Thread: Tattoos (Version 2.0)

Well the old thread is three years old and closed. So yet again who has em and what are they of? I know my opinions have changed since '07 and I actually got around to designing and plotting out my tats. Now I have a job and can afford them its only a matter of time.

Left Clavicle - "iro"

Latin for "anger", its going over my left shoulder blade and its an ambigram which means whether you look at it from the front or back of my shoulder it says the same thing! I chose Latin to represent my intense hatred of fundamentalism



Right Clavicle - "Apático"

Spanish for "apathy", its going over my left shoulder blade and its an ambigram which means whether you look at it from the front or back of my shoulder it says the same thing! I chose Spanish because everyone sees Hispanic immigration as a social problem and I absolutely do not care, actually if anything I embrace foreign cultures coming here and making this country more vibrant.



Left and Right Inside Forearm

Japanese/Simplified Chinese for "lust". Its pretty divisible so im gonna split this one in half right down the middle and have one side on one arm and the other half on the other arm. Apart it wont make any sense but when I put my forearms together it will actually spell something out. Think of it like Keanu Reeves's tattoo for summoning Lucifer in "Constantine". I chose lust because of my intense attraction to Eastern cultures and their sexual freedom and openness in their history. Sexuality is probably the most important thing to me so this is special. The font may/will change

Thoughts?

I don't think I'm getting a tattoo anytime soon, but I've thought about it. I designed a Hawaiian tribal tattoo for my boyfriend for his arm though.

The designs above look nice, but getting one on the clavicle is gunna hurt like a bitch, no?

The only permitted tattoo for me is one using henna. When the mood strikes me, I usually use washable color pens to do design on my hands and arms.

Originally Posted by p00

I don't think I'm getting a tattoo anytime soon, but I've thought about it. I designed a Hawaiian tribal tattoo for my boyfriend for his arm though.

The designs above look nice, but getting one on the clavicle is gunna hurt like a bitch, no?

I wouldnt know to compare but apparently I have a high pain threshold. Plus its worth it. Got a picture of your design?

^double post? Tsk tsk Mr. moderator.

I don't like tattoos, aside from my view that they're esentially self mutilation, I think that most of the time they either look naff or just plain ugly.
Sorry SD, I'm not keen on them (although to be fair I do like the font of the first two). Also, tattoos don't make much of a statement if you have to explain them every time.

The one I really don't like though, is the kanji one, regardless of the font; it's the idea that I don't like, no offense but they might as well read "douche bag" when you put your arms together.

As always when people think about getting tattoos, I say: before you permanently scar yourself, ask what you will think of your tattoos in 30 years time and again in 60 years time (and will they even look the same)?

Originally Posted by Stealdragon

Well the old thread is three years old and closed.

First.
Remembering that thread, you asked people why they like tattoos and it turned into a huge bashing. Most people don't like tattoos. They regard them as disgusting.

Q: So why do people insist so much into getting a tattoo?

A: Attention.

Psychology says, people with less individuality and personality have a wish to express themselves, make themselves special or unique. Or they just wanna jump a bandwagon, a popular fashion movement (Lower back tattoo).
Neither of these reasons will justify getting a tattoo actually. If you think that you lack something in your personality and wanna fill it with a tattoo, then you didn't spend much on self-reflection yet.

Secondly, tattoo ink causes risks of getting cancer. Most of the inks contain toxic metal to keep them from bleaching out. The risk of getting cancer rises at 60% with a tattoo.

Third, tattoos are not worth the money. most tattoo artists are amateurs in their job. The tattoo needle will destroy many of your nerves. And it will costs you a lot of money.
There will certainly be a point where you regret spending hundreds of dollars for such a trivial motivation. If you really wanna go the american way and spend all your money at once and not put it on the bank for harder times, then consider to do something else with it. Buy a fuckin' motorcycle or do a unique and individual vacation trip (Europe, South America, Asia). You will have more for your money like that than branding yourself like a goddamn prisoner for the rest of your life. Cops always look for people with tattoos.

My fifty cents.

I have one. I like it and the ladies like it.

Originally Posted by morten

First.
Remembering that thread, you asked people why they like tattoos and it turned into a huge bashing. Most people don't like tattoos. They regard them as disgusting.

Q: So why do people insist so much into getting a tattoo?

A: Attention.

Psychology says, people with less individuality and personality have a wish to express themselves, make themselves special or unique. Or they just wanna jump a bandwagon, a popular fashion movement (Lower back tattoo).
Neither of these reasons will justify getting a tattoo actually. If you think that you lack something in your personality and wanna fill it with a tattoo, then you didn't spend much on self-reflection yet.

Secondly, tattoo ink causes risks of getting cancer. Most of the inks contain toxic metal to keep them from bleaching out. The risk of getting cancer rises at 60% with a tattoo.

Third, tattoos are not worth the money. most tattoo artists are amateurs in their job. The tattoo needle will destroy many of your nerves. And it will costs you a lot of money.
There will certainly be a point where you regret spending hundreds of dollars for such a trivial motivation. If you really wanna go the american way and spend all your money at once and not put it on the bank for harder times, then consider to do something else with it. Buy a fuckin' motorcycle or do a unique and individual vacation trip (Europe, South America, Asia). You will have more for your money like that than branding yourself like a goddamn prisoner for the rest of your life. Cops always look for people with tattoos.

My fifty cents.

Is ok I dont mind a good conversation.

Here's my retort:

1. Thats your opinion, most people I know with tattoos dont have loud meaningless ones, I see more tats dedicated to a lost loved one than tramp stamps. Personally, my personality has nothing to do with it, I honestly can't think of a reason why I want a tattoo other than the fact I simply like it. At best I'm wearing my ideals and at worst I have a decent conversation starter. I find it hilariously ironic that psychology would assume people with tattoos do it to conform when having a tattoo is one of the most deviant acts accepted by modern society. Also on that thought, I cannot say I understand how having a tattoo would fill a hole in ones personality.

2. Saying you shouldn't get a tattoo because it might give you cancer is like saying you shouldnt spend a summer at the beach because you'll get skin cancer. Personally the way I look at the world is that pretty much anything can kill you, so why give a fuck? I'm not locking myself in a basement to escape the sun, cutting fish out of my diet for fear of mercury poisoning, or staying away from my PC because typing 10,000 words a day on my computer could give me carpal tunnel. Call it blatant disregard for my own personal safety if you want. Plus I'm black, skin cancer is the least of my worries.

3. I agree, alot of people are amateurs. Not every artist is good, thats pretty much common knowledge, but its not exactly hard work to actually put in the effort and find a good artist. Living in New York City, a major metropolitan area, affords me the luxury of having the gamut of artists to choose from, and with a little bit of research and word of mouth finding an above average artist isnt exactly difficult. There are hundreds of tattoo parlors, and I know plenty of people with excellent tattoos that I could just ask. Secondly yeah its expensive, any thing that lasts fifty years is bound to be. Money is not the issue, if people never did anything because it was expensive I wouldnt have a job selling $800 Steiff teddy bears and $20 Jawbreakrs to Upper East Siders and their spoiled children. In the realistic sense, those tattoos would be about $150 to $300 and thats not even a week's paycheck for me. I have a few priorities, but money is the last thing on my mind when considering a tattoo, its much more important to have something significant and poignant than cheap. As a matter of fact I despise people with small cheap pointless tattoos of stars behind their ears or a little butterfly somewhere, pisses me off because it means nothing and has no purpose or meaning. Thirdly, a tattoo is not even a comprable investment to something like a motorcycle or a international trip. One is literally ten times less than the other. I want a motorcycle, a Ducati Monster 796 to be exact. Costs a little under $10,000. I have no intention of spending a tenth of that on tattoos in the near future. So saying thats a better investment is actually kinda silly.

And to make the obvious allusion, a tattoo is probably gonna be the last of the reasons the cops stop me. Never mind only one of them would be in any readily visible place.







^_^

tattoos are cool but the idea of forever wearing a symbol on your body is a turn off. Id have to get one of those sticker tattoos

Originally Posted by Stealdragon

1. Thats your opinion, most people I know with tattoos dont have loud meaningless ones, I see more tats dedicated to a lost loved one than tramp stamps. Personally, my personality has nothing to do with it, I honestly can't think of a reason why I want a tattoo other than the fact I simply like it. At best I'm wearing my ideals and at worst I have a decent conversation starter. I find it hilariously ironic that psychology would assume people with tattoos do it to conform when having a tattoo is one of the most deviant acts accepted by modern society. Also on that thought, I cannot say I understand how having a tattoo would fill a hole in ones personality.

You're running around in a circle here. Because your motivation is similar with the motivations of others to get a tattoo.

Originally Posted by College Tattoos: More Than Skin Deep: Why Do People Want the Tattoo?

Numerous reasons have been suggested for tattoos including "expressing individuality, communicating rebellion, defining group membership, conveying spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death" (Christensen, 2000, p. 432). While tattoos can be often thought of as deviant and/or risqué behavior, there seems to be consistency in the various expressions of self-identity when tattooed people talk about their purpose and reason for the markings. Tattooed career-oriented women cited that the tattoo helped them "feel good, unique, and special" (Armstrong, 1991, p. 219). Tattooed adolescents (N=31 and college students (N=561) reported their major purpose for their tattoo as "expressing myself" (50%) and the reason for the tattoo was "I just wanted one" (48%)

Okay, you just want one. But did you actually self-reflected why you want one beside that you wanna be a living artwork?

And why would some people wanna have a tattoo and some others despise them? Ask yourself who are the majority of people who walk around with tattoos, what are their jobs and what's their intellectual bias. I'm not condemning them but I can't cope with the fact that there are some people running around with damn ugly tattoos made by amateurs and I don't know if they really thought twice before they decided.

Sigh~

Originally Posted by Stealdragon

2. Saying you shouldn't get a tattoo because it might give you cancer is like saying you shouldnt spend a summer at the beach because you'll get skin cancer. Personally the way I look at the world is that pretty much anything can kill you, so why give a fuck? I'm not locking myself in a basement to escape the sun, cutting fish out of my diet for fear of mercury poisoning, or staying away from my PC because typing 10,000 words a day on my computer could give me carpal tunnel. Call it blatant disregard for my own personal safety if you want. Plus I'm black, skin cancer is the least of my worries.

Yeah, but do you intentionally inhale asbestos? Do you intentionally eat chemicals?
At least, take some time between your tattoos because your liver will have a hard time to dispel the toxic metals from your blood. There's biological ink but that won't last a lifetime.
You should consider asking for a non-permanent tattoo, the ink will last for a year and you have time thinking about if you wanna go permanent. It's still a healthy risk.

Originally Posted by Stealdragon

3. I agree, alot of people are amateurs. Not every artist is good, thats pretty much common knowledge, but its not exactly hard work to actually put in the effort and find a good artist. Living in New York City, a major metropolitan area, affords me the luxury of having the gamut of artists to choose from, and with a little bit of research and word of mouth finding an above average artist isnt exactly difficult. There are hundreds of tattoo parlors, and I know plenty of people with excellent tattoos that I could just ask. Secondly yeah its expensive, any thing that lasts fifty years is bound to be. Money is not the issue, if people never did anything because it was expensive I wouldnt have a job selling $800 Steiff teddy bears and $20 Jawbreakrs to Upper East Siders and their spoiled children. In the realistic sense, those tattoos would be about $150 to $300 and thats not even a week's paycheck for me. I have a few priorities, but money is the last thing on my mind when considering a tattoo, its much more important to have something significant and poignant than cheap. As a matter of fact I despise people with small cheap pointless tattoos of stars behind their ears or a little butterfly somewhere, pisses me off because it means nothing and has no purpose or meaning.

I doubt it will be that cheap if you wanna make it from a pro. I had friends who paid 500-600 dollars for huge ass tattoos, and those were only friend prices. If it's really that cheap then it can't be good.

Thirdly, a tattoo is not even a comprable investment to something like a motorcycle or a international trip. One is literally ten times less than the other. I want a motorcycle, a Ducati Monster 796 to be exact. Costs a little under $10,000. I have no intention of spending a tenth of that on tattoos in the near future. So saying thats a better investment is actually kinda silly.

A Ducati? That's like "my first car has to be a Ferrari or Lamborghini". You pay 2/3 only for the name Ducati. Plus, you should look at used motorcycles first before you consider buying a brand new one. I'm currently thinking about a used Harley Davidson Dragster for 5 500 Euros. It's a fucking metal pig but I love it.
If you wanna motorcycle so bad then try a Buell XB series. They're not build anymore and should be fucking cheap over at the US. A fine bike that you can either buy as naked or racer. And if you really wanna go italian, then try a Benelli TNT Cafe Racer. Donnu if they were shipped over to the US.

Originally Posted by Stealdragon

And to make the obvious allusion, a tattoo is probably gonna be the last of the reasons the cops stop me.

Yeah. Cops see you with tattoos that look like 'gang tribals" or "18th street" then they wanna talk with you why you're out of prison again.