Tattoos - What ya got and where

[ZeppoJeff]

I do like my tattoos and ever growing my collection but haven't been tattooed in over a year now which is weird for me.

Here's some of my favourites though

I've heaps others but no pictures just now. A whole dedicated arm to super Mario and the other arm full of new skool colourful designs.

[rabbitstew]

I remember when about 32 years ago when I was 11 seeing a lad at school (who was only a couple of years older than me). He had 2 or 3 quite big "professional" tattoos on his arms already he`d got at some fairground he went to. I thought they were awesome and from that moment on I wanted to have tattoos. The kids on my school bus used to give each other tattoos with a bottle of ink and a compass, but I passed on that idea!

 

For me it was all about being different. Noone in my family had any tattoos, except one of my Uncles who was a lorry driver. Tattoos had a great mystic about them as they were fairly rare & unusual. Back in the olden days it was only people like sailors or prisoners who had them.

 

The problem I had was trying to find designs I really liked. However much I wanted tattoos, I didnt want to get something for the sake of it or some flash art of the wall. So it wasnt until I was in my 20`s I started getting a few tattoos once I found some designs I liked. Even back then it was shocking the difference in quality of tattoo studies. You really had to shop around to find the best, and it was shocking some of the work I saw. I remember at the time, I really wanted full sleeves done, but because of my job I couldnt have anything visible as tattoos were very much frowned upon - so I could only stick to upper arms so I could hide them if I rolled my shirt sleeves up.

 

However nowadays, it seems every man & his dog have tattoos and for me the mystic and magic around them has vanished a lot. I still love the old classic designs and appreciate any decent art work, but its now no longer something rare which you seldom see. Its now become the norm and nearly every other bloke you see seems to have full sleeves. So whereas when I was a kid you`d get a tattoo to be different, now you really have to not get one at all in order to be different! Im not saying thats good or bad, just my view on it. Quite funny how public opinion & interest in them had changed over the years.

[tatooandy67]

^^^ interesting insight into how perceptions have changed which I completely agree with, it does now seem to be the 'norm' to see lots of full sleeves etc. When I was a kid (many years ago) my first experience of 'proper tattoos' was when my family got their first video player, you know the ones with the big buttons on the front and top loading cassettes, I think I would have been about 10 or 11 at the time, anyway I remember we were watching a movie and I saw what turned out to be yakuza sporting full body tattoos, I'd never seen anything like it before and was completely amazed and decided there and then that when I was older that was what I wanted and have since my teen years been working toward a full body suit tattoo, I've made a couple of mistakes along the way but I'm currently working to correct these (laser removal) so hopefully in over the next couple of years I can finally achieve my childhood dream.

 

[Squee]

I love the US and Americana stuff and decided to get a star tattoo inspired by individual US states whenever I visited a new one (and done in location in each state and at highly regarded studios). Unfortunately I only decided this after visiting a truck load of States and as I don't want them retrospectively done only actually have 3 lol. They are:

 

1) Nevada - blue and silver 'battle born' inspired - done at PussyKat tattoos in Las Vegas (was the studio from show 'Bad Ink' and my first tattoo).

2) California - red state star - done at the Diamond Club in San Francisco

3) NY - honeycomb/killer bee inspired star (rap fans will know the link) - done at Hand of Glory in Brooklyn.

 

They're on my ribs/sides/hips on my left side.

 

Like I say it's annoying I didn't dream this up years ago as I've visited stacks more. But I'm always late to the party

 

S.

[Stan]

However nowadays, it seems every man & his dog have tattoos and for me the mystic and magic around them has vanished a lot. I still love the old classic designs and appreciate any decent art work, but its now no longer something rare which you seldom see. Its now become the norm and nearly every other bloke you see seems to have full sleeves.

 

Agreed, this is one of the reasons I have a leg sleeve as well... not everyone can put up with getting that done as well! (kneecaps and the back of them are a b*tch!), but equally you do see a lot of 'samey' sleeves from people who just get them because its fashionable; i.e all black and white, few bits of old tribal covered up, and the main images are kois and cherry blossom or angels and clocks, and some cloud backgrounds filling in most of it. I can be content with my sleeves knowing I designed most myself on photoshop, and relied on my artist to do background fills freehand.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Stan

[Rock_Steady]

i always wanted to get a tattoo of a W on each arse cheek. That way, when i pull a moony it'd say " WOW"

[tatooandy67]

i always wanted to get a tattoo of a W on each arse cheek. That way, when i pull a moony it'd say " WOW"

Or you could have B on one cheek and O on the other

[-Bradders-]

Anyone good at drawing tattoos? I really want a half sleeve but like american vegas route 66 pinup car diner style mashup lol

[ZeppoJeff]

Where abouts are you located bradders?