A question for people

[saechalyn]

Okay, so I've wanted a tattoo basically...as long as I can remember. My rule for getting one has always been, I have to be committed to a design for a year before I get it done- I figure it's going to be on my body for the rest of my life, better get something I really want right? Well so far nothing has passed the year test, and it's been...well I don't know how long it's been, but it's a really long time. I'm starting to think maybe I should just go for it. (I overanalyze everything!! Even tattoos! GAH!)

So my question, for people who have tattoos, how long did you know what you wanted before you got it done, and did/do you regret any tattoos you have?

[Fierce Critter]

I can't answer those questions.

However, I do have one tiny bit of advice. Get a good temporary tattoo and put it where you think you want it.

Leave it on there. And after a while, answer these questions yourself:

1) Do I find myself distracted (in a bad way) by it

2) Do I eventually not even notice it anymore (in a bad way)

3) Am I finding unexpected complications by it being there (didn't realize it'd interact in THAT way with THAT outfit, etc.)

4) Do I miss the unbroken line of beautiful skin I used to have there?

etc. Just wear it for a while and see if you find negatives you weren't bargaining on.

Yes, I am coming from an anti-tattoo standpoint. I like them when I see them on others VERY often. But for myself, I'd miss that "unbroken line of skin" I mentioned.

I put a temporary cat paw print on my breast once and hated it after a while. It was cute, but annoying, and I found I liked my boob better totally naked.

[bean]

With a few pf my tattoos, I knew what I wanted for a few months, with others, I picked out the design and got it done in the same day. With the same day ones, though I had a general idea of what I wanted, but wasn't sure of a design until I saw one that I liked and went for it. I do not regret any of my tattoos, though I do regret going to certain places to have them done because they did a shitty job and I've had to have them fixed. If you want to know my tattoo artist "bad list," pm me.

[Steven]

Make sure your expression in ink encompasses who you are, at the core - so that it can stand the test of time and so you will not have any regrets later.

And even if you do that - you still have to live with what you've said in ink.

I love tats. I have a couple, and plan to get a few more this year.

One i have on my right shoulder is small - it's an ankh - I got it when I was a kid in some biker joint in Tennessee ahundred years ago. At the time I was studying/flirting with the occult. I thought the Tat was a good expression if where I was at...and actually it was. I was shallow, and so is my tat.

But I'm no longer in that place. And I'm no longer a kid. I dont regret it - and I never tried to cover it because I am who I am and my history is part of that. But I'm at the point now where I'm just basically sick of it, and so it takes away from where I'm going. So this year I'll do the cover up, as its an appropriate time. I made peace with it.

On my left shoulder and halfway down my arm i have a very large tat of Gabriel the messenger Angel. Its beautiful, took much hard work, and came from a rendering of a stained glass window in a cathedral in Europe. It needs alot of color to be completed - and it too is on my list of work this year. Its also part of a theme, something that I want to turn into a partial sleave tat halfway down my left arm.

This tat - is definately reflective of where I am now and where i'm going.

[Homicidalheathen]

I am kinda a purist. Personally I won't get a tattoo that does not have deep, lasting spiritual significance. I read you invoke a power when you get one that draws whatever it is into your life.

So far thus I have Chaos......which I need to learn to master.......am getting fire, it helps get you in tune with the fire element and also protects you from.

I might get the fool as that is my alter ego in the tarot (MY main ego is the magician)

And spiders are one of my totems but I am afraid of them still so I might get a web with a spider hanging from it.

Hope that helps!

Oh and my friend got a dragon fly as they represent change and she is all about change, actually.......is going through a divorce right now so I guess it fits.

[sass_in_the_pants]

My sister has some mask thing on her upper arm. From far away, it looks like one of the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the look she was going for. And, since she wears alot of sleeveless dresses, it's always out, at business meetings, at family events, in all of the pictures. She hates it. Because in every picture, people look at it closley and say "what's that on your arm?"

So, ditto what fierce critter said.

On the other hand, my mother in law got a tattoo on her 50th birthday. She has never had a tattoo before or since. It is a sun, and each ray of the sun is the first initial of each of her kids, and there are little stars that surround it with the first initial of each of her grandkids. I think it's so sweet.

[Draco1958]

I too have been mulling over getting a tattoo. And I agree that the tat should represent something within you. That is why I am looking at a dragon or chinese/japanese lettering/symbols that represent words. Being that I play ok maybe overplay the role of protector to my niece and friends. I'm figuring something like the symbols for guardian/protector or samurai or warrior. Once I pick it out, I want to get it done. Those are designs I would be happy with for a long long time, not a design I would regret after a short time. Think over carefully what you want and what it will represent to you. Some say as stated before that the tat design can empower you.

[Brenda Starrr]

Each tattoo that I have has some sort of meaning for me. I wasn't about to go get something that didn't indicate some importance to my life. My first tat was a sun, which was for my son. After my daughter was born, I got a crescent moon, and a smoke ring, linking the sun to the moon. The black tribal sun around my navel is for the warm place that my kids lived for nine months before being born. The chinese symbols on my back mean "invincible woman." I got this originally because I was loading truck for UPS, and that was some hard work. However, it became a very real meaning to me after leaving my ex. I had gone through a lot after I had left. I slowly became invincible in my heart. It was 6 years before I got anything else.

Then, I got two skully cherries on my left calf. My daughter thought that it was very cool, and wanted a pink bow on one of them. That's her personal skully cherry. Then, I got the slayer makeup artist on my right arm. She was originally holding a dagger in the pic, but I had my artist change it to a makeup brush. After all, that's what I do. Then, the butterfy bracelet on my right wrist. Butterflies are free, and so am I in my thinking and feeling. The stars on my chest and arm are just for me. I love stars and the brighness that they give. The heart with Wayne's name inside was my anniversary gift from Wayne. He has mine on his right forearm, I have his on my left. This was Wayne's first tattoo. He's ready for more now. Addict.......

My next will be two swallows on my shoulder blades with the kids' names underneath. After that, a beautiful Sacred Heart that my artist drew just for me. He actually has a pic of it on his myspace. If you go to mine, click on Tattooed Heart on my list and wait for it to scroll across.

Sorry for the long list of what and why. I just wanted you to know my reasons for what I have had done thus far.

[Guest Game of Chance]

I have two tattoos. While I'm not as old (no offense Steven or Brenda) as some of the people who have already posted in this thread, I've had them both for 10+ years.

Both were designed by me.

My first tattoo was done by an artist who did it exactly the way I designed it. Which was cool. I was happy.

My second tattoo was done by an artist who looked at my design and said "Ok, Give me partial payment and come back in a few days." I was like, what the fuck. I want it now. When I returned a few days later, I saw the result of my waiting. He had taken my design and developed it much further than I ever would have myself. All of the symbolism was in tact, but the visual feel had vastly improved.

The only regret I have is in my choice of artist. Ask around before you get one.

[saechalyn]

Thanks everybody. It's neat to hear stories of what people have, and why. I'm completely comfortable with the idea of having a tattoo, and where, it's the what that's tripping me up. I agree that it should signify something, I just don't know what. I'm boring, haha.

[Draco1958]

One I am considering is chionese or Japanese characters for warrior or protector since I seem to play that role for my niece even tho she doesn't need it so much as just simple guidance at times. Will probably add dragon or ghost with it. Or a gothic dragon, still deciding.

[bean]

Most of my tatts have some sort of meaning... a few I got because I liked the design.

1. pink lotus - symbolizes Buddha

2. Pisces symbol - well duh

3. butterfly (I have 2) - freedom: I got the first one when I turned 18 and was legally free from my parents. I got the second one when I knew I was free from my drug addiction (1 year clean).

4. dragonfly - change - I got this one when I decided to leave the life I was living and start new.

5. chameleon - I tend to become invisible and blend into my environment at times

6. phoenix - I've fallen and come back several times, "died" and "risen from the ashes" so to speak

7. sun - the God...I will be getting a moon soon for the Goddess..I just haven't found a design I like yet.

8. gecko - I just like the little buggers!

9. vine with flowers - I liked the design

10. tribal "infinity" sign - I liked the design - now I'm not too crazy about it and might have it made into something else.

11. peacock - I've always thought they were beautiful creatures, and I found one that I liked enough to get done!

[bean]

i like to post the same shit 2 times in a row!

[Guest Game of Chance]

The one on my right bicep is a unicursal hexagram. A six pointed star signifying the Universe. In the center of the star is a five petaled lotus...signifying mankind. Man at the center of the Universe. Underneath the star is the word Thelema in Greek, which means Will. The Greek Qabalah assigns it a value of 93 in gemmatria. 93 is also the value of the greek word Agape, meaning Love.

On my right forearm, I have a serpent wrapped around a sword 3 and a half times. Just before the blade meets the grip of the sword, there is an egyptian solar disk with a 7 pointed star in the center. In the hebrew qabalah, the 7th sephiroth on the Tree of Life is Netzach. Netzach has a planetary correspondence of Venus. Venus = Love.

The Sword represents the spine and the Serpent represents the kundalini serpent, which is said (by the hindus) to lay at the base of the spine in your root chakra. It is said that when the Kundalini completely extends itself up the spine (3 and a half times) around each of the 7 chakras...enlightenment is reached.

Each tattoo marked and was inspired by initiations in the mystical journey that is life. I have strayed away from mysticism the last few years, so I haven't had a need to get any more. If I should start praticing yoga and other mystical techniques again...I'm sure there will be more on the way.

[DarkVampire]

I don't have any tattoos but I've been wondering about them myself. I would like either an ankh or a scorpio (I'm a scorpio) on my shoulder.

Another thing I like but I doubt I would ever do is get a Chinese dragon on one forarm and a tiger on the other one. If you've ever seen the 70's tv version of King Fu than you know what I'm talking about.

[CatsEyeOfTheWiccan]

Tattoo I want:

I hope you like them, and the gothic tinker bell would have black and purple tights instead of the color she curently wearing.

-CatsEye

[Captain_Tourettes]

So my question, for people who have tattoos, how long did you know what you wanted before you got it done, and did/do you regret any tattoos you have?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not quite a fair question because I have had a list of tatts I wanted to get for quite some time but being poor was the deciding factor. All of them mean something to me so I wouldn't regret them, nor have i regreted the one I've had for years. The only regret you'll have is not spending more money than you'll prolly wanted to to get a really nice tattoo by a really good artist. Quality work will make it something to be proud of.

I have a very small list of artists I would trust to put ink in me. I'll pass it along if you like.

[CatsEyeOfTheWiccan]

Not quite a fair question because I have had a list of tatts I wanted to get for quite some time but being poor was the deciding factor. All of them mean something to me so I wouldn't regret them, nor have i regreted the one I've had for years. The only regret you'll have is not spending more money than you'll prolly wanted to to get a really nice tattoo by a really good artist. Quality work will make it something to be proud of.

I have a very small list of artists I would trust to put ink in me. I'll pass it along if you like.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would be awsome, trying find person do it cheaply and great job.

Thanks,

CatsEye