I rarely write anything of any detail or length on here, usually due to time but also because I don’t want to use this as a kind of soap box, drowning you with some half-baked theories and opinions.
Today I’m sitting here thinking about why people want these tattoos I do for them on their skin. Its one thing to buy a painting hang it in your house and enjoy it, but it’s another thing to go see a complete stranger and ask for your first tattoo to be your whole arm and then just jet them get on with it and draw all over you, this is a occurence that keeps happening to me, one for which I am extremely grateful although a little puzzled by.
I find my self often thinking “why do we get tattooed?”
Here are a couple of first time tattoos…………..
As the year 2009 draws to a close I find my self thinking back about what I got to do over the last 12 months, it is so amazing that people keep coming back to me for work that I find compelling and interesting.
I am extremely fortunate do get to do a lot of tattoos that I really enjoy doing.
I have updated my portfolio slide shows on my Flickr account, here are the links.
Pyrrhus Darwin Castello/Petri Aspvik said,
December 27, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
OR, maybe the question should be, why do you tattoo? Then we know the question why people get tattooed by you
thomashooper said,
December 27, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
to be totally honest, I have no answer to that, its like saying why do you love your partner?
you can come come up with a million reasons, but in the end, you just know you do.
Petri Aspvik said,
December 27, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
For me it is the feeling, the aura of the images I get. From that a sense of togetherness is formed. Because I for one feel connected if I get a Old-School flash piece tattooed.
And If I get back to the aura and your work it is as you said; why do you love your partner? You just feel it, you don’t know it. But it is there
What tattooing can give us is a Meaning. That is what many of us long for; The Occult.
a said,
December 27, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
It took me a couple of days…I had to think about it. I’ve decided that I get tattooed in order to externalize how different I feel from the rest of the world.
Even in an age where everyone has a tattoo I’m still different because I have a full sleeve in a style that isn’t seen often in the states (Vincent at Beautiful Freak Tattoo, Belgium).
I think because I feel far or detached from others I can have it best expressed visually via tattoos. Someone can see that and go, “ohkaye, that may not be someone I want to talk to.”
Essentially, I get tattooed as a way to put my feelings and beliefs, literally, on my sleeve.
Anders said,
January 5, 2010 @ 4:58 am
Within 3 weeks I will do the first sitting for a full sleeve. The tattoo will be a phoenix in flames. This will symbolize my belief in reincarnation and karma.
The reason why get it inked is that it is a way of showing you are different than most people. Almost a way of alienize from a society you can’t feel part of.
Peti Aspvik said,
January 5, 2010 @ 7:25 am
This is weird. So far (well, only 3 comments) I am the oly one who gets tattooed to feel part of something and certainly not the feel different. Hmmm. Interesting
Anders said,
January 7, 2010 @ 4:46 am
I think it’s only a matter of your personal point of focus, wether you se the glass as half full or half empty. You can choose to feel part of a tattoo comunity or subculture or to alienaze from a culture you can’t feel part of.
Yes this is very interesting. Looking forward to read more in this subject.
chimp said,
January 7, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
stunning! the bottom one is the only tattoo i’ve ever seen with colour that i’d be happy to have on my body, all my other ones are black and white.
s said,
January 17, 2010 @ 2:48 pm
i geart
s said,
January 17, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
*art
Brent Davey said,
February 23, 2010 @ 9:12 pm
I like tattoos because getting all inked up looks boss. Although, I’ve never walked into a shop asking for a sleeve. I remember when I was a kid, my dad was driviing me somewhere. A tatted-up guy crossed the street in front of us. My dad said, “See those tattoos? That means he went to jail.” I thought, “Cool…”
Well, those days are OVER! Having tattooed skin is as pervasive as flannel shirts in
Williamsburg. They don’t make you cool, and they don’t make you scary. I think that some of those first timers walking in asking for a body suit or whatever are unaware of this fact.