well my new obsession has come. I am in love with tattoos and got my first of many a few days ago, and was wondering if anyone else has any they would like to show off.

First tattoo. grim reaper

I got given one for my 21st...I'm just waiting to get it done.

They're too permanent. And they may look good (if you like that sort of thing) when you get em done.. but then they fade and they look crap.

To be honest, I'm not a great fan of them. Aesthetically, I find the majority of tattoos in poor taste... and snobbishly... well, I see plenty of tattoos on construction workers and none on city lawyers, and I'd prefer to be the latter rather than the former. This may seem a little ridiculous.. but there we go.

Besides it's painful. Sod that. If I want to colour my forearms, I'll use felt tips.

I've black roses behind each ear. I'll pop in a picture when the touch-ups have healed.

While I'm usually in agreement with this sort of thing, there is a way to avoid every point brought up.

1. When they fade, get touch-ups. Don't get tattoos done on your hands.

2. Don't get a tattoo of something you like or dislike, but something about you that will never change (family, heritage, something significant that happened in your past, etc.).

3. Don't get random ones plaster on your body.

But, have you seen every lawyer naked? I'm sure there's quite a few with tattoos, just in places you can't see. And I'd like to say that construction workers aren't "lowly" compared to lawyers (though this is a personal opinion). I'd like to see a lawyer try to do a construction worker's job for a day. It's not all roses and muscle-work.

My friend has a custom four-leaf clover design over her right ankle. Another friend has a set of waves wrapping around her left calf, right above the ankle. Both represent things about them that will never change. Myself, I have gilded wings over each ankle, representing the God(s) Hermes and Mercury. They have ties to Geminis, and I'm a Gemini. Having traits said to be of those mythological Gods, I found it appropriate (loyalty, friendship, childlike curiosity, etc.. Not necessarily a thieving ). It has significance to me and it's something that will never change about me, and it also looks nice and can be hidden beneath a good pair of nylons. Not to mention, it's symmetrical with my body (which was a must for me. I couldn't stand having a tattoo on one side and then none on the other, or a different kind). Since it's just white and gold, if it fades, it fades. I doubt really anyone would notice.

I like those tattoos that you put on your stomach made to expand so when you get fat or skinny, it does one of those MAD folding things.

That sounds freaking awesome.

I may or not get one at some point. Probably a pentacle wreathed in rose vines between my shoulders, or perhaps a single red rose growing out of a book in the same place. If I can see it, I know I'll find problems with it, but out of sight would be nice.

I've been pondering getting one since I was probably in my mid-teens... but still haven't as of yet. I do try to go by the general rule of getting something that will always be true or always mean something to me, but then, ha... it does change. Silly fates. Good thing I'm not more compulsive, I'd either be covered in random tattoos that I hate or needing to save up for removals or cover-ups. Heh.

Anyhow, I do still ponder getting one some day. But short of etching something about my mom's death or maybe finding a depiction of Virgo that I like... can't really think of anything else that will always be true.

Well, this is mine. I got it done almost four years ago, for my 21st. I had decided that I wanted one done when I was 18, decided I wanted an angel at 19 and then spent the next two years looking for designs and designing my own. This is what I came up with.

Too much hassle, IMO.

1. In time, they fade - sucky.
2. Hurts getting them done -sucky.
3. Permanent - sucky if you ever change your taste.

I just draw symbols with a black marker on my arms or hands when I'm in the mood. I can wash them away whenever I want to, or I could keep them and simply renew them every day (due to fading from washing hands and basic hygiene).

1. Yes, they fade. As has been mentioned, however, they can easily be retouched.
2. Pain is transient. When I was halfway through having mine done, I wanted another one. Yes, it hurts, but not in the same way jabbing yourself with a needle does. Mine hurt initially, because the artist was only using 1-2 needles (and thus the point of penetration was very, very narrow), but it wasn't long before the pain receded into the back of my mind. I nearly dozed off in the chair.
3. This is why you should choose them wisely. They should be representative of something important to you. If you get a tattoo to suit a trend, you're probably going to regret it. Even if your tastes -should- happen to change, however, unless you've got a really good reason to change/remove it (you stupidly got someone's name inked on your arm, and now you're marrying someone else), I firmly believe it should stay. I could probably have mine removed fairly easily, but it's a reminder of where I was in life and how I felt at the time I had it done. It's a memory infinitely more vivid than any a photograph could capture.

Tattoos, I realize, are not for everyone. In fact, their permanence and the pain associated with getting them are both (in my opinion) an important factor in many people's attraction to them. Like piercings, in many ways and cultures they're considered rites of passage or indicators of status. I understand completely that many people consider them unprofessional, or aesthetically unpleasant, but it's really just a matter of personal taste.

(As a personal aside, I would much prefer to see someone with professionally inked tattoos than Sharpie scribbles.)

Hmm! I had to go with the picture the artist took for his portfolio, as it's impossibly hard to get the right angled shot when they're behind you. They haven't been touched up yet in this picture, either.



If anyone's interested in checking out the shop I go to, I've appended the link to their MySpace page here- Sleepy Hollow Studios

Note- my hair is definitely not that greasy. We couldn't get it to stay away from from my skin long enough with water for him to work, so he opted for vaseline. I was not pleased, but it got the job done.

I've been wanting a tattoo, but it would be too expensive to get. Spread dragon wings on my back, the dragon's neck curling around my throat, head nestled between breasts, and forelegs tattooed around my forearms. But way too expensive, it would cost 2000$

I thought it'd be neat to either get demon claws over my shoulders, or the zelda triforce/eagle on my back.

Not likely, however, I'm not one for tattooing or piercing myself.

Tattoos are pretty cool. I can't see myself ever getting one, but they do look neat.

I love those! I am getting my next one here in a week or so will post a picture of it. I have around 8 planned for myself.

I really want a few... But I'm really too much a pussy. Needles though they don't scare me, I take shots fine. I just always pass out 15 minutes later, and it's a very unpleasant experience once that happens.


In search of convincing.

Well, I got my first one when I was 16. My chinese birthsign between my shoulderblades. Getting a second one on wednesday, a dragon that wraps around my spine and then his head right under my first one.
Well, my mother's a teacher and has like 12. It all depends on where you get 'em done. I wouldn't get them anywhere where you can see them when you put on a business suit or something. Though I'd love one on my forearm, but until I get a steady job going, it's too much of a risk. Anyway, I want to get a third one done for my 19th, this one was for my 18th birthday. (My friggin tattooer has nearly a one year reservation time. -.-)

My most recent tattoo. The pentagram was there already; the other design was added yesterday to compensate for how boring it looked all alone.

Tattoos can look good, I just think it's pointless to get a tattoo just for the sake of getting one. If it's meaningful then that's awesome, but if you just want some chinese character for love or a shamrock just because you know, you're irish, or you just want a tattoo, then I think it's stupid. But to each their own, I just know I would never get one. I mean, just imagine when you're 80 years old and have saggy tattoos.