The Tattoo Thread

[chrisdavis@canibeat]

I can't get into tats.

I mean, I think they look cool on other people, especially Yakuza-style sleeves, but I'd never get one myself.

Matth3w's sleeve looks gangster, btw.

[wRek]

set your goals?

Yes and no. It's more of a goonies tribute. There are 4 kids in my family and growing up my mom called us the goonies. We all loved the movie. But yes, I am also a SYG fan so it could go that way as well.

[kingston]

Tattoo by: Josh Duffy at MD Tattoo Studio in Northridge, CA.

[ShootJoeC]

When I turn 23 I wanna start getting tattoos, my overall plan is to have both right and left full sleeves including my hands and chest done.

Don't be that guy dude. Not to be a tattoo elitist or anything but it bugs me to no end when people with no tattoos have these huge plans to get covered. Again, not to be a prick, but you have NO idea what a huge change your life will take if you have tattoos on your hands. You have no way of understanding the consequences. Unless you plan on working in a tattoo shop or are a professional musician having your hands tattooed is pretty much the worst idea you can have.

Even having two sleeves I have had to accept that I will never be able to wear a short sleeve shirt to work or any business function for the rest of my life. We live in a society where having tattoos is frowned upon and it will be like that for a long time to come. I have a very good job where I am well respected by my coworkers and highly regarded by my superiors, but I can tell you right now if I ran into one of them at the grocery store and I was wearing a short sleeved shirt their opinion of me would change right then and there. At my last job I was the nerdy guy with the skinny suit and nice ties but once people found I had tattoos I had people trying to tell me about their friends who had tattoos and assuming I was a drinking, smoking badass rebel.

[KatieMayhem]

Mine - Before color:

[kingston]

Don't be that guy dude. Not to be a tattoo elitist or anything but it bugs me to no end when people with no tattoos have these huge plans to get covered. Again, not to be a prick, but you have NO idea what a huge change your life will take if you have tattoos on your hands. You have no way of understanding the consequences. Unless you plan on working in a tattoo shop or are a professional musician having your hands tattooed is pretty much the worst idea you can have.

Even having two sleeves I have had to accept that I will never be able to wear a short sleeve shirt to work or any business function for the rest of my life. We live in a society where having tattoos is frowned upon and it will be like that for a long time to come. I have a very good job where I am well respected by my coworkers and highly regarded by my superiors, but I can tell you right now if I ran into one of them at the grocery store and I was wearing a short sleeved shirt their opinion of me would change right then and there. At my last job I was the nerdy guy with the skinny suit and nice ties but once people found I had tattoos I had people trying to tell me about their friends who had tattoos and assuming I was a drinking, smoking badass rebel.

he's right. there's so many kids who get covered by 18 that will end up working a shitty job and making min wage cause of how they look. its not fair but thats how society is.

[filthiestek]

Don't be that guy dude. Not to be a tattoo elitist or anything but it bugs me to no end when people with no tattoos have these huge plans to get covered. Again, not to be a prick, but you have NO idea what a huge change your life will take if you have tattoos on your hands. You have no way of understanding the consequences. Unless you plan on working in a tattoo shop or are a professional musician having your hands tattooed is pretty much the worst idea you can have.

Even having two sleeves I have had to accept that I will never be able to wear a short sleeve shirt to work or any business function for the rest of my life. We live in a society where having tattoos is frowned upon and it will be like that for a long time to come. I have a very good job where I am well respected by my coworkers and highly regarded by my superiors, but I can tell you right now if I ran into one of them at the grocery store and I was wearing a short sleeved shirt their opinion of me would change right then and there. At my last job I was the nerdy guy with the skinny suit and nice ties but once people found I had tattoos I had people trying to tell me about their friends who had tattoos and assuming I was a drinking, smoking badass rebel.

He is exactly right.. Not to be a prick either but there is nothing more annoying then being out somewhere and someone will ask you about your tattoo's. They then go on to show you the one tattoo that they have on the Biceps or something similar and go on to tell you all their plans for sleeves and blah blah. It does change your life. It is a very big decision to make and can immediately count you out of a lot of opportunities. If it is something you really like and think you can deal with wearing long sleeves to work everyday for the rest of your life thats fine. But do it for you and not what you think is cool that other people have. I have been very lucky to have the job I do. But I wear long sleeve dress shirts year round while others wear short sleeves in the 110 degree oklahoma heat. Just my .02.

[wRek]

I also agree with the above to some extent. Visible tattoos won't keep you from getting a good job, but it will limit the type of work you can do. Minimum wage only is not true, as I have my hands and neck tattood and work a job as a federal civilian employee of the DoD and make damn good money. BUT, I work a "blue collar" job.

Definitely don't set out with the idea that you wanna start getting tattooed at 23 and be covered right away. Good tattoo work takes time, and getting tattooed on multiple parts of your body at once causes problems with healing. I've had ongoing projects on my right arm and right leg in the same week and it took me nearly 3 times as long to heal as normal. At 23 years old I have my right arm, chest, and right lower leg fairly covered, my knuckles, and various other random tattoos on my left arm, feet, and back.

I have friends who want to tattoo their hands or lower arms, I always tell them the same thing... I am all for visible tattoos, so long as you have a good job already that doesn't care you have them. I could tattoo my entire kneck and hands, and so long as my tattoos weren't racist or offensive, my work doesn't care.

[Matth3w]

I can't get into tats.

I mean, I think they look cool on other people, especially Yakuza-style sleeves, but I'd never get one myself.

Matth3w's sleeve looks gangster, btw.

Thanks dude! i'll post updated pictures when i get the rest of it colored.

I also agree with you guys about tattoos changing your life. It is definitely a HUGE commitment that needs to be thought out before you jump into it. as soon as my sleeve was outlined, i started hearing all kinds of bullshit being said about me even from people that i have known my entire life. tattoos are slowly becoming more accepted into our society because of their popularity growing, but you still have those certain people that look at you like a drug addict piece of shit as soon as they see ink on your arm and won't even take the time to get to know you. if you commit to getting tattooed, make sure it's planned out and it's done by good artists, don't just jump in to getting random stuff put all over you just so you can say you have a lot of tattoos.

[ShootJoeC]

For content:

in process:


Finished and healing:

[Matth3w]

For content:

in process:


Finished and healing:

dude, that detail and color is incredible. who's the artist?

[ShootJoeC]

dude, that detail and color is incredible. who's the artist?

His name is Dustin Golden. He owns Skin Thrills Tattoo in Roanoke Virginia. He has done all of my work, super reasonable prices and he is a really rad guy too!

[jsu1012]

shootjoec speaking the truth.

[ShootJoeC]

shootjoec speaking the truth.

Thank you kind sir.

[ShootJoeC]

Mine - Before color:

Nice looks good, has it been colored yet?

[KatieMayhem]

The whole skull has been colored, and 3 of 8 roses...
The only pictures I have of it are actually pretty awful though.
And I hear it's not polite to take my shirt off in public and be all "HEY! Take a picture of this!" haha

[wask0]

Ill give my 2cents on getting tattoos on visible places. As everyone before said not a good idea, unless you are your own boss or have no plans for the Corporate World. I did get my first tattoo at 18, Buddha on the upper arm, and it went from there. I get all kinds of looks, Grocery Store, The Mall, etc etc. I also get a lot of people with some busted tattoos done at a Tattoo Party wanting to show to show me there shit and ask how much mine cost (which i find very ignorant to ask).
So my advice is, if you want your hands, neck, or face done, remember its there for life and be prepared for some negative responses. Oh! I hear it hurts 10 time more taking it off then putting it on.

[jsu1012]

I hear it hurts 10 time more taking it off then putting it on.

My buddy has his hands and fingers tattooed. For some reason he wanted them off, that laser removal is brutal man. His skins boils up like 2nd degree burns with blisters, it's very red and irritated, and he said it's the most painful thing he's ever been through. he has went several times and the sad part is the tattoo is still visible..

[kingston]

My buddy has his hands and fingers tattooed. For some reason he wanted them off, that laser removal is brutal man. His skins boils up like 2nd degree burns with blisters, it's very red and irritated, and he said it's the most painful thing he's ever been through. he has went several times and the sad part is the tattoo is still visible..

DAMN that sucks!

[kingston]

Tattoo by: Lizzie at Speakeasy Tattoo in Toronto, Canada