Tattoo Etiquette

[Lynnv]

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.

How about, "Oh, goodness, he did it over quite a few sessions....I have never bothered to add it all up.  I felt it was a fair price as we went along, but I really have no idea what it was overall."   Or maybe something a little more blunt like, "It wasn't cheap-but I was willing to pay the price for an artist of his caliber-but I paid as the work was done, so don't really know how much it was in total."  These presume that it was a large enough piece that it was done over multiple sessions.  For a single session, I might say "I don't really remember-but I remember that it was fair for the amount of work and talent he put into it." 

Of course, I might be a little blunter and go with "I don't really want to discuss price."

[StarDrifter]

I had someone try and tell me that every. single. Kanji symbol I have tattoed on me (seventeen total) is incorrect and means nothing, is complete gibberish and that I should get them covered up.

Considering that the tattoos were lifted directly from a Kanji calligraphy wall hanging that a friends' father had written for me so that I would get correct meanings for all of my phrases, and he's a Kanji calligrapher by occupation, I'm pretty certain that I've got the correct symbols.

This same person told me that it was 'disrespectful' to have another language tattooed on my skin, no matter that it has personal meaning to me.

[Calistoga]

As an extension of the "Don't Grab the Body Part", don't move the clothing, or in my case, hair, to see the rest.

Also, this has only happened once, but it really bothered me!

I have the Greek word ἀρετή on the back of my neck. It essentially translates to "Being the best you can be", but it's much easier to explain as "Virtue".

I went to a Halloween party where I did a bit of drinking and wore a fairly skimpy outfit. A guest there asked about my tattoo, I told him it meant "Virtue", and he basically said that I was a giant hypocrite for having the word virtue on my body and then dressing like a harlot.

Many people get tattoos with personal meaning that you don't understand. I didn't get the word "Chastity" on my neck, I got "Virtue". To me, "Virtue" doesn't translate to "Not wearing short skirts."

[nuit93]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

[violinp]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

I haven't gotten a tattoo yet, but I shouldn't think so. If an artist did a really good job on my tattoo(s), I'd recommend him/her to anyone who asked, because I'd want people who do a job well to get a lot of business.

[Piratelvr1121]

Don't hit someone where they're newly tattooed. My poor friend's back hurt terribly from that.

my ex-bf did that to me when i got my first tattoo. i guess he thought it would be funny, but it definitely wasn't.

When my mother first saw my ink she kept reaching her finger out like she was going to scratch at it.  I kept moving my leg away from her. It was still healing and she wanted to know "is that going to come off?" No mother, that's the outline, it's not going to come off.  "Well what about that?" while reaching out to touch the light blue that was surrounding the sparrow just outside the black outline.  "That's the air, please don't touch it, it's still healing." And she scowled.    Sorry mother, I'm not going to let you ruin a lovely picture I paid $100 to have drawn on me.

And I'd be flattered if someone asked me where I got my ink.  Course it wouldn't do anyone around here any good, as I got mine done in Iowa but hey if anyone's ever in Cedar Rapids, Wild Side is great!   I do need to get it added to (initial for the piratebabe added to it) and have priced the place in the mall (yes, we have a nice parlor in our mall!) and it'll just be $50.

[Julian]

Don't ask if it's real.  (Usually done during the healing phase, and while it's nice and shiny with cream, and usually prefacing an attempt to touch it.)

[GreenEyedHawk]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

It's perfectly fine to ask someone who did their artwork.  I can't speak for everyone but I've never had an issue telling anyone where I got my ink done.

[Mental Magpie]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

It's perfectly fine to ask someone who did their artwork.  I can't speak for everyone but I've never had an issue telling anyone where I got my ink done.

Neither have I.

[GreenEyedHawk]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

It's perfectly fine to ask someone who did their artwork.  I can't speak for everyone but I've never had an issue telling anyone where I got my ink done.

Neither have I.

If anyone in Edmonton AB is looking for a good tattooist, I highly recommend both Atomic Zombie tattoo and Bear's Skin Art

[molly13]

Question: is it considered okay to ask who the artist was, particularly if it's a tat that you admire?

I'm a teensy bit clueless as to how to find a good artist.

I haven't gotten a tattoo yet, but I shouldn't think so. If an artist did a really good job on my tattoo(s), I'd recommend him/her to anyone who asked, because I'd want people who do a job well to get a lot of business.

Not always a sure thing though.  My first tattoo I thought I did my research.  The artist had been around for 25 years, had a good reputation and I'd seen other work he'd done.  The piece he did on my ankle that's pretty bad.  He went so deep into the skin that the ink bled and, although there wasn't a lot of detail in it (a ring of stylized birds of paradise), what little there was, was obliterated.  I had someone look at it to try to see what could be done and was told it would probably take 4 passes with a laser to lighten it enough to be reworked.

Funny thing, a couple of years later I was talking to a young guy with a Japanese symbol on his arm (about 4" tall) done by the same artist and had exactly the same problems.

[katycoo]

Bottom line is that it's my body and I can tattoo it up or punch it full of holes if I want to, and no one has any right to judge me for it.

I disagree.

Yes, its your body and you have the right to decorate it however you choose.  But I absolutely do have the right to form a judgement (positive or negative) based on thse decorations.

Ie.  If I encounter a person with "F**k You" tattooed on their forehead, you can be darn sure I've got an opinion about that person based solely on that tattoo.

We all form judgments of people on many many things, and tally them up to get to a final decision on that person.  Tattoos may form part of that - in the same way that seing someone with tattoos that you really like might kick your first opinions of them off in a positive way.  You might end up not liking them as a person for other reasons.  Hypothetical Face tattoo person might be really lovely and funny.  But that's just life and we don't get to like it.

[Sharnita]

Got to agree with katycoo. People might just see you tattooed and pierced up and "judge" that you and they roll differently.  And somebody else might judge "that is my kind of person". I don't love it but people judge the brand/style/size of clothes you wear, car you drive, phone you use, domicile you live in...

When I bought my Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt I knew that people would make certain judgements about the kind of person I was simply based on seeing me and the shirt. Are those impressions accurate?  There are probably some people I know who would say yes and some who would say no. It is an oversimplified way to form judgements but OTOH, the only way for all of us to avoid that kind of thing is if we wear uniforms and have identical haircuts.

[Tea Drinker]

For what it's worth, I'd rather be judged for my tattoos than for a number of other things about myself: the judgment is still going to be superficial, and it may be unfair, but the ink is something I chose, unlike my height or skin color or accent.