Tattoo Etiquette

[Sharnita]

Even if tattoo artist is your intended career path, you should not be practicing with a needle and bottle of ink on fellow students during high school art class.  I wish I was kidding.

It sounds like it could be my students.

[cabbagegirl28]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn. Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

[Mental Magpie]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn. Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

My tattoo on my back stretches from one shoulder blade to the other and is approximately 6 inches tall.  My hair (now) just barely covers it.  People will take my hair as a whole (think of how you would gather a bunch of string that big to move it all at once) and pull it aside.  Not a smart thing to do, and neither is pulling down my dress/bra a little so you can see if there is anything else.  If you ask me if you can, I am more than happy to let you.  I'll even pull up my shirt in the back for someone to see it if the venue is appropriate.  Do it without asking me and you're liable to get hit simply as an instinct.

I have opened up myself for questions about my tattoo and to people asking to see all of it, not to people all but assaulting me to get a peak at it.  (I'm not saying that's what you said, just my take on the matter).

[cabbagegirl28]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn. Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

My tattoo on my back stretches from one shoulder blade to the other and is approximately 6 inches tall.  My hair (now) just barely covers it.  People will take my hair as a whole (think of how you would gather a bunch of string that big to move it all at once) and pull it aside.  Not a smart thing to do, and neither is pulling down my dress/bra a little so you can see if there is anything else.  If you ask me if you can, I am more than happy to let you.  I'll even pull up my shirt in the back for someone to see it if the venue is appropriate.  Do it without asking me and you're liable to get hit simply as an instinct.

I have opened up myself for questions about my tattoo and to people asking to see all of it, not to people all but assaulting me to get a peak at it.  (I'm not saying that's what you said, just my take on the matter).

Definitely. I'm with you on that. Frankly, Sarah was a lot nicer than I would have been if someone had grabbed my dress strap and pulled it down in front of Mickey Mouse and everybody at a formal dinner.

[Lynnv]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn. Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

My tattoo on my back stretches from one shoulder blade to the other and is approximately 6 inches tall.  My hair (now) just barely covers it.  People will take my hair as a whole (think of how you would gather a bunch of string that big to move it all at once) and pull it aside.  Not a smart thing to do, and neither is pulling down my dress/bra a little so you can see if there is anything else.  If you ask me if you can, I am more than happy to let you.  I'll even pull up my shirt in the back for someone to see it if the venue is appropriate.  Do it without asking me and you're liable to get hit simply as an instinct.

I have opened up myself for questions about my tattoo and to people asking to see all of it, not to people all but assaulting me to get a peak at it.  (I'm not saying that's what you said, just my take on the matter).

Definitely. I'm with you on that. Frankly, Sarah was a lot nicer than I would have been if someone had grabbed my dress strap and pulled it down in front of Mickey Mouse and everybody at a formal dinner.

POD.  My tattoo, depending on what I am wearing, can show above my neckline on my back.  Someone grabbing my shirt and pulling it down is liable to get slapped.  Friends, family, strangers-noone gets to touch me just because I have some ink. 

The one time a clueless teenage cousin managed to sneak up behind me and grab my shirt, he did get slapped.  Then his mom had a rather loud and one-sided 'discussion'    with him about the appropriateness of touching someone's clothing without permission.  I received a sincere and contrite apology...and the clueless teenage cousin has grown up into rather a nice young man. 

[GreenEyedHawk]

I have several tattoos now, but at the time this story took place, I had only one, on my shoulder blade.

My sister and I had gone to the local fair and gotten fakey airbrush tattoos done there.  I had something done on my arm.  Afterward, we went to a large family BBQ.  My aunt P remarked in surprise on the airbrush stenciling and asked if I'd gotten a tattoo.  I replied that no, that one was fake.  The real one was on my shoulder.  She exclaimed, "You LIE!!!" I was like, "Umm...no.   The one on my shoulder is real.  I've had it for about a year now."

I was wearing a tank top, and she spent the rest of the evening at the BBQ trailing after me, tugging aside my tank top and bra strap and poking and prodding at my shoulder.  If I was sitting down, she would sit behind me and start picking and scratching at me.  After repeatedly telling her to stop touching me, I decided to leave because it was really getting on my nerves, I don't particularly care for being poked, prodded, picked and scratched, I was rapidly losing my patience and I couldn't think of any other way to get her to stop or to remove myself from the situation without being extremely rude.

[diesel_darlin]

I have 4 tattoos. While 2 of them are just average tattoos, two of them are slightly unusual. Please don't look at someone like and ask them "why on earth would you get something like that for?"

I am fully open to discussing the reasons behind my tattoos. I just wish people would be nicer about it. 

[Mental Magpie]

I have 4 tattoos. While 2 of them are just average tattoos, two of them are slightly unusual. Please don't look at someone like and ask them "why on earth would you get something like that for?"

I am fully open to discussing the reasons behind my tattoos. I just wish people would be nicer about it. 

Exactly.  I am more than willing to show you my tattoos if you approach me with curiosity rather than like you have the right to know.

[GreenEyedHawk]

Since we're on the topic, would some folks be amenable to showing pictures of their tattoos, or should we start a separate thread?

[Mental Magpie]

I think we should start a separate thread...which I'll go do now!

[GreenEyedHawk]

Don't forget to link us!

[Mental Magpie]

Here it is!
http://www.etiquettehell.com/smf/index.php?topic=119474.0

[Xandraea]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn.
This sounds BEAUTIFUL!

Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

I don't believe having a visible tattoo (Or pregnant belly, or newborn baby) means a person should have to put up with anyone touching them any more than anybody else should.  Personal boundaries, people.  ASK if you'd like a better look at the tattoo.  Moving her clothing is beyond rude.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though. 

The bolded. Exactly.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

[cabbagegirl28]

Do not grab an article of clothing or long hair that is covering a tattoo and move it to the side just so you can see the tattoo it covers.  I came this close to decking a lady because I had absolutely no idea who was touching my back nor why; it was instinct and she was lucky.

One of my dearest friends has a tattoo on her back that is a treble clef that turns into a body of a French horn.
This sounds BEAUTIFUL!

Everybody and his/her mother at a gathering we were at this past weekend decided that they were going to take pictures of her, or grab her arm, or pull her dress strap off her shoulder to get a look at her tattoo. I know that part of getting a tattoo in a place you show off a lot may open a person up to that. However, my poor friend was getting bothered during a fancy dinner for a good chunk of the night.

I don't believe having a visible tattoo (Or pregnant belly, or newborn baby) means a person should have to put up with anyone touching them any more than anybody else should.  Personal boundaries, people.  ASK if you'd like a better look at the tattoo.  Moving her clothing is beyond rude.

One guy who took a picture at least asked permission before taking the picture (it's going on a photo CD sold at the gathering, so she's excited about being seen by a bunch of people). The rest of the stuff is inappropriate and ridiculous, though. 

The bolded. Exactly.

Nota bene: I didn't step in because A) Sarah, my friend, would not have appreciated that at all, and B) she's the same age as I am; she can take care of herself.

I meant "open up a person to that" more in the sense of "it may open you to weird people who think they have a right to know what exactly your tattoos look like and mean." I'm sorry that my wording was bad.

[postalslave]

I have a full back tat, from neck to hips. I've had people touch me randomly in the pool (creeeeepy) and others ask me how long it took (normal).

What *truly* bothers me is when people ask how much it cost. I never know what to say because my artist gave me a "super good friend" discount in exchange for modeling work. I don't want to brag up a discount nor do I want to let someone think he charges a little when he charges a lot. At the same time I don't want to make up a price because it may hurt the artist. in the end I end up laughing a bit and just saying "enough" but it feels a little wrong.