Tattoo design - What do you think of it? Options

I have just finished designing a tattoo for a fellow teacher and have been designing what will be my second tattoo for some time ( I finally have a design I like).

What do you all think of the designing of tattoos as art?

Cool.

It's one of the reasons I have no tattoos... the only thing I feel strongly enough to get stabbed into my flesh are my wife and kids (and that seems more like something I would do if they died as a memorial... which creeps me out enough to keep me from doing it) and the Hulk and certain villains.... and I don't think that would do much to help my street cred

Well, I've been asked why don't I get into tattooing, and Ive always explained that I don't feel comfortable getting that close to the client, with my conservative views and all. It's one thing to draw and paint scantily clad boobies, but another thing altogether to draw and paint ON boobies!

I don't have a conserative bone in my body...I would never be able to do the actual tattooing because once you screw up...you're stuck. There is no wite-out on skin.

That's true, too. I've seen errors happen,and unfortunately they can only modify the art and call it a "happy accident". There's also the health issues, and I've never been partial to the prison look. I knew a guy a couple of years ago, a tattoo artist who was covered head to toe. Then there were the piercings in his ears and eyebrows that were causing him to get sparks from his digital camera. He used to scare all of his daughters friends.

The Boob part I'm okay with, It's the needle and blood part that makes me say I'll pass! I don't mind doing the concept sketches for the tattoo artist!

Steve

I also am always approached about doing tattoos but I cannot bring myself to plunge a needle into another person and possibly scar them for life lol. Plus I don't think they would appreciate my signature in their skin next to my art hehe. I on the other hand have a couple tattoos the most recent being the bat symbol from Batman Begins on my leg. I had it done 2 weeks ago. It took 3.5 hours to fill in the symbol with black. I now have to go back and have the artist add the red glow around it. I will post pics when I take them.

Sounds like a long and PAINstaking process, Jay. The artist obviously has to go through great PAIN to make sure that the artwork is just right. I guess there's no room for a Bob Ross "happy accident".

I've been lucky enough to design several tatoos for friends and family of mine. The most recent was an image of the gates of heaven for my uncles forearm. I've also done a leprecaun on a moon for my mother. I find designing tats a lot of fun but I would never actually do the skin work. I make to many mistakes in my processes. I think the next one I design will be for my second tatoo. I just don't know what I want yet.

I have also designed tattoos, never been paid, but hey I enjoyed doing them. I designed a few for friends, and one for my father.

I have just finished designing a tattoo for a fellow teacher and have been designing what will be my second tattoo for some time ( I finally have a design I like).

What do you all think of the designing of tattoos as art?

Tattoos as art - FRIGGIN AWESOME!

It's basically a lifetime's worth of immortalization (on the body of the client).

Nothing wrong with that. It's another form of publishing.

I would get a tat - HOWEVER - I'm big on the whole 'tattoos should have meaning' bit. I will never understand why people get chinese, tribal indian, or other 'trendy' tattoos - yet have no real connection to the design!

I'm not saying those designs should be limited to the people they originate from - I'm just saying people should think long and hard about a tat before (basically) permanently inking your body.

Meaning is *AS* important as the design. (IMHO)

People who flip burgers for a living should NOT have the chinese character for 'Leader' on their body.

Cook stir fry at a chinese restaraunt as the head chef - I can buy off on that.

I'm rambling.

Sorry, the transformers movie will be premering here in Korea in less than 24 hours! I'm all hopped up!

-Jeff

Huh. I was going to stay away from this but.........

1st, off no disrespect to anyone here but Tattoo Artist ARE real artists. For example, look at Corey Miller. You may know him from La Ink. But, did you know he's a accomplished artist. He's done gallery showings nation wide. If he wasn't making big bucks tattooing, he'd be making big bucks from his art. He doesn't necessarily need to tattoo, it just what he loves.

2nd, commercial art/fantasy/comic art does not a good tattoo make. Although they do make good bedfellows, sometimes it doesn't translate. Paper is much different than skin. Certain colors don't "pop". Most tattoo artist WILL change the design you bring in to fit there style. Placement is key as far as scale, pain, & color. For instance, I tattoo on your chest will take twice as long, hurt five times more, and cost twice as much than one on your calf.

3rd, I probably went off on a tangent above. But, it's a whole different medium. You need to take in to consideration where your tattooing, if the client your working with is a "virgin", how much they ate/drank, and various other scenarios we would never think of.

I guess I'm going off on a tear, and if I'm being harsh I don't mean to be.

Story:
Lived in Ohio for 2 years. Did "flash" or "tattoo design" for years. Got a bunch tattoos in "payment". Love them all. Moved back to Beantown, bought myself a tattoo kit and setup. Started tattooing out of the house. 3 years later....... Still tattoing out of the house.
The moral of the story: It's a whole different world.

Really not trying to discourage anyone. Just be prepared.

Again, sorry for peeing on the parade.

Jim

No apology necessary Jim. I'm glad you revived this post with such passion. I have 4 tattoos now and am preparing for my 5th. I'm a huge fan of all the tattooing "reality shows", especially LA Ink. I am also extremely fascinated by your story. Tell us more, please.

Ì have to say, I have no tattoos, I don't want a tattoo, nor will I ever get a tattoo. However, I would like to be paid to design them.

I know people who have gotten tattoos, oft times requiring 4 or more visits to get the tattoo done. I would only have that much treatment for a medical condition.
It's not a fear of needles, either, as I am very fortunate to not have any fear of needles, childhood illness was the reason for that.

As for the whole Chinese symbol thing, I knew a girl who went and had the Chinese symbol for "Friend" tattooed on her body, as well as her friend getting the same two tattoo.
They were best friends, hence the tattoo.

The thing about tattoos is that they are permanent, and should mean something. But times change, and the tattoo one get's today will not mean the same thing tomorrow.

I uhhh have a tattoo of an anchor on my forearm... just kidding. who said that skin's not a nice substitute for canvas, huh? Once in a while, when I get bored, and have no canvas, there are hitchhikers that I pick up on the side of the road and they never...go...home...with their skin! Muhuhah! muhuhahahahahahaaaaaa!!!

I like to wear other people's skin and run around chasing teenagers with a chainsaw.

They made a movie about my life, but they set it in Texas.

Somehow an Irish guy running around with a chainsaw in Ireland was not "commercial" enough. Dang producers