I'm glad I am not a tattoo artist (unless it was a "female customers only" parlour). Imagine the conversation with the other half when she asks "how was work today?"
Being as I am new to this forum given my forthcoming Panigale delivery I have read though the whole history of this post, also being a long term member of 1000rr.co.uk I would like to say we had a thread very similar to this one and the general consensus is the same. I had a couple of tattoos done when I was in my teens to ‘fit in’ whilst doing my engineering apprenticeship but within a couple of months I hated them. Don’t get me wrong I really like them on other people just not on me. It was not till after my divorce in my mid-forties that I got around to having them removed by laser, mainly because I had my ex-wife’s name on one of them. I have to say if they hurt going on, that was nothing compared to getting them removed, it took a fair few consultations to remove them and if I am honest I need another couple of go’s to remove the last faint traces. Would have any more I doubt it but I sometimes get the urge, and in a strange kind of way the pain of either getting the work done or removed is a bit addictive. Given my job my directors would be very shocked if they read this. With regard to the piercing section of this thread, and bearing in mind my job. I was passing through security in T5 at Heathrow a few months ago with a much respected female client who set the scanner off, after the hand held check also went off when scanning her chest the important and very respectable client admitted red faced ‘ yes that is what you thing it is’ to which I replied ‘ so what…. I ride a motorcycle, so both of us have learned something about each other this morning’ Oh how we laughed. Did I judge her….not one bit. Did she judge me….I doubt it, where we both shocked…..yes. But we have got on like a house on fire ever since. On reflection I would bet I would like to see her secret more then she would like to see mine. Live and let live is my motto. It’s not what you look like, where you live or what you do for a living that’s important, it’s what’s inside a person that really matters.
Why do you guys have tattoos? Is is about art, identity, belonging or something else? I assume most of the non-visible Piercings are for reasons of sexual stimulation, am I right? If not why do you get them done? Why do you get Piercings in your face? Especially the ones that turn earlobes into hamster wheels? Just wondered.
Different people get them for different reasons! My tattoos all have a personal meaning and aren't just picked from a tattoo shop book. Some like them because they are art, and in some cases they are quite detailed and incredible to look at, some, sadly, just get them to fit in, and then regret them later in life. Piercings are something altogether different, and yes I would say the majority are purely for sexual stimulation, sometimes for your own pleasure, sometimes for your partners. I would miss mine if I had to remove them now, and so too would Nicky. They're not to everyone's taste, but its nice to be individual, and from a personal point of view, when I'm dressed you can't see any of my tattoos or piercings.
For me tattoos are mainly art. I've got one and thinking of getting second one soon but they also have to mean something for me. It took me 6 years to decide what I want as my first tattoo and another 4 of tweaking that idea (location, colours etc). Now I've been thinking for almost 2 years what I want as my second one but I'm still not 100% sure. Piercings - I had 4 and only have 1 left at the moment. Purely decorative... when I'm bored with them I stop wearing them, when I change my mind I put them back in.
Eww I really hate those hole in the ear things - think I might add to my phobias I have a tattoo - why - no idea but I like it
From a personal perspective, I would only have tattoos that mean something, and Iceman, taking your time to get exactly what you want is the right way to go. It is, as you say, art, and a very individual art form too. My tattoos all have a meaning to me, and other than the Ducati logo on my left arm, and the Hindi script, they are hand drawn and no one will have anything like them.
I have booked my next one for the beginning of September, Gustav Klimts Tree Of Life. I love Klimts work and rather than having The Kiss I thought I'd go for something more organic will post pics when it's done
I've got a couple of bits of meaningless tat on my arms but I don't regret any of them because they were all things I wanted at the time and that's what it's all about. My son's got quite a few tattoos including some kind of a half sleeve done and he always says that he has never felt as humiliated as when I wandered over and threatened to deck a tattoo artist who was about to do a piece on his arm when he was pissed up aged 17 at the Rock & Blues festival and I said he had to go back and get it done when he hadn't had a drink. Oddly enough he didn't go back at 9am and the fake Hells Angel gave me dirty looks every time I walked past for the rest of the festival.
