Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tattoos
One of my most favorite things to spend money on is tattoos. I believe that it is an investment that I will gladly pay for. I have never and will never be a guy that can draw, I have tried time and time again but it's just not in my cards. That's why I hold artists in such a high place in my mind. The talent that most of these guys have is extraordinary. But tattoo artists are the kings of the crop. This is the kind of drawing you can't erase and try again. I have merely written this blog to act as the devil's advocate and find out what other people think of tattoos. I know that there is a substantial amount of people that think tattoos are just a fashion trend that will quickly go out of style. Others that plainly say they don't "believe" in tattoos, which is quite redundant seeing as they do EXIST. A lot of people choose not to get them because of the pain involved. My opinion on that subject is that the pain is all part of pleasure of knowing that a beautiful piece of artwork is being designed on your body to be with you forever. It is pain with reason, unlike most of the pain that people go through everyday that doesn't end on a positive note. My tattoos are strictly family, and music. I have one on my chest representing my family coat of arms, and soon I will be putting family comes first above it. Across my shoulders I have No Heart, No Soul, Just Rhythm, and I am currently going through sittings to get my right arm finished into a "sleeve" which is full tattoos between my shoulder and wrist.
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2 comments:
Andre,
Tattoos are very much a personal statement of choice. However, unlike other facets of fashion, a tattoo goes far beyond the constraints of something that can be changed and modified over and again as ones tastes evolve. We can all choose to style our hair a different way at any time, or take up a new wardrobe, but tattoos are indeed a life-lasting expression.
I myself have been pondering numerous tattoos for years and years. I've sat with friends as they've been inked. I've peeled labels and carried photos around with the intent of going to the tattoo shop with them, but somehow I've just never gotten to the stage of being in the chair. I blame money first and foremost. Even though I fully appreciate the artistic intent, and how a tattoo is really an investment that lasts for life, I somehow always rationalize my way out of getting one by refusing to invest the cash. It's a ridiculous argument really, when you want one, and have many great ideas as to what you want to get.
At any rate, at some point soon, I am going to take the plunge. As for tattoos being a "fad", or worse yet, somehow "dirty" or "seedy", the people who often make these arguments are usually close-minded, and generally not of an artistic bent. I have seen tattoos that display artwork more beautiful than a prized painting, or famed photo. The days of the seedy tattoo parlour, with the grizzled old biker carving people's bodies are long since over (if they ever were anything more than a stereotype enforced by a rigid society). Tattoos are mainstream, and the artists that work on them are every bit as talented as a fine painter, or sketch artist.
So, revel in your choice of personal expression. You've chosen to commemorate important people and hobbies in your life through a permanent piece of artwork. In this sense, the choice to get tattooed is as much an artistic statement as the piece itself.
I find tattoos are so commonplace now- it's not unusual for a person to have at least one, even if it's small, somewhere on their body. Like lefty said in his comment, the days of faded prison tattoos have seen their end. So many different types and colours of ink are available, tattoo styles have evolved beyond those of faded prison tattoos... old school, new skool, japanese style, realistic (my personal favourite and choice for the artwork on my own body). As someone who has some big tattoos, I haven't really faced any nasty comments of "rejection" due to my choice of self-expression- most people think tattoos are really interesting even if they themselves would not get tattooed. Tattoos are an awesome form of expression and because they are a permanent one they can be so meaningful. That's why it's always important to get tattooed for/about things that will always be a part of you, like you said about family and music.
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