So, I thought maybe to start a(nother?) Thread about tattoos. Hopefully not an opinion thread, only because this is how I decorate my "temple".

Here is a pic of my newest addition, and probably my fave. Being a tattoo novice, I decided to choose the most painful place (according to many) and it hurt like a 7 on the pain scale. Its on my rib cage. Hope to see you share some of yours, or funny ones from the net

Looks like you came in contact with some high voltage power lines.

Smiley, you are BRAVE to go after what you want and to endure the pain! You rock!

Sorry but my opinion is ICK!

FH

smiley i heart your tattoo! i am big into tattoos- i have 2 big ones and will post pics when they are complete. i too have a dead tree on my ribs it starts on my right arm, goes down my side and wraps around my right thigh- total length from top branches to roots is 36 inches. i am also working on a half sleeve.

I vote ick as well, but it is probably my age...Just wasn't done in my day...

Howdy: If you put them on when you are Smiley's age they look so nice when you are our age. I know because I got tattoos when I was young, now they look so nice even, if you really have to study them to tell what they originaly were.

IMO, the only reason to get tattoo is because you're on fantasy island...

I admire the artistic abilities of tattoo artists and think if you want to decorate yourself that way go right ahead. They just aren't for me. I think that you just look dirty if you have too many.

Smiley:

Nice tattoo!

Bet it hurt...

I have a opinion on tattoos as well I was at a cafe the other day and this guy was there with his wife and kid good looking family but the entire cafe was staring at his arms covered in tattoos. who the heck are we to stare and whisper under our breath look at that guy what a weirdo. well maybe that guy is a war hero or a fire fighter maybe he is a surgeon that saves thousands of lives. we as a society need to take a step back not judge the book before it is read.

Nope. You were right the first time. I know him, and he is a real weirdo.


FH

So far this is the first, going to get another next week. This is a letter my dad wrote to me in my baby book at 6 months old. Copied directly from the book in his writing.

BRUTAL!

That's soo beautiful I have 10, most of them have meaning to me, but nothing quite as special as that! How [email protected]

All I can think is what a waste of time and money. But then I own an old house and my time and money are sucked into it. I guess if I only had my vanity, then I might . . .nope. Never. Too cheap. I also hate unnecessary pain. And I am old enough to know what those things are going to look like in twenty years.

I have a friend who has a beautiful dragon on her shoulder. Absolutely lovely. Much more attractive then these tattoos but I still look at it and think. . . right up there with smoking as a waste of hard-earned money.

While doing our genealogy on our Norwegian side, we discovered a family sign from the 1700's...kind of looks like sticks...but, I keep thinking it would look great very small above the ankle????? Why not????

Ya, Amorette, we all should know, your opinion is the only thing that matters. How dare anyone do anything that means something so stongly to themselves without consulting your dumbass opinion first.

Lmao. I respect Amorette's opinion, she is older and wiser. I don't find it is anything to get angry about

I agree. Tattoos will eventually look bad as we age. However, we ALSO look worse as we age. And as we get to a certain age, we will care less how we look. All that will matter is that we are still living.

K.D., I didn't say people shouldn't get tattoos. I just explained why I don't get tattoos. I also don't have pierced ears. I am cheap about my personal appearance. I skipped braces and teeth whitening for the same reason. My crooked grey teeth are cheaper to maintain.

I also don't suggest everyone go out and buy a Victorian house in need of massive amounts of work. If you don't love that sort of thing, it would drive you crazy. In fact, it drives me crazy and I love it.

I don't understand smoking, tattoos or pierced ears. I don't expect you to under how much I can enjoy stripping paint off a one ton claw foot bathtub.

Just making conversation.

Maybe I should get a tattoo of a claw foot bathtub!

Nope. Even it if were free.

Tattoos will eventually look bad as we age.

this isn't totally true. your skin ages only as well as the care you put into it. years ago i took care of an elderly woman with numerous tattoos and they looked brand new, but were from the 1960's. i asked her what her skin care secrets were and this is what she said:

use sunscreen, especially on your tattoos. the sun will fade them as well as ruin your skin.

moisturize daily.

also be mindful of how much you spend on your ink. a cheap tattoo looks cheap. i have been an employee at a tattoo parlor in the portland metro area for two years and i see them all! 'my buddy bought a gun off e-bay and did this in his basement for a 'teener of bud. can you fix this?'

http://thehouseoftattoo.com/

my pieces aren't posted on the portfolios yet as we are nearing completion!

One thing I can stick up for is the pierced ears. A necessity if you like earrings and you have dinky earlobes.

I totally agree with the "old house" concept. We just love Mr. Furstnow's old house and like to give him credit! It was a thrill to find his name stamped on pieces of framework when working on the place. I did see your "weakness" (house) on the tour a few years ago...it is great.

Oops...for what it's worth...I think tattoos are very artistic and, to each his own!!! The subject tattoo is amazing...and, the owner very brave. (Ouch!)

Christen,
Becca's white dove with the olive branch is incredible! Haven't seen the white-on-skin before - very pretty! Thanks for sharing.

I once heard someone refer to a heavily-tattooed person as looking like a coloring book. My response to that was who doesn't like coloring books?! (I have 3, but only one is visible daily.)

My artist cousin showed me the design she's looking at - it's the DNA double helix, but at the top, it's breaking apart and morphing into butterflies. I'll try to find a photo (it may be a common image), but it's really beautiful. She's also been commissioned for the album cover on Smiley's original post, and several Marilyn Monroes. Portraits scare me - I've seen too many wind up looking like something off of Deliverance.

[This message has been edited by Sarah Peterson (4/17/2011)]

Hmmm...so then, by using the commutative law, we can unequivocally state:

Crooked grey teeth are to Victorian houses

as

Tattoos are to doublewides.

Makes perfect sense to me.

FH is chuckling.

sarah- both becca and thomas have done their apprenticeship during my time and both have tattooed me. (in becca's portfoilo i am the filigree with a butterfly, side of foot piece.) they both are amazing first year artists.

white is used frequently in the shop to highlight, create 'shine' and blend old work into new work. i have a bee on my arm (as part of a half sleeve) that has white highlight to it. an older fella (65+) told me my bee was 'shiny' and seeing it made him 'so happy.'

regarding a portrait- my advice is to not be a guinea pig for portrait work. the artist should have numerous under their belt before they get to ink you.

I am unable to post pictures, but I have tattoos of two of my childrens footprints as taken in the hospital. (havent got the third kids yet cuz hes only 11 days old and im broke)