Piercings & Tattoos

[Cycleops]

Body art is just like wearing clothes. You want to stand out a bit

But unfortunately you can't change them like clothes.
Stand out or want to draw attention? I don't know.

 

[Drago]

People change their clothes now?

 

[AndyRM]

I'm not into tattoos or piercings myself (i have no conviction that I could decide on anything that would permanently remain on my skin) but I do have some appreciation of tattoos.

For me, the issue is that tattoos seem to fall into two distinct categories:-

• Works of art. Single or multiple tattoos where the artwork is immaculate, the colours (if coloured) clear and where the art tells a story - either about itself or the bearer.
• Membership tattoos (military tattoos for example. My great uncle was in the Navy during the second world war and had the obligatory anchor tattoo for his regiment.
• People who look like their school notebook. These are the people with crap badly drawn random tattoos that seem to have no thought. To me, people with this type of tattoo are essentially exhibiting self-harm behaviours. Quite often these seem to be young women.

Equating tattoos with self harm is way, way off the mark.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Wow....

 

[KiterStu]

But unfortunately you can't change them like clothes.
Stand out or want to draw attention? I don't know.

You can change tattoos, they can be covered up and there’s various techniques for removing them. I know a lot of people with tattoos and I only know one person that’s had one covered up. And that’s because it was a crap design.

As for the attention thing…I had a colleague who seemed obsessed with my piercings and tattoos. He would constantly say that I was trying to draw attention to myself, to me and other colleagues. I think it was him that really wanted the attention.

I put him right one day…..’Gary I’m not trying to draw attention to myself, I’d be really pleased if you never spoke to me again because you’re boring and I don’t even like you!’

Why have I got tattoos? Because I like them. I’ve been into punk and metal and rock music and motorcycle and skate culture since I was a teenager and tattoos are part of that. But my interest in tattoos goes beyond that, I’ve got lots of books about the history of tattooing, I’ve been to tattoo conventions, and I like reading about tattoos and the history of tattooing, it goes back thousands of years and it’s as old as human civilisation. It’s the people who haven’t got tattoos who are the strange ones 😁

 

[rogerzilla]

SO has one small tattoo (normally covered by clothing). I'm not a fan of them generally, except anchors and "MUM" on sailors' arms. Not that I fancy sailors.

 

[AndyRM]

You can change tattoos, they can be covered up and there’s various techniques for removing them. I know a lot of people with tattoos and I only know one person that’s had one covered up. And that’s because it was a crap design.

As for the attention thing…I had a colleague who seemed obsessed with my piercings and tattoos. He would constantly say that I was trying to draw attention to myself, to me and other colleagues. I think it was him that really wanted the attention.

I put him right one day…..’Gary I’m not trying to draw attention to myself, I’d be really pleased if you never spoke to me again because you’re boring and I don’t even like you!’

Why have I got tattoos? Because I like them. I’ve been into punk and metal and rock music and motorcycle and skate culture since I was a teenager and tattoos are part of that. But my interest in tattoos goes beyond that, I’ve got lots of books about the history of tattooing, I’ve been to tattoo conventions, and I like reading about tattoos and the history of tattooing, it goes back thousands of years and it’s as old as human civilisation. It’s the people who haven’t got tattoos who are the strange ones 😁

This is absolutely bang on for me. Tattoos, piercings, scars, all of that. Skin is a tapestry.

You want to go through life unmarked? That's fine. But don't judge those who choose to fancy up their skin a bit.

 

[icowden]

Equating tattoos with self harm is way, way off the mark.

Is it though?
https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/tattoos-body-piercings-and-self-harm-there-link

 

[Venod]

But don't judge those who choose to fancy up their skin a bit.

I don't (in general) there are some excellent designs about, but I do judge people with tatoos on their faces or absolutely crap tatoos, I know it's non of my business but it's my opinion.

 

[ianrauk]

If people are having tattoos rather then self harming then that can only be a good thing.

 

[ianrauk]

But unfortunately you can't change them like clothes.
Stand out or want to draw attention? I don't know.

You keep repeating this so I will keep repeating this meme

 

[icowden]

You keep repeating this so I will keep repeating this meme

Which is a great meme. But if you look, even in this poor quality photo, you can see patterns and flow, a thought about the design etc.
Whereas to my mind this sort of thing just looks terrible and seems likely to be a source of regret in later years:-

 

[ianrauk]

Which is a great meme. But if you look, even in this poor quality photo, you can see patterns and flow, a thought about the design etc.
Whereas to my mind this sort of thing just looks terrible and seems likely to be a source of regret in later years:-
View attachment 703042

Looks pretty cool to me. Sketchbook tattoos. Very popular. I have a friend who also has these types of tattoos and they look great.
People who are are extensively tattooed rarely regret their choices. And if they do they, most cover ups are easy enough to do or what people can do is something that is very popular in the tattoo world at the moment, blackout.

 

[AndyRM]

Is it though?
https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/tattoos-body-piercings-and-self-harm-there-link

The last paragraph is key.

As I said, equating self harm with body modification is utter nonsense. I've modified some of my own ink with scarification, which is art. I've self harmed, which is totally different.

 

[AndyRM]

Looks pretty cool to me. Sketchbook tattoos. Very popular. I have a friend who also has these types of tattoos and they look great.
People who are are extensively tattooed rarely regret their choices. And if they do they, most cover ups are easy enough to do or what people can do is something that is very popular in the tattoo world at the moment, blackout.

Blackout is hardcore. Looks badass and tells a serious story.

Have you seen Belle Atrix's work? She's awesome!