General Your Opinion on Tattoos?

Their Goominess

pesky flying croissant
Member
So everyone knows about tattoos, and chances are you know someone who has one (or more) whether that be family, friends, or someone at school/college/any social clubs etc.
Many people like to get tattoos because they look cool; others get them because something important happened in their lives (marriage, children etc).
Many dislike them because they find them dumb - getting something permanent on your body can come back to haunt you later on in life, especially something that could be interpreted as inappropriate or embarrassing.

I'm in the former group; I like tattoos - to a certain extent. I do want a few tattoos, but not so much it looks bad - I go by the 'less is more' way of thinking with tattoos; imo too many dumb ones make good ones look bad. I also would never consider getting ones on my face or hands (I go by the 'rule' that tattoos should be able to be covered up if needs be).
When I turn 18, I plan to get a tattoo of a pair of hands clapping (whether I get more I don't know)


So what are your opinions? Try and post reasonings as to why you like - and dislike - them. Also feel free to post pics of any tattoos you have, any you plan on getting or ones that you find cool (for whatever reason).

(Mods, feel free to move if this is in the wrong place)
 

Eagle4

Aspiring Trainer
Member
RE: Tattoos: like or dislike?

I have had an irrational fear of tattoos since god knows when for god knows what reason. Either way, I hate looking at them and touching them is horrible. I have no idea why people would want a tattoo - they look ugly and you're undergoing a lot of pain just to put a bit of ink on the skin. Anyways, this is just my viewpoint ;)
 

lovandra

not an ordinary cat
Member
RE: Tattoos: like or dislike?

I once have a non-permanent tatoo of my initial on lower left of back of my neck. I think that is sexy. It was erased within a week.


But I won't ever, have a permanent one. I think tattoo is cool, but I fear the needle and pain!!!
 

Leaf_Ranger

Knight of Nature and Pokémon
Member
RE: Your opinion on tatoos?

I don't like to watch people with their body covered with tatoos. To me, the more natural a person the better and that includes skin. That said, it's up to each one to decide what they do with their body and I wouldn't mind getting a tatoo not for decoration but with a meaning.
Since I am a Scorpio and the son of two other Scorpios, I was thinking of making a tatoo of a scorpion but with three stingers and if I ended up becoming a lawyer, with opened arms and holding scales. I was thinking of having it above my chest and bellow the neck but since I have some hair there I don't want to get a furry scorpion and also because I think that after some time, even having a meaning, I would get sick of seeing and perhaps regret it so if I ended up doing it I would place it in my back (the same spot but in the back). Also, since I'm a fan of Castlevania, I was thinking of getting a tatoo with a symbol (*) of the series but on my upper right arm. All this to say that I agree with His Goominess about the option to cover them if needed, not only to avoid getting tired of it but also because while I don't judge a person because of its tatoos, the truth is that, depending on the job, it might be a problem for me even if it's only one and small tatoo.

Edit- oh yeah, the really worrying problem of tatoos that no one can escape in theory is aging! :( If I get to be an old man then by that time my scorpion will just be all deformed because of wrinkled skin. One more reason to have them out of our sight.

PS: If I make a tatoo, I want to take it to the grave with me. I've read a long time ago of people that cut "their" tatooed(?) skin (I think after they are dead, hence "their") and keep it in some liquid to preserve them. No, just HELL NO.

(*)http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110428050655/castlevania/images/f/fc/Castlevania_cross.jpg
 

Freedomeon

Eeveelution Fanatic
Member
RE: Your opinion on tatoos?

I have three, they mostly mark a milestone in my life that needs to be carried with me for the rest of my life.
One was for overcoming depression and sobering up, another was me and my sister getting the same one when I moved to London to remind us that we're always there for each other.

There's nothing wrong with tattoos, mostly everyone has one these days. They're fun, the pain is enjoyable and you only live once so enjoy everything while you can :)
 

Leaf_Ranger

Knight of Nature and Pokémon
Member
RE: Your opinion on tatoos?

Freedomeon said:
(...) the pain is enjoyable (...)
-_- ...Yeah... if I ever make one, I'll update my comment about wether or not it was enjoyable. ;)
 

Athena

The Cooler Danchou
Advanced Member
Member
I guess I come from a tattoing family. My mum has a few and my dad has one. My younger sister has one. So, obviously, do I.

When I was in college, a small tattoo parlor opened right across the street from the girl's dorm, and that's where I got mine done. I was actually the most restrained out of all of my other friends, all of who got more than one. One girl got, like, seven. One of my friends, Emily, even got a tattoo made of art that I drew for her, a chubby baby dragon blowing a small curl of flame. :)

My tattoo is based off of art by one of my favourite artists, Junko Mizuno. She's an artist in Japan who is mostly known for her manga work, though she does a lot of other art as well. The art I chose was from her Princess Mermaid manga and here is a picture of it, taken several years ago back when it was still fresh (you can see my dorm room's posters in the background).

I also have a fun story to share about this tattoo, so here goes:

A few years ago, Junko Mizuno was going to be a guest at my local anime convention, ACen. I wasn't even planning on going to ACen that year (very busy with work and such), but I figured I had to go for that one day at least to meet her and get an autograph. So, I show up a bit early to her panel and grab a seat towards the middle. The people who had the panel before were in the process of cleaning up and people were just standing around and chatting, waiting for Junko to show up. Someone taps me on my shoulder and a woman behind me compliments me on my tattoo (I was wearing a shirt that was low-cut in the back so you could see it easily), which I kind of expected, given that Junko Mizuno fans were here. She asked if she could take a picture and post it on her website, so I said sure, and when she was done, she gave me her business card so I could access the website.

... It was Junko Mizuno herself, she had come up to me because she thought my tattoo of her artwork was cool. I was floored! I thanked her profusely and got her autograph on the copy of her manga that I had brought with me for signing, and she signed a postcard for me too. So amazing. Best con experience. :)

As far as the pain goes, it wasn't really bad. Tattooing can be more or less painful depending on where the tattoo is located; tattooing over thin skin close to bone (think: ankles, face) is much more painful, whereas lots of skin and muscle (think: upper arms, butt cheeks) is the least painful. Mine, on my back over the spine, was probably about mid-painful range (the spots directly on the spine were worst, the rest not so bad). It took about two hours, but I didn't really mind it, though I wouldn't call it "enjoyable". It actually hurt a lot worse when I went in for my first touch up a couple months later because I had a cold at the time as so my skin was sensitive. At least that was just a touch up so it was significantly shorter.
 

Freedomeon

Eeveelution Fanatic
Member
RE: Your opinion on tatoos?

Leaf_Ranger said:
-_- ...Yeah... if I ever make one, I'll update my comment about wether or not it was enjoyable. ;)

It's the same as getting a piercing, you have that satisfying pain that you just can't help but enjoy :)
 

Delta

Selling colourful Pokemon to Celadon Game Corner
Member
Tattoos are a legitimate form of self expression and just another art medium really. I've seen some incredible tattoos, my favourite of which being the watercolour kind. I would probably never get a tattoo mainly because I would never be sure if I want something so permanent on my body but if I did it would be subtle and in a non-sensitive area for sure.

Tattoos are cool. This blind rage against them is pretty stupid. It's what stops people from getting employed and brings up a lot of stereotypes which I really hate being they're just being a bit creative. Why it's good on a canvas and not on the body confuses me.
 

Leaf_Ranger

Knight of Nature and Pokémon
Member
Athena said:
I guess I come from a tattoing family. My mum has a few and my dad has one. My younger sister has one. So, obviously, do I.

When I was in college, a small tattoo parlor opened right across the street from the girl's dorm, and that's where I got mine done. I was actually the most restrained out of all of my other friends, all of who got more than one. One girl got, like, seven. One of my friends, Emily, even got a tattoo made of art that I drew for her, a chubby baby dragon blowing a small curl of flame. :)

My tattoo is based off of art by one of my favourite artists, Junko Mizuno. She's an artist in Japan who is mostly known for her manga work, though she does a lot of other art as well. The art I chose was from her Princess Mermaid manga and here is a picture of it, taken several years ago back when it was still fresh (you can see my dorm room's posters in the background).

I also have a fun story to share about this tattoo, so here goes:

A few years ago, Junko Mizuno was going to be a guest at my local anime convention, ACen. I wasn't even planning on going to ACen that year (very busy with work and such), but I figured I had to go for that one day at least to meet her and get an autograph. So, I show up a bit early to her panel and grab a seat towards the middle. The people who had the panel before were in the process of cleaning up and people were just standing around and chatting, waiting for Junko to show up. Someone taps me on my shoulder and a woman behind me compliments me on my tattoo (I was wearing a shirt that was low-cut in the back so you could see it easily), which I kind of expected, given that Junko Mizuno fans were here. She asked if she could take a picture and post it on her website, so I said sure, and when she was done, she gave me her business card so I could access the website.

... It was Junko Mizuno herself, she had come up to me because she thought my tattoo of her artwork was cool. I was floored! I thanked her profusely and got her autograph on the copy of her manga that I had brought with me for signing, and she signed a postcard for me too. So amazing. Best con experience. :)

As far as the pain goes, it wasn't really bad. Tattooing can be more or less painful depending on where the tattoo is located; tattooing over thin skin close to bone (think: ankles, face) is much more painful, whereas lots of skin and muscle (think: upper arms, butt cheeks) is the least painful. Mine, on my back over the spine, was probably about mid-painful range (the spots directly on the spine were worst, the rest not so bad). It took about two hours, but I didn't really mind it, though I wouldn't call it "enjoyable". It actually hurt a lot worse when I went in for my first touch up a couple months later because I had a cold at the time as so my skin was sensitive. At least that was just a touch up so it was significantly shorter.

Nice tatoo, though I can't understand if the red thing is her lips or just a heart or something. Great story! :)
Where the mermaid's head sits it's the spot were I would like to do mine.
I forgot to tell that another reason for doind it in my back and not on my chest is because of the pain it might come out of it since I'm skinny (less on my back) so it would be some pressure and perhaps more pain that I'd hope for.


Freedomeon said:
Leaf_Ranger said:
-_- ...Yeah... if I ever make one, I'll update my comment about wether or not it was enjoyable. ;)

It's the same as getting a piercing, you have that satisfying pain that you just can't help but enjoy :)

That's another thing: I also don't have any piercings! :p I do enjoy the little pain that comes from a flu shot but I don't know if I would like to have the needle constantly piercing.


Delta said:
(...)
Tattoos are cool. This blind rage against them is pretty stupid. It's what stops people from getting employed and brings up a lot of stereotypes which I really hate being they're just being a bit creative. Why it's good on a canvas and not on the body confuses me.

The stereotypes are really there and I confess to fall for them, namely the ones that link a tattooed person to a more liberal way of life. That said, my opinion about disliking tatoo covered bodies won't change even if I met someone like that.
About the employement, I don't know about your contry but here in Portugal, not hiring someone because of having tatoos is illegal. The employer might say, for example, that since the job requires dealing with the public then the person must be...good looking (I lack a better word) but that is a restriction to a person's right of self-expression and it's something that won't affect the value of said person's work (despite the fact that, due to the above mentioned stereotypes, people will perhaps avoid (then again, perhaps only at first) and will stare). I think one of the examples given in my Labour Law classes was from one Nordic country where there was a guy who was a deputy and he weared a suit but had a mohawk and wasn't prohibited.
 

Delta

Selling colourful Pokemon to Celadon Game Corner
Member
Leaf_Ranger said:
About the employement, I don't know about your contry but here in Portugal, not hiring someone because of having tatoos is illegal.

Oh no, it's illegal here and I'd imagine in a lot of other countries but employers don't outright say they are not hiring this person because of their tattoos straight to their face. It's just another form of discrimination. Even if the job is dealing with people a lot of the time it's customers that stereotype on it. A person with a tattoo could be better qualified but not get the job because some people don't like it.
 

Secretsof2113

Blackstar
Member
I have 12 tattoos myself, and plan to get more of them as time goes on. I've been trying to save up to get my right sleeve finished, which is supposed to be a full Pokemon sleeve with some of my favorite characters on it. I've just been broke, so I haven't really been able to get it done like i want to!
 
J

Juliacoolo

Tattoos aren't for me, but I think they can be cool. Anything that tries to emulate an animal part is kind of lame IMO, but I've seen some cool designs. I'm also not a huge fan of face tattoos, but the nice thing about tattoos is that they let people express themselves ^_^
 

tweety210

Strife Unanimous Strive on Animous
Member
Tattoos are starting to become more acceptable in workplaces so I guess the stereotypes are fading. Personally I feel like the thought of getting a tattoo is a big decision, after all you are marking your body with permanent ink. I can't think of anything significantly meaningful to put on my body, and to be honest I'm sure there are some people out there that get tattoos of idiotic images (like that one dude who decided that his McDonald's receipt would look great on his forearm). They're really expensive and if you want them removed laser tattoo removal is painful.
 

Chaos Jackal

Legend of the Past
Member
Tatoos are a great form of art and self-expression, and I'd like to have one myself. The only problem (pain doesn't count, life is a pain:p) is that since they are permanent, I find it hard to decide what to put on my body. I don't want many tatoos, one in the arm or in the back of my neck would suffice, but I want it to be something I'll feel proud of in 30 years and not only now.
 

CMP

Now with 400% more Neo!
Member
I've planned on getting one for a while now, though I haven't gotten around to it just yet. As I work in a healthcare field where professional dress is paramount, when (or at this point, if) I do, it'll be on one of my calves (as anytime I'm at work I'll be wearing dress pants).
 

GrandPanacea

Thread Necromancer
Advanced Member
Member
Aha! Finally found a thread about tattoos!

Anyways, I love tattoos. Absolutely adore them. I have five as of 30 October 2016, and my mom is paying for one for me for my Christmas gift this year. Each of mine have some significance to me, but even if they didn't, I think a tattoo is a fantastic way to showcase beautiful art. When I was four, I desperately wanted one. Got my first one when I was 21, after my Grampie died. Part of me didn't want to disappoint him, because he did not like tattoos (he came from a time when mostly criminals had them). My first tattoo was actually in honour of him! I'll link to the images below.

I have a Triskelion in memory of Grampie. The Triskelion (also known as the Triskele) is an ancient Roman symbol that the Celts adopted and used on... Basically everything. Then the Irish Catholics adopted it, and continued the trend. My Grampie was very proud of his Irish heritage, so it seemed like the perfect design. My mom, aunt, and I all have one for him.

My second tattoo is a semi-colon, which is a trend that started in the wake of a girl's father committing suicide. The entire campaign is serving to increase awareness about mental health issues, a topic that is very near to my heart. My mom and I both have one.

My third tattoo is the Triple Goddess Moon with three stars in the middle moon. This one is of deep personal significance, relevant to only my mom and I.

My fourth tattoo is a Master Ball on my wrist. That was a birthday present to myself. I've been a fan of Pokémon since the first episode aired in Canada. I've been a fan for 18 years. I figured that was a sufficient length of time for a commitment, haha. Also, this year was the perfect time to get it, considering it's the 20th anniversary.

My fifth, and most recent (done in August), tattoo is a lovely blue jay. My mom, aunt, and I all got a different bird in memory of my Grammie, who died back in 2012. She absolutely adored birds, and the blue jay was her favourite. It was the most expensive and most painful (which still wasn't bad), but it's also probably my favourite, if I was forced to choose one.

In December, I'll be getting the Big Key from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. I'm very excited for that, because I've been a TLoZ fan as long as I've been a Pokémon fan.

Here they are, all from my Instagram.

 

98Greener

tree noises
Member
They're cool, but not something I'd like to wear on my body. My dad has a few awesome tattoos, though: A Hindu goddess on his right shoulder, riding a freakin' fire breathing lion, a tribal symbol on his left shoulder, a really basic spider on his left shoulder blade, and I thiiiink a dream catcher on his chest. Maybe something on his ankle, too.

My parents would probably murder me if I did get a tattoo, though. Even if it was something as innocent as a heart that says Mom on it.
 

Jinjer

Aspiring Trainer
Member
as long as it's not something that will be culturally passe in a few years and it won't make you look like yakuza or something i'm alright with it i guess
 
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