[Archived] Tattoo

[thenodrog]

tattoo

Ok, I hope you can see the pic.

For those of you interested and for some of you are might be, let me explain.

My intention ( although doubts still linger ) is to have this on the inside of my forearm.

The 2 symbols on the left represent the type of kung fu I have studied for 4 years called wing chun.

Wing chun was a chinese woman from eons ago that the art was named after. Her name translates as beautiful spring time, eternal spring, spring forever etc.

In the middle is the typical yin yang logo which incorporates the snake and the crane which is supposed to represent the basics of which wing chun was founded upon.

Yin yang demands an "opposite" to beautiful springtime which brings us to the 2 symbols on the right.

I am an avid nature fan. I find this planet, life, solar system, galaxy amazing ( hence the spiritual reference in a previous post )( if not some of the people in it ). I particulary enjoy watching a good storm. The 1st symbol represents thunder. If you look, its meant to be a rain cloud over a field. The 2nd is lightning. It represents a person in a door way sheltering.

Yin yang is supposed to represent a balance. No right or wrong. No black or white. Like I said in a previous post, when one thing becomes its extreme it becomes its opposite.

I feel like I lost my balance in life a long time ago. My wife and I are splitting up ( been together since I was 16, she was 14 ) and for some reason I feel like I need this tattoo.

Shoot me down in flames but I least hope to demonstrate its not done on a whim and it is thought about and not all people with tattoos are knuckle draggers. I am self employed ( electrician ) successful so Theno you can have your career prospect!

Right thats it then Grasshopper! You've convinced me. I'll be off first thing tomorrow to get one myself.

Sorry Al but looking like I'm a fully paid up member of the Craig Bellamy fan club is not for me.

[robborover]

My mate got a rovers tattoo and said it was fine, hurt his wallet mind you.

Yeah that's me!

Cost me £60 to get the rovers crest on my calf. Looks good though.

It really doesn't hurt as much as people say. The msot painful bit is the outline, the colouring in is pretty painless. After a few minutes adrenaline kicks in and you don't feel it.

[broadsword]

I'm a student of the ancient art of "smash bottle over head", and am fascinated by women's boobs, maybe I should get that

[AlanK]

maybe you should

[American]

Also, get numerous opinions on what it really says. I hear stories all the time of people who get oriental writing on them and it says something stupid - not what they thought or were told it said.

[broadsword]

Yeah, like egg fried rice and monkey brains or something.

[bellamy11]

"Please select your tattoo from the list below"

[S15]

Also, get numerous opinions on what it really says. I hear stories all the time of people who get oriental writing on them and it says something stupid - not what they thought or were told it said.

Correct, I have been in the company of a Japanese friend who has found numerous items of British clothing hillarious due to what is actually written on them.

[American]

It's the same in Japan with English clothing. Saw a pic of a baby bib that said something like "I'm a @#/?".

[S15]

That would be an unfortunate tattoo.

[cletus]

If I get one I will show it load and proud.

just don`t spell it yourself mate!

Here`s a picture of my tattoo.....

[broadsword]

just don`t spell it yourself mate!

Here`s a picture of my tattoo.....

haha!

There was a story about some geezer in Oz, had diagrams of what he wanted on both arms. He wanted something specific on his left, something on his right.

Suffice to say, the foreign geezer who did it, didn't quite grasp the finer points of teh instructions ... apart from a humourous mispelling (can't remember what now ...) he put "left" on his left arm, above what was required, and "right" on teh right, what a ###### up!

Then there was the girl in Kelly Holmes home town, celebrated her gold medal by getting "Kelly Homes" tattooed in massive letters on her back, hysterical!

[Dunnfc]

It's the same in Japan with English clothing. Saw a pic of a baby bib that said something like "I'm a @#/?".

You sure it never said "its a @#/?" ?

[broadsword]

http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/displa..._to_stomach.php

[Shevchenko]

http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/displa..._to_stomach.php

See that's just stupidity on a cultural and personal level.

Firstly, one should think VERY carefully about getting names tattooed on one's body. That she decided to get her boyfriend's name or nickname tattooed on her is just plain stupid and not thought through. You could hold some of the responsibility of this to the tattooist. Most of the more serious people in the business will simply not do names at all or only under certain conditions.

Secondly, if you do not understand the concept and use of a script such as Kanji or Hiragana, then don't use it. Just don't. It's very easy to be culturally ignorant and presume that a kanji character corresponds to a roman letter. But these symbols can have many meanings depending on brush stroke or/and context.

Alan, it seems to me that your idea for a tattoo is well thought out and considered. It holds strong symbolic meaning to you and the design looks to be translatable to a cool looking tattoo. Just make sure you pick whoever is doing it with care. Serious tattooists are artists - research them, check their portfolios and choose the one most suited to what you want. And go for it.

[T4E]

http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/displa..._to_stomach.php

I'd tap that.

[AlanK]

I must admit to being suprised at the response on this thread.

Tattoos seem like marmite. Love em or hate em. No middle ground.

Thanks to those who hate the idea. it gives me food for thought.

Thanks to those that like the idea and like my design. ( and yes I have a highly recommended pro lined up, appointments only )

Either way, like I suggested previously, I hope it proves that not all people who are " inked " are knuckle dragging thugs looking for their next victim. There is a lot more going on than meets the eye and whilst if you asked many people what their tattoo was about they would respond that they were drunk when they had it done, many other people have true beliefs and reasons.

As for me, I`m not committed until next week but the idea is more appealing each day.

[Blueboy Downunder]

a subject i like talking about...

I have 7 tattoos at the moment and all of them have personal meaning. the very first one i got was the rovers badge done on my right upper arm, which was when i was 16, then the next one (a year later) is a british bulldog with the union flag leaning against it´s chest declaring "proudly british". up next was the word england tattooed in old style writing and with the red rose of england on either side - this is across my shoulders and probably gave me more pain than i expected. the next one is a new zealand maori design on my left forearm and has a meaning of my mother watching over me, while i am on the journey of my life. the inside of my left wrist is simply 2 initials of K C, which signifies the names of my neices, whom i miss very much, partly due to the fact that i don´t have a great relationship with my brother. my right lower leg is a picture of my best friend lucy, my dog whom heartbreakingly passed away earlier last week. on my lower left leg is a picture of a rovers legend "TUGAY" and i have to say that it has come out exceptionally well.

i do have plans for more, but that won´t happen for a while yet. at the moment i am in south america but when i get home i will try and post the pics of all my tattoos for you to have a look at. the rovers and bulldog one´s do look very faded but hey, i know what they mean

on the subject of tattoos and their meaning and why folks decide to get them - everybody has different reasons, which i can except and respect, but for those out there who get tattoos simply because they look cool or they just want a tattoo or to make a ###### fashion statement...then i have absolutely no wish to engage in conversation about tattoos with these people. lets take alanK for example...he is getting chinese writing as part of his tattoo, but it is actually meaning something very personal to him, which i fully respect. but there are other people out there who get tattoos done in chinese writing because they reckon it simply ´looks cool´, which is a load of ###### if you ask me and is nothing more than a fashion statement. almost every tattoo artist i have ever spoken to agrees in that tattoos are supposed to have personal meaning and that when doing a peice on somebody, it is more enjoyable when it is personal to that person.

have fun folks.

BTW alanK...good on you mate.

[colin]

I have memories if this subject coming up before, possibly here.

I also remember a bit of advice that seemed sensible. It was something like:

Put your tattoo design on the wall and keep it there for a year. If you're OK with it after a year then you're probably OK to have it on you're skin for the rest of your life. Even when it goes all splodgy and looks like its been through the hot wash.

Each to his own I suppose, but I'm in the "I'd never have one" camp.

There was this lass at Morrisons in Stockport, served me a couple of pies yesterday.... no, never mind.....

[Blueboy Downunder]

hi colin. i disagree with that advice mate because people should know right from the start wether or not they are gonna be happy with a tattoo for the rest of their lives and if it takes looking at a certain design for 12 months to make a decision, then the best decision is not to go ahead with it.

[broadsword]

I'd tap that.

Change you name to "supermarket" and you'd be away

[colin]

hi colin. i disagree with that advice mate because people should know right from the start wether or not they are gonna be happy with a tattoo for the rest of their lives and if it takes looking at a certain design for 12 months to make a decision, then the best decision is not to go ahead with it.

That's OK, I'm not really qualified to say because I'd never have one. But I thought it was sensible to have a long slow think about having one.

Just put it on the "things to do" list for a month or six or twelve seems like a good idea.

Cheers

Colin

[American]

Change you name to "supermarket" and you'd be away

:D:D

[Nate]

I'm in the process of getting 3/4 Japanese sleeve done. It's outline atm, but pleased with the result so far. Will post pic when it's finished in May

[S15]

I think by the time you are old enough to have a tattoo, you should be old enough to know whether your personality will allow you to regret doing such a thing.

If your the kind of person who doesn't do somewhat things on impulse, and the kind of person who thinks quite deeply into things then I'm sure your final decision will be correct.

If your the kind of person who goes shopping, slashes 100 quid on a pair of traininers then after 3 days wish you hadn't, I'd probably avoid the idea.

Also, having put all the thought into the design and just the idea in general, I'd say the most important thing you can do now is stop trying to convince yourself it's what you want to do. Just accept your decision and see how you natually feel when you're not trying to edge yourself one way or another.

That method has stopped me getting one or two I'm now glad I didn't.