To Tattoo, or not to Tattoo

[Mistydawn]

To tattoo, or not to tattoo.

A good friend of mine tells me that they don’t believe in tattooing their body because it is their temple.

If your body is your temple, doesn’t that mean you live within it? So can’t your body be a canvas? If the clothes you wear, and the jewellery you adorn are an expression of the person you want others to see you as, surely tattoos are a similar expression?

Have you any tattoos and do they have significant meaning for you?

Do you feel strongly that tattooing is wrong or not, and if so why?

[little_dreamer]

I am neutral on tattoos. Some of my friends have maybe one tattoo on their bodies.

It may limit your career opportunities. My current employer forbids visible tattoos.

[Barnacle Battlefront]

I would never get a tattoo. The way I see it, my body is the greatest gift G-d has given me. You would not draw on the walls of a Temple, so why would I draw on my body? Also, I do not like the idea of something so permanent.

Having said that, I ahve nothing against tattoos on other people. My best friend has a spectacular set of wings on her back. I'll ask her if I can put a pic up. The art is amazing, and I wish I had the ability to do that. She also has a snowflake on her wrist and a tribal design on her lower back. The snowflake is the one that intrigues me the most, because she told me what it means. It is a snowflake that looks like every other, because in a lot of ways she is like everyone else. But a snowflake is always different, and no two snowflakes are the same, which symbolises the fact that there is no one else out there who is the same as her.

One she is getting next is of my suggestion: Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

[Funky Poacher]

I would, if the tatoo was something sacred, or I went to Tibet and had a monk do it. Something brilliant, inspiring, meaningful and not tacky... that's what people should get when they have tatoos done. My boyfriend actually has a brilliant part of an Escher on his back should (no, not the damned stairs!). But sometimes I see people with the lame *** butterfly on their back or down near their *** and all I can think is... trashy. And not cool trashy.

[Neognosis]

I would never get a tattoo. The way I see it, my body is the greatest gift G-d has given me. You would not draw on the walls of a Temple, so why would I draw on my body?

You cut your hair though, right? Wear makeup? Earings? It's all a matter of opinion. You put stained glass up in churches, right? Tattooing is permanant, though. Although, it's not permanant. It's only around for the life of the wearer. heh...

I have a full sleeve and probably will not stop until both my arms are covered. I just like it.

I would, if the tatoo was something sacred, or I went to Tibet and had a monk do it.

Are you a buddhist?

[Mistydawn]

I would never get a tattoo. The way I see it, my body is the greatest gift G-d has given me. You would not draw on the walls of a Temple, so why would I draw on my body? Also, I do not like the idea of something so permanent.

Having said that, I ahve nothing against tattoos on other people. My best friend has a spectacular set of wings on her back. I'll ask her if I can put a pic up. The art is amazing, and I wish I had the ability to do that. She also has a snowflake on her wrist and a tribal design on her lower back. The snowflake is the one that intrigues me the most, because she told me what it means. It is a snowflake that looks like every other, because in a lot of ways she is like everyone else. But a snowflake is always different, and no two snowflakes are the same, which symbolises the fact that there is no one else out there who is the same as her.

One she is getting next is of my suggestion: Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

Hi Corporal C. Your point that you would not draw on the walls of a Temple: the thing is though, Eastern Temples often have ornate artwork on them and even Churches etc often have ornate carvings and stain-glass work etc.

[ODIN-X]

It is your body. <- Period.

Do what you want to it.

IMO, Tattoos are a way to express yourself. Especially if they had some type of meaning of

the things you have been through in your life or who you are.

One of mine is attached.

It is a sword with a banner scrolled across it. In the banner is my families name spelt in Nordic runes.

Every man in my family has something similar to this and this tradition goes as far back into our bloodline as we can see.

One of my others is a dedication to my daughter. A pegasus with her name in the clouds.

Now, I would not get something like Marvin the Martian done.....

[black dahlia 83]

I love tattoo's. I'm going to be shallow and say I do because they can look so cool.

I see it as art, your body just being yet another canvass for a possibly talented person to decorate and you get to keep it for life and carry it around with you. Having said that.. some can look fricken tacky as hell. AKA tramp stamps damn I hate those, dont know why though? NOT BAGGING ANYONE WHO HAS THEM JUST A PERSONAL THING, I SWEAR.

I have one at the moment on my right shoulder blade of a Humming bird, I got if for my 24th birthday last year. I got a humming bird. (cause I love birds) I'm adding cherry blossoms to it later this year. oops next year.

Edited December 30, 2008 by black dahlia 83

[_Spawn_]

I only have 1 tattoo, and it does have meaning. I want more tho

[Fluffybunny]

Too many people get tattoos without much thought...it seems that most girls under 23 today have some tattoo that would likely be embarrassing at some point in the future.

Most kids dont understand that when they are growing up, they are changing constantly. Psychologist have figured out that on average; every five years in the first 20 years a persons personal beliefs take a huge leap in one direction or another. Maybe at 19 years old having the huge rotting corpse on your forearm because the shock factor is awesome...However after not being able to get a real job, and scaring little children for a few years, you start to realize that it was a bad idea.

And nomatter what anyone tells you; the removal is not perfect, and it is expensive. Instead of a tattoo, you have a scar; woohoo.

[Lilly]

Too many people get tattoos without much thought...it seems that most girls under 23 today have some tattoo that would likely be embarrassing at some point in the future.

Thankfully, my 23 year old daughter only has one of a butterfly (on her lower back). She has loved butterflies her entire life (has a butterfly collection, butterfly jewelry, butterfly curtains and bedspread...you get the picture). My 20 year old son has no tattoos (yet anyway). So far, so good!

[Sweetpumper]

www.wreckingbalm.com

[Neognosis]

I love tramp stamps. LOVE them.

I don't think tattoos necessarily have to have meaning either. Mine do, or at least most of mine do. But sometimes I want something just because I think it looks cool.

I would encourage my son to not get anything large until he was at least in his 30s. Or to at least save most of his arms until he knew more about who he is. Although my son will probably rebell agains me by going to law school and not getting any tattoos. My arm is still in progress and has been for a year or so.

But after all, it's only skin. I have one semi-bad tattoo on my ankle. It's two dolphins in a ring, got it when I was 19. I would never cover it though. It's a record of that time, what I was doing, who I was, what I thought then.

Edited December 30, 2008 by Neognosis

[ODIN-X]

I just noticed the Clay Aiken tattoo above....OMG WTF?!

[Relle]

I love tramp stamps. LOVE them.

I don't think tattoos necessarily have to have meaning either. Mine do, or at least most of mine do. But sometimes I want something just because I think it looks cool.

I would encourage my son to not get anything large until he was at least in his 30s. Or to at least save most of his arms until he knew more about who he is. Although my son will probably rebell agains me by going to law school and not getting any tattoos. My arm is still in progress and has been for a year or so.

But after all, it's only skin. I have one semi-bad tattoo on my ankle. It's two dolphins in a ring, got it when I was 19. I would never cover it though. It's a record of that time, what I was doing, who I was, what I thought then.

IS that you and your little one in the picture! So sweet!

I have three tattoos. They all have meaning. Well, the one between my shoulder blades doesn't I guess, I just thought it looked pretty. The Chinese symbols on my ankle stand for "Mother, Daughter and Son" representing me and my kids and the one on my right hand side of my lower back is the Eye of Horus for my love of all things Egyptian. I'm planning on having more added to my ankle, maybe some cherry blossoms but nothing too extreme. I'll post some pictures if I have a chance.

I have no problem with tattoos. I have them, my husband has them and most of my friends have them. Now if someone wanted to do something stupid like have a clown cupping a nipple (a friend of mine thought that would be cool. I thought it was creepy!) then I'd have to say something!

[Sweetpumper]

I just noticed the Clay Aiken tattoo above....OMG WTF?!

[Neognosis]

IS that you and your little one in the picture! So sweet!

Yea, that's me and my son Sully. thank you. He is quite a charmer with the ladies.

[ODIN-X]

YIKES!

Now I gotta change my shorts.

Thanx alot S-Pumper!

[ravergirl]

I am neutral on tattoos. Some of my friends have maybe one tattoo on their bodies.

It may limit your career opportunities. My current employer forbids visible tattoos.

lol. your employer wouldn't forbid visible ones if the had a visible one.

I think that your body is a temple and you should be able to decorate it as you see fit. I think that caution should be taken in choosing an art piece and an artist.

[Relle]

Yea, that's me and my son Sully. thank you. He is quite a charmer with the ladies.

Love the name! He's a sweetie! I have a ladies man here too. My little Hayden loves the "girls" if you know what I mean. He's felt up almost everyone!

Here's the Eye of Horus. It was my first.

And the Chinese symbols for Mother,daughter and son

The design was just pretty not meaningful!

I may get more, Who knows!

Edited December 31, 2008 by Relle

[Neognosis]

I think they are very attractive on you.

[Mistydawn]

Can somebody tell me what a "tramp stamp" is? Does it mean just a meaningless tattoo?

[Enigmatic Ghost]

If I may respectably Comment here upon Tattoos…

Tramp Stamps...

A tramp Stamp is derogatory towards Woman as its name implies, it is also the Lower back tattoo the Ladies get and as everybody and their mother goes with this Fad Trend it is call the “Tramp Stamp”.

I encourage people to be expressive within themselves and be unique in their Choice of a Tattoo and choose the Tattoos well, to have privet meaning and some people get them as just because they like it.

Common name for Tattoo pictures upon the walls in the Shop is Flash…

Flash and Set up Base Prices...

Flash is for the most part small Inexpensive because it is simple and there is not a lot of line work involved in placement nor are they usually time consuming to have Tattooed on, most shops have their flash art up with a Price of cost marked upon them because most people are walk ins and have just a bit of cash upon them… The Tattoo artist has set base prices, because the cost in the Sterilized equipment set up, new needles and cost of inks…

Pavot

Edited January 1, 2009 by Pavot

[Mistydawn]

If I may respectably Comment here upon Tattoos…

Tramp Stamps...

A tramp Stamp is derogatory towards Woman as its name implies, it is also the Lower back tattoo the Ladies get and as everybody and their mother goes with this Fad Trend it is call the “Tramp Stamp”.

I encourage people to be expressive within themselves and be unique in their Choice of a Tattoo and chose the Tattoos well, to have privet meaning and some people get them as just because they like it.

Common name for Tattoo pictures upon the walls in the Shop is Flash…

Flash and Set up Base Prices...

Flash is for the most part small Inexpensive because it is simple and there is not a lot of line work involved in placement nor are they usually time consuming to have Tattooed on, most shops have their flash art up with a Price of cost marked upon them because most people are walk ins and have just a bit of cash upon them… The Tattoo artist has set base prices, because the cost in the Sterilized equipment set up, new needles and cost of inks…

Pavot

Thank you for the clear explanation Pavot. I am a dork when it comes to slang terms.

[Iblis]

Here's the Eye of Horus. It was my first.

I really like the Eye of Horus and have thought about getting one myself at some point in my life.

I have a tattoo, got it when i turned 18. My parents were against it, and totally made them crazy when i showed it to them. But after a week they admitted that they liked it.

I plan on getting more tattoos, just gotta find the right thing to get.

Well here's mine:

Edited December 31, 2008 by Iblis