tattoos, got 'em? thinking about 'em? hate 'em? Share.

SimonAH

Got none, like them aesthetically when well thought out (especially Japanese carp and kimono work). Considering inking a rather naive Skull n'crossbones drawn by my (then) six year old daughter on my arse. For "why the hell not" reasons.

Show us your art and thoughts.

Gallywomack

Got one on my right shoulder that I got when I was 15 and rebellious - it's a typical rubbish off-the-peg tribal jobby that was all the rage back then. Don't much like it now but hey ho, it doesn't bother me too much.

One mildly funny thing is that one of decathlete Dean Macey's tats is the exact same design

jonny_trousers

I considered it once upon a time, but ultimately came to the conclusion that:

1. There is nothing even remotely rebellious about having one these days.
2. Even if you pay for the most beautiful tattoo ever, you will soon not notice it beyond it being a mark on your body.
3. They begin to fade pretty quickly and will need regular re-inking if you want them to look decent.
4. They often turn out to look a bit sh*t.


None of the above means I don't like the look of tattoos, quite the contrary: I can be really impressed by particularly good ones (like the OP, I really like the Japanese Yakuza style ones), but I just know I would regret getting inked myself.

MonkeyMonster

paging CP

mudcow007

I cant have any, my arms are far too hairy. If i did ever get a tattoo it would look 3d with genuine fur...not a nice look

also i would be worried that i would get bored of it an i don't think they come off as easy as the ones you got in side chewy sweets

Clever Pun

who me? tattoos are rubbish and fade really quickly n stuff

I've got a fair few, shin, calves, back and upper arms are covered. I was hanging out with Xed at Divine Canvas the other day and I'm starting to think about getting another. I can did out some link if people want to see?


Taken years back when the arms wern't as full as they are now




A traditional piece I got done in NZ *Warning cannot be unseen* but SFW
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/clever_pun/Ink/TattoowithBruising.jpg



this was just after they were done, hence the sheen




To me getting more ink isn't a big deal, I implicitly trust Xed and his judgement and it's really enjoyable time to hang out there. I generally go in with a rough idea and we talk about it for a while put something together and go with it. I understand peoples symbolism they put into the first one as it's a step into the unknown and ink is different for every person.

JT I still look at mine and think yeah that's awesome... 1st tattoo was something like 15 years ago now

Clever Pun

mudcow007 wrote:

I cant have any, my arms are far too hairy. If i did ever get a tattoo it would look 3d with genuine fur...not a nice look

also i would be worried that i would get bored of it an i don't think they come off as easy as the ones you got in side chewy sweets

unless you had a sasquatch done, that would be awesome

rebs

I have a Taz holding 2 hammers on my right calf. no real reason why. But I like it:P

I always wanted to get a around my arm/shoulder that looks like the arm has been severed and been stapled on.. but the misses doesnt approach... I cant understand why

snooks

Clever Pun wrote:

A traditional piece I got done in NZ *Warning cannot be unseen* but SFW
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v159/clever_pun/Ink/TattoowithBruising.jpg

Dang forum and it's replace-this-window-with-the-link...

Out of curiosity I thought, well if it's safe for work it will be fine, saw the tat, saw the naked CP, thought peeps at work might wonder why I'm looking a naked blokes on my computer and closed the window....And the forum...Arrrg...Open another window, go back to the Commuting chat forum, find this post again, wait for CP's pics to load, then I get to reply...

But web developers know best :roll:

Anyway I like looking at other peoples tats, good ones that you can respect the workmanship involved, rather than the swallow on the neck, or spiderweb on the face. I got chatting to a guy on the train (last train home at the end of the night) who had a incredibly coulourful mug of tea on his leg, a really nicely done tattoo, and the colours were great. But at the end of the day it was still a mug of tea on his leg, and while he was in his 20s, I'm in my 30s and I think the story of who, where and why would be getting rather thin.

I have seen some amazing tattoos, but I'm still left with the feeling that I don't personally want any, but I respect those who do

gtvlusso

CP's Tats are incredible - very beautifully created and very defined.
My wife has a few - a couple of pin up girls and our daughters name. She searched for months to find a tat artist whose work she liked - hers are very fine and defined like CP's - cost a bit mind.

The guy is based in Bath....can pass on details if you want, but not posting pics of the wife on here!

dhope

Don't have any, wont get any. Don't think they'd suit me.
On others, sure. Proper ones though, not tramp stamps or little stars on wrists etc.

jonny_trousers

Clever Pun wrote:

JT I still look at mine and think yeah that's awesome... 1st tattoo was something like 15 years ago now

Fair enough, but you are an example of someone who has completely dedicated themself to their body art and it clearly suits your style. I decided against for the simple reason that anything I would get would be a token gesture.

I was in a restaurant recently where the waitress had a forties style pinup girl on one upper arm which looked incredibly sexy, especially as otherwise she was a pretty straight looking girl.

All I'm saying is think hard about it before commiting and if you decide to go for it, be brave and try to be original. Nothing worse than a small Chinese symbol on the shoulder.

Monkeypump

Clever Pun wrote:

I was hanging out with Xed at Divine Canvas the other day...

Is that Xed le Head who used (maybe still is?) at Into You with Alex Binnie?

I've got a couple of old, pretty crappy (but I still like 'em) tattoos and want to get some 'proper' work done. Wasn't sure where to go and was planning to head to Into You.

Should I swerve that and head to Divine Canvas?

lost_in_thought

I desperately wanted one when I was about 18... my dear mother in her infinite wisdom said that if I could have the design I wanted stuck up on walls, in my car, on mirrors etc and like it every time I looked at it for a month then I could have a tattoo and she'd pay for it.

She is a diabolical genius. I never found a design.

And I'm really glad I didn't. Although CP's look wicked now, I do wonder how they'll look when he's 80.... or 90... or 100... Bodies, especially women's, change drastically in shape and size, and skin tone rarely improves with age. My sister, who's 45, has 2 halves of a very distorted 'cute devil' on her belly, with a caesarean scar through the middle and stretch marks on his head.

MichaelW

What are those tattoos taken from photographs and why do they always look like Frank Sinatra or the Queen Mother.

Gallywomack

CP -

I saw those calf tats yesterday - I passed you on Bromley Rd just past Bellingham Station IIRC, then you followed me through Catford before re-taking the lead near Lewisham hospital when I slowed for a bus.

Clever Pun

Monkeypump wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I was hanging out with Xed at Divine Canvas the other day...

Is that Xed le Head who used (maybe still is?) at Into You with Alex Binnie?

I've got a couple of old, pretty crappy (but I still like 'em) tattoos and want to get some 'proper' work done. Wasn't sure where to go and was planning to head to Into You.

Should I swerve that and head to Divine Canvas?

Xed has his own shop now and you wont find trace of him at Into You... not a pleasant parting of ways by all accounts. Divine Canvas is excellent, but I don't think Xed is taking on new customers at present, his protege Damien voodoo looks pretty good and certainly is building up a portfolio of note
http://divine-canvas.com/ currently off line ha

Into you is a great studio, couple of the guys there are really very good at what they do. Tas, Thomas Thomas and Dr X are all great

What sort of thing are you looking for?

Clever Pun

Gallywomack wrote:

CP -

I saw those calf tats yesterday - I passed you on Bromley Rd just past Bellingham Station IIRC, then you followed me through Catford before re-taking the lead near Lewisham hospital when I slowed for a bus.

yeah that was me, you're on a cervelo right?

this cold is still kicking my @ss apologies if I caught you with any..erm detritus

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

I desperately wanted one when I was about 18... my dear mother in her infinite wisdom said that if I could have the design I wanted stuck up on walls, in my car, on mirrors etc and like it every time I looked at it for a month then I could have a tattoo and she'd pay for it.

She is a diabolical genius. I never found a design.

And I'm really glad I didn't. Although CP's look wicked now, I do wonder how they'll look when he's 80.... or 90... or 100... Bodies, especially women's, change drastically in shape and size, and skin tone rarely improves with age. My sister, who's 45, has 2 halves of a very distorted 'cute devil' on her belly, with a caesarean scar through the middle and stretch marks on his head.

yeah my skin will be wrecked I suspect, but at that age I can say I did what I want. I'll be spending my time trying not to soil myself and shouting at kids... if I'm still here.

Your mum's a smart woman... a friend said to his kid that he could design a piece for him. the kids did loads of drawings and put a few up on the fridge for a couple of months and 1 made the cut a green outlined monster with red teeth. The chap has it on his calf and looks really cool in a quirky bizarre way. I love it but would never do that...at the moment.

Gallywomack

Clever Pun wrote:

Gallywomack wrote:

CP -

I saw those calf tats yesterday - I passed you on Bromley Rd just past Bellingham Station IIRC, then you followed me through Catford before re-taking the lead near Lewisham hospital when I slowed for a bus.

yeah that was me, you're on a cervelo right?

this cold is still kicking my @ss apologies if I caught you with any..erm detritus

Er no - an old mid-90s Specialised hardrock with road tires :?

I was the bloke in fetching dayglo yellow jacket and bag hump thing.

Nope, no detritus! I lost you and caught you up again a couple of times after Lewisham because of lights. I'll say hello if I see you again, although I'm normally a bit earlier

Clever Pun

Gallywomack wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Gallywomack wrote:

CP -

I saw those calf tats yesterday - I passed you on Bromley Rd just past Bellingham Station IIRC, then you followed me through Catford before re-taking the lead near Lewisham hospital when I slowed for a bus.

yeah that was me, you're on a cervelo right?

this cold is still kicking my @ss apologies if I caught you with any..erm detritus

Er no - an old mid-90s Specialised hardrock with road tires :?

I was the bloke in fetching dayglo yellow jacket and bag hump thing.

Nope, no detritus! I lost you and caught you up again a couple of times after Lewisham because of lights. I'll say hello if I see you again, although I'm normally a bit earlier

oh yeah, I'd tried to blank that from my memory

Monkeypump

Clever Pun wrote:

Monkeypump wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I was hanging out with Xed at Divine Canvas the other day...

Is that Xed le Head who used (maybe still is?) at Into You with Alex Binnie?

I've got a couple of old, pretty crappy (but I still like 'em) tattoos and want to get some 'proper' work done. Wasn't sure where to go and was planning to head to Into You.

Should I swerve that and head to Divine Canvas?

Xed has his own shop now and you wont find trace of him at Into You... not a pleasant parting of ways by all accounts. Divine Canvas is excellent, but I don't think Xed is taking on new customers at present, his protege Damien voodoo looks pretty good and certainly is building up a portfolio of note
http://divine-canvas.com/ currently off line ha

Into you is a great studio, couple of the guys there are really very good at what they do. Tas, Thomas Thomas and Dr X are all great

What sort of thing are you looking for?

Ah, right - I know Xed's not on the Into You site any more, but I only settled on them because I knew of Alex Binnie's work and some of the other artist's look pretty good.

The Divine Canvas website is working for me - had a good nose around over lunch. Damian's work does look impressive.

I have a few ideas about what I'm after, but need to have a chat with the artist before the idea's are fully formed. The first thing is a variation on the 'HOLD FAST' idea, but not across the knuckles (unwise for me at work). The bigger pieces will follow, but I particularly like the stuff in your first pic and the shins/calves. All Xed, I assume?

I've got some time off at the end of the month, so I'll give 'em a call.

Gallywomack

Heh - don't worry, I could tell you were just having a pootle when I went past. I'm fairly sure under normal circumstances I'd have been struggling to keep you in sight. I seem to recall seeing those tats rinse past me on the dreaded Lewisham - Catford stretch (home of the perpetual headwind) on the way home once or twice, while I'm struggling to maintain a 16 mph cruising speed

Clever Pun

Gallywomack wrote:

Heh - don't worry, I could tell you were just having a pootle when I went past. I'm fairly sure under normal circumstances I'd have been struggling to keep you in sight. I seem to recall seeing those tats rinse past me on the dreaded Lewisham - Catford stretch (home of the perpetual headwind) on the way home once or twice, while I'm struggling to maintain a 16 mph cruising speed

thanks that makes me feel a bit better