What you think of the current tattoo trend?

Shenshen

Deleted User wrote: »

Again, you misinterpret me.

I never said it was merely a fashion statement, I said that it is adornment. In some cultures that adornment might be very significant, where it defines a person by religion or say a tribal tattoo. I can easily accept Maori tattoos may be important to that people. I think we as a culture have tried to appropriate some of that and imbue them with a significance that I'm not sure they have here. But in fairness you have not said that, you said it has become intrinsic to you personally and I'm just trying to understand how or why. Is it, say, the image of a deceased family member, or the name of a child? What does it depict?

Why limit it to certain cultures only? Why would a symbol - any symbol, be it a ring, a piercing, a scar, a hairstyle - need to have traditional cultural conntations to be allowed to be meaningful to a person?
Personally, I don't have a wedding ring, because I can't stand the feeling of rings on my fingers. A couple I'm friends with felt the same about rings (they were also problematic for them for hygenic reasons - she's a surgeon and he works with food preparation), and they instead decided to get matching tattoos before they got married. Is that still just an adornment?

My tattoo is a sea horse - stylised in celtic design. It started it's life as a symbol of achievement, independence and success. It has since acquired meaning beyond that. I'd literally have to tell you my entire life's story to get across what it means to me. And even then I'm not entirely sure I could capture it all in mere words. That's the thing about symbols, though, they can mean more than could be put into words.

Now, I'm by no means saying that all tattoos have deep meaning to the individual. Someone on this thread already said that they're happy to have them just for aesthetic purposes. And I don't see anything wrong with that, either, though I find the notion strange. Personally, I'm the kind who wouldn't even put a picture on one of my walls if I didn't feel a certain connection to it.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

Why limit it to certain cultures only?...

I'm not limiting wearing tattoos to certain cultures, but obviously in certain cultures they have religious or tribal symbolism that do not exist here.

Take your seahorse, it has no particular reference to Ireland, a name here, a tribe or whatever. It's your personal choice. It is not worn to mark your place in society or religion, it's because you like it.

gctest50

Ally Dick wrote: »

They'll look ridiculous when you're 90

be grand :

~ 90 year old tattoo artist :

http://i.imgur.com/JIHxjQV.jpg

Shenshen

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not limiting wearing tattoos to certain cultures, but obviously in certain cultures they have religious or tribal symbolism that do not exist here.

Take your seahorse, it has no particular reference to Ireland, a name here, a tribe or whatever. It's your personal choice. It is not worn to mark your place in society or religion, it's because you like it.

I like lots of things. I like chickpeas, Terry Pratchett, cats, bluebells, Mozart, Linux, I like the view from my bedroom window. But I wouldn't get tattoos of any of these.

I never claimed that my tattoos has any meaning to anybody but myself. It was never meant to mean anything to anybody but myself.
But to me, it does mean a lot. It is part of me, way more than just an adornment.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

I like lots of things. I like chickpeas, Terry Pratchett, cats, bluebells, Mozart, Linux, I like the view from my bedroom window. But I wouldn't get tattoos of any of these.

I never claimed that my tattoos has any meaning to anybody but myself. It was never meant to mean anything to anybody but myself.
But to me, it does mean a lot. It is part of me, way more than just an adornment.

Adornment is the word used by scientists in sociology and anthropology. It wasn't meant to be pejorative. It's just...what it is.

PowerToWait

sbsquarepants wrote: »

So will tits and I've noticed a lot of women have them too

I recently had champagne from coupes purportedly moulded from the pert breasts of a young lady.

A wag remarked they could return to the same person in 25 years to mould some flutes.

RDM_83 again

Deleted User wrote: »

Again, you misinterpret me.

I never said it was merely a fashion statement, I said that it is adornment. In some cultures that adornment might be very significant, where it defines a person by religion or say a tribal tattoo. I can easily accept Maori tattoos may be important to that people. I think we as a culture have tried to appropriate some of that and imbue them with a significance that I'm not sure they have here. But in fairness you have not said that, you said it has become intrinsic to you personally and I'm just trying to understand how or why. Is it, say, the image of a deceased family member, or the name of a child? What does it depict?

I think the thing about tattoo's is for most of their history across cultures and continents they were something other people said you could have or else you would be called on it.

Tribal tattoo's because your a man of the tribe (or woman), Sailor tattoo's because you've crossed the equator or something, Prison and Gangs because you're a member of X and you've done Y.

Yes some upper class fops from the 1900's may have got into them but IMO historically they are all about an individuals identity as a member of a group and their place in the group.

Don't mind them but I would really wish that people would think about the interaction between body and design, an artistic well executed design can still ruin the flow of the bodies form if positioned in the wrong place.

bodice ripper

RDM_83 again wrote: »

I think the thing about tattoo's is for most of their history across cultures and continents they were something other people said you could have or else you would be called on it.

Tribal tattoo's because your a man of the tribe (or woman), Sailor tattoo's because you've crossed the equator or something, Prison and Gangs because you're a member of X and you've done Y.

Yes some upper class fops from the 1900's may have got into them but IMO historically they are all about an individuals identity as a member of a group and their place in the group.

Don't mind them but I would really wish that people would think about the interaction between body and design, an artistic well executed design can still ruin the flow of the bodies form if positioned in the wrong place.

I am sorry, I have to ask. Why the grocer's apostrophe for tattoos, but for no other plural? It's weird. I feel like I see this a lot with the word tattoos. Something about it seems to scream "I need an apostrophe" to people.

If I wanted to prove it, I could go back through the thread and perform some sort of analysis, but the effort...

sabat

They're sh1t. Sh1t. Sh1t. Sh1t. I don't care if it reminds you of your dead granny. I don't care if you spent ten years 'designing' it. I don't care if it was done by some guy in Guatemala using traditional artisan techniques. They look like Sh1t. And by the way, it's a FOREARM, not a sleeve; you didn't get your coat tattooed.

bodice ripper

sabat wrote: »

They're sh1t. Sh1t. Sh1t. Sh1t. I don't care if it reminds you of your dead granny. I don't care if you spent ten years 'designing' it. I don't care if it was done by some guy in Guatemala using traditional artisan techniques. They look like Sh1t. And by the way, it's a FOREARM, not a sleeve; you didn't get your coat tattooed.

It's not a sleeve if it's just the forearm, noob.

sabat

bodice ripper wrote: »

It's not a sleeve if it's just the forearm, noob.

So sleeve means 'arm' then? OK fair enough, that's way less stupid.

turnikett1

I have one large chest-piece, it was originally a very small chest tattoo but things went awry and had to get a cover up... It's admittedly really cool but it's not my own design and feels foreign at times.

To be honest even though I have one I'm getting kind of sick of seeing them everywhere now. Like, everyone has a fvcking tattoo. I have seen some really sh1tty tattoos on people who just really dont fit the tattoo look. Why does everyone feel so poised to get one these days? I can't stress how much that EVERYONE under the age of 35 has one (and often above, but nowhere near as much as the younger generation). Some of them are so god awful and I get the impression that a lot of people are getting them because it's the cool thing to do, not because they really love and feel connected to this image. It's a trend I guess.

I'm really not the one to judge people based on how they look - in fact I don't think any more or less of someone if they have a tattoo - but tattoos were definitely more attractive and cooler when they were a more niche thing. I don't care if I sound like a whinging hipster, but there was definitely a more secretive and stylish aura around someone who had them before every single John and Mary on the streets got one.

I don't know, the more sh1tty tattoos I see, the more it makes me think "what's the goddamn point in the first place?". I've been considering getting laser tattoo removal but to be honest I've already had it this long and it's just more money I'd prefer to have in my pockets. I know it's hypocritic of me complaining about tattoos when I have a large one on my chest, but it was meant to be a small discreet one that people would rarely see... The fact that it's not my design coupled with the fact that tattoos aren't what they used to mean to me anymore all make me want to get rid of mine. I have one friend in particular (bless her) who works full time but doesnt have to pay rent and so spends so much of her wages just getting tattoos. She's always showing them off and I have absolutely zero fvcking interest in asking what they mean and they're about.

I saw this nerdy looking girl the other walking down the street. It was a mild overcast day yet she insisted on wearing shorts, so she could show the giant elephant tattooed on the front of one of her legs, alongside a giant lion tattooed on front of the other leg. It looked soooo bad on her, I actually felt kind of sorry for her.

Anyways, I'm just ranting now. I have a tattoo. I am no better than these trendy bastards I'm giving out about. I got mine when the craze started to kick off about 3 years ago. But hey, at least I'm considering getting rid of mine.

PS I'd like to re-iterate I don't think any less of someone who has a tattoo (obviously, or else what would I think of myself!?) - I'm just complaining about how it's such a shallow mania these days and how it looks so bad on some people.

pushkii

I think that mc Donald's ad are the blame for it!

turnikett1

pushkii wrote: »

I think that mc Donald's ad are the blame for it!

I despise that ad so much. Trying to market McDonalds as "punk" is just pathetic.

pushkii

Or are they trying to convince people that all hot girls have tattoos or that they will employ anyone

makingmecrazy

bodice ripper wrote: »

My tattoos are definitely intrinsically part of who I am, and make me look more like me.

I'll give everyone a laugh here so
Mine are all totally random and are in the most Hanna Barbera.
Why?
Because they made me smile. Still do. No one else. Just me.
Everyone inks for a different reason. I have seen some incredibly beautiful artistic pieces that could be well placed on canvas, never mind skin. Art work is art work, no matter where it is.
All of mine are hidden in general so only the privileged elite get a glance

Jesus, if some had their way we would be back in corsets(although I do wear those sometimes as well :pac:)
Why do tattoos bring out such a negative response in people, STILL to this day??
Its been around in various different cultures for centuries in many different ways. Its not a "current trend" folks.
And as an fyi, I look fairly "standard" as a woman. Who knew us degenerates walked among the normal's so freely?

lawlolawl

makingmecrazy wrote: »

Why do tattoos bring out such a negative response in people, STILL to this day??

Because they look like ugly garbage, 100% of them.

No one has ever looked better after they got a tattoo.

Shenshen

lawlolawl wrote: »

Because they look like ugly garbage, 100% of them.

No one has ever looked better after they got a tattoo.

In fairness, so does short hair on men, and long hair on most women. But if people want to look ugly, it's not up to me to tell them to stop. Not up to you, either.

gctest50

lawlolawl wrote: »

Because they look like ugly garbage, 100% of them.

No one has ever looked better after they got a tattoo.

So, how many people have you compared before / after in this astounding study of yours then ?

2 ? 2000 ? 200,000 ?

RDM_83 again

bodice ripper wrote: »

RDM_83 again wrote: »

I think the thing about tattoo's is for most of their history across cultures and continents they were something other people said you could have or else you would be called on it.

Tribal tattoo's because your a man of the tribe (or woman), Sailor tattoo's because you've crossed the equator or something, Prison and Gangs because you're a member of X and you've done Y.

Yes some upper class fops from the 1900's may have got into them but IMO historically they are all about an individuals identity as a member of a group and their place in the group.

Don't mind them but I would really wish that people would think about the interaction between body and design, an artistic well executed design can still ruin the flow of the bodies form if positioned in the wrong place.

I am sorry, I have to ask. Why the grocer's apostrophe for tattoos, but for no other plural? It's weird. I feel like I see this a lot with the word tattoos. Something about it seems to scream "I need an apostrophe" to people.

If I wanted to prove it, I could go back through the thread and perform some sort of analysis, but the effort...

Because including body modification like scarification in what I am talking about rather than just ink under skin

LordSutch

lawlolawl wrote: »

Because they look like ugly garbage, 100% of them.

No one has ever looked better after they got a tattoo.

Agreed, and looking at some of the arms on the EuRo 2016 football players is proof enough of that.
The thing is, what about in ten or twenty years when the trend has swung back the other way > towards not having tattoos? How much fun will it be having a full arm or full back tattoo removal procedure!

I don't mind small tats, but 100% full arms or legs just seems soo short sighted.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Don't get people who tattoo names on themselves. Are you going to forget?

makingmecrazy

makingmecrazy wrote: »

Its been around in various different cultures for centuries in many different ways. Its not a "current trend" folks.

In other cultures and for other reasons. In fairness, much of the tattooing we see around us is very much a current trend and for fashion reasons. Which is fine, but let's not imbue them with a significance they don't really have here.

HensVassal

Shenshen wrote: »

I like lots of things. I like chickpeas, Terry Pratchett, cats, bluebells, Mozart, Linux, I like the view from my bedroom window. But I wouldn't get tattoos of any of these.

I never claimed that my tattoos has any meaning to anybody but myself. It was never meant to mean anything to anybody but myself.
But to me, it does mean a lot. It is part of me, way more than just an adornment.

Whoa!!!

PM me.

Going to AH Beers?

Butters1979

I think getting tattoos is completely narcissistic. No matter what way anyone who has them tries to justify or explain why they got them, deep down it's purely to bring attention to themselves, show off and make themselves feel more 'unique'. I also feel tattoos on a girl make them seem a little slutty to me. It's just a vibe i get.

Shenshen

Deleted User wrote: »

In other cultures and for other reasons. In fairness, much of the tattooing we see around us is very much a current trend and for fashion reasons. Which is fine, but let's not imbue them with a significance they don't really have here.

Yes, let's, because cultures have to be localised and static. Nobody should ever attempt to create new meaning and symbolisms.

LorMal

gctest50 wrote: »

So, how many people have you compared before / after in this astounding study of yours then ?

2 ? 2000 ? 200,000 ?

Poster is offering an opinion based on the question posed in the thread title. It's okay not to like tattoos isn't it? I hate them.

LorMal

Shenshen wrote: »

Yes, let's, because cultures have to be localised and static. Nobody should ever attempt to create new meaning and symbolisms.

Ah here. This is a trend - like mullet hairstyles in the 80s. Looked perfectly good then - awful now.
It's not some new cultural horizon.

noc1980

I can still appreciate the fine art of a good tattoo now but they've lost their appeal to me personally. I got mine when they were still just for outsiders and you had to hide them from your parents, which was half the fun of getting them.

RDM_83 again

OK tattoos are art, question is though, why do so many more people have tattoos than own painting, sculpture or other original art.
Like a good tattoist is going to require more skill (not same as creativity) than the equivalent artist working on canvas so they should be more expensive right?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Shoes are art too. There's even a shoe museum in Toronto.

Shenshen

LorMal wrote: »

Ah here. This is a trend - like mullet hairstyles in the 80s. Looked perfectly good then - awful now.
It's not some new cultural horizon.

I'm still wondering how many decades a trend needs to last for people to stop going on about how it'll be over in 2 years.
I've been around tattooed people for well over 40 years now, personally.

Shenshen

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Shoes are art too. There's even a shoe museum in Toronto.

The flying mouse

Are there any footballers left who are tattoo free ?

Boom_Bap

Wes Hoolihan.

I've no issues with Tattoos on people. 8 years on I'm still sketching out my first one.
There are some people that look great with tats, Tina Louise is a prime example.

Shenshen

The flying mouse wrote: »

Are there any footballers left who are tattoo free ?

Matts Hummels comes to mind

dr.fuzzenstein

Judging by the strong reaction from some posters, I'd say the dickhead filter effect from tattoos is working very well.
The very fact that some people get so irritated that people have tattoos would persuade me to get one, just to piss them off even more.
If you judge a person just because they have tattoo, you are the one with the problem.

Oh and Connor some number? You can't tell other people how to feel about things. I don't care how many reams of diatribe you write, you DON'T get to decide how another person feels about their tats or anything else.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

Yes, let's, because cultures have to be localised and static. Nobody should ever attempt to create new meaning and symbolisms.

Could you explain the meaning and symbolism for the average 20 something Irish male getting a full sleeve South Pacific tribal tattoo? As you refer to cultures not being localised and static, could you in particular explain why South Pacific culture became so dynamic and mobile in the past decade?

I can't see the connection at all, it seems completely fashion/trend driven. As with many tattoos (but in fairness, not all and not you), I think people start from the "it looks nice, all my friends have it", and then try to claim it has some special significance.

LorMal

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm still wondering how many decades a trend needs to last for people to stop going on about how it'll be over in 2 years.
I've been around tattooed people for well over 40 years now, personally.

As you know, until the recent trend (2 years as you say) tattoos were very much a minority pursuit - mostly army, sailors, skinheads etc.
They will go out of fashion again - in a year or two max I would guess.
Unfortunately they are permanent.

LorMal

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Judging by the strong reaction from some posters, I'd say the dickhead filter effect from tattoos is working very well.
The very fact that some people get so irritated that people have tattoos would persuade me to get one, just to piss them off even more.
If you judge a person just because they have tattoo, you are the one with the problem.

Why dont you. Just to piss people off. Good man yourself.

dr.fuzzenstein

LorMal wrote: »

Why dont you. Just to piss people off. Good man yourself.

Good to see its already working. There's a good lad. (Pats on head)

As said before, if they piss you off, YOU have the problem.

whisky_galore

Deleted User wrote: »

Could you explain the meaning and symbolism for the average 20 something Irish male getting a full sleeve South Pacific tribal tattoo? As you refer to cultures not being localised and static, could you in particular explain why South Pacific culture became so dynamic and mobile in the past decade?

I can't see the connection at all, it seems completely fashion/trend driven. As with many tattoos (but in fairness, not all and not you), I think people start from the "it looks nice, all my friends have it", and then try to claim it has some special significance.

Tiki culture goes in and out of fashion, one minute it's hip the next just tacky pastiche.

lawlolawl

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Tina Louise is a prime example.

Just googled her. She'd look so much better without them.

Her having tattoos is like taking a Van Gogh and wiping your arse with it.

Shenshen

Deleted User wrote: »

Could you explain the meaning and symbolism for the average 20 something Irish male getting a full sleeve South Pacific tribal tattoo? As you refer to cultures not being localised and static, could you in particular explain why South Pacific culture became so dynamic and mobile in the past decade?

I can't see the connection at all, it seems completely fashion/trend driven. As with many tattoos (but in fairness, not all and not you), I think people start from the "it looks nice, all my friends have it", and then try to claim it has some special significance.

I think it you're looking for unified meaning, you're on the wrong track.
Yes, some people get them for aesthetics as has been posted on the thread before. But others get them for other reasons.

There are several historic "schools" of tattoos, South Pacific being one of them. Personally, I've no cultural ties to Ireland other than living here, but I chose to design mine in a celtic tradition.
If you're interested in why people get the tattoos they get and what they mean to the individual, I'm afraid the only way you have of finding out is to ask them. Fortunately, in our culture the meaning aren't fixed and immovable, they're fluent and changeable and very much down to the individual.

RDM_83 again

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

LorMal wrote: »

Why dont you. Just to piss people off. Good man yourself.

Good to see its already working. There's a good lad. (Pats on head)

As said before, if they piss you off, YOU have the problem.

Why are tattoos judged differently to man buns, white tracksuits, skinny jeans or too much make up.

They are all personal choices,social signifiers, fashions yet people who say disliking tattoos makes you a dickhead have no problems judging others appearances

HamsterFace

Never bee a fan of tattoos, the only ones I've seen that I think are really cool are David Beckham's but that stylish bustard can pull anything off

Maximus Alexander

I'm always sure to ask people what the deeper meaning behind their hairstyle is.

Shenshen

LorMal wrote: »

As you know, until the recent trend (2 years as you say) tattoos were very much a minority pursuit - mostly army, sailors, skinheads etc.
They will go out of fashion again - in a year or two max I would guess.
Unfortunately they are permanent.

Funny, the people I knew who got them some 40 years ago did not belong to any of these minorities. Far from it.
If you want to call it a trend, it's one that's been around for well over 4 decades now, and I seriously doubt that it'll end next year. People said that 40 years ago, and if anything it's become more common since then.

dr.fuzzenstein

lawlolawl wrote: »

Just googled her. She'd look so much better without them.

Her having tattoos is like taking a Van Gogh and wiping your arse with it.

Whatever you're into, man.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Now if I were into women, tattoos or no tattoos, I wouldn't mind her.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d0/ef/d7/d0efd735f18a7c98dc7ffb0e6c0a37d7.jpg

She's unreal!!