To tattoo or not to tattoo...that is the question...

So, hubby and I have been talking about getting tattoos lately. 

He's talking about getting barbed wire around his arm, but with fence posts, i.e., an old timey barbed wire fence around his bicep with a cowboy hat sittin' on top of one of the fence posts.  (He also said he may replace the cowboy hat with one of those steer skulls you typically see in movie desert scenes - whatever you call 'em).  I prefer the cowboy hat.  Either way, that would fit him to a T.  Cowboys turn me on and on so I think that would look great.  I'm thinkin' of getting one myself, but can't decide what I want or where.  I don't want it too big (like a whole shoulder or anything)...something I can hide if I want to...or not.  My only two thoughts so far were these:

A butterfly with one of my kids initials in each wing.  Bad thing is, I figure nobody is going to notice the initials unless I tell 'em and tons of girls have butterflies...and, no offense, but that seems so typical.  I want something unique.

My other thought was to get the words "weaker sex" in small letters under my bicep.  Strange, I know...  You know how lots of people, even guys, just end up getting a half a barbed wire around their bicep because it hurts more on the underside.  Well, I don't meant it to bash men at all, but sometimes I kind of like being underestimated as a woman.  Hell yeah, I'm proud to be a member of the "weaker sex".  I just thought the placement of that one would be kind of cool.  Or would that be lame?  I figure I went through a combined 27 hours of labor with my kids, I think I can take a tattoo, even if it is in a sensitive spot.  I mean, people who have tattoos, does it really hurt "that" bad?

Anyway -- other than that, I have no ideas.  I've looked at the Miami Ink albums and nothing interests me there.  So -- what do you think?  What should it be and where.  Should I even get one?  What do you think of tattoos on women?  You can read my bio to get a little more insight about who I am if that'd help.  (And if you're going there, let's just get this straight, I'm not putting anything in writing about me being mentally ill, ok?) 

I look forward to the replies.  Thanks!!

what about a dragon fly with the initials...  Ihave a dragon fly, and I have not seen many... People always comment on it. 

I like the dragon fly idea. And I like the butterfly idea, too. There are so many different kinds of butterflies, you can get one very sweet and feminine or go the opposite direction. I saw a really nice one with no color, if I were to get a butterfly that is what I'd get.

Go for it.

I'm about to get my 3rd tattoo, I think on Friday. I am wanting to get the word "freedom" in sanskrit or arabic. Just because I think it looks cool. I am just debating where on my body to get it: inside wrist, back of my neck, or my back between my shoulder blades.

nice bio on your profile.

I like the dragonfly idea too :). Sounds like since you can't decide maybe you should wait. Let hubby get his and get yours when you find something you really like and that suits you.

A friend of mine got her kids names put on her leg. It's pretty elaborate and wouldn't be something I'd go for, but I liked the idea of the kids names.

Something with your kids names/faces/initials/birthdays would be a pretty good bet, make sure you see examples of the artist's work if you're going to get anything complicated.

The pain really isn't that bad, the sensation is more annoying that painfull for the most part.

I think the placement of 'weaker sex' is funny/ cool, not lame but without the "the" wonder how many might think it was a reference to the act as opposed to the gender. 

I have a tattoo on my side, I dont think ever seen by anyone I didnt show it to and gotten 15 years back.  Last weekend was a monumental one for me - went to Vegas (havent physically been able to travel no less barely walk in years), saw my lifelong idol Elton and got on stage both nights to the piano because of my seats.  I planned to get a second tattoo, just like my first marked a life moment but my older sis was not willing to take me and it was a last minute thing.

Regret not getting it but seriously was thinking how I'd forgotten the pain - the insane pain.  I realize locations a big factor and mine is my torso side.  Im not one to have issue with pain getting shots so never did understand why it felt so excrutiating.  The artist said it would feel like a bee sting - I didnt realize everytime the needle entered me.  Returning to Vegas late July again for the concert with accommodating friends I know who will drive me to get it.  Yet, the pain ...

I agree with others on the dragonfly idea.

I think in moderation, tattoos on women are very nice. I'm planning to get one once I lose all the weight I want to. I'm nearly decided (I've been planning on it for 2 years haha) on getting a more feminine-looking phoenix on my lower back. Not a big one, but it's to represent the rebirth that I've experienced over the last two years.

I totally like the dragonfly idea.  Only thing is, my husband had an aunt that he was REALLY close to and she passed away about 4 years ago.  The dragonfly was kind of her trademark so I wouldn't want him to think of that everytime he saw it, you know.  Maybe he wouldn't...but I would.

Yeah -- I have wondered that - whether people would think I was referencing the act (if I put "weaker sex" under my bicep).  I really like that concept, idea -- but don't know if hubby would go for it.  My feminist side kind of irks him sometimes.  Hee, hee...

Has anyone seen Angelina Jolie's newest tattoo? It's something about the 4 coordinates of the birthplaces of her kids. It's a very elaborate tattoo, but I like the idea behind it. I like all of her tats. I wish I could look that cool with mine ;)

Anyway, huntermom, there would be other ways to represent your children and also a symbol of strength... there is a TON of stuff about tattoos online if you do a Google search (regular and/or images). That's where I saw the really cool butterfly, I was looking for a friend of mine.

sun, I've been thinking of getting my next tattoo there (on my torso/ribs/side area). Maybe you just talked me out of it ;)

I've seen Jolie's, but not close enough to see what they were.  If she keeps adopting/having more kids, she's going to need to put on some more poundage.  She's gonna' run out of canvas!

Unless you want your body to be art, I always thought tattoos should have meaning. Since you seen to really treasure your family, you might consider getting the word "family" in a different language--Chinese or Japanese lettering is beautiful. Or, since you like music, you could spell out a word of your choice disguised in musical notes like quarter notes and eighth notes.

Whatever you do decide to get, I suggest getting your design as a removable/markered tattoo first and try it out for a week. I know a few people who, a day after getting their tattoo, freaked and regretted it. Good luck!

Original Post by amy_blue:

sun, I've been thinking of getting my next tattoo there (on my torso/ribs/side area). Maybe you just talked me out of it ;)

 I have a tattoo from below the hipbone extending up my ribcage to my scapula.  There are parts that hurt a lot, but other parts aren't that bad; everyone's different in their ability to tolerate pain and which areas of the body are most sensitive.  But... You can take it.  ;)

what about a lady bug or a bumble bee or some other cute litte bug?  I just like dragonflys.. I have three on my lower back with vines and flowers and crap... 

What about designing one of your own???

I got my tatoo for my 18th birthday. I took a drawing that i kept on doing and doing during class.

Mine is a tribal / flames with 2 different colors balck and light purple/grey

I positioned it on my lower back, right above the butt crack, under jeans it can not be seen, its about 10 cm long i think... had to measure =)

I would not rush into it, i know there is laser to remove it but its painfull and not really completely gone.

Do not chose something according to what other people have, or think about.... they are not going to have it all their life on them..

Who cares what other people think of their tatoo, its on your body its part of your personality etc etc...

Chose something that you have always loved and will always love.

As for me i regularly forget about the tatoo, until if i happn to c it in the mirror or that someone says soemthing and i am like oh ya there is it....

Do not get it until you know for sure you are ready!!!

My hubby thinks they are hot and wants me to get one either on my hip or the small of my back.  Two places only he would see it.

That's fine and all.... but I cannot come up with something that I want to see on my body for the REST OF MY LIFE!   I don't have kids so that can factor into it too... but this has been 3 years now and I look at tattoos online, in the studio, etc... but not a single thing has been an OH MY I HAVE TO HAVE IT FOR LIFE!  

My only thought so far of something I could live with is a tattoo of a toe ring.  Then it can't get caught on my slip on shoes!!!  ha ha  But I cannot find many pictures of them and I'm not crazy about people touching my feet.  So I still have not gotten a tattoo and will not until I am ABSOLUTELY ready for it. 

Don't fall for peer pressure!!!  ;)

Get something meaningful to you and put it somewhere you can hide it in case you ever have a close minded client or customer. 

I love mine.  I am going to get it touched up and expanded after I am finished having children.  I want to incorporate something about my (future) children into it somehow.

I thought about my tattoo for a year before I went through with it.

And I am glad that I did.

Here's the thing. No one can tell you what to do.If you truly want it, go for it, if you are iffy about it, wait. Don't let anyone change your mind about what you are getting.

 

You dont have to get anything "meaningful" like some people say.

Everyone thinks you have to have some big story behind your tattoo, thats not the case, many of the artists I have talked to have said since the tattoo shows have come out everyone thinks they have to tell their life story about the tattoo their getting.

Tattoos are fun, meaning or no meaning.

I would suggest looking other places for tattoo ideas besides Miami Ink. Thats just one of thousands of shops. Its just a show.

I got a "tramp stamp" of the caduceus when I got accepted to med school.  It did hurt, but not really that bad.  I didn't eat much before hand and I got really hungry during the tattoo...haha.  I thought about what I wanted for a really long time before I got it done.  I love my tattoo...don't regret it one bit. 

Make sure you pick something that you want to look at for a loooong time.  Also, consider the place you put it because if you gain or lose weight, it could become distorted.  You don't want to get a butterfly that turns into an amorphous blob because of weight fluctuations!  Also, be warned--tattoos are addictive!  I want another one.  My goal is to weight until I reach a certain fitness goal...and figure out where I want to put it.

Good luck :-)

I have four. They don't hurt that bad...

And I agree with killerqueen...they are addictive.

If you want to get something that represents your kids, you can get pretty creative if you just think about it.  

A couple of ideas my mother is tossing around is a flower with a ladybug/butterfly for each child, a fairie with a butterfly for each child, the planet earth with stars for the kids.  If she goes with the butterflies, we (the kids) will each pick our own design. 

What my hubby wants to do to represent our family (yes it will be large - a full back piece) is we found an awesome big cat artist, so he would like to get a lion, lioness and a little cub.    You could do something like that with your favorite animal, on a smaller scale.

Just shop around, make sure you see all the artists books, and don't settle for flash work.  It's fine for ideas, but get something unique, drawn just for you.  

My personal tattoo: I grew up loving the kids books about the Black Stallion, and I was about 11 when the movie came out.  For a tattoo I knew I wanted a horse and I loved the poster art for the movie, so that's what I got.   It looks like this:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4087521024/tt0078 872