Ink.

Imagine, asking advice on a tattoo from a shaving forum, hah.

Fortunately I've come to realize that the members of this board are more often eccentric, been around the bush, non-typical open minded people. So- here goes.

So, I want to get a tattoo for my eighteenth birthday this twenty-second of april. This is when the crowd sighs, and starts talking about the- It's for life, maybe you don't want it, wait till your older, you don't want to look like a (fill in the blank) and such wonderful advice. But, before that particular line of thought starts to gain momentum I want to explain to you what I want my tattoo to look and feel like and the story, good and bad, behind the ink (quite literally).

So, back in sophomore year, I had a creative writing class. One of the assignments was to write either a book report or a fictional book report of how a character is shaped by the problems and/or inner turmoil in the story. I agonized over this. I am a damn good writer, but I hate any sort of prompted writing. My best writing is when I write for fun, and it ruins it for me to have to meet anyone's expectations, particularly sports-oriented semi-illiterate Highschool English teachers. So, I wrote a generic character report on Tom Sawyer, got an A, and then I decided to do some REAL character assessment and creative writing on my own purely for my own entertainment. Lacking a real decent book character, I decided I'd write about my self and kind of keep it going as journal, both to help my self in my personal life to analyze who I am and where I want to go and who I want to end up being in the end, and to see just what kind of writing I could do for my self versus what someone else wanted me to write.

So I wrote about how I changed over the years, about some of the big things in my early childhood that shaped who I am, about crushes, cars, hunting, dirtbiking, teachers, friends and almost everything that had an impact on my life and what I thought about it. Unfortunately the biggest cliches among all these things were suicide. Starting when I was very little in 2001, my brother shot him self in the heart, and it has been an ongoing horror story in life, the most recent being a dear friend, Cody this last February on Valentines Day. It drove me back to this "Character Assessment" that I've kept this entire time, where I keep a list and some words about each and every friend or family member I've lost to this madness along with my own personal thoughts and feelings and turmoil about suicide. Reading through it and counting the names and dates listed there was shocking to me. Nine friends, and one brother. Aside from my brother, in a matter of a little over 2 years, most being as close as 2 months apart.

I couldn't help but remember how close I was on several occasions, particularly on my way home from the funerals of some of my closest friends I grew up with and went to church, school, video game parties, sleep overs and lived with, to following in my brothers footsteps.I was feeling pretty shitty, so I voiced these concerns to my girlfriend. and while we talked and I told her about my resolve to never attempt such an act and how I learned how hard this is on friends, family, and particularly little brothers and fathers when a young man does this to himself. While we were speaking I had picked up a pencil and was drawing on the surface of the counter top.

In the drawing was a man, and over his heart there was no skin and bone, but iron bars of a cage with a padlock, inside was his heart and written below below the cage was "I chose the long road."

I had just drawn my exact feelings. I had decided that suicide wasn't an option and that cage with my heart inside of it was my symbolic decision that no matter what life throws at me, how hard things would get, I had chosen to take the long road and that I couldn't break that promise any more then I could break the lock to the cage, and as long as my heart was safe in its cage I could keep moving forward.


So, what do you guys think? It with be an anatomical heart, inside the cage, the bars made to look like they're part my body and you're looking into it and a padlock securing the gate of the cage, and maybe but undecided yet the words "I chose the long(er?) road." beneath it. It would be spared no expense and would be done by a phenomenal artist by the name of Christian Buckingham. I've been thinking a lot lately I think this would be a good tribute to both my resolve and my friends and family I've lost to suicide. It would be tattooed as close as reasonably possible over my actual heart.

It's a novel idea, and it sounds pretty neat.
I'm not sure what advice you're looking for... From what I read, it looks as if you have your mind made up about it.

So, my advice: if you want an anatomical heart, look for photographs of cadaver hearts. A lot of the fat tissue and vessels get left off of illustrations.

Mostly, I've only been able to get three or four opinions on this idea since it came to mind last month. Unfortunately I live in a small mountain town where there's much bias about tattoos and body modification of any sort. I either hear I'll go to hell if I do it, or at most a "It would look cool.". More or less I wanted to know if, from someone else point of view the design seems to match the story and if you think it's well thought out and enough due consideration has been put the idea.

I have two tattoos...........one from when I was told "I want a divorce" and I had to leave my child and my home. The other after my father died in the early morning hours just after father's day(six months after I had to leave my child and home.) Things change. Constantly. The tattoo won't add any meaningful content to your life, but it's your choice.

As for the tattoo itself.............sounds cool, but could be interpreted to mean many things......like emotionally unavailable, "you can't have my heart", "I feel nothing", etc.........I don't think too many ladies would like the tattoo. Talk it over with an artist or two, you may find something more definitive in meaning.

Jim

Hi

I know that we have at least two Tattoo-Artists that are members here.
And a bunch of us have all sorts of tattoos.

See this thread. Good luck on yours.

I like tat2back's point. Even though the tattoo is "only for you", or for "your viewing pleasure only", (Add whatever cliche you'd like), look at it from a couple different angles before you permeate your skin.

- how will your partner or eventual partner read it...before you explain it.
- imagine yourself on a beach with your wife, and a couple of daughters/sons, ....how does it look now?
- at the age of 60, will you still want a caged heart over your heart?

these are just questions, and not meant as an attack by any means. I've a number of tatt's, and each one has personal meaning, so I understand your point as well.

Just some food for thought.

At 18, I was a very different person from who I am now. I showed little of myself even to myself. I was restrained and repressed. I thought it a sign of weakness for a man to cry. At 60, I'm not that man anymore and I would deeply regret having done anything so early in life that would permanently identify me as something I am not anymore. I definitely had my heart locked in a cage. I don't any more. I would think long and hard about it. Maxi's advice is well worth considering.

Don't take this the wrong way however, from what you say it sounds to me like you are a troubled person. I wouldn't be thinking about a Tatoo I would be seeking professional assistance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Don't take this the wrong way however, from what you say it sounds to me like you are a troubled person. I wouldn't be thinking about a Tatoo I would be seeking professional assistance.

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Not trying to argue but to me it sounds quite the opposite. This young man has gone through alot of hardship and loss and seems to have quite a head for it all. It sounds as though he's on the right path, but thats just my opinion.
That being said the only advice I can give which you've gathered allready is that it is for life..i've got a couple of tats myself and I always told myself and given alot of thought making sure it would be something i'd never regret and had meaning. Maybe you could recreate your drawing..maybe a silloette of a man walking down the street in black and grey with a color focus on his caged heart..just an idea.

Tattoos are different things to different people. I've had people come into the shop wanting one thing and at the spur of the moment picking another piece off of the design sheets on the wall. Some people want their tattoos to mean something. To be symbolic and personal while others want barbed wire around the arm because some celebrity they saw in People magazine had that and they admired it.

I don't think there is anything wrong with either approach. I've been getting them since 1963 or so. My arms and legs are sleeved, back, chest, stomach, and ribs are covered. Some of them have personal symbolism but most are because I liked the design. I've been doing them on others for over 20 years. You'll wear it for the rest of your life plus about six months so pick what you want and don't worry about what anyone else thinks about it. :gl:

It took me about 5 years and countless drawings to come up with the tattoo I have ( currently only have 1 but looking to get more ).

If it is something that has meaning to only you be prepared to explain and if you don't want possible mixed messages then maybe re-design so it's meaning is not easily mistaken or forces people to ask about it instead of just assuming they know the meaning.

Another option that was given to me when I was working through different renditions was to create a temporary tattoo and put it on to see reactions as well has how you like looking at it after a couple of days

. I found that since it had such a distinct meaning to me I loved it and still do today and am happy to explain what it means to anyone who asks.

I appreciate the input guys.


Just to clear something up- I'm not unstable or troubled, I don't have suicidal thoughts or anything like that. I do however, have emotional baggage that is appropriate for having lost friends and family. I think I would have to feel nothing at all to not have some strong emotions about the whole deal.

This is tattoo isn't closure, or a scream for attention. I grew up with a very healthy sense of self worth, and I love both my body and my ability. I imagine you will meet very few kids these days who are content with their position in life and don't wish for something better or more glorious, because they disappointed in the position they're in now. I actively pursue better circumstances but I also realize enjoying being yourself is more important then enjoying a good job or better car or whatever the case may be. I also believe life isn't always about being happy, it's ok to be unhappy, and it's normal. it's one of those if there was no dark there would be no light type of things.


That aside, I think of the tattoo as a kind of battle scar, and an invitation to ask about my story and maybe learn a bit of lesson that I went to hell and back to learn. It's a representation of my self worth, and what I had to learn and go through to earn it. Definitely not a representation of depression or repression.

As for professional help? I'm pretty sure there's many a counselor and psychologist who would be the one learning something new about how to deal with emotional trauma from me rather then the other way around. I don't believe in generalizing a person and giving them all the same textbook cure. Everyone is unique and needs a different type of medicine. That's part of the reason we associate ourselves with who we do, and sometime why people marry people or fall in love or have certain hobbies. We find what works for us, and most of the time it's not what works for everyone.

If it's what you want get it. Tattoos are for you and not for everyone else. I have several (left arm sleeve, left leg sleeve, right leg has a big piece and my ribs) and not everyone understands or gets what is there but they are not for them they are for me. I love every piece I have even the first one I got 13 years ago.

Now the idea you have sound like it will make a kick ass tattoo. Run with it.

It sounds like you've put quite a bit of thought into this, so it isn't like you're walking into some shop and choosing from the flash on the walls. It's something you've designed and has personal meaning. Those are the best tattoos. I'm covered in them and all of them have special meaning. The one you're talking about getting will be covered when it needs to be, ie job interviews, school, etc, so it's not like anyone will even notice unless you want them to. As for a future woman in your life taking it the wrong way, I'm sure if she means anything to you you'll have explained what you've been through in life so that she knows the real you. Then you can show her the tattoo and she'll know the meaning.

John

You're 18 now, so did you get the tattoo or have you decided to wait a while longer?

turned 18 today. deposit is down and I'm waiting for the schedule to open ASAP to get it done :)

From what you described, it will be interesting to hear how long it takes and if more than one session will be needed. Please post some pictures of it when complete or as a work in progress.

5 1/2 hours under the needle and a pack and of a half of the cowboy killers and it's done. It looks...much better then I ever expected. It's definitely a crazy good piece done by a crazy good artist. pics to follow. for now, I'm just glad to be home and not have a half dozen needles spitting lava into my sternum.

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/9097/dscn0286o.th.jpg


http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8028/dscn0287c.th.jpg

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7751/dscn0306v.th.jpg


I particularly like the last one. Some of my favorite things- strops, guns, books, tattoos and piercings.

That looks great! I'm glad you went big on your first piece, a lot of newbies to tattoing (myself included) get scared of size and the picture suffers. Now you'll need to fill am arm or two and you're set!

Thanks- the picture doesn't do it justice, it really is beautiful in person. Sometime in the future i'll probably get more, but for now I'm way happy and way broke with this one. the artist definitely did my story justice.