Opinions Re: Tattoos...

I'm curious what you all think...this is one area of my life where I'm oddly contradictory...I prefer to be natural..as in food, no makeup,etc....about 6 years ago I got a tattoo, and really, I love it. It's only the size of a quarter but I'd possibly like more...I dunno, I guess I feel as if it is a way for me to make statements using my body as a canvass....anyone else have a tattoo? anyone strongly against? reasoning for or against would be awesome...

Here's my tattoo - I got it for the obvious statement and then also for my statement about organ donation (yeah, second one's kinda morbid but it's still important in my opinion)

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3245/tattoo0th.jpg

I have several tattoos, including "ahimsa" on my right forearm, a nude Statue of Liberty on my back, and a devil girl on the back of each calf.

So, I'm very much into tattoos, and body piercings, too.

I think women are quite beautiful just the way they are, and certainly don't need piercings, or makeup, or tatoos, or fancy clothes to make them attractive. If you want a tatoo, though, I think that's cool. A really big tatoo in the center of your forehead, I think, would be distracting, but smaller ones, discretely located, could be very nice. I guess it would depend on where they were located, what they were about, and how big they are. Hmmm. I guess I'm saying that I don't have strong feelings one way or another, but if I saw you on the street and you had a tatoo, it would definitely draw my attention.

notice how ugly white my skin is in the tattoo picture...it's totally hidden - most of the time! it's on my left shoulder...not sure about more....like making statements but just not really sure if this is how i want to go about it....i guess it's just a nagging contradiction...

Sorry, I don't think white skin is ugly and I don't think that tatoos should always be covered (but I don't like it when they are partially covered).

Why do you think there is a contradiction? To me, I guess "natural" means getting rid of material things in order to find my roots. Then I can use that as a starting point for making changes. The changes that I make are what I want, and not what has been dictated by our culture. Does that make sense? Our culture often demands that women wear makeup in order to be attractive, so many women hate the way they look and don't feel that they can be attractive unless they are wearing makeup. I think that is very sad. Tatoos, I think, are different. So I would feel like a tatoo could be "natural" because it would be something that you wanted rather than something that was imposed from the outside. Or did I miss your meaning?

There was a conversation not long ago on the board about breast implants being as unnatural as a tattoo...I understood the comparison - as to say don't judge someone with breast implants, but it got me thinking...I'd always considered my tattoo to be "alternative" - though they are more and more popular now- because it made a remark about society/nature/etc. I tend to askew things unnatural as I consider myself to be low low maintanence and consider a simplicity an ideal.

So, I was pretty much wondering what most people on the board thought about tattoos.

I've toyed with getting another for a while because the statement is pretty important to me - I'd like to get a peace sign (as in two fingers sign) in a circle inverted - meaning, I'd like the actual sign to be flesh and then surrounded by a black circle ...this one I'd probably get on my upper tricep (where I could cover it with a long enough sleeve but it'd still be visible with a tshirt).

I don't have the money for all kinds of tattoos so it'll be a while, if ever.

So, then I'd have a statement about the environment, peace...anyone have or know of a good animal rights tattoo???

I have two tatoos that I like.

A star about the size of a quarter on my left wrist

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gimp6336/detail?.dir=b508&.dnm=3d67.jpg&.src=ph

and a small gecko on my left hip

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gimp6336/detail?.dir=b508&.dnm=2811.jpg&.src=ph

I like tatoos and want to get more.

Heyee can someone tell me how to post photos on here please? thanks

Cool, I like that one with the recycle emblem. I don't have any, but if I got tattoos I'd probably get one with my wife and son's name over my heart, or one that says VEGAN, probably on my back or down my arm

Gecko's are way cool.

madre, thats so cute. seriously it really really is.

I myself have my ears guaged. they went down in size but they are still guaged, so I cant really preach out about "un-natural things".

I myself love the look of tattoos, but I question how healthy they are.

who knows the long term risks? I have enough problems, the last thing I need is to create another unhealthy one. but this is just my believe. I am not knocking anyone who has tattoos, as I love seeing them and always wanted some.

yet tattoos right now seem silly to me: I am working hard to build my body, why would I want to cover and hide my hard work?

If I ever decided to get a tattoo, it would most likely be a tatoo for my sister, and my deceased sisters. (my inspiration, and guardian angels). that way I am reminded every morning I wake up, of how fortunate I am, and to seize life's opportunities and challenges. and to show how much I love them

I have one tattoo now, it's of cherries and is inside my right ankle. I've had it about 2 years, and I love it. I hope to get another one soon, but I'm undecided as to exactly where to put it or what the design will be. Plus I don't have the money right now, they're spendy!

I also love piercings!!! Probalby more than tattoos, since they don't have the same element of permanence. I have 3 ear lobe piercings in each ear, then upper cartilage, rook, helix, navel, and formerly my tongue, though not anymore.

I don't really give any consideration to natural or not, trendy or not, any of those things when I get my piercings/tattoos. I just like them! As for anyone else - to each her own!

I am damn afraid of piercing pain! Really! I thought it'd be cool to have my tongue pierced a while ago but was afraid of the pain so I opted for consecutive needle jabs with ink...go figure. Topher...thought I noticed that your ears were guaged in the punk rock picture you posted the other day - I terms of health and long term effect, it's likely not a positive contribution but, for me, anyway, it would keep me motivated to be in shape so I could show them off!

Maybe this is a little sick - but I enjoy the pain of a piercing! It's in some way satisfying, and a little exhilirating!

good notion then.

Maybe this is a little sick - but I enjoy the pain of a piercing! It's in some way satisfying, and a little exhilirating!

I been told (and this is strictly hearsay ) that pain is an aphrodisiac!

I am damn afraid of piercing pain! Really! I thought it'd be cool to have my tongue pierced a while ago but was afraid of the pain

I'm also afraid of needles, don't consider pain to be an aphrodisiac, and I have 17 body piercings (not counting my lobes).

A centered tongue piercing is actually one of the least painful you can get, since it's mostly going through cartilage and not muscle. Even the two I have in my tongue, which do go through the muscle, were more of a pressure sensation than painful.

Oh yeah, getting the tongue pierced doesn't hurt at all. The weirdest part of it is just having your tongue stuck out and clamped on to without being able to pull it back into your mouth. Same with navel, it's a piece of cake. The one that actually hurt was my rook....OWWWWWW.

I think piercings are easier to stand painwise than tattoos though, cuz they're over so quickly. My tattoo is relatively small but it seemed like it took forever! Some parts were just kind of annoying, but down towards the bottom of it, where it gets onto my heel, or the back along my achilles tendon, that did NOT feel good.

But I still loved it, and love the result

Same with navel, it's a piece of cake.

Actually, my navel did hurt, and I think the general consensus is that they do. It's not the worst I've gotten, but I definitely felt it. It bled more than I expected, too. The worst thing about navel piercings, though, is that they take forever to heal; mine took about 13 months. I don't recommend them unless you really, really want one.

I think piercings are easier to stand painwise than tattoos though, cuz they're over so quickly. My tattoo is relatively small but it seemed like it took forever!

I think it goes both ways. Tattoos often hurt more to get (depending on the location) but, other than some itching during the healing process, they're pretty much painless afterwards. The actual piercing process is always over much faster, but the piercing itself can be very sensitive for weeks afterward.

Tattoo? Why not? Why color your hair and not your skin? I have one on my right arm.

http://home.wanadoo.nl/maartennijkerk/veganbodybuilding/Foto03.jpg

But I would never ever pierce a part of my body. Well, I have had four earrings, which is a piercing, too, but what I mean is tongue, nipple or genitals. I don't like the look of it and it turns me off in a sexual way. But that's very personal of course.

I definitely had a different experience with my navel piercing...I don't think it bled at all, and it's just fat and skin, no muscle and cartilage...I thought it was comparable to getting a flu shot. A little pinch and then done. Maybe that's just cuz my tummy is chubby and not rock hard like it should be though

The tattoo, I think, is a totally different sensation. I find the intensity of a piercing more tolerable than the ongoing annoyance of the tattoo feeling. But hey, that's just me

I considered doing my nipples for a long time, but I ultimately decided against it because I don't find the piercing itself very attractive, I just wanted to get another one because it's been awhile since my last. Guess that just goes back to what I was saying about enjoying how it feels! I'm twisted, what can I say!

And genital piercings? Yikes. That's going too far even for me. I can't even imagine.

I was at a strip club once though here in Portland and saw a girl with a tattoo that started on her breasts/ribs and wound down her abdomen, between her legs....and then between her butt cheeks! It was, um, interesting. I have no idea how they managed to tattoo that, must have been awkward. It was definitely well done though, very intricate. And if she was going for attention with it, she definitely succeeded!

Maybe that's just cuz my tummy is chubby and not rock hard like it should be though

Oh, I was hardly skinny at the time I had my navel pierced. Hell, at 19 or 20% bodyfat, I'm hardly skinny now. Everyone has their own unique reaction, that's why I mentioned that the consensus seems to be that they're not painless.

I considered doing my nipples for a long time, but I ultimately decided against it because I don't find the piercing itself very attractive, I just wanted to get another one because it's been awhile since my last.

Pierced nipples are very sexy but that, of course, is a matter of opinion. That, incidentally, is the only reason I had my navel pierced, just wanted something new and couldn't think of anything else at the time.

And genital piercings? Yikes. That's going too far even for me. I can't even imagine.

Never say never. I started by getting my nipples pierced, 'cause that was the only piercing I was even remotely interested in. Fifteen additional piercings later, I'm almost out of room. Seriously...

Some of y'all are probably thinking that I'm some sort of freak , but the people who know me in real life would never guess all this.

I have a serious thing for nipple piercings on guys....I just don't think it'd work out too well on me.

I know what you mean about running out of space though...I want more piercings, but I want to stay within the bounds of "normal". I scar too easily to do anything on my face, and I don't want to be too excessive on my ears, already did navel, decided against nipples, and you're right....never say never! but I really don't think I'm gonna move below the belt.

I am thinking about a new tat though, maybe on my upper/outer thigh (like below my hip bone)

Even with the handful of piercings I do have, which is not at all extreme, people are suprised when they start noticing them. I generally find people's first impression of me is very "good girl"....then they get to know me! haha!

You could always get your septum pierced. That's easy to hide with the right jewelry, virtually painless for most people, and a small ring is very cute on girls.

Then there're guys with large gauge ones:

http://www.tribalectic.com/Gallery/4ga%20septum.jpg

I wish I could get a job that would allow me to even wear my lobe jewelry, I'd like to get some more ear piercings, particularly daiths.

i like tattoos. and i have a strange attraction to girls with tattoos and piercings. of course it all depends on the tattoo itself. i have seen some really awful tattoos, but most people put a lot of thought into what they will mark their body with, so they turn out great. some are real works of art. some have alot of symbolic or religious meaning. some have a great story behind them. some are memorials.

the irony is that i don't have any myself. not one piercing or tattoo. i just haven't got around to settling into a design.

anyone here watch the show Miami Ink?

LOVE Miami Ink.

I'll have to give the septum idea some thought I certainly wouldn't want anything large hanging from my nose, but something small and elegant? Perhaps!