keepcalm

When I was getting my first tattoo, for months beforehand, I wanted to get a phrase taken from a John Cheever quote -- "write to make sense of life" (full quote: "The need to write comes from the need to make sense of one's life and discover one's usefulness.") -- AND I wanted to get in Latin. This was only six years ago, but I don't even remember what my reasoning was for the whole Latin thing.
Anyway, after stressing over the correct spelling for the Latin (seriously. wut.), font options for the script, etc., I finally decided the reason I was dallying on actually getting the tattoo was because I didn't really want to get words written on me. I wanted an image. I wanted something that would look beautiful. I wanted art.
So I found the ibis, the bird that represents the Egyptian deity Thoth, who served as scribe to the gods. As soon as I stumbled upon it, I knew it would be the image I got tattooed on me. It held the meaning I wanted, that was important to me, but it was also a beautiful image of a lovely bird (my ibis is in flight).
Now that I have three more tattoos, I feel confident saying I don't think I'll ever put text on my body. I think script can look really great incorporated into certain designs, but what I personally like about tattoos is that they are mobile art that I get to carry with me everywhere I go. It's a bit ironic given how much I clearly value the written word, but hey, a time and place for everything, right? :)
Side benefit -- there's more ambiguity with pictures. They feel more personal to me. I know what my ibis means, and if someone who sees it asks me about it, I can tell them. For everyone else who doesn't ask, they'll just see a pretty bird in flight. And that's cool, too.
Anyway, good luck with your tattoo -- I hope you get exactly what you want.

Looks like you're in luck! ;)

I think every tattoo collector needs to ask themselves this after every new tattoo.

Or half an octopus.

I just basically wish I had four arms.

In what could be considered small (town) man syndrome I will post my largest tattoo directly after my close neighbour to the north (@bongsau) most recent entry.
Done by Ryan Gagne, Classic Tattoo, Red Deer, AB

I'd say if you're worried something is too masculine for you, then it's not the right tattoo for *you*. If it's right for *you*, it shouldn't matter if it's...I don't know, what's masculine, a big ole monster truck? If that's what you like, then that's what you get. and if someone says they don't like it, then you say "Yes, well, maybe it's not your taste, and that's fine. I happen to think you're a fucking knob, however I have too much tact to say it." And then you punch them in the throat.

Not too arty for me, super cool pic @youthcrewalex. I'd say your "overall look as a tattooed person" is coming along nicely.

This thread needs more pictures!!

"Now suck in your gut!"

That's me! Pre-Flatmo sleeve last summer!

here's some balance:

Hahahah awesome.
To answer the main question of this post: They've made my mom love me less (I'm pretty sure).
Just kidding.
Mostly. :D

I've noticed it's often what they don't say that speaks loudest. Over the last week I stayed in an upscale hotel and had breakfast each morning in their restaurant. Most of the other guests were on business trips or expensive wedding parties. I got lots of surreptitious looks from curious people. Most were fine. It didn't bother me. But one or two of them openly glared at me. It was strange, but I ended up feeling kind of sorry for them. They had nothing better to do than try and make someone else's day a little worse. (It didn't work!) The hotel staff on the other hand were great. I think they enjoyed having a polite, good tipping, friendly customer than the stuffed shirts who were generally unpleasant to everyone around them. In all my years I have never had anyone say anything openly nasty or unpleasant to me. I've had the usual "what do they mean" questions over the years, but for the most part people leave me alone about them - unless they are tattooed themselves. Then I often have a good conversation, swapping our experiences and finding out about artists I hadn't known about. I'm curious to see if anyone gives me grief from a religious perspective. I suspect my reaction would be to yawn and move on.

I completely understand, but i will say this. Two words: @Iwar Fundoshi lol He has now set the bar pretty high though

I'm still over here trying to figure out how to get a shot of all my tattoos at once without crossing into inappropriate territory :o
Might have to try left side then right side, haha.
Loving seeing the full-body shots, though -- it really helps when thinking of where I'd like to put more work and what it might look like on me. Hopefully some more ladies will share, too! :)

This is a photo taken by my friend, @Iwar, right after Marius Meyer did a hell of a oneshot on me. I was almost dead, at least very close to fainting. Haha! See a better picture of it in the august contest. The front is just a collection of good and bad tattoos. Some day the owl is going to taste the laser..

Went to orlando on holiday!
heres a few of my highlights!

I'm just going to add my own narcissistic ramblings on here too..
As for being a "tattooed person", I don't think I want to be one all the time. In order to be a normal "respectable" person I think I will save neck up and hands (even though I really enjoy seeing good hand tattoos). I like do be able to go undercover and not always be percieved as tattooed. Over the past two years I've gotten 15+ tattoos all in all and just a few weeks ago I visited a public outdoor swiming pool, a rare event for me. I swear it felt like everybody was scrutinizing me (or I am just self centered..) and it was both enjoyable and not, at the same time.
Some of you might know that I plan to only get black n gray work, and that I'm not into single needle stuff. So I think my tattoos will harmonize with eachother in a pleasant way (and that I will look awesome in the end, naturally). It has been mentioned that women of this thread tend to care more about balance and harmony when it comes to tattoo placement and shapes. If I would consider not covering my body I am sure I would be HUGE on harmony and balance. But now, since everything will get it's share of ink I just think of the time of imbalance as being a wrong that will be corrected. This autumn I'm getting the first tattoo on my left lower arm and also the back of my left knee, and I know I will feel a little better, in balance. I have both (man) breasts tattooed but I'm finding it hard to start something on the ribs, it will look so empty on the other side! I also think I will have to do both feet in a short time frame.
Negative space is very important to me. I really don't like how some people get a bunch of (a bit too small) traditional designs on their arms and then proceed to fill all the empty space between them with tiny fillers, stars, dots and what not. It just looks cluttered. When I first set out to get my arms tattooed I got a pretty dense and detailed tattoo on my outer left upper arm, and then put in another tattoo on the inside which ties together. I think it looks too busy now and I learned my lesson. Some space in between is the way to go.
While I do, more and more, begin to enjoy really large tattoos on other people, on me the only big ones will be my front piece (solar plexus down to pubic area) and back (neck to lower ass). Even if big scale japaneese stuff can look amazing it is more important for me to be able to get MANY tattoos. I want to be able to fit as many artists, styles, subjects and concepts as possible on my body. I like the whole story board feel, where each tattoo holds some kind of meaning/association/emotion that can change and vary both for me and whoever else sees my tattoos.

I am digging these pictures that show more than one tattoo at a time. Good idea! Here are my arms. I plan to add to the right arm...filling it out to match the amount of coverage on the left. The owl is a little out of place.
ETA: oh darn @Iwar...forgot to wear my fundoshis. I have several pairs. Pairs? Yeah next time for sure.

So I bought some fundoshi's off of eBay a while back, thinking I might use them when I start my backpiece. In hindsight I should have known that only japanese men with bodysuits can pull those off. Pale norwegian guys, not so much. Had to cherish the moment with a picture though. I hope you all feel privileged! :cool:

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Only thing I made my mind up about pretty early on was that I wanted to go big on my front and back. Other than that I'm just randomly filling it in with different styles of work from different tattooers I dig. I guess my thighs and feet match each other, but other than that I just pack'em in there. I absolutely love the look of japanese bodysuites though, but that's not for me. I like too much from both worlds.
Now let's see the rest of you in your fundoshis! If you don't have any laying around, all you need is an old bedsheet and a pair of scissors, and voila.

maybe if you buy me a few drinks first

I'm going to India in October/November! (!!)

You're gonna love it! You can do whatever you want and don't have to agree or compromise with a travel partner. You are also much more likely to meet locals along the way, in my opinion. When traveling with another, it's so easy to just keep to yourselves, since you already have companionship. But when you travel alone, you are much more likely to meet and interact with people along the way -- and I have found some of the best detours by talking with people like this... either other travelers staying at my hostel, or locals in the bar/restaurant while I'm having dinner or a drink, etc. It can be really great.
I hope you enjoy it! :)

I'm going to India in October/November! (!!)