Tattoos are having a moment. From full on sleeves to simple stamps of expression, tattoos are infiltrating mainstream culture at an unprecedented rate. Here, I investigate the lure of the ancient art - and the inspiration behind its awesome comeback.
When I was younger, in the 1980s there were a lot of people sporting tattoos. These were the types of people that enjoyed glam rock. That sort of went away in the early 90s. Then, in the late 90s it seemed to have picked up again. That was my observation at least. I will say that there are many more tattoos these days, or perhaps I'm just noticing them more because they are so much more enjoyable to look at. I have a couple of friends from high school that are tattoo artist and they do fantastic work. It can be such a beautiful artform. My hesitation to get a tattoo is based on how much my taste in art has changed over the course of my life. Paintings that I would have excitedly hung on my wall at the age of 21 would never grace my walls these days. However, one late night spending time with mk, we both agreed that we would get Hubski tattoos when our community reached 100,000 people. I will gladly make that my first tattoo.
First of all, you were most certainly drunk so no court in the land would hold you to this. But, I am definitely not making it up.
I think I will get a tattoo of the logo on my arm and beneath it I will write "a thoughtful arm"
A coworker of mine has had his mind on tattoos a lot lately and he's been doing some research into different cultural expressions through ink. Particularly Russian mafia tattoos. For anyone who has seen Eastern Promises, you will be familiar with some of this. It's a really interesting way of tattooing where the art tells the story of the person's life. Even the placement on the body carries a level of importance. The spires on a building represent the number of prison stays, a spider in a web means you're an addict, a cat means you're a thief. It goes on and on. There are also shaming tattoos put on the forearm, being more visible, that will describe something 'treacherous', like child rape or homosexuality. I like the thought that a tattoo isn't just an image the someone likes, but is rather a kind of log of the things done in your life.
I always find tattoos very interesting. The reason why someone tattoos themself can tell a lot about them. That it is so permanent means that I would never be able to find a design that's satisfactory. It has to be something that will be good / awesome / memorable my entire life, and besides important events or timeless ideas I can't think of many things that will fit that criteria. Something I've considered are more subtle references, like maybe The Wall (my favourite album for years now and I don' see that chaning anytime) as tattoo: But I probably would never do it.
A lot of people get them, there's been studies done on how addicting they can be -- you can't just get one! Some are cool and nice, but all I can think about is what you will look like when you're skin is saggy and the ink fades, and you no longer remember what or why you got the tattoo in the first place. Maybe I'm a cynic, idk
When your skin is saggy, it's not going to look good anyway. ;)
I know, I guess, and you'll be too old to care.
I also don't mean to offend, but that honestly seems like a typical response a non-tattooed person would give. In the same way that non-smokers just don't understand. I think really it comes down to the fact that many tattoos are poorly thought out and many aren't. There are plenty of people who seem to get very crappy tattoos on a whim, and plenty of people who put very serious thought into the tattoos they get and never regret it. I can't speak from experience, of course; I'm not tattooed. But I think a lot of it comes down to the motivation - the difference between a momentary impulse based on something being cool, and a long-lasting drive to get something done. That I have experienced; I wanted to have my septum pierced for years before I actually got it done, and it was based not on it being fashionable or even aestethically pleasing but some kind of innate drive to have my septum pierced. (That said, the good thing about body piercings is that if you end up not liking it, you can always just take it out.) What I'm really trying to get at, I think, is that yes there are definitely people who get tattoos with little thought, but there are definitely people who get tattoos - and otherwise modify their bodies - who wanted to do so on a very meaningful level and who put a substantial amount of consideration into it. One thing that is pretty terrible, and generally symptomatic of the kind of people who don't put thought in, is shopping around for low prices. I think that with any body modifcation, pricing should be your last priority. Or even, not really a priority at all. If you're going to get your body changed - especially if it's permanent - you want it done in the best and most professional way possible, not the cheapest. But you get people going into tattoo places and asking how much they charge for such-and-such a piece, and then scoffing at the price.
too right. As my dad always said "if you're going to get into body scarification, you better go all the way, and do it up right" Actually, even as a non-smoker, I understand smoking. One willfully ingests a substance that makes him/her feel a certain way. And I think I even understand the appeal of getting a tattoo. It's a way of saying something about yourself... in a permanent way. Like thenewgreen, my tastes and attitudes tend to change with time. And knowing that, I don't think I could accurately choose something that I could still agree with at age 40, 60, or 80. The permanence of the thing is the catch. You're right on the money - if you want to pierce something - go for it. When you change your mind later, it's a tiny hole somewhere on your body. When you change your mind about a tat - you're either getting it removed ($$$ + Pain) or you're getting it blacked out... which... probably also means $$$ + pain. To say I don't understand might be a bit much. To say I don't see the logic in a permanent body alteration might be more accurate. Too many close friends regret their youthful tattoo choices and spend the remainder of adulthood dealing with it, with either hiding, lasers, or blackouts.Or even, not really a priority at all
In the same way that non-smokers just don't understand.
I think the key here is the regret part. You are looking at a tattoo as something that you are assuming you have to like for its aesthetic reasons your entire life or just have it removed. I know plenty of people with "bad" tattoos and they don't look at them as mistakes to cover up, they look at them as at some time in their life, I was this person and this is how I felt/conveyed what was important to me. Im not going to be a 40 yr old SERIOUSLY looking at my life and choosing some ink on my skin as my biggest regret. And really, if I am 40 and a tat is my biggest regret then I have had one hell of a life thus far.
I have a friend named Tim that has one tattoo. It is on the bottom of his wrist and is a small exclamation point. He wears his watch backwards so that the face covers the tattoo. The idea is that he is running out of time and it reminds him to make the most of every moment. It's my favorite tattoo I've ever seen.
Tattoos are definitely in - you see a lot more people with full sleeves and big designs, but I think more so tattooing has become mainstream in the same way that (non-lobe) ear piercings, nose and navel piercings have; I think it's very much a gendered thing - most of the time, the people I see with lots of big pieces (which is seldom) are men, while a lot of women have one or more little tattoos. Personally, I've considered tattoos, but am not keen on getting one right now. One objection is that I won't get anything referential - nothing derived from video games or music or movies. I also want it to be an original design of my own, but I have no drawing skill. Honestly, I just don't feel the same "pull" that certain body piercings have given me; an innate drive to have it. The Galway Tattoo Show is coming up. I might go. And maybe make a Hubski post about it.
It has become so mainstream that (especially in my town) the fact that I don't have a single tattoo makes me stand out more. It's odd. People don't believe me when I say I don't have any. I've thought about getting a big one. I have a lot of friends that are covered and often party at the studios and whatnot. I've had it drawn out and put down my side. It's really badass and has a lot of meaning but would I ever do it? I don't know. Some days I want it and others I don't. Until I wake up every morning wishing I had it, it won't happen.
People seem to expect me to have one because I keep getting asked; it's probably because I've magically become the most pierced person in my social circle, despite only actually having six. On that last note - sometimes I think the reluctance is inevitable. Like having second thoughts before getting married, or feeling nervous the first time you have sex; maybe no matter how much you want a tattoo, a little piece of you will be skeptical until you actually get it. (But there's no knowing until it's gotten, so...)
I guess then, until I grow a wicked pair of balls, I won't have it. :P I don't really think nearly as much anymore. I used to spend a lot more time at the beach and around people and see all their great art. Now I'm in an office.