BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Body Art What made you decide to become tattooed?

What decision or series of decisions led you to decide to be a person with a tattoo? For those of you like myself with heavier coverage, what lead you beyond that first piece of ink?

I know as a child I drew on my arms, and especially recall a phase in junior high where I constantly had a few tiny designs drawn on my left forearm along my wrist.

In high school, I got into the punk scene and saw a lot of crude skin art at CBGBs in New York at the all ages shows. I liked the individual expression that seemed to go with tattooing, as no two people approached it for the same reasons. I bought movie-quality tattoo makeup and painted more realistic and elaborate designs on myself in high school. Mom and Dad were a bit nervous, but it was all theatrical so they really couldn't do much...

College was spent studying costume and makeup. I did faux tats for several stage plays and spent long hours in the UCSC library looking through anthropological texts from the South Pacific. Got my first piece at the age of 21, the Japanese kanji koto which means "be different." All I can say is, as soon as that tattoo was done, I knew I had been tattooed before, and I was supposed to be that way in this life too.

Been inkin' along ever since...

- Rae

I got my first tattoo when I was a senior in college, and I have to say it was probably one of those "I think it might be cool" things. I just kind of went one evening with a friend, and there it was. Looking back on it, I don't think I would pick the same design or tattoo shop, but I don't regret it at all.

My next two were definitely better personal decisions. I think some people are turned off by the bicep tattoo, especially since I'm female, but I love it and feel that it's an expression of my personal aesthetic. I've met people who actually make nasty faces when they look at it, or they spend the whole evening talking to *it* instead of looking me in the eye. I guess you could say it's a pretty good indicator of whether I'll get along with someone.

I like you comment about who decides to talk to your body art instead of addressing you directly.

I've got a great quote somewhere where tattooing is described as a type of litmus test that you carry for the rest of your life. It is interesting how non-tattooed people tend to lump tattooed people together. There is a South Pacific culture that considers untattooed adults to be "raw", as though you don't quite get to be grown up until you make this major decision.

- Rae

bump

My tattoo was an impulse, granted I'd been drawing designs for them on paper for years, always having my mother echo in my head "I spent too much time and energy rubbing lotion and love into your skin for you to go and mark it up" and the famous "You'll get ink poisoning!" that resonated through out my childhood. I called a friend and said "I'm getting a tattoo wanna come?"
What I have is a black dragonfly on the inside of my right ankle. It makes me inwardly cringe when peopel say its 'cute'. Little girls see it and giggle, as if they've been let in on a secret that they share just with me. People don't expect for me to have a tattoo at all.
When my mother saw it or the first time several months after having it done she asked "what is that?" My reply? "A big bug."
Being the only one of 5 children to have an identifying mark and having had the piercings and other 'different' things I'm actually quite proud of my little piece of ink.
My next ones are to be an irish harp and a bear paw on my right and left shoulder blades, respectively. Wait til mom sees those. :devil:

I have always been fascinated with body art. I remember totally falling in lust with a punked out tattooed girl from a 2 second scene in some god awful 80's movie when I was a young teen. Since then I've been obsessed with looking at other people's tattoos.

My tattoo is a symbol of who I really am. It is my inner self on top of my outer shell. A constant reminder to be humble and that we all aren't perfect. I spent several hours working with the tattoo artist to come up with a good design. He spent a lot of time getting to know me and making sketches and various suggestions.

Post deleted by Rae - BodyArt/Pagan Editor

My first one...I got when I was about 22. The current boyfriend (later husband #1) and his buddy were going out to get one...and I announced that "they already had at least three each and it was MY TURN".
I wouldn't pick the same tattoo again..or the same shop.
Kept it as a single tat for almost 20 years. Got tat #2 about 5 years ago. Tat #3 was one of those "things" that you swear you'll never do..I had my and hubby #2's name inked on my hip. I did it for a reason, tho...and a good one.
Currently we are re-doing tat #1 and #3...bigger and better. The same artist who did tats 2 and 3 has reworked #1 and is in the process of up dating and expanding on tat #2.
I probably would NOT have done this much if I hadn't have found a tattoo artist that I trust and am comfortable with.

I was 18 and just wanted one, it needs retouched as it's been a decade (eeks!) #2 came when I was 20, a few weeks after my 1st child was born, and it's for her. #3 is going to be to commemorate my son who died in 2001, it's just taken me this long to figure out what it's going to be - baby footprints maybe.

Meg

This an interesting question. I guess my facination with getting tattoos stems from my love of heavy metal as a child. I got my first tattoo when I was 19 a butterfly on the small of my back, I suppose that I got it origionaly because it was trendy to have a tattoo, I mean my best friend and all of my musical heros had them so why not. But I have always had the need to mark on myself begining with markers, temporary tattoos and the like,progressing into the darker side cutting myself burning myself. Just to escape my life,then I found tattooing and body modification, it was perfect for me,as my tattoo collection grows so has my intrest in the relaxation and meditation that can be obtained by actually being tattooed, does that sound crazy? Then when I met my husband he started teaching me how to tattoo and pierce. And the rest has been history. I tattoo at home using all sterilized and new equiptment of course and on a smaller scale then my husband, It has really been my favorite thing to try to share my love of the art with others,giving beautiful pieces of art with the selected few that I tattoo each time. I only work with women so I wanted my home studio to reflect the other side of the art not just to walk into a parlor and get tattooed by some random person, but to make it an experiance a transition if you will. Its a powerful thing ,the concept of modification, aside from the trendy side of it and can truly be a spiritual experiance, I guess thats why I enjoy it so much,

i went thru a hard time in my life. i promised myself if i was able 2 graduate and go to college id reward myself. i chose a butterfly, to me it starts out as a catepillar that then transforms itself, u know? like a meatmorphosis, thats how i looked at myself.

mine marks a major turning point of recovering from something that took many years, got it when I was 18. A friend of my dads did it for me, the reason is mine alone. I am 36 years old now and still love it, just wish I could see it. I want two more.

I was 16, a junior in high school, when i got my first one. it is a tiger on my left arm. When I was 17, I got a custom design on my left leg. Why? All my tats have and will always have meaning. I have always loved tigers and was also born in the year of the tiger, so it was appropriate. the one on my leg is a cross with a crown of thorns around the top and praying hands at the bottom. When my faith starts getting shaken, I can start looking at it and feel better. Here lately, I need to look at it more. I want all my tattoes to represent or symbolize something in my life and something that I will not regret in 20 years. I'm 18 now and planning on getting my last name across my back in a few months or so. I just make sure that I get something that I won't regret when I'm an old man

I really can't remember my reason for wanting to become tattoo'd. I do know that I've always like looking at tattoos on other people and the beautiful designs and images that they have committed themselves to.

I remember drawing different designs and had friends draw designs for me before I ever got my 1st tattoo. I really wanted a sun and moon for the longest time. For a long while I wanted them together, joined (as was popular around that time, but my love of the sun and moon was more than just "popularity", it was me). And then I wanted them seperate (one over each ovary), but I didn't find any designs that spoke to me..

I love frogs! And my first tattoo ended up being a poison arrow frog crawling up my left calf. The original picture came from a T-shirt I loved dearly and a boyfriend (now ex) drew it on paper. I love my frog. Someday I'll add more color to him, maybe.

And my 2nd and 3rd tattoo's are the sun and moon, inked on the same day.

I have more tattoos that I want, it is just a matter of finding an artist and then going and getting them.

[color:"purple"] [/color] When i was lil' i spent hours with mums eyeliners and makeup and drawin them on, wen i was 15, i painted a big gothic cross on my hip/stomach with unbeknownst to me metal paint, it wudnt come off for weeks, but wen i was 17 i was walkin past, n poped in to have a look and was gunna book a tat, but he said he cud do it then, an hour later i had my tattoo, and id neva go back, im gettin a new one soon, i love them id always wanted one, just needed the timing, i wanted to be a tattooist, but very few here offer appretiships <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />!!!

my big sis was always doodling designs on me and all over our bedroom walls, she moved out when i was 15, 2 years later a friend was drawing on me in a science lesson, i hadly noticed what she was doing as i was sleeping, later people commented on liking my tattoo, i had no idea what they were on about till i caught sight of her doodle on my lower back.
i was going thru a a very difficult time in my life haveing lost a close friend in the bali bombing and suffering with the stress of exams, that weekend i was out in town and walked past the place that adam had got his first tattoo, and decided to go have a look. when i got in there the people terrified me, they're all big fat balding bikers, wearing leather and missing teeth, being only 5'5" although not petite, i came over all unusually shy, until they made me laugh, i showed them a polariod of my friends doodle, and they said theyd could fit me in there and then.
I love it as it symbolises a turning point in my life. i dont regret it and i wouldnt use any other tattoo shop as they're the best, i also got my third tattoo done there, but made a mistake with my second, by going to somewhere in my parents hometown, it came out awful but im soon gettin it updated and expanded, im also in the midst of drawing my next one which i cant wait to get.

l was in my late 30s when l got my first tat it was my wife,s name, the second l got was a design that l saw while on holiday in yarmouth, lm looking for a third but do not know where it will go and of what, l also got both nipples peirced in my late 30s as parents were very old fashioned.

I was 17 and I did it because my step-mother told me not to get one. She said, "proper young ladies do not get tattoos." So that did it for me! lol. I regret not searching better but I did get my first tattoo on my arm and it was a rose. It's been covered over since then. I have 5 tattoos and waiting for the $$ to get more.

i have always loved tattoos. it's an expression of self without a word spoken.
my first is a heart on my outer thigh, my second is 2 humming birds on my chest, my third is a vine of ivy that wraps around my ankle, my fourth and fifth are symbols on each hand just below my thumbs.
i am in the process of getting a sea turtle (cover up for the heart).

i ended up getting a daisy on my left ankle instead of the cover up. got my nipples pierced too.

This is kinda funny. My first tattoo is of a nude man and woman embracing in a forest surrounded by a sunburst. At the time I actually lived in a clothing optional community. This was their logo. Of sourse I got their permission first. It is on my hip right over my pelvic bone. What better place to show off a new tat then a clothing optional community! I it is probably my favorite of the seven that I have. Once I got I was hooked. I love ink!!!

I have a blue rose tattoo that i designed and got when i was 19 but the one Im lookign into getting next has the most meaning. B4 My baby boy was born I had a first name but no middle name picked out, I couldnt find one that fitted. One day my bf says your stretch marks look like a phoenix and so kayden phoenix was created. I have been looking for a phoenix that didnt look like a eagle or sum other weird looking bird for 2 yrs and now I think I have found it. The only thing I am thinking of now is I knwo I want it in black and white but im debating on adding red or blue shading to it. Traditionally red is more likely but my fav color is blue and it would match my existing one. Opinions would be great.

http://miami-ink.tattoofinder.com/TattooProducts.aspx?page=&designid=10701

I started with my first tattoo 8 years ago, when I was 28. I have always liked tattoos but delayed getting one until I could decide what to get, and where.
I now have 6, including an arm piece, arm band, front shoulder blade, neck, tail bone and inner ankle....

I find tattoos addictive. I am always planning a new one, or adding onto one. My husband also has 6, both of his arms are basically covered, along with small neck piece and calf piece.


Reaction from strangers ranges from the "ooh, ahh, how cool" to the dirty looks and avoidance. I could care less either way. I realise that it is unusual for a female to have as many as I do and I try to be patient. It does get annoying when people seem to think that because I have large artwork that I am open to being approached and having lengthy conversations with when I am out buying milk!!!

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i've always loved tattoos and the many variations and aspects of them since very young....but i was often afraid to get one because i was always afraid of that huge machine with the long needle attached to it..but one day i just decided to do it since i was so attracted to the pictures and displays and i've been hooked ever since, my first were small ones..a native american dream catcher and later a moon and star then i decided afterwards to get a half sleeve which i love because it consists of a butterfly surrounded by many different colored roses and vines.