already sensitive.

Be sure it's a design that means something to you and won't look idiotic when you get older.

I think the key word here is personaly. Like clothes of makeup, or hair styles, or jewrly, or whatever there is no objective right or wrong, you do what you want to.

You get the sort of tats you want for the reasons you want where you want. Seemingly the only real thing that ties all tats and the tattoed together is think long and hard about it first.

If you're going to get a tattoo pick something unique, something meaningful to you. Dragons, flags, crosses, eagles, yeah yeah, cliche. Get something that means something to you. Get it somewhere that won't contort much if you put on weight or lose weight, or when you get older. Take your time picking out the design, I'd avoid most colors because they fade and look like ass later on. Good solid black should last the rest of your life and still be visible.

I don't have any tattoos nor do I plan on getting any. My brother has a very nice wolf on his upper arm. Sort of howling at the moon, looks nice and he's obsessed with wolves so for him it works.

Very true. I believe I'm going to get a Thor's Hammer on my upper right arm.
Depending on how that goes, I would like to have the World Tree tattooed on my back with Nidhogg gnawing on the roots, with Jormugond, going all the way around my body (chest, stomach area to my back), biting its tail. I don't now how exactly it will look, but I have some friends who are great artists, so I don't think I'll need to worry too much.


Thanks for all the responses!

I will say this and then run. Arm tattoos on women = not sexy!!!

All I can get is a henna tattoo. It's discouraged (well... okay, forbidden) in school. You can have it on unexposed places, but hey, what's the point of a tattoo when it can't be seen?

And plus I won't be able to donate blood anymore.

Nope. Just for a year. I still donate after a year a hiatus imposed from the date of my first and only tattoo.

I will say this and then run. Arm tattoos on women = not sexy!!!

Sez you.

Let me get this straight -- a woman who stuns you silly in every other respect is not going to be sexy if she has a tattoo on her ARM?!? You, sir, are far too picky. But hey, more tattooed loveliness for the rest of us.

Sez you.

Let me get this straight -- a woman who stuns you silly in every other respect is not going to be sexy if she has a tattoo on her ARM?!? You, sir, are far too picky. But hey, more tattooed loveliness for the rest of us.
Yeah, I love when some random person informs me that a particular type of ink is "not sexy."

Perhaps it's not sexy TO YOU, Mr. Picky, but if you want me to care about that then you're first going to have to explain why I should want to be sexy TO YOU. Because, speaking as a girl with a tongue stud and a wrist tat, I've yet to have any problem finding plenty of other interesting, attractive people who find my body mods very sexy. I'm not exactly waiting by the phone wondering why-oh-why Mr. Picky won't call me back. :D

Yeah, I love when some random person informs me that a particular type of ink is "not sexy."

Perhaps it's not sexy TO YOU, Mr. Picky, but if you want me to care about that then you're first going to have to explain why I should want to be sexy TO YOU. Because, speaking as a girl with a tongue stud and a wrist tat, I've yet to have any problem finding plenty of other interesting, attractive people who find my body mods very sexy. I'm not exactly waiting by the phone wondering why-oh-why Mr. Picky won't call me back. :D

I like you :)

Sez you.

Let me get this straight -- a woman who stuns you silly in every other respect is not going to be sexy if she has a tattoo on her ARM?!? You, sir, are far too picky. But hey, more tattooed loveliness for the rest of us.

I saw a nice tat on a girl yesterday. I started on her ankle, traveled up her leg, thigh, onside of her torso, underneath one of her breasts, and over the top of the same breast. It was very sexy indeed.

Sez you.

Let me get this straight -- a woman who stuns you silly in every other respect is not going to be sexy if she has a tattoo on her ARM?!? You, sir, are far too picky. But hey, more tattooed loveliness for the rest of us.

No, it will just make her less sexy, imo. I mean it depends on the tattoo, if it's like a really macho tattoo on her then it just doesn't look sexy to me. It doesn't make much of a difference if it's a small and less agressive tattoo.

Why a song lyric? "Here be dragons" is always good to write out. With a song lyric, people ask you what that imaginary language on your arm says and you quote some 30 year old song lyric and how famous the song nad band were and everyone is like "Wtf old man, that's old."

So who gives a shit what some uneducated twat who voted for Sanjaya (SO ashamed he's from Seattle) thinks about a lyric that means something to the person who got it engraved in their skin? Serisouly, folks, haven't we progressed to the point where we can choose what we like and not cave in to the crowd? "Some 30 year old song" -- you mean like "Purple Haze" or "Let It Be" or "Us & Them" or something like that? Shit, I know Elton JOHN and Billy JOEL lyrics from the 70s that outpace anything written in the last 10 YEARS by the likes of today's recording artists.

So let's just keep our ignorant ageisms under our stupid fitted caps, shall we?

Yeah, I love when some random person informs me that a particular type of ink is "not sexy."

Perhaps it's not sexy TO YOU, Mr. Picky, but if you want me to care about that then you're first going to have to explain why I should want to be sexy TO YOU. Because, speaking as a girl with a tongue stud and a wrist tat, I've yet to have any problem finding plenty of other interesting, attractive people who find my body mods very sexy. I'm not exactly waiting by the phone wondering why-oh-why Mr. Picky won't call me back. :D

Amen, sister.

As far as the pain, I can tell you that all who've said it's worse the closer to bone or tendon you are are 100% correct. Mine's on my right deltoid, and while the first five minutes took a bit of bearing down to get used to, after that it was more annoying than painful. It numbed up a bit from the vibration and constancy and became more like someone poking your arm with a stick for an hour. Easily bearable, but annoying.

So who gives a shit what some uneducated twat who voted for Sanjaya (SO ashamed he's from Seattle) thinks about a lyric that means something to the person who got it engraved in their skin? Serisouly, folks, haven't we progressed to the point where we can choose what we like and not cave in to the crowd? "Some 30 year old song" -- you mean like "Purple Haze" or "Let It Be" or "Us & Them" or something like that? Shit, I know Elton JOHN and Billy JOEL lyrics from the 70s that outpace anything written in the last 10 YEARS by the likes of today's recording artists.

So let's just keep our ignorant ageisms under our stupid fitted caps, shall we?

30 years ago isn't 60 years ago.

I have 4 tats would never change any of them. all the tats i have, have very sentimental meaning one being my kids another being in memory of my late mother and grandmother that both died from differnet types of cancer. my feeling on the whole tat thing is its ur body don't let others dictate what you should and shouldn't do just make sure before you do it it's something that you want

30 years ago isn't 60 years ago.

Wow. So you're stupid as well as tasteless.

Let It Be -- 1970 (37 years ago)
"Purple Haze" from Are You Experienced -- 1967 (40 years ago, and the closest your point comes to being remotely right)
"Us & Them" from Dark Side of the Moon -- 1973 (34 years ago)

Elton John's best work (of course, Bernie Taupin needs a credit here) could easily be considered Goodbye Yellow Brick Road from 1973. I don't wish to start an argument and hijack the thread about which album was his best, but suffice it say it wasn't 60 years ago.

Billy Joel's been writing surpassingly excellent lyrics since his first release in 1971 (Cold Spring Harbor). Through Piano Man (1973), Streetlife Serenade (1974), Turnstiles (1976), The Stranger (1977) and to a lesser extent 52nd Street (1978), Glass Houses (1980), Songs in the Attic (1981), and The Nylon Curtain (1982) -- 34 to 25 years ago -- there have been few better lyricists. While that's my opinion, that doesn't change the fact that none of the examples are 60 years old. You're just being contrary for the sake of seeming cool. Fine by me, but that's just chilly. And chilly ain't never been cool.

I like you :)


I liked her first.

*snip*
Obviously you got so caught up in defending your supposedly superior musical tastes, you missed the point.

What is still somewhat popular today that was new 30 years ago may be not be popular at all in another 30 years, if even remembered.

Obviously you got so caught up in defending your supposedly superior musical tastes, you missed the point.

What is still somewhat popular today that was new 30 years ago may be not be popular at all in another 30 years, if even remembered.


What? Impossible! Have you never heard the moto 'Old rockers never die, they just smell that way'?

1) It will hurt. If someone tells you it won't, they are lying. You have having various gauge needles beinfg repeatedly rammed into your flesh.Depends on the tattoo, the location, the individual, the promille, the weather and the KGB. I've had two done that really, truly, honestly didn't hurt. The rinsing was more unpleasant
But if you get anything bigger than a playing card, bring cigs and prepare to take a breather every so often. Sometimes it really does hurt.2) Colours will fade eventually. It may take a couple years but red will eventually turn pink.Generally, I'd say don't get coloured ones. Get black ones and prepare for them to turn grayish-blue. And don't get anything to detailed either. They get blurry over time. 4) Be fucking careful. If the artist is not wearing gloves, did not use new needles, and/or did not sterlize his needle gun, walk away. This is a erfect way to get AIDS, Hepatitis, or a host of other diseases.QFT. But if you don't turn yellow, you're probably fine ;) 6) Avoid getting tattoo's on your face, neck, and lower arms. Tattoo's may be coming into the mainstream, but a big gnarly tat on the face screams 'BIKER!!!' to a prospective employer. Make sure your tattoo can be easily concealed for the workplace.I'm not a fucking biker! .. But OK, you're right. Make sure it won't kill your career if you do that sort of thing. Its kilt mine periodically.

One thing though. People do sometimes regret the shit they've had done. It's purely anecdotal, but it seems to me people with regrets got tattoos for the sake of it. Possibly similar to how I began smoking 'cos the cool kids did (not that I regret that right now, but it seems all but inevitable that I will). So.. If you're the least bit unclear about what you want, where you want it and why, I'd suggest you put the idea on hold for a while. You can always get it later.

If you don't give a fuck about good advice, and just want cheap shit now! Then ebay and google are your friends. Kits aren't insanely expensive, and test subjects usually aren't hard to find. Often they'll even pay for the materials & throw in a beer or two. EDIT: This is a much better solution than seeking out some shady asshole somewhere, because this way, you get to decide if you want to turn yellow.

Obviously you got so caught up in defending your supposedly superior musical tastes, you missed the point.

What is still somewhat popular today that was new 30 years ago may be not be popular at all in another 30 years, if even remembered.

And you obviously missed the point that popularity has nothing to do with the current subject. What kind of colossal tool gets a tattoo that's popular with anyone but his/her self?

Good grief, pal, get a grip on yourself. Are you seriously telling the forum that tattoos should only consist of a song lyric if that lyric is popular? A tattoo is a personal statement -- or at least it SHOULD be -- it's YOUR skin. Getting one to impress others is one of the MAIN reasons why you SHOULDN'T get one.

So who gives a shit what some uneducated twat who voted for Sanjaya (SO ashamed he's from Seattle) thinks about a lyric that means something to the person who got it engraved in their skin? Serisouly, folks, haven't we progressed to the point where we can choose what we like and not cave in to the crowd? "Some 30 year old song" -- you mean like "Purple Haze" or "Let It Be" or "Us & Them" or something like that? Shit, I know Elton JOHN and Billy JOEL lyrics from the 70s that outpace anything written in the last 10 YEARS by the likes of today's recording artists.


Funny you say that...the only thing I am positive will be in my next tattoo is "I thank the Lord for the people I have found"

Odd for an atheist? Yes. Meaningful as all hell? Fuck yes.

Good grief, pal, get a grip on yourself.I'd comment, but last time I told someone the universe didn't revolve around him, I ended up getting banned :p

And you obviously missed the point that popularity has nothing to do with the current subject. What kind of colossal tool gets a tattoo that's popular with anyone but his/her self?

Good grief, pal, get a grip on yourself. Are you seriously telling the forum that tattoos should only consist of a song lyric if that lyric is popular? A tattoo is a personal statement -- or at least it SHOULD be -- it's YOUR skin. Getting one to impress others is one of the MAIN reasons why you SHOULDN'T get one.

Yeah I agree. Ohh and about the colour Vs black thing. That may well have been true 20-30 years ago, but nowadays with new inks being created everday, it don't count anymore.

Thinking about it, I have a fair amount of yellow/gold in a tat I got ohhhh 18 years ago, and yes it has faded a little, but the think still looks great.(It's a tat of Raistlin for those that wanna know)

I'd comment, but last time I told someone the universe didn't revolve around him, I ended up getting banned :p

Revolves around me or TPH? Since you've already said it while pretending to be coy, you may as well specify your target.

I can't see how my telling TPH that popularity to others shouldn't be a consideration when choosing a tattoo design counts as believing the world revolves around me, but this IS General.

Revolves around me or TPH? Since you've already said it while pretending to be coy, you may as well specify your target.I shouldn't have. TPH, but I don't begrudge him or anyone else, even if I just managed to make it look that way. Sorry TPH - doubly so if you also got banned (I don't know, I never figured out what/why it happened :p).I can't see how my telling TPH that popularity to others shouldn't be a consideration when choosing a tattoo design counts as believing the world revolves around me, but this IS General.Other way 'round, as you can probably see now.

Aaanyway. Just ignore all that. Neither meant to bitch nor hijack, and I'm doing both.

I shouldn't have. TPH, but I don't begrudge him or anyone else, even if I just managed to make it look that way. Sorry TPH - doubly so if you also got banned (I don't know, I never figured out what/why it happened :p).Other way 'round, as you can probably see now.

Aaanyway. Just ignore all that. Neither meant to bitch nor hijack, and I'm doing both.

No worries.

[Pathetic re-thread attempt warning]

Uh...got any tats?

Obviously you got so caught up in defending your supposedly superior musical tastes, you missed the point.

What is still somewhat popular today that was new 30 years ago may be not be popular at all in another 30 years, if even remembered.

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'
Keats, 1884

To be, or not to be: that is the question
Shakespeare, 1602

No more; where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise
Thomas Gray, 1747

do we need more?

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'
Keats, 1884

To be, or not to be: that is the question
Shakespeare, 1602

No more; where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise
Thomas Gray, 1747

do we need more?

Touche.

Hell, THREE-che.

From now on, can I send all my attempts to make a clean, solid point to you before I post them? I'm clearly screwing it up.

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'
Keats, 1884

To be, or not to be: that is the question
Shakespeare, 1602

No more; where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise
Thomas Gray, 1747

do we need more?

I seem to read your quoted post as saying "may not be popular"

What about all the things which were popular in the past which aren't now?

Touche.

Hell, THREE-che.

From now on, can I send all my attempts to make a clean, solid point to you before I post them? I'm clearly screwing it up.
haha...I think this one just comes with being an English major and having half of this stuff memorized...
I seem to read your quoted post as saying "may not be popular"

What about all the things which were popular in the past which aren't now?
What about them? My point was that many of these things that were popular have become fully engrained into our culture to the point where many people don't even know who originally said them (and, considering how much more widespread the Beatles were compared to Lord Byron and the like, it is fair to say many of the phrases they have created will be with us a good long time)

Before anyone reads this paragraph, all "you"'s are intended to be general, not targeted at any poster.
Not to mention, this is about tattoos. Who cares if it is popular or not? My back says "Aita Peatea", a phrase that, lets face it, most people have not heard and will never hear. It means something to me. I don't care if it is popular or not, I don't care if someone hates it, loves it, anything. It is mine. A part of me. If you don't like it or don't think it is "cool", well, too bad. I don't care if someone thinks "I thank the lord for the people I have found" is the dumbest quote ever. I don't care if they think it is the gospel either. I don't care if you've heard it so many times you're sick of it, or if you've never heard it before. What I do care about is that it means alot to me.

tattoos are personal statements, not a popularity device.

Hear, hear!

I have cantus perforare cor et animus on my deltoid. I don't care if the Latin is incorrectly conjugated -- I've sung more Latin than I've learned. To ME, it says "singing perforates the heart and soul", and it rings an image I literally dreamed up: a valentine-style heart with scars on it and an eighth note with a yin-yang for a notehead piercing the heart vertically, the flag of the note hanging in front of the heart.

It took two hours and after six years, it's still in excellent condition. Moral: choose your design and your artist CAREFULLY, and you will be pleased.

Hear, hear!

I have cantus perforare cor et animus on my deltoid. I don't care if the Latin is incorrectly conjugated -- I've sung more Latin than I've learned. To ME, it says "singing perforates the heart and soul", and it rings an image I literally dreamed up: a valentine-style heart with scars on it and an eighth note with a yin-yang for a notehead piercing the heart vertically, the flag of the note hanging in front of the heart.

It took two hours and after six years, it's still in excellent condition. Moral: choose your design and your artist CAREFULLY, and you will be pleased.

that needs to be stressed. Especially the artist part. Anyone can tattoo. Get references, look at their portfolio, make sure you like his/her work before you let him/her get near your skin.

You have to choose tattoo symbols with care. Today's cool symbol might be tomorrow's symbol of oppression. Remember that the swastika was once a harmless symbol, common in society. Chances are my little pony won't be on a flag for the next great holocaust though.

I've been considering some for a while...

I'm thinking either ursa minor on my upper back or scorpius on my lower back. I mostly don't get them because I'm worried that tattoos might be as addictive as I've heard and I might want to tenatively plan for an entire sky map on my back and get tattooed accordingly so I don't decide I want one later and have the whole thing not match up.

Well that and I plan on having kids someday and living to a ripe old age and I don't really want to have tattoos that get horribly distorted by these events.

Uh...got any tats?Several. I'm a walking cliché. Most of my hide is tattooed, including my skull, face and knuckles. The biggest by far, are some pattern type things covering my back, legs and a wee bit more. My otherwise lovable wife refers to them as my stripes, because the parts down my legs look a bit like stripes at a distance.

I've only really regretted one, but my tattoo artist managed to cover it up. Tip: names of real, living people isn't such a great idea. The biggest problem for me, is that I'm too damn busy & lazy to retain my bulk. That's messed up some detail.

Several. I'm a walking cliché. Most of my hide is tattooed, including my skull, face and knuckles. The biggest by far, are some pattern type things covering my back, legs and a wee bit more. My otherwise lovable wife refers to them as my stripes, because the parts down my legs look a bit like stripes at a distance.

I've only really regretted one, but my tattoo artist managed to cover it up. Tip: names of real, living people isn't such a great idea. The biggest problem for me, is that I'm too damn busy & lazy to retain my bulk. That's messed up some detail.

I'm kinda curious about the reverse...if increasing my bulk (but not fast enough to create stretch marks) will radically mess up mine

All I can get is a henna tattoo. It's discouraged (well... okay, forbidden) in school. You can have it on unexposed places, but hey, what's the point of a tattoo when it can't be seen?

And plus I won't be able to donate blood anymore.

I love henna. One of my SCA friends will do henna if I ask (and I don't even have to give her booze!), and she does nice, abstract curly designs that I like and suit me well. She also does woad, but I've found that woad and i don't really get along.

Nearly all of my friends have tattoos, and many of them donate blood regularly. There's a set time after you get any kind of body work done where you can't donate, but after that... Of course, this is in the US, so your mileage may vary.

Nope, I don't have any, and won't be getting any, as they're too permanent for my liking. I do like them on other people, though.

i'm getting a spitting black wildcat on my left shoulder or upper arm whenever i get round to designing it. i've got tonnes of pictures and photographs to work from and i've got the face pretty much right but i haven't quite worked out the stance i want it to have, arched back, crouching, something more of a snapshot of movement, i dunno. i just want to make sure i'm totally happy with it before i go and find a good tatoo artist.Sounds like SaboCat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sabcat2.svg

I'm kinda curious about the reverse...if increasing my bulk (but not fast enough to create stretch marks) will radically mess up mineIt obviously depends, but no. If you're planning to take up body building, it might cause a bit of distortion, but it can usually be repaired. It's the other way you have to worry about.

EDIT: This is a much better solution than seeking out some shady asshole somewhere, because this way, you get to decide if you want to turn yellow.

Can I say from personal experience that jaundice is NOT FUN?? I had it last year, took two weeks to find out that no, it wasn't any form of hepatitis. But the jaundice itself if nasty. First, yellow doesn't suit me. Second, it itches. And third, I missed almost two weeks of work. Plus, I worked in a coffee shop, so my manager was worried sick about having to deal with the health Dept if I turned out to have hepatitis.

In conclusion, avoid hepatitis and jaundice like the plague. Neither are much fun.

Well that and I plan on having kids someday and living to a ripe old age and I don't really want to have tattoos that get horribly distorted by these events.[/QUOTE]

I had 2 ravens done on my back a few years later I had a daughter, the tattoos still look the same. I thin as long as you stay away from the traditional areas that get stretch marks, your tattoos will be fine.

You know there is going to be some guy out there who's going to say that having kids never affected his tatts. Doh!!!

You have to choose tattoo symbols with care. Today's cool symbol might be tomorrow's symbol of oppression. Remember that the swastika was once a harmless symbol, common in society. Chances are my little pony won't be on a flag for the next great holocaust though.

(Reminds self to use pony-on-flag for next planned genocide...THAT'll show 'em.)

I love henna. One of my SCA friends will do henna if I ask (and I don't even have to give her booze!), and she does nice, abstract curly designs that I like and suit me well. She also does woad, but I've found that woad and i don't really get along.
*snip*

[bad pun warning]

Sounds like a bad case of Woad Wage!

[/bad pun]

Love tats, love getting tats, but only have one of them because I haven't been able to make up my mind about my next one. Took me five years to be sure about the first one.

Thats where I'm at-I got my idea for both tats (don't have them), waited a year to see if I still wanted them, then they became extra trendy, so I thought I'd wait and make sure it was something I really wanted, I still do so the first chance I get I'm doin' it. But I gotta wait until I have the cash and I can find the right artist.

Hear, hear!

I have cantus perforare cor et animus on my deltoid. I don't care if the Latin is incorrectly conjugated -- I've sung more Latin than I've learned. To ME, it says "singing perforates the heart and soul", and it rings an image I literally dreamed up: a valentine-style heart with scars on it and an eighth note with a yin-yang for a notehead piercing the heart vertically, the flag of the note hanging in front of the heart.

It took two hours and after six years, it's still in excellent condition. Moral: choose your design and your artist CAREFULLY, and you will be pleased.

My friend is going to get some latin that he kind of mis-translates on him because thats what it means for him. Something like "Where there is doubt, there is liberty." I don't know what it is in latin, but it sounds like the atomic make up of Frank Sinatra.

Someone is going to find that hilarious.

My friend is going to get some latin that he kind of mis-translates on him because thats what it means for him. Something like "Where there is doubt, there is liberty." I don't know what it is in latin, but it sounds like the atomic make up of Frank Sinatra.

Someone is going to find that hilarious.

Ubi dubium ibi libertas. If that's how it reads, it's not mistranslated.

Cool quote. It does have that certain "doo-be-doo-be-doo" Sinatra-esque quality to it*. It'll always be true, too, so all in all, not a bad choice.

*Which reminds me of a button I once had:

"To be is to do" --Socrates.
"To do is to be" --Jean-Paul Sartre.
"Do be do be do" --Frank Sinatra.

Ubi dubium ibi libertas. If that's how it reads, it's not mistranslated.

Cool quote. It does have that certain "doo-be-doo-be-doo" Sinatra-esque quality to it*. It'll always be true, too, so all in all, not a bad choice.

*Which reminds me of a button I once had:

That's the one.

I haven't any tattoos yet, but I plan on getting one next month. I know what I want, and this is similar to it: http://www.themodernage.org/uploaded_images/jc_mom-712240.jpg
I've always wanted a tattoo, and before I just wanted something cool. I learned that it would be stupid to get something without meaning. I've also considered something in Tengwar, since I have been teaching myself Sindarin, and I love it; it's so interesting.