Do you have any tattoos? (And some bonus questions...)

yea tribal bar around ankle. The only thing is when I got it , it was cool don’t think so much now.

I got a tattoo of a smurf on my arm

I have two. The first is Picasso’s Don Quixote on my right deltoid. The second is Louis Le Brocquy’s Ulster Rises From Its Pangs from the epic Irish poem “The Tain” on my left shoulder blade.

I’ll be adding a modified version this is a few months to cover the rest of my back.

They all represent things to me, times in my life and parts of who I am that are permanent. My advice is to do the same. Don’t get something because it looks cool, get something that is meaningful.

Also, make sure you are healthy and have eaten enough to keep a good blood sugar level in the days before. A friend of mine didn’t eat in the 18 hours before his tattoo and passed out. They gave him a glucose tablet and he was fine.

a lion chasing a hare on my side (because I am a Leo and a hare [in Chinese zodiac]). I also have a robot on my leg (because I used to draw him in a comic). I have a heart-bomb with an “a” in it (for symbolic reasons). I have the minor threat black sheep on my leg (cause they are awesome and I’m edge). I have an envelope on my ankle (cause me and my buddy would always write letters. So me and him both got one.) I don’t regret any of them. Im also a tattoo artist part-time.

@soundedfury: do you have any pictures of the tattoos themselves?

I have cherry blossoms on my left wrist, Two Siamese cats with Paw prints on my lower back. The kanji symbol for enlightenment on the back of my neck. A flower with a butterfly on my left ankle and a Yin Yang with flowers on my right ankle. I also have the Gun N Roses Logo tattoooed on my left shoulder. I don’t regret any of my tattoos. Each of my tattoos has different meaning to me. I highly recommend that you give considerable thought to what you want & where you want to place it before you commit to a tattoo. Remeber it is permanent. It is addictive too! Once you get one you will want to get another one. :-)

yea I agree with soundedfury get it for meaning. Not because its cool or a nite out with the fellas and yal all piss ass drunk and decide to get tats

I have two, but I think I’m going to get a jellyfish tattoo…a evil one.

I have them everywhere except my hands or neck, as in, I can cover them up with a long-sleeved shirt and pants. I guess I have mine for a variety of reasons, some I got because they have a strong meaning, others are ‘matching’ tattoos with friends, some are there purely for aesthetics, some are jokes, some are ‘I’m really bored- let’s go get tatttoed,’ some, who knows what I was thinking. I really only regret certain ones insomuch as I would rather have something in their place.
As far as advice goes, I wouldn’t get any that could hinder your career options. I have friends that tattooed their hands and neck at a young age and have lived to regret it. I will say that, for me, keeping them covered up is fairly easy. I worked at corporate law firm for a few years, it was no big deal. Go to a good artist, don’t bargain hunt. This will be on you forever. Be original.

I have no tatoos and never will but I’m reminded of something I recently read in Esquire magazine.

”... if your tatoo came out of a well-thumbed catalogue with a number beside it, chances are you’re not the wild person you think you are.”

No, I don’t have any photos of them available online right now. I can try to get some up when I get home tonight.

I would LOVE to get my hands and neck tattooed, but won’t until I’m financially independent (read: rich-ass mofo). Thus my tattoos are still in “carreer-friendly” locations: Half-sleeve on the right, a bitchin’ mural of cranes, trees, shadows, water, sunset, and grass, done by a fantastic artist that I get loads of compliments on literally daily – it commemorates my honeymoon. I also have the forearms done up with special things for special people, and a tramp stamp (which I got like 12 years ago) that means “Live for Opportunity”, and will be worked into a bigger back piece this summer…

They are addicting – at least for me – and mine have been thought-out for some time but usually crystalize in a moment of inspiration. Make sure your artist is someone who’s work takes your breath away – it’s worth every penny if it’s going to be on you for life.

One. Old, fashioned typewriter on my upper right arm. Thought of adding some new elements to it. What I really need to do is have it touched up. I try to keep it covered up, but it has seen some wicked Summer sun.

@bird- that sounds so cool

1. A poorly hand sketched sun smack dab in the middle of my shoulder blades. Wanted a tattoo at 17, looks horrible. Regret it terribly. I will have it reworked someday.
2. Chinese character for sun on outside left ankle. Kept with sunny theme, love to yell people it means various offensive stuff.
3. Ivy around right ankle. Love it.
4. Husband’s name on right shoulder blade. Too poor to buy wedding rings, got tattoos instead. Crappy tattoo so…
5. Hubby’s name on inside left ankle. Love it! Thought if I couldn’t see the one I didn’t like, I’d get a nice one I could.

My tattoos are not career friendly. Three are clearly visible with dresses/ skirts. Oh well.

I have an Arkansas flag on my arm. Its awesome, and I don’t regret it. It needs some work and I have some ideas to add to it. Tattoos are becoming more and more socially acecptable so get what you want, where you want it. I’ll also say, I plan on getting many more.

@peedub, thanks! It’s been there so long I rarely think about it anymore.

Me too, i forget I have certain ones.

I’m going to eventually re-phrase this as a question, but for now it’s a statement. My alter-ego has a luscious, full-sleeve beauty covering both arms. Even people who don’t like tattoos find it breathtaking.

yes. the Earth in the shape of a heart. on my back left hip. i got it because 1) I like it 2) it’s the way the world should be – full of love 3) and I love my home.

I have an eye on my butt that I got years ago with my ex-boyfriend. I drew it myself, and I still think it’s kinda cute. (At least it’s not his name!) Weird thing is, I now do research in vision science, so I guess it’s not all that inappropriate.

At the moment I have two. My first tattoo is.. well really out there. not in a weird way but in a ‘how the hell could you miss it?’ sort of way. It is in an awesome font (hand written by my artist) that says ‘Strength Finds A Place In Me’ across my collar bone area. Oh yes now you know what I mean.. out there! My reason for getting it is very personal but mostly as it says I am strong. I’ve had to pull strength from no where to get through the days. but I always find a way.

I went back to the same shop 2 days later with my older sister and we both got ‘piuthar’ across the top of our right feet, it means sister in scotts gaelic. We haven’t always been the closest but I love her to the end of time and back. She was alson nice enough to point out that I am more closely related to her than I will ever be to any other person in the world. I joked like it was a bad thing but I know I am lucky to have such an amazing sister.