your tattoos “telling a story” is like a mandatory meeting that should have been an email about something I’m not involved with, and in fact, couldn’t care less about. You think enduring pain makes you seem tough, but it just makes you seem like someone who makes poor fiscal decisions in this shitty economy. And, (as an aside) ink was supposed to make you stand out because it was supposed to be a rare thing than not many people did. Now not many people have no ink at all so, if you were looking to be “unique…” (I mean, just sayin.')
Spicy, I’ll say I have less beef with tattoos and more beef with the people getting them now. Counter-cultural signifiers are getting really few and far between. Tattoos used to means you understood something about the world and wanted it reflected on your skin. Now you have folks with full sleeves working in finance departments for multi-billion dollar conglomerates.
I used to work at a shop run by bikers, and the vibe was immaculate. I’d shark the pool table because I was young and seen as inexperienced. Now when I go into a shop everyone is advertising their instagram and there’s essentially no acknowledgment of culture. If you ask a question as simple as who owned the shop, you get stares like their brain was just sucked out a tube.
True story: I had a friend that wanted me to draw an ironic tattoo for him. I drew the words ‘Chinese Symbol’ in a sans serif typeface and the bastard actually got it inked.
As an artist, having someone get a tattoo of your design is both flattering and humbling. I only had it happen once, and I was flabbergasted he actually got it done.
your tattoos “telling a story” is like a mandatory meeting that should have been an email about something I’m not involved with, and in fact, couldn’t care less about. You think enduring pain makes you seem tough, but it just makes you seem like someone who makes poor fiscal decisions in this shitty economy. And, (as an aside) ink was supposed to make you stand out because it was supposed to be a rare thing than not many people did. Now not many people have no ink at all so, if you were looking to be “unique…” (I mean, just sayin.')
Spicy, I’ll say I have less beef with tattoos and more beef with the people getting them now. Counter-cultural signifiers are getting really few and far between. Tattoos used to means you understood something about the world and wanted it reflected on your skin. Now you have folks with full sleeves working in finance departments for multi-billion dollar conglomerates.
I used to work at a shop run by bikers, and the vibe was immaculate. I’d shark the pool table because I was young and seen as inexperienced. Now when I go into a shop everyone is advertising their instagram and there’s essentially no acknowledgment of culture. If you ask a question as simple as who owned the shop, you get stares like their brain was just sucked out a tube.
Pretty sure even with how popular they are, most people still don’t have any. Might depend on area and social circles.
If you’re going to have a tattoo you should do something interesting with it and not just get some random Chinese symbols, or a butterfly.
True story: I had a friend that wanted me to draw an ironic tattoo for him. I drew the words ‘Chinese Symbol’ in a sans serif typeface and the bastard actually got it inked.
When Chinese people meet him, they love it.
As an artist, having someone get a tattoo of your design is both flattering and humbling. I only had it happen once, and I was flabbergasted he actually got it done.
I’m a Chinese lepidopterist. Checkmate, atheist!