Tattoos: Let us brainstorm

[destrekor]

I have ideas, but nothing concrete, and almost nothing specific.

I absolutely love tattoos, but to me, it is not something to just get for the hell of it. I feel quality ink needs deep meaning, something that your heart bleeds and that which you wish others to see.

I have one tattoo, a patriotic artwork. Back of my shoulder, something no one can see or even knows I have until I am shirtless. Also, as a military thing, it kind of really needn't be all crazy and visible - I would personally draw the line in such a way that no ink shows below a (long) short-sleeve shirt (military short-sleeves tend to cut right above the elbow, that's a good spot to draw the line that I have no problem showing in short-sleeves that stop far above the elbow).

Lately, I've been thinking of how to showcase some of my ideas, and then it hit me: Latin literary and philosophical/psychological phrases could, at the least, serve as a starting point.

I really don't like the idea of just a block of words. And since this is artwork, I'd really like to avoid having a bunch of blocks of ink just randomly placed on my body. Specifically, if I can have ink flow between tattoos, so that it almost operates like a sleeve (or half-sleeve), or other large showcase of ink, that would be preferable.

Some of my beliefs, if you will, can be connected in some way, but hell I can think of a good way at this point. And like I said, I'd prefer to have actual artwork that showcases a deeply-held personal belief, versus just a block of text that just states it plainly. And speaking of text, if it is text, it is definitely going to be Latin - more easily translated so I can make sure it's correct... but the issue is very few can read it, so most people looking at it would kind of be dumbfounded as to what it meant. That could serve as a good conversation-starter, I guess...

Anyhow, here are two phrases I've liked lately. If anyone can suggest some artwork already out there, or some ideas to describe to an artist, that could either wholly replace a text-based idea or at least allow an artsy way of incorporating the text... please, do help.

- ad astra per aspera: "to the stars through adversity"
(has always been a personal favorite, and does have some less literal applications)

- hominem unius libri timeo: "I fear the man of a single book"

I'll add more ideas as this thread hopefully gains in discussion.

 

[Leros]

If you want something meaningful, you should wait until an idea pops into your head that you really like instead of trying to fabricate something meaningful.

 

[RKS]

first you should get the following out of the way:

Tattoos are stupid/dated/etc. and only stupid people get them.

I agree with Leros. If you aren't positive about what to get; wait until you are absolutely sure. I have one on each forearm but I wear a suit everyday. Even after two years no one in my office knows I have them.

 

[BoomerD]

I've been in tattoo parlors in several states and countries, both drunk and sober, and I never could find anything that I wanted inked on me permanently.

I'm not against tattoos, some are very nicely done, I just never found anything that I wanted for the rest of my life.

 

[pcgeek11]

first you should get the following out of the way:

Tattoos are stupid/dated/etc. and only stupid people get them.

That is only Your opinion. Which is meaningless to others.

 

[zerocool84]

If you want something meaningful, you should wait until an idea pops into your head that you really like instead of trying to fabricate something meaningful.

Yea too many people just want a tattoo and get anything cus it's the in thing to do instead of waiting until something meaningful comes to them.

 

[BUTCH1]

I've been in tattoo parlors in several states and countries, both drunk and sober, and I never could find anything that I wanted inked on me permanently.

I'm not against tattoos, some are very nicely done, I just never found anything that I wanted for the rest of my life.

Agreed, I'm not against tat's either, I just don't like the idea of not being able to change my mind. I have a 22 year old who works in my dept., he just got 2 huge pistols pointed toward his crotch tattooed on his chest with the words "Florida boy", I feel sorry for him, I reminded him he WILL be old someday and that's gonna look really, really stupid..

 

[BoomerD]

Agreed, I'm not against tat's either, I just don't like the idea of not being able to change my mind. I have a 22 year old who works in my dept., he just got 2 huge pistols pointed toward his crotch tattooed on his chest with the words "Florida boy", I feel sorry for him, I reminded him he WILL be old someday and that's gonna look really, really stupid..

LOL...yeah, and while the tatts may look fine at age 25, they usually don't look nearly as good at age 65...

 

[ahenkel]

I know all my tattoo's will look awful when I'm 65 but what can you do. I imagine they'll have developed some ink eating nanobots by then.

 

[destrekor]

If you want something meaningful, you should wait until an idea pops into your head that you really like instead of trying to fabricate something meaningful.

I wholly agree with this statement. Also, I am well aware of my very well-established ideas. I have just not come up with thoughtful imagery to match said ideas - that is the point of this thread.

I know all my tattoo's will look awful when I'm 65 but what can you do. I imagine they'll have developed some ink eating nanobots by then.

This future idea of yours, I like it.

And honestly, I don't care what ink will look like when I'm all old and wrinkly, I'll have other skin problems that will be of concern.

 

[Malak]

I'm thinking of getting some lips on my chest over my heart with tongues of fire sneaking out. I got the idea from a famous quote.

 

[lxskllr]

 

[KeithTalent]

If you want something meaningful, you should wait until an idea pops into your head that you really like instead of trying to fabricate something meaningful.

This.

It took years for me to see what I really wanted and then I sat on the decision for another year to make sure it was truly something I wanted to live with for the rest of my life. I'm very happy with it now.

KT

 

[IronWing]

Allow me to introduce an amazing coincidence in names. I'm aware of at least five folks who are now sporting similar tattoos.

 

[lxskllr]

This.

It took years for me to see what I really wanted and then I sat on the decision for another year to make sure it was truly something I wanted to live with for the rest of my life. I'm very happy with it now.

KT

If I were to get a tattoo, I'd get my in game avatar from UT2k4. It's my favorite game, I met a lot of cool people playing it, and I use my daughter's name, so it would remind me of her. I would get her picture tattooed on, but I've seen too many disasters for real life portraits. You can screw up a cartoon pretty well, and still have it look good. If a real portrait gets screwed up just a little bit, you have a stranger permanently marked on your body :^D

 

[KeithTalent]

If I were to get a tattoo, I'd get my in game avatar from UT2k4. It's my favorite game, I met a lot of cool people playing it, and I use my daughter's name, so it would remind me of her. I would get her picture tattooed on, but I've seen too many disasters for real life portraits. You can screw up a cartoon pretty well, and still have it look good. If a real portrait gets screwed up just a little bit, you have a stranger permanently marked on your body :^D

Yeah, portraits are very dodgy. I've been in tattoo parlours all over the world, looking at the works of the artists and the few that actually have portraits in their books still do not look all that good. Heck even the ones they show on Miami and LA Ink rarely look decent; I guess it's just really tough to do. :hmm:

KT

 

[Malak]

If I were to get a tattoo, I'd get my in game avatar from UT2k4. It's my favorite game, I met a lot of cool people playing it, and I use my daughter's name, so it would remind me of her. I would get her picture tattooed on, but I've seen too many disasters for real life portraits. You can screw up a cartoon pretty well, and still have it look good. If a real portrait gets screwed up just a little bit, you have a stranger permanently marked on your body :^D

Ok you definitely need to watch this.

 

[lxskllr]

Ok you definitely need to watch this.

:^D

 

[Bateluer]

I had both my sides done, looking for something for my chest now. I have designs that I want on my thighs, just need the time to actually get them done.

There's an Aquarius design I want on my thigh, but I'm completely clueless for what I want on my chest. I thinking some kind of animal, an eagle or a tiger maybe. Possibly a smaller bird, a falcon.

 

[dawp]

I know all my tattoo's will look awful when I'm 65 but what can you do. I imagine they'll have developed some ink eating nanobots by then.

ya know what would be even better? sub-dermal implants that can change the tatoo on a wim or not show any at any given time.

 

[Homerboy]

I've been in tattoo parlors in several states and countries, both drunk and sober, and I never could find anything that I wanted inked on me permanently.

I'm not against tattoos, some are very nicely done, I just never found anything that I wanted for the rest of my life.

You shouldn't "find" anything you want in the parlor. That's the lamest thing ever. You don't pick #22A off the wall or out of a book. You go into the parlor with a sketch, idea, drawing of what you want. If you're picking out of a book, you've already lost.

 

[PottedMeat]

If I were to get a tattoo, I'd get my in game avatar from UT2k4. It's my favorite game, I met a lot of cool people playing it, and I use my daughter's name, so it would remind me of her. I would get her picture tattooed on, but I've seen too many disasters for real life portraits. You can screw up a cartoon pretty well, and still have it look good. If a real portrait gets screwed up just a little bit, you have a stranger permanently marked on your body :^D

 

[IronWing]

In fairness to the artist, the tattoo does look like the zombie her.

 

[olds]

Get a woman tattooed on your chest. Have her earlobes right at your nipples. Now pierce her earlobes.