My First Tattoo
 

I just took the plunge and got a tattoo. It took approximately eight years to figure out what I wanted as I was scared to get something that would wind up tired and old... Essentially, how I'd feel if I got a tattoo that had no reason whatsoever and wind up being just a blemish rather than a meaning.

I picked one out. It is the silver cross that I bought for my grandmother almost five years ago and it's called the "Eternal Love Cross" by James Avery, a renown Christian Silversmith here in Texas. It has two meanings to me. My family and my religion.

Here's the image link: Eternal Love Cross

I put it on my left foot so that it would be less noticeable (as I do work for a living) and be half covered with my shoes as well as being closer to my heart than my right foot.

So... what do you guys think?

Discuss:
Do you have a tattoo (or more than one)? If so tell us about your first (or only) one.
Have you thought about getting a tattoo? If so, what would you want to get?
If you don't want a tattoo, want to explain your reason why?

Out of curiousity....did you post this on Crysandrea?

-thinks I saw this there too-

*blushes* Uh... yeah... I was excited and kinda wanted to talk about it both places.

Okay....well I commented on it there....so you can read it there lol

*grins* I did. I even responded.

I love your design, and the meaning behind it...I'm impressed you put it on your foot cause I hear that hurts A LOT! I've avoided feet and hands cause of that.


I've currently got two tattoos, Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes, he's on his back asleep, and above him is Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. She's curled up watching him. Both have a couple different meanings for me.

Hobbes: Tigers are my favourite animal, and I often see people with 'fierce' or 'attacking' ones, but when I think of tigers I think of them sleeping and lazing about. I also love the balance of tigers and dragons for the Yin and Yang, so he's my Yin.

Maleficent: My all time favourite movie is Sleeping Beauty, and Maleficent is the best baddie there is! Next, I love her dragon form, it's so traditionally European it's not even funny. It also is the Yang of my balance.

They're both on my back. I can't really see them unless I contort, but that's okay, I know they're there, and they hide well in most the things I wear. As a costumer that's a biiiiiig thing for me, it's also part of what's stopping me from getting my third tattoo.

The third one I want is a sketch of my last cat with angel wings. He was a blue-Persian whom I adored, and I even drew the picture myself(and it's better than anything I've ever done). The downside is I don't know where to put it. I would love to put it on my back, opposite my heart, because he'll always be there with me, but that would put it smack dab in plain view in some of my outfits. I've no issue with visible tattoos, but I don't want to forgo wearing certain things until he heals.

Well, since I didn't say what my tattoo is...

It's a rose (black and shaded in a bit) with my dad's name underneath it.

Everyone on the internet seems to hate it so there will be no picture posted here. Since I love it when people say my tattoo is shitty when it's for my dead dad. >w<

what??! who in the world would say that?? Well, I personally think it's awesome, so they can buzz off

People on Gaia were mean about it. I'm sorry it isn't colorful or extremely intricate or big....but that isn't what I wanted. I wanted something for my dad. Something simple (he was simple-not like he was stupid....just born in the 40s....and that was a different simple time you know? to some extent at least) and something I can hide. I got that I was happy.

O.o I guess I don't get how people can feel that their OPINION is more valid than yours. I mean, it's on YOUR body, if it makes you happy, it's perfect!

Yeah, but that's Gaia for you. If you aren't following the same way they are....you're wrong. And they'll make you feel like shit for asking a question. I learned then, no questions, no pictures, nothing on Gaia that I actually care about.

And thank you :3

I really like your tattoo. C: It was smart to get it somewhere that is easy to hide because some employers do not allow visible tattoos.

I do have a tattoo. I had wanted it for a while and ended up getting it for my 20th birthday. It's a set of wings on my shoulder blades that kind of look like metal or something somewhat demonic. xD Not that I am super into dark things... but I do like the look better than if they were angel wings. I don't really have a decent picture of them except for my ID on my deviant Art.

Fey: It didn't hurt near as bad as I thought it would, so... *shrugs* I love your current ones if I'm visualizing them right. And you have another yin yang type of symbology as Hobbes is cutesy and Malificent is evil. XD I feel much the same way about my first cat as you do about yours, but I wouldn't get her tattooed, personally. Not that I don't love her, but I think it'd be kinda bad to do so on my part as she died when I wouldn't have been able to get one (as I was like ten years old).

Yokuutsu: My parents aren't thrilled with the tattoo, but the whole purpose is to be pleased with my own decision. A majority of my family does like it, so it's fine in that department. You got your tattoo for your father in rememberance. Quite honestly, eff them that don't like it as it's your body. So long as you have a reason, then it's a good tattoo.

Taiki: Your wings look really nice. They're some of the best I've seen, actually, as I've seen some that just look... bleh. There was one girl that got multi colored pastel wings and I thought they were kinda dumb, really. Yours look nice. And my ultimate boss is kinda conservative, so I kinda wanted to be deferential to him in some ways on the issue as I do like being at this company. Not that he'd fire me over a tattoo. He's kinda like the papa of the company. But I didn't want some obnoxious obvious tattoo because I do work.

Sora: Then don't get one! XD I'm joking slightly. It is up to the person whether or not they get one and if you don't like them, you don't like them and don't let anyone persuade you otherwise. *blushes* Gosh... don't I sound high and mighty? *laughs* And thank you.

I completely forget that I have a picture of mine...they'll one day get selective colouring, but I'm still torn on what and where.

I did always love the dichotomy of it, in the yin/yang the dragon is wisdom/knowledge, the tiger is action/fighting. Mine are sort've the opposite, at least in obvious demeanor.

And, it's hard to explain my last cat. I have friends that were allergic/anti cat and they loved him. And not just because they were my friends and he was my cat. He was an amazing soul, and I know he's still with me, I sometimes catch glimpses of him, or feel him curl up beside me in the night. And that's really saying something since I don't really believe in ghosts.

I remember this one time I saw our cat, Mama Kitty, out of the corner of my eye. It'd been a while since she had died and when I saw this gray shade of a cat (she was black) out of the corner of my eye, I turned to look. There was nothing there and I just inexplicably started to cry. They (loved ones in general, not just animals) never really leave us. That was sort of the idea with my tattoo as well. I didn't want them to leave me, even if it was only a symbol I had. Granted, my grandmother is still alive, but her husband isn't. My second cousin Buddy is someone I never met but wished I had. Too many have died that I'll miss forever.

I like your tattoo, though I think it does need color.

Shenna! I love it! How did it feel on the top of the foot?

That's the funny part, the family that has seen it approves of it. It's people who don't know the reason that don't....and once they learn they still disgrace my father by being douchebags. But I did learn a lesson. Don't ask anything important and don't post pictures. Ever.

Pocket: It seriously wasn't as bad as I'd thought it'd be. I'd even consider extending it after a while.

Yokuutsu: Well, so long as your loved ones approve it. Other people don't really matter in the long run... but you already knew that!

I've been wanting to get one for a while... Recently I even decided what to get and I have the sketch, the hard part is saving the money long enough that I can actually go to a tattoo shop. o 3o'
Hopefully soon I'll be getting it.

Depending on the size, it isn't terribly expensive, but I do suggest going to a reputable tattoo parlor. It may cost more, but I've had no issues with my tattoo so far (even though it's been only a few days since I got it), the place was clean, the people were helpful... You don't have to go someplace you don't like the vibe of.

I considered going to someplace closer to my house and when I discovered they weren't open, I decided that was enough of a deciding factor to go to the place my cousin got hers. I'm happy I did. I don't know what the interior of the first place looked like, but I am thrilled that I went with a more reputable place.

That's great! It's really beautiful. & it has so much meaning for you. Congrats!
o u o

I have no tattoos, myself.

I cannot second the comment about going to a reputable shop. and if you don't like the vibe, get out!! my Hobbes was done by an amazing artist whom worked with me to get it just right, he was personable and nice, and in the end it didn't cost much at all! Maleficent...I went to the 'popular' store, it was awful. The artist was an a$$hat, the atmosphere was terrible, and it cost me three times as much as the one right below it, and the artist did nothing but make the transfer and put it on.

I've never seen a foot tattoo before! O 3O

That's a really nice tattoo, though. I think you chose well. :3

Fey, just because it is popular doesn't mean its reputable. Look, rather, at how long the business has been there or how veteran the artist is. The owner of the shop I went to has been an artist for ten years.

EDIT: To Dem, Holly, and Neirra, thank you.

sadly, it'd been there for ages, had a lot of vetran artists, but it was just not a 'me' place. They didn't like what I was getting, they didn't like that I already had the art, they wanted me to use their ideas, their art and their artists. Too bad so sad for them, I've never gone back and warned a lot of the locals not to head that way.

*snorts* they failed to realize that just because its a tattoo parlor doesn't make it any less a service industry. The customer is usually right. Mine was willing to work with me and offer placement and size suggestions.

thats a nice tattoo but i don't think i would ever get one.

@Fey
Well, at least you should be guaranteed something unique if you go there and let them do it?

I picked something out of the book....because I'm not too good with drawing...but I can rarely if ever find something online that I like.

Why not, Feyth? And I'm not berating you. I'm just asking.

Yoku, my symbol literally came from an online catalogue from James Avery's website. Sometimes unoriginal is a good thing.

That's very pretty. c:
I'd like to get a tattoo when I'm older.
I don't know what I'd like yet, but I'll think of one eventually. x3

I actually had a friend who was an artist make maleficent, at no point in the movie is she ever in that pose. I'll admit hobbes was straight outta the comic strip. I tried for a while to have other artistic friends make the one for my kitty, but they all backed out so I tried my hand at it and love the results.

thats really nice. tho i don't like cross tattoo's because everyone seems to have one o_O

I want to have a tattoo..but parents doesnt allow me.. ;( they say i will look like a prisoner.. urg I hate how my country reacts...I hate being so old fashion


your tattoo looks gorgeous.. :3 I love it.. =]

so, gotta ask, where are you? cause, well, curiosity kills me