Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => Tattoos and Piercings => Topic started by: jasonworld on April 12, 2009, 08:10:50 PM
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Okay here is the deal. I'm thinking about getting a tattoo on my upper arm where a typical t-shirt sleeve will cover it. I have already done the design for it myself. I'm not a bad artist and it's a cross with a burning sun behind it. I'm thinking of adding a tribal band that wraps around my arm in with it.
I guess what has drawn me to want to get one at age 35 is the whole sly with tats bad ass thing. I'm like every sly that went through the MPB stage and how you have to make changes. I have found that staying physical fit,tanning bed,attitude,working with your dome to make it look good helps. I love the chicks so anything to help, i will do in a heartbeat. I have also found that being sly does draw a different type of gal anyway. I never really liked the barbie doll go play with Kens hair type anyway.
The only draw back and one of the reasons I have not got one before now is I hate to say is my Mom :-[ she is very religous and that's why i like upper arm area so at family functions i don't have to listen to the your going to burn in hell kind of thing :) trust me a bunch of old school religous gals can be rough on a dude.
I guess my point is do you guys think the sly and tattoo kind of go in hand to a certain degree?
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>I guess my point is do you guys think the sly and tattoo kind of go in hand to a certain degree?
Without a doubt.
I'm still in the design phase of my first (at 51).
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I am fixing to get one...just do not know what it is going to be yet. My wife..she isnt too keen on the idea, but she would tolerate it. So she says....
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I am fixing to get one...just do not know what it is going to be yet. My wife..she isnt too keen on the idea, but she would tolerate it. So she says....
:*))
Why dont you get a pair of red and whites tattooed on Timm?
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I think you have already made your mind up. Go for it! O0
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I think tats and SLy do sort of go together.... but I believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that both are sort of working outside the norms of society. If you shave your head, which many paople don't do, I think you're more likely to do other things that most people don't do....... like get a tattoo.
I got my first tattoo at 47.
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To be honest, I am personally not a tattoo type of guy. But I do feel that tattoos and shaved heads often do go together.
It is a good idea to do it above where a shirt can cover it. Not only would you possibly keep the old traditional "religious" gals from telling you that you are going to hell, it would help in the job market.
When I used to work for Starbucks, which can attract trendy type kids, the regulations were that tattoos could not be exposed on the work floor. I know that in the business world, appearance can be a issue. I don't know if you would deal with any of this kind of stuff, but I do think it is good to err on the side of caution if one is to get a tattoo. So no facial tattoos either! :*))
As for the "religious" folks, I should say that I am a Christian and know others in my church with tattoos. To me, Christianity or any faith, is supposed to be a matter of the heart, not appearance. Sometimes well meaning "religious" or Christian folks get their focus off of God and onto appearances. So if you do share some of your mom's faith, I don't believe that tattoos are necessarily contrary to having faith.
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I am fixing to get one...just do not know what it is going to be yet. My wife..she isnt too keen on the idea, but she would tolerate it. So she says....
:*))
Why dont you get a pair of red and whites tattooed on Timm?
Heyyyyyyyy! Thats an Idea! hmmmmm
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Yea if you want 1, definitely get 1...
I just got my first in January, its at the top of my arm well out of sight, although both my 'rents have seen it and are cool with it.
For some ppl tats and shav'd heads do go hand in hand... I think of it as more of an individual thing. so if you want 1, get 1... just 1 tho. don't go over board. each tattoo should be seriously thought out.
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I have quite a collections of tats. I've not received negative remarks about them, mostly curiousity. I really don't think the religious factor come into play; more of judging attitude. My neighbor lady who is very religious is OK with the tats, but raked me over the coals when I went Sly. Go figure? I say, if you want one, more power to you. Go for it!
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One basis for the "religious" issue on tattooing is based in the Bible, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28) Accordingly Jewish people have had rules against it. Muslims as well have religious reasons to avoid it. Things change, but that it is the basis for it. Muslims in Iraq have had tattoos in order to provide a way to identify the bodies of those killed in the resistance movement. I found the following excerpt on the web concerning the teachings of Islam, ", The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, the prominent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:
'Islam denounces excesses in beautifying oneself when it alters the physical features that Allah created him with. The Glorious Qur'an considers such alterations as inspired by Satan, who "...will command them (his devotees) to change what Allah has created...' (An-Nisa': 119) " Thus tattooing since it changes the "creation" is a satanic inspiration.
Although I wouldn't do it personally as an aesthetic matter, rather than religious, I do think some of the tribal bands on guys arms aren't bad looking. I just wonder what time and the sun will do the the crisp edges. I think it was Jimmy Buffet--and he's an controversial character to some here--said one time that a tattoo is a "permanent reminder of a temporary state of mind." That's pretty good. Clearly a matter that is totally in the subjective realm of choice--but it's a long term choice and very expensive to reverse.
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I say definitely go for it. tats look really cool with a SLY shaved dome. Upper arm is good, and I like the design you mentioned. I myself am 38 and not got a tat yet, but lookin at the ages of some of the guys here when they got their first I realise I still got time.
I'd like a couple on upper arms and maybe lower leg, which looks cool with shorts in the summer. I certainly hope to get my first tat before I'm 40 in a couple of years. 8)
I say go for it! Hopefully I won't be far behind! O0
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Without a doubt...go for it...but think about it...and I suggest if you're kinda not sure...livin' with a markered up version on your area you want might be a good way to have a trial run... then, do ya like what that likes like on your arm..
if yes...do it! O0
Just don't mark up your sly dome with tats...keep it lookin' clean! ;)
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Never had any desire to have a tattoo.
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The general rule for anyone thinking about a tattoo is to wait a year and a day, and after that if you still want it. Go for it.
People may harp on you that they will be stretched/faded/look bad later in life but the truth is that tattoo technology has come a long way in the past 30 years and for the most part as long as you go to a reputable artist you shouldn't have many of those problems.
Granted not everyone takes care of their tattoo's and bakes them in the sun w/out sunscreen only weeks after getting them, or goes swimming in a chlorinated pool [big no no's while it's still new] I've seen many a tramp stamp turned into a puddle of color.
The best place for tattoo stories, and advice is http://www.bmezine.com/ Just about every kind of body modification you can think of.
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I have a tattoo and endorse having them. It's a Steinbeck-related tattoo on my chest. http://steinbeck.sjsu.edu/biography/pigasus.jsp
However, I would highly advise against the tribal arm band. It's so damn cliche... it's the equivalent of a girl getting a butterfly tramp stamp. Yawn! Get something that's unique to you. I like that you're designing your own tattoo, but don't go screwing it up with a band, at least a band like that. Of course if you were actually part of a tribe, or an immediate descendant of someone in a tribe, that's different. But I'm guessing you're not.
These of course are my own opinions, but I've also heard from several of the ladies that they just laugh at guys with tribal arm bands, just like they laugh at guys that get pedicures and drive BMW convertibles with techno music playing. It screams "trying to hard".
Think of it this way: every tattoo should have a story behind it. If your tattoo story is "I got it to impress chicks", then you need a different tattoo.
As far as the sly/tattoo combo, I second the notion that both are "outside of the norms of society". But both are also quickly becoming acceptable. I am 24 and I would say that most of the people in my age group have tattoos. I am in the military so it's a little more prevalent, but I wouldn't say it's unique or weird to have one, at least not as weird or unique as it is to be sly!
Although it's not unique to have a tattoo, make it unique to have your tattoo.
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I'm still in the process of getting one also, I think it goes great with having a shaved head.
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I have been thinking about getting one ever since I turned 18. Now that I am nearing my 20th birthday I think I may get one on my birthday. I dont know what I want to get but I want to get one. I found a tattoo place in town that has a $20 tuesday special, I called and asked what the limits were and they said it cant be more than 3", I can even get a solid 3" square tattooed if I wanted. If I do get one it will be somewhere that can be covered up because I am friends with alot of people that dont approve of tattoos for various reasons. I found lots of information on tattoos like all the care and everything. Thats another reason I would want one that could be covered with a t-shirt because the sun wont bleach it.
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I dont know what I want to get but I want to get one.
A recipe for disaster if you ask me. Wait until you know what you want. Then wait. If you still want it, then go get it.
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I dont know what I want to get but I want to get one.
A recipe for disaster if you ask me. Wait until you know what you want. Then wait. If you still want it, then go get it.
I second that...I waited about 3 years after deciding I wanted a tattoo to actually go through with it...and i refused to get it done by anyone other than the best, so I a great deal of time searching for the best Samoan Tattooist...and I finally found him, and the rest is history!
I'd also second the comments here saying that you should definitely make sure you get something that is personal to you, and not some run of the mill tribal tattoo...make sure it is of personal significance so it is a reminder of that, and not a trend or fad that you happened to like around the time of getting your tattoo.
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i think shaved heads and tattoos go hand and hand for sure!
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I have three and don't regret any of them. I had the first two done before I was Sly, but they definitely compliment each other.
All three of mine have significant meaning to me. I don't just have anything tatted on my body. I don't care if anyone sees mine or not, they just happen to be on my arms and rt pec.
Actually, narrowing down the art for my 4th. Been working on it for over a year now making sure I get it just like I want it.
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I'm going to see my artist in the next week or so about my next tattoo. I have two great ideas and I'm going to get at least another half sleeve.
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if you want one that is you choise and yours alone. i have 6, started when i was 18 now 31 and would'nt change what i have. you realy do have to think about what you want cuz it is there for life. the prob is everyone i talk to says they feel uneven if they only get one on one side. i myself felt that way. so you can get hooked.
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Just don't mark up your sly dome with tats...keep it lookin' clean! ;)
I hate it when guys do that. I don't mind tattoos that are done tastefully but I hate ones that just stand out and overpower somebodys features. Some of them just scream out hey look at me I'm a freak why would you wan't that? It's not only tats but they do it with body peircings now too. I think the whole sly and tattoo thing came about back in my days when most of the guys who shaved there heads were bikers and tattoos were also a part of being a biker. Now it is different.
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I dont have any tats, but many ask me if i have as i have a shaved head and they think i must have a tat somewhere,
I think it is up to the individual if they want tats or not, and i think a tat should have some meaning to the person that gets it done.
I think they are good on some people, but i never decided to have any done.
I went with my daughter to a tatooist as she wanted another one done , she has 5, And hair. Yes been out done by my youngest daugther, But she likes them and all have meanings to her.
And the tatoo guy straight away asked what tat i wanted done, and was surprised when i said i have none , He couldn`t believe it as he assumed i would have some as i had a shaved head, He tried to convince me to get one, But no way was i going to get one done.
But if you feel good about getting one go for it. And you can cover it with at shirt if you want to hide it for employment reasons etc
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The one and only thing in this physical world that you will ever truly own 100% is your physical body. Any and all decisions to be made on the appearance of your body are yours and yours alone to make.
Other people, from strangers to coworkers, friends to family members are all entitled to their opinions. And if you so choose, to sharing those opinions with you. What you do with those opinions is up to you.
Ultimately, the only person who has to live in your skin is you. The only person who can make the final decision as to whether or not you want to wear ink, is you.
I got my first tattoo at 25. The tattoo's started before the head shaving, but they definitely compliment one another. Today, ten years later my arms are pretty well covered in ink, I'm looking at doing the back of my right hand and I have other pieces planned with my artist. I like me better this way. I listened carefully to my family and friends before getting the first one, and then about how far to go (staying above shirtsleeve level or not, I chose not) with my tattoos because I love and trust them. But the final choices are always mine. I am the one who has to live with the results of my choices regarding my appearance.
I personally find that I feel better and better with each one I get. It's not for everyone, but it is definitely for me.
I don't know if that helps at all. But remember the immortal words of William Shakespeare "This above all: to thine own self be true"
Best of luck.
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Without a doubt...go for it...but think about it...and I suggest if you're kinda not sure...livin' with a markered up version on your area you want might be a good way to have a trial run... then, do ya like what that likes like on your arm..
if yes...do it! O0
Just don't mark up your sly dome with tats...keep it lookin' clean! ;)
Andre, what are you trying to say? :x! Are you dissin my HeadBlade tattoo on the back of my SLY Dome?? :Xo!
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The one and only thing in this physical world that you will ever truly own 100% is your physical body. Any and all decisions to be made on the appearance of your body are yours and yours alone to make.
Other people, from strangers to coworkers, friends to family members are all entitled to their opinions. And if you so choose, to sharing those opinions with you. What you do with those opinions is up to you.
Ultimately, the only person who has to live in your skin is you. The only person who can make the final decision as to whether or not you want to wear ink, is you.
I got my first tattoo at 25. The tattoo's started before the head shaving, but they definitely compliment one another. Today, ten years later my arms are pretty well covered in ink, I'm looking at doing the back of my right hand and I have other pieces planned with my artist. I like me better this way. I listened carefully to my family and friends before getting the first one, and then about how far to go (staying above shirtsleeve level or not, I chose not) with my tattoos because I love and trust them. But the final choices are always mine. I am the one who has to live with the results of my choices regarding my appearance.
I personally find that I feel better and better with each one I get. It's not for everyone, but it is definitely for me.
I don't know if that helps at all. But remember the immortal words of William Shakespeare "This above all: to thine own self be true"
Best of luck.
Our Friend Vash has nailed this one boys and girls! Very nice Vash.......
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You could go this style.......
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freetattoodesigns.org%2Fimages%2Fhawaiian-tattoos.jpg&hash=b2ad955c3bf202bef1a37f0406a4c119485b68e5)
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I guess I stand on the other side of this issue. I choose not to be tattooed.
I was deeply affected by something that I saw when I was young. I won't go into details, but it dealt with a museum display of WWII artifacts and a lampshade.
I don't make judgements about people who choose to have tattoos. Everyone has their own motivations and preferences, and as Vash said so eloquently, you are the only one who lives inside your own skin.
So, Live and let live... ...You choose as you wish. I choose not to...
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I say go for it, I'm 53 still in the design stage for when I get back over to Hawai'i
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Go for it. Koz and I started at about the same time. I have two half sleeves and with the sly look they go great together.
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being sly and tattoo goes very well together. My only advice would be to keep it above the t-shirt line on your arms as you well know not everyone likes ink. The fact that u have your on design and not just some random off the wall flash says u have put alot of thought into your tattoo so go for it.
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Kinda hard to see in this pic, but I have just two tats so far.
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi128.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp192%2Fswflbear%2FFJP%2FARMSFOLDED-1.jpg&hash=00e85f0211618a53f584d9ec739c953cf55e5ed1)
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I agree with zzzapp. No tats for me but strokes and folks as they say.
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I'm a fan of the saying, 'to each is own'. If you want a tattoo and know what you want, go for it. The only thing i can't stand is when people pick flash off the wall or out of a book, come up with something unique and that suits you, you'll be much happier and have no regrets about the decision later on down the road.
I only have four tattoos at the moment; got my first a few months after i turned 18 and haven't looked back. I think i look better with the tattoos than without (kind of like shaving my head vs. thinning hair). Even though i don't have many yet, when i see the bare skin on myself it looks dull and i start thinking of what i could get there.
As of now i only have pictures of two of them, not even pictures i took, my tattoo artist took them when they were finally completed; its hard to get a good angle to take a picture myself.
The one on my leg is in memory of my mother, picture of when she was younger with an older shot on the other side with her favorite flowers comprising much of the rest of the piece. I kind of freaked out when i first saw the picture of it because it looked like one of her eyes was messed up, but i looked at the picture, and she just had a lazy eye, so i'm grateful the artist was very faithful at recreating her image. The second is a scene from the exorcist, polar opposites i know lol, its just a scene that sent chills down my spine the first time i saw it.
http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r10/02cheechSS/?action=view¤t=memorialleg.jpg
http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r10/02cheechSS/?action=view¤t=exorcist.jpg
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WOW the images of your Mother are beautiful!
That guy did some fantastic work.
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Thanks BaldBear O0
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On the subject of tattoos, I think a few well thought out and placed ones look better than many of the full sleeves I see today, which has become trendy, for now. I think too much of anything takes away from the whole. I guess the most important thing is to find a greart artist that can execute what you want, rather than race down to the local street shop and end up with subpar work. :D
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I have two half sleeves and have been sly for about 1 1/2 years. They are visible only if I wear a T-shirt, but a regular short sleeve dres shirt hides them well. I would stay away from a tribal arm band. Go to a good artist and get a good custom piece designed. I have one that is an eagle snake, scorpio and dragon with Jesus looking down on all of them. The other is a St. Michael from the top with an american eagle flying up rising from the ashes. I wouldn't trade them for anything else.
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I think tattoos are great, I got mine when I was out of boot camp and while I was in the Corps and never thought that it could effect me in the civilian world ten years later but my advice is to keep them hidden, I'm thinking about getting some of mine removed that are shown.
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I think tats and SLy do sort of go together.... but I believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that both are sort of working outside the norms of society. If you shave your head, which many paople don't do, I think you're more likely to do other things that most people don't do....... like get a tattoo.
I got my first tattoo at 47.
How can tattoos be considered outside the norm of society? Having a tattoo has gone beyond mainstream and become the norm anymore. Sometimes I feel like the only adult male on earth who neither has one or has any plan on getting one. At this point the only thing that can make a tattoo "outside the norm" is the choice of site or the image.
This basically answers the question on whether or not a tattoo goes with a bald head. Since just about every adult male seems to have one they sort of go with bald heads (and any hairstyle) simply by default.
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I think tats and SLy do sort of go together.... but I believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that both are sort of working outside the norms of society. If you shave your head, which many paople don't do, I think you're more likely to do other things that most people don't do....... like get a tattoo.
I got my first tattoo at 47.
How can tattoos be considered outside the norm of society?
Well pick any 10 guys on the street and I guarantee you the majority will not be tattooed. Also, I work in a business where there are a lot of degreed scientists, engineers, etc.....I am the only one out of literally hundres of people that I work with that is tattooed. And yes I ask when people ask me about mine.
Trust me Rusty...they are still outside the norm.... if you live with visible ones it is very obvious this is true. That's not to say thay are not more widely accepted because I believe they are.....but most people still would not get one.
I get the sideway glances all the time and people sometimes swing a wide arc when approaching me....it makes me smile.....
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Well pick any 10 guys on the street and I guarantee you the majority will not be tattooed.
Well Mike, I guess it depends on which street you walk down, 'cause around here (metro Chicago) the streets are teeming with young people (the under thirties) who are both visibly tattooed and pierced. Is that a cross section of American in general? Probably not, but somewhere between your view and my view lies the true story. Last night I was in a restaurant in the suburbs and 90% of the male wait staff had pierced ears. I'd imagine this is not true in your area.
When I go out into large gatherings in Chicago (in the summertime when more skin is exposed) I see that the vast majority are tattooed.
Red
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Claiming that tattoos are outside the norm...Hum... it's like you're trying to tell me that most people have three legs. I'm not really sure how to react to that one because I don't want to come across implying that you are lying. I'm sure that's your honest experience, but it's seems so bizarre: I mean, the tribal armband tattoo alone has become so ubiquitous that it's actually mocked in mainstream advertising outlets.
I also live in a warm climate so people are generally more exposed than in colder climates and seeing tattoos on arms or legs is just about as common as seeing a scar or mole. But even when I lived in another part of the country they were still widespread.
You said that you're at least 47. I'm 35, so maybe you're at the end of the anti-tattoo generation and I'm at the beginning? It did seem to explode in popularity around the time I turned 18, but even that doesn't make total sense to me because one of the reasons I'd never get one was due to the abundance of green blurry things that used to be tattoos that I saw on the forearms of middle aged men when I was working retail after highschool.
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Tattoos are popular in Minnesota........ Most everyone i know and bump into has one........
Of coarse earrings are popular too --but thats not my gig.........
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I jumped on this thread late so Jason...... did you get the tattoo?
I can relate to your situation. My dad is a Baptist minister and I grew up the the Bible belt. I was in the Air Force for several years right out of high school and always wanted a tattoo. But when I went to different tattoo shops, I never saw anything that I would want on my skin for the rest of my life. I ended up waiting until my 36th birthday to get one. By that time I had two kids and had designed my own tat with their names. I just turned 40 and had my tat "enhanced" recently to add my 3rd (and last) child's name. It has meaning to me because I actually designed it, it contains my first initial, my wife's first initial, and each of my three kids' names. No one else will have one just like it. I did get it high on my arm so that it's easily covered with a t-shirt.
I showed the tat to my parents the day I got it so they wouldn't hear through the grapevine. The took it well. My dad even joked that he might go get the five grandkids names tattooed on his arm. I say give it lots of thought and then do what you decide is right for YOU.
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I dont know what I want to get but I want to get one.
A recipe for disaster if you ask me. Wait until you know what you want. Then wait. If you still want it, then go get it.
BootedBear, I'm totally with you on this one. When I got my 1st tat, it was after a long time of continuously going back and forth to the shop where I was going to get it done. I'd asked them all kinds of questions about their sterilization techniques. I also picked out the design, and kept going back and forth, looking at the design many, many times before I finally decided to go with it. I look at it this way: a tat will be with you for a long time, so it needs to be something that you will enjoy looking at for a long, long time. Ultimately, I have two tats that I've had for a number of years now, and have never had any regrets about having gotten them done.
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For some reason I have been wanting another tattoo lately but am not 100% sure of what yet. I know I want some sort of Gallus species, thinking maybe a Lophura pheasant or even a proud looking American game rooster. Chickens have always been a part of my life, thats why I want one. Lophura pheasants have a meaning behind them, they will die protecting their family, are agressive and strange to some but very trusting and kind with others. Then I thought about getting a dunlaced wyandotte because I created that color but it wouldnt look that cool and if it got done wrong I would be ticked since I perfected them and would need the tattoo to show that.
For the rooster I already have a few pics picked out that I want to pull this from this one and that from another to make the perfect one. The only thing I cant think of is placement. A friend suggested on my chest or back but I just dont know where.
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Claiming that tattoos are outside the norm...Hum... it's like you're trying to tell me that most people have three legs. I'm not really sure how to react to that one because I don't want to come across implying that you are lying. I'm sure that's your honest experience, but it's seems so bizarre: I mean, the tribal armband tattoo alone has become so ubiquitous that it's actually mocked in mainstream advertising outlets.
I imagine that in some respects, tattoos are a lot like shaved heads; a lot more people have them these days, but most people do not. As common as shaved heads have become, I still find pretty often that I'm the only shaved guy in a room, or one of a handful in a large crowd. The only place where I feel like I'm possibly part of the majority is the gym.
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Shave heads and tattoos go together like Pb % j. I just completed my first half sleeve and will get another within the next couple of months, I cannot wait.
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post up a pic Peter
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The angel is symbolic of my grandmother who is standing on a grassy plain. The tree in the background has her initials carved in the bark along with the tree reflecting off the water in the lake area. The back piece is another severed tree branch with a stone topped with a rose.
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I had a nice chunk in the back missing in the first pic, it was the 4th of 5 seatings...but here we are
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That's some nice work their Peter.
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The angel is symbolic of my grandmother who is standing on a grassy plain. The tree in the background has her initials carved in the bark along with the tree reflecting off the water in the lake area. The back piece is another severed tree branch with a stone topped with a rose.
NICE ink, mate! O0
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Thanks a lot guys, means a lot to me!
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WOW, nice work. It almost looks like the angel is standing on top of someone with a flat top type haircut, and that swirl represents his ear. Maybe an homage to your "Pre-Sly" days?
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WOW, nice work. It almost looks like the angel is standing on top of someone with a flat top type haircut, and that swirl represents his ear. Maybe an homage to your "Pre-Sly" days?
:*)) :*)) Thats good stuff BaldBear, I see exactly what you mean.
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it works. it gives u a real tough look-lol.
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Great looking ink there, Peter.
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Thanks a lot fellas O0
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iam going to get my first one on july 7th 2011, i was going to do the iceman that is part of the vancouver winter olympics logo, i did do the year and one day and iam going to do it, but i will get it the day after the host city for the 2018 winter olympics is elected