Why not start a thread, show us your tattoos !

But personally you have to live with it no one else does, it's interesting to see your kids reactions to it thou.

My personal opinion poll tattoo yes or no ? My opinion YES!!

I've got a lizard on one of my legs. It's quite a large one. Unfortunately I have no photos of it to link to. I'm 52. I also have disc rotors on my SS with matching lizards laser cut in the rotor legs. Probably enough said 8)

At the end of the day it's entirely up to you.

Tramp Stamp

Boardin Bob, Janine Lindemulder fan are we then! Must say that's rather a reserved photograph for her… 😉

Must say that's rather a reserved photograph for her…

gosh, you're right :o)

Each to their own, but for me it is a case of not understanding why anybody would want a tattoo.

At different times in your life you can change your clothes, hair, car, wallpaper, house etc., but once you've had ink injected into your skin by a tattooist it stays there -and, as far as I can tell, deteriorates.

When around 1 in 5 of the population has one it is hardly a display of originality either.

Developing a successful tattoo removal technique is bound to be a huge money-spinner in the next 20 years or so.

I'm 32. You can call me a chav if you want, but as I own my own morning suit and read New Statesman you may be stretching a point just a little.

Out of interest, what were you're reasons, and do you think they were entirely rational?

Sorry, rational is a terrible choice of words, just back from the pub, and my vocab is a bit limited. I guess what I mean why now in your life rather than say 5 years ago?

Not that it's any of my business!.

Yes get a tattoo they are great.
My wife had her 1st at 32, she's 40 this year and i got her a full sleeve of flowers by Kamil, its the nicest tattoo i have seen and its not finished yet, i have about 80% coverage myself and should be covered by this time next year (no hands or neck tho) My right forearm was used in the Orange Blood show your commitment ad last year.

Tattoo … LOL! They look silly.

just back from the pub, and my vocab is a bit limited.

Alcohol? Are you some kind of freak? How can you put that poison in your body? Hopefully you didn't get so pi55ed that you had a fight or participated in any other anti-social behaviour? Have you thought of the health aspects and the damage that you're doing to yourself? Don't be a sheep and follow the crowds, do something different.

But hey, it's your body and your choice. Taking some of Shibboleths logic.
No one ever had a car accident or killed someone because they had too many tattoos!
Nobody vomitted on the street beacause they had too many tattoos.

What's your rational behind wanting to fill your body with poison and lose your vocabulary and control?

I'm just interested, not that it's any of My business.

😉

BigDummy – Member

I had mine done, what, couple of month's ago now, after much deliberation and a thread on here.

Oh well that's fine then – you've shown gravitas and given due deference to the thought process. 🙄

I'm 32. You can call me a chav if you want, but as I own my own morning suit and read New Statesman you may be stretching a point just a little.

I've seen plenty grasping wannabe middle class with tattoos, so owning a certain item of clothing has nothing to do with anything. Do you drive a BMW as well? That is more of a mark than ink.

What's your rational behind wanting to fill your body with poison and lose your vocabulary and control?

Peer pressure and easy access 🙂

I'm firmly in the 'no' camp.

Whilst I fully accept anyone's right to have as many tattoos as they wish, and agree that really good ones are well-executed pieces of art, they just don't do it for me.

For all those tattooed folk out there who say that they're proud of the work, and that a negative reaction to tattoos is simple prejudice, why is it so rare to see facial tattoos? Surely if you're proud enough to have them on an arm,/leg/whatever, why not have it on your face, so that everyone can see it all the time? Genuine question this one – I'm guessing it's because there's still a huge amount of anti-tattoo feeling, but I'd be interested to know if there are other reasons.

Sat in the pub on Sat night. Lad across from me had the shortest tshirt on to show off the drawings on his arms. Bless. He was obviously struggling to form an interesting personality so decided to portray an image.

Remember the kids at school who used to draw on their hands? Some grow out of this.

I also remember all the balls and black tie events I used to go to, those public school girls were right little ravers with a bit of champers inside them. 😆

He was obviously struggling to form an interesting personality so decided to portray an image.

Much like the attention seekers here then?

Not everything is black and white.

Peer pressure and easy access

😆

IanM – I'd wanted basically the design I've had for years. My wife is/was extremely anti tattoos, so it's one of several things that I'm doing, because I want to, now that I'm no longer subject to her stifling veto power. That's not "rational" as such. But it strikes me as not a wholly bad or absurd reason.

The chap who did it drew it, based on a picture that I drew, based on my recollection of a tiny little sticker that cam with an MBUK in the late 90s that Jo Burt had painted. I had it on the back of a beautiful pearly-white set of forks, and it always made me smile. The process behind transferring it to me wasn't entirely rational, I like tattoos, I tend to think they look cool. I'd not want to get one because Beckham has one or whatever – mine's decidedly retro and a bit merchant navy really. And I wanted to start with my drive-side calf as I quite like the idea that it gets flashed at people as I overtake them, and of course it's my best and most-flexed lump of muscle.

You don't get many facial tattoos because it's by no means universally accepted as alright to have any visible, and people who have a problem with it are disproportionnately likely to be sat on the important side of the desk in job interviews, I should think. I'm proud of mine, but I'm a tax lawyer. Tax lawyers with any commitment to working don't have facial tattoos, or indeed beards, generally. Mine is part of my private life, and isn't visible when I wear office clothes. No-one who has seen it has any problem with it, but I'd not want to be judged on it alone in this day and age, certainly.

🙂

the only people i know who regret their tattoos are people who got them for the wrong reason or just picked them off a wall.

if you have something completely custom designed, personal to you and something you feel is important enough to want to remember you're whole life then unless you get it in a "life-ruiner" place (hands, neck, face) then there should be no regrets…

as this thread shows there's a large side of society that wouldnt judge a person 'cos of their skin colour but seem quite happy to make assumptions about a person cos of the colours ON their skin and the result is this effects job prospects etc.

most tattoo'd people will save the hands/neck/face til last as they're all too aware of societies view on standing out… kids have started going straight for the hands and neck whilst still having lots of empty skin, this (in my humble opinion) is a bit silly and i'm in no way surprised that people will see this as attention seeking.

all my tattoos remind me of a time/place, who i was with, what was happening in my life, what i believe in and what lessons i've learnt.

all mine can be hidden by normal work clothing and often are as a lot of the meetings i go to are full of older people who are already judging me 'cos of my age, why give them more ammo to blindly assume i'm not as smart as they are?

important enough to want to remember you're whole life

my point is, surely something that important isn't going to be forgotten, and shouldn't need a inked reminder. or is it that you really 'want' it to be that important?

These days it shows your individuality by not having a tattoo. Awful lot of defensiveness going on. 🙂

Lots of pointless arguing going on to, DD.

What would this place be without it, eh?

These days it shows your individuality by not having a tattoo.

Agree. considering those with tattoos share something in common with knuckle-draggers, the common and the poor who automatically have tattoo's…well your not in great company are you?

'Yes but mine is really tasteful' – is it? To you it is. 😆

Hiya Elaine-Anne

The only thing I would say is that lizards and geckos have been kind of a popular design for a few years now. A bit like dolphins in the 90's.If you had one it would look like you were jumping on the tattoo bandwagon because it's seen a resurgence in the last 10 years. If you really want a tattoo I would think about having something that is a bit more personal to you. Go to a reputable (read you pay for what you get) tattoo artist and perhaps discuss ideas and options. A decent tattooist will always want your business but should also be willing to help you find what you like and spend time doing it.
If you're still not sure try something non permanent like a piercing as a form of bodily adornment before going for the big T.
Good luck.
P.S. Whatever you decide geckos really are a bit faddy and trendy. Tattoos shouldn't be about fashion but self expression.

@ nickc

Tru dat 🙂

That is a classic piece of hora. 🙂

considering those with tattoos share something in common with knuckle-draggers, the common and the poor who automatically have tattoo's…well your not in great company are you?

i'm pretty sure that you've got legs and arms and fingers.. that means you've got something in common with hitler… he was human too 😉

would it make you feel better if everyone who had a tattoo had to take an IQ test and have the result tattoo'd to their forehead so you could judge them even quicker?

(trolling to a a degree here) different strokes for different folks 'n all that, i have tattoos and i'm not fussed if i get judged to be honest… just as someone might be sitting there looking at me thinking "what a cretin, he's got his whole leg tatoo'd, i bet he's on benefits and doesnt work, probably a druggy too… i hate other people, i'm off to moan at the internet"… i'll probably be sitting their judging someone else completely unaware lol 🙂

I had to write an order reference on the inside of my hand this morning- I wont be making it permanent though or adding any Anchors or pictures of Mermaids on.

Given the ill-considered nature of your opinions, and their weather-vane changeability, I'd be wary of giving you a permanent marker pen. 🙂

"Agree. considering those with tattoos share something in common with knuckle-draggers, the common and the poor who automatically have tattoo's…well your not in great company are you?"
Hora – you do talk s**te at times. I was born and brought up on a council estate, and people never 'automatically' had tattoos. I'd moved out, got a career and bought my own place years before I got my first one done, and whether or not you find them unpleasant is completely immaterial to me. The fact that you choose to slag off the 'common and poor', however, isnt. If it's an attempt to troll, then it's probably had the desired effect, and if you actually believe what you posted, then you've got some serious issues. As an aside, my wife's got a tattoo, but unfortunately she's from Cambridge, has several degrees and is currently lead occupational therapist for the local NHS trust. Last time I checked, her knuckles were well above dragging level, so, sadly, youre theory doesnt really hold water.

Hora – you do talk s**te at times. I was born and brought up on a council estate

🙄

I agree with don simon that alcohol is an unnecessary evil and the sooner people grow up and abandon it the better, however I don't see tattoos as a useful alternative…

Care to explain the 'rolling eyes' thing further hora?

as this thread shows there's a large side of society that wouldnt judge a person 'cos of their skin colour but seem quite happy to make assumptions about a person cos of the colours ON their skin and the result is this effects job prospects etc.

the difference being that you have no choice about your genetic physical characteristics but few tattoos are inflicted unwillingly

24 percent of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that’s almost one in four

Says it all. It really does.

A higher proportion of British teachers have tattoos than do soldiers, supposedly. What does that say? Or is there nothing left to say after your quote about the Americans? 🙂

I believe, finally, and thank **** that Godwin's Law has been invoked. can we stop now…

being tattooed can mean a small flower behind the ear or a huge xtr chainset over your face – so what you posted says nothing hora, other than that you have an issue with Americans.

Anyway, calm down. Its highly subjective. Its your body and unlike smoking it doesn't affect others does it?

No point in talking to other people about whether to get a tattoo or not. Only you will really know whether you should get one or not.

If you do get one, keep it to yourself or only show it to/discuss it with people you know are interested. As this thread shows, there are a lot of people out there quick to judge.

Anyway, calm down. Its highly subjective.

This is correct, but contradicts your earlier silly remarks. Do hush. 😉

dolphins and lizards? people will be tattooing themselves with cartoon characters and cycling logo's next!