Ink Inc. [Tattoos]

ChillyWilly · September 2010

I think I remember coming across a thread about tattoos a while back, but I haven't seen one in a while. I got a tattoo about 4 months ago and I absolutely love it (pictures will follow when I get home from work), but I was wondering about the rest of the forums.

Do you have a tattoo? More than one? Do you like it/them?

Do you want a tattoo, but are scared of needles and/or pain?

What are some of your favorite designs or artists?

Discuss, post pictures, etc.

adytum · September 2010

Not yet! I'm actually in the process of designing it, and thanks to the SE++ thread have found the artist I probably want to do it.

I'm currently waiting for an obscure art book to come in the mail. It's almost 40 years old, out of print, and has the most fantastic artwork on the cover that I'd like to base my future tattoo off of.

Namel3ss · September 2010

I like them alot and have often thought of getting one. Its not the needles or pain I'm scared of though, its the permanent part. Also, I'm scared of how well the ink will age, if it starts to get dull or fuzzy, it looks terrible.

Sentry · September 2010

I love my tattoo. It's a really well-done picture of Nightcrawler on my inner forearm. I haven't regretted the decision to get it once, even if some people might question it. Most people love it, even if they don't know who Nightcrawler is, although I have gotten some strange looks from some hard core Christians who just think it's a demon.

Disco11 · September 2010

Have four and going to be getting my fifth for my birthday this winter. Wife has 8 and I have to catch up!

Onslaught_Fei · September 2010

I have a half sleeve on my left arm from just above the elbow up to the shoulder. It's a Lovecraftian sea monster with like 20 tentacles and a faceless gaping maw surrounded by japanese style tsunami waves. Very bright pretty blue on the water. Pics when I get home.

msh1283 · September 2010

Here's my left arm. The star and rays around it were my first (shitty) tattoo. Poorly done by a hack, blah blah blah, I was an idiot. Few years later, found a guy that I really like and got him to rework it. Not much cover up possible with how big/solid it was, but I'm extremely happy with the end result. And I'm actually going back in to start on another piece on my right arm after work today.

jeddy lee · September 2010

I have two and plan to get a third as of now. The two I have are nods to the hobbies that have carried with me that developed me as a person, and things in them.

1) Red/Black Red Hot Chili Peppers asterix on my arm because it's an interesting symbol and the album Californication got my friend and I to play guitar and form a band. 12 years later and I'm still playing in bands and writing music constantly. It's a nod to them, not for being a great rock band, but for introducing me to something so wonderful.

2) Pink cloud on my shoulder with the text BAMF in it, as a nod to the comic book industry, which I read and continue to read a ton of, and really introduced me to various forms of visual art as a method of story telling.

3) (soon to come) will be the meteor symbol from FFvii as a nod to video games, which growing up with a single dad who was constantly busy, I was taught far more about morality and the human condition from video games than I was by any other media / mentor. So video games are core to my development, and I want to represent their print on me.

I'll post pictures later.

Louie · September 2010

I teach science, I have a Lithium atom on my upper arm. i'll try find a pic.

I feel it's important that a tattoo is of something of real significance in your life that you will always have a connection with and not regret/want removed due to a change in mind (i mean a break up).

Adda · September 2010

Louie wrote: »

I teach science, I have a Lithium atom on my upper arm. i'll try find a pic.

I feel it's important that a tattoo is of something of real significance in your life that you will always have a connection with and not regret/want removed due to a change in mind (i mean a break up).

Sorry to tell you here but Physics is cheating on you.

I only have one tattoo, its a '01' in MICR font on my wrist and was done after my first year of uni studying computer science.

Looking to get two shoulder/sleeve pieces done when I can find a decent place, get some art worked out and afford them. Based on a plaque of the green man we used to have in our garden and a celtic sun god.

Sentry · September 2010

jeddy lee wrote: »

2) Pink cloud on my shoulder with the text BAMF in it, as a nod to the comic book industry, which I read and continue to read a ton of, and really introduced me to various forms of visual art as a method of story telling.

Our tattoos really need to hang out.

Deadfall · September 2010

Don't have a pic of it, but I have an ace of clovers playing card on my inner right forearm.

So that I always have an ace up my sleeve, you see. I've gotten questionable comments at times, but I don't give a shit, it's mine.

And the clover is for my honeymoon in Ireland, which was just about the most awesome two weeks of my life.

RT800 · September 2010

I read someplace that the most commonly tattoo'd literary quote is "So it goes", in reference to Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse Five.

I guess they must keep a database of everyone's tattoos somewhere.

mrt144 · September 2010

XII on my right pectoral.

InkSplat · September 2010

I'm looking to start a sleeve for my left arm sometime in the near future. Right now I'm heavily leaning towards having a bunch of Muppets and characters from Sesame Street, with a slightly.. "harder" art style?

Thinking of starting with Oscar the Grouch and building on it from there.

Largely I'm waiting to find an idea that I really really am totally absolutely sure of. And I'm waiting to lose a little more weight, so it doesn't get warped or anything.

riz · September 2010

Namel3ss wrote: »

Also, I'm scared of how well the ink will age, if it starts to get dull or fuzzy, it looks terrible.

I've wondered about this too. I see a lot of nice black and white tattoos, but then I also see pretty young people with tattoos that look like they should have been black but are now going greenish and blurry.

Onslaught_Fei · September 2010

Ink will look bad if you expose it to a lot of sunlight and don't protect it.

Improvolone · September 2010

Louie wrote: »

I teach science, I have a Lithium atom on my upper arm. i'll try find a pic.

I feel it's important that a tattoo is of something of real significance in your life that you will always have a connection with and not regret/want removed due to a change in mind (i mean a break up).

How did you ever decide where to put the electrons?

I kind of want a plum pudding model tattoo.

Loren Michael · September 2010

If I ever get a tattoo, it's just gonna be straight up, full body (fits under shorts and a T-shirt) Yakuza style. It'll tell a story, but I haven't put a lot of thought into which one. It'd probably be Alice Through the Looking Glass or Paradise Lost, but I dunno.

I gotta get totally ripped first, so it'll probably never happen.

riz · September 2010

Onslaught_Fei wrote: »

Ink will look bad if you expose it to a lot of sunlight and don't protect it.

Ah, so the fact that I'm a pale freak who hides from the sunlight whenever possible would be a bonus there.

Crimson King · September 2010

I have a friend who has this short story tattooed on his stomach it its entirety:

"Alas," said the mouse, "the whole world is growing smaller every day. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into."

"You only need to change your direction," said the cat, and ate it up.

I thought it was ridiculous at first but I have to say it's grown on me.

So It Goes · September 2010

RT800 wrote: »

I read someplace that the most commonly tattoo'd literary quote is "So it goes", in reference to Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse Five.

I guess they must keep a database of everyone's tattoos somewhere.

Wot wot!

I do not have that tattoo

GiantRobo · September 2010

Contains male-nipple, spoilered for screen surprise sexings of the scrollage

I'm still trying to figure out my backpiece in it's entirety, and also one for the back of my leg. I've been having the itchin' to get another one....

Passerbye · September 2010

So I have two tattoos. I spent about two years on the first one, a year on the second one, planning, thinking, refining, rethinking, before getting them done. My recommendation is to wait at least a year once you have a clear idea in your head. If you still want it then, go for it.

My first is on my right thigh and is sort of meant as a representation of the first 20 years of my life, it's about 4"x4". The word 'Tensan' written above is from the book This Alien Shore, it is meant to describe someone who is terrified of change, yet knows it is inevitable. My second is on my right inner forearm, it's about 6"x4".

These photos are from nearly 3 years ago, the one of the bookmark was taken about three months after it was done. Both were done at Spider Monkey Tattoo in Olympia, Washington. The first was done by Will, the second by Caine. Will is good, but I would highly recommend Caine to anyone, he's especially talented and knowledgeable, not to mention just a really nice guy.

The pain wasn't so bad and I'm saying this as someone who's terrified of needles. Getting a tattoo is a completely different experience than getting a shot, though, so after the first five minutes or so I stopped irrationally panicking. It mostly felt like a continuous first degree burn, when the gun went over areas of skin closer to the bone, it hurt more, and the longer the gun was in contact with my skin the more it hurt. Basically, the initial line work hurts more than filling it in, because there are more continuous lines involved. My now-husband was with me for both tattoos and having him there to talk to was really helpful. If you're lucky your tattoo artist will be able to talk and tat at the same time.

Apothe0sis · September 2010

I have four, an hourglass on my inner left wrist, an eye of horus on my inner right, and outlines of ravens on branches on the front of my shoulders/chest.

Shortly I will have a big branch down my right arm. Then I will have to get something similar down my left.

I constantly think to myself that the back tattoo from Planescape Torment is the next thing I should get. But then I remind myself, that no, it is too much tattoo real estate and it is too nerdy. And then I wish I could do it anyway.

Also: The idea that tattoos have to mean something to you to get them is frustrating in the extreme to me. I do not care for this pretentious wankery. I think the other kind of pretentious wankery of "I just think it looks cool, there's nothing deeper behind it" is equally valid. But everytime white people talk about tattoos there is always snobbery regarding motivations out the wazoo.

Passerbye · September 2010

It is something literally becoming part of my flesh, a way of visibly marking the important portions of my life. This thing is going to be with me the rest of my life. It may well outlast my husband, my family, my current friends, heck even my own memories, if I ever get Alzheimers or go senile. It is going to warp and shift as my perspective on my life warps and shifts, as I age. As well, it requires going through extended pain willingly and shelling out a lot of money for the pleasure of it. So, yeah, I damn well want it to mean something, personally, to me. If I just wanted some pretty design to wear I could draw it and screen print it myself, rather than go through some pain.

And what does being white have to do with anything? I have plenty of non-white friends who have tattoos with great personal meaning to them.

L|ama · September 2010

Apothe0sis wrote: »

I have four, an hourglass on my inner left wrist, an eye of horus on my inner right, and outlines of ravens on branches on the front of my shoulders/chest.

Shortly I will have a big branch down my right arm. Then I will have to get something similar down my left.

I constantly think to myself that the back tattoo from Planescape Torment is the next thing I should get. But then I remind myself, that no, it is too much tattoo real estate and it is too nerdy. And then I wish I could do it anyway.

Also: The idea that tattoos have to mean something to you to get them is frustrating in the extreme to me. I do not care for this pretentious wankery. I think the other kind of pretentious wankery of "I just think it looks cool, there's nothing deeper behind it" is equally valid. But everytime white people talk about tattoos there is always snobbery regarding motivations out the wazoo.

because it's something you will have on you for the rest of your life and if it looks stupid as hell it's somewhat mitigated by having a good reason for it

speaking of which I've been thinking about getting some sort of design based on tracks from bubble chambers, especially ones like this

because they remind me of Koru. But then I saw this and wow

Complete tattoo process here:
1) GIS 'cool physics picture'
2) Save as jpeg with highest compression possible
3) print out and take to cheapest tattoo place nearby
4) get printed on your body until you die

this one looks decent though

I'm also thinking a couple of ravens in this style

referencing Huginn and Muninn because knowledge is really important to me and I am supergay for metal/vikings/norse mythology, and they're not part of norse mythology that immediately gets associated with white supremacists (so I can stay subtle about it, of course)

DasUberEdward · September 2010

Apothe0sis wrote: »

Also: The idea that tattoos have to mean something to you to get them is frustrating in the extreme to me. I do not care for this pretentious wankery. I think the other kind of pretentious wankery of "I just think it looks cool, there's nothing deeper behind it" is equally valid. But everytime white people talk about tattoos there is always snobbery regarding motivations out the wazoo.

you are a silly goose of the highest degree.

Passerbye · September 2010

Llama, after seeing it in the SE++ inkthread, my husband and I were drooling over the bubble chamber tattoo idea.

Please show it off if/when you get it.

Apothe0sis · September 2010

DasUberEdward wrote: »

Apothe0sis wrote: »

Also: The idea that tattoos have to mean something to you to get them is frustrating in the extreme to me. I do not care for this pretentious wankery. I think the other kind of pretentious wankery of "I just think it looks cool, there's nothing deeper behind it" is equally valid. But everytime white people talk about tattoos there is always snobbery regarding motivations out the wazoo.

you are a silly goose of the highest degree.

Oh, ok.

Apothe0sis · September 2010

L|ama wrote: »

Apothe0sis wrote: »

I have four, an hourglass on my inner left wrist, an eye of horus on my inner right, and outlines of ravens on branches on the front of my shoulders/chest.

Shortly I will have a big branch down my right arm. Then I will have to get something similar down my left.

I constantly think to myself that the back tattoo from Planescape Torment is the next thing I should get. But then I remind myself, that no, it is too much tattoo real estate and it is too nerdy. And then I wish I could do it anyway.

Also: The idea that tattoos have to mean something to you to get them is frustrating in the extreme to me. I do not care for this pretentious wankery. I think the other kind of pretentious wankery of "I just think it looks cool, there's nothing deeper behind it" is equally valid. But everytime white people talk about tattoos there is always snobbery regarding motivations out the wazoo.

because it's something you will have on you for the rest of your life and if it looks stupid as hell it's somewhat mitigated by having a good reason for it

Something rather more effectively solved by ensuring that it's something aesthetically pleasing to you prior to its being meaningful. Of course, if it IS meaningful and aesthetically pleasing then that's ideal.

There's nothing WRONG with getting tattoos with meanings behind them. My complaint is people denigrating tattoos which do not have meaning behind them, and insisting that getting tattoos without meaning is somehow invalid. It always happens (or at least, is phrased in ways suggestive of such an interpretation).

Vincent Grayson · September 2010

I currently have two tattoos. One is a black kanji on my right wrist. It loosely translates as "soul", and is in reference to an inside joke with my three best male friends going back to our high school days.

I also have the Rood from Vagrant Story on my back.

I've had plans to get more for some time, but have yet to really come up with something that feels right. I definitely want another on my other wrist, and it's likely to be a dharma wheel...but I can't find the right design.

L|ama · September 2010

Apo: I agree, and think if you're going for a tattoo solely for meaning and ignoring aesthetics that's just silly. That said, I have a different idea of tattoo aesthetics than aesthetics in general, some things that I think look nice as a design element of a painting or piece of art or something would not make good tattoos. I am doing a terrible job of conveying what I mean and am going to give up now.

Passerbye: Will do, if/when I do. It will be quite a while if it's an if though, I want to be fairly certain that I want it in the long term beforehand.

jeddy lee · September 2010

Sentry wrote: »

jeddy lee wrote: »

2) Pink cloud on my shoulder with the text BAMF in it, as a nod to the comic book industry, which I read and continue to read a ton of, and really introduced me to various forms of visual art as a method of story telling.

Our tattoos really need to hang out.

Truly we are men of the highest caliber, and need to celebrate our good taste.

riz · September 2010

L|ama wrote: »

I'm also thinking a couple of ravens in this style

referencing Huginn and Muninn because knowledge is really important to me and I am supergay for metal/vikings/norse mythology, and they're not part of norse mythology that immediately gets associated with white supremacists (so I can stay subtle about it, of course)

Hah. I hate things like that. The idea that you could get something inscribed on you permanently only to find out that you didn't realize certain people associate it with something you are very much not trying to associate with. I apparently live in a bubble because until very recently I didn't realize that white supremacists had some claim over badass Viking shit. That is really annoying.

Kakodaimonos · September 2010

I've got a couple. Don't have any easily available pictures.

I've got a Koi on the left inner forearm. That was just a modified flash piece, since it was a spur of the moment thing when my father and I decided to get tattoos.

I've also got an inverted pentagram with a devil's head in the center, with another inverted pentragram on the devil's head on the left shoulder.

Right now, I'm trying to track down a place that will do the laser cautery branding. I've got a design I want to get on the upper right arm.

carbon13 · September 2010

I've got nine. They're mostly all black line work, except for two old school swallows.

If you're going to do a bubble chamber don't go about it half assed, mine fills the top right arm and is a bitch to photo.

Prize goes to the person who guesses the location of my wonky star.

Sentry · September 2010

carbon13 wrote: »

I've got nine. They're mostly all black line work, except for two old school swallows.

If you're going to do a bubble chamber don't go about it half assed, mine fills the top right arm and is a bitch to photo.

Prize goes to the person who guesses the location of my wonky star.
[/SPOILER]

Palm of your left hand?

Disco11 · September 2010

I see it this way. I got a gargoyle on my right arm when I was 17. I look at it now and it's nowhere near the quality of my others and is way to small for where I put it. But when I look at it I always think back to when I got it and how f* ing cool I thought it was and how happy I was to show it off. Even if something means a lot to you now, no one can know how things will change 10 years down the road much less 40-50.

Tattoos are a reflexion of who you are at the moment you get them.

TheCanMan · September 2010

Posted this down in SE++, but figured I'd throw it in here too. I don't have any tattoos as of this moment, but about 6 months ago I came up with this and I'm still really liking the idea. It's in gaelic. The actual font is just an example. I'm thinking I should just let whomever the artist is come up with the actual font design. I'll probably get it on one of my shoulder blades because it's the most age-resistant part of the body that I can think of. Being text, I'm really afraid of it getting all stretched out as I get older.

Disco11 · September 2010

Very cool. some parts of you body stretch more than others.

Penny Arcade

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