signs on skin

[wildestranger]

Lately, I have been thinking about getting another tattoo. And okay, this might have something to do with the many, many pictures of Frank Iero that I've been forced to look at recently, but I have also become more curious about the aesthetics of tattoos - what makes tattooed skin beautiful? Is it beautiful? What does it mean when you put such signs on your skin? What does it say about you?

I've had my one tattoo for seven years now, I've not regretted it once but I've also not been tempted to get more. If I do decide to go for it, there will have to be a lot of thinking and discussing and practising with permanent markers first.

And while I do that, here's a poll. ;)

What do you think about tattoos? Your own, other people's? On shoulders, bellies, thighs, on Pete Wentz's hipbones, on Frank Iero's arms? What makes a tattoo sexy, or not? What makes it interetsing?

[Poll #1064065]

[Poll #1064066]

Comments

[cedarlibrarian.livejournal.com]

I don't have any tattoos, but my mom and both of my sisters both have more than one (I guess they're compensating for me and my dad). I know they all love theirs, and the tattoos are special to them, but I don't know of anything I'd want on my body for the rest of my life. The exception to this may be a dragon, because I was born in the Year of the Dragon and that's considered very lucky. But ultimately I think I'm too big a wuss.

Back to your questions:

I think any tattoo is good if it means something to the person who has it, even if the "meaning" is that they like the design. It's not my body so I don't really judge tattoos on other people. They can put them wherever. My youngest sister's newest tattoo is on the top of her foot, and it's absolutely beautiful and very meaningful to her (and the rest of our family). I think the most interesting part of a tattoo is not the design itself but the explanation behind it.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

I think any tattoo is good if it means something to the person who has it, even if the "meaning" is that they like the design.

That's pretty much what I think about my existing tattoo (it's celtic design, a wheel with spikes, and doesn't mean anything), and probably what I would get for the next one as well. I'm kind of suspicious about too overt symbolism - not that I disapprove of them in others, but for myself I think I am too cynical about signifiers and the signified. That said, I'm considering getting a curling vine around my knee - I'm sure my love of wine will never leave me. ;)