Your overall look as a tattooed person

[pidjones]

Flowered dresses look great with tattoos if the colors go well. I'm a fan of dark green and most any shade of red/pink.

custom tapatalk sig goes here

[keepcalm]

This is the best thread!

This picture was taken a few months ago at my sister-in-law's wedding and I was immediately struck by how much I LOVE the way the tattoo looks with the flowers and the floral print dress. I would like my whole body to look like a floral dress one day -- Since taking this picture I've gotten a few more big flowery pieces and I am slowly inching toward the goal :)

Thanks for posting this picture!

I LOVE looking at pictures of regular people doing regular things where you can see some tattoos. It helps me immensely as someone who is admittedly kind of anal about placement -- I want to know what I would look like with a tattoo on certain parts of my body, and seeing other people with tattoos in those places I am considering is helpful.

Google image searching only goes so far, because usually the photos are taken with the intent of showing off the tattoo(s), so it doesn't give you a good idea of what the person would look like in regular life, regular clothes, and regular postures.

Incidentally, I think it's a great photo, and it shows how well the tattoo on your arm fits your personality! :)

More pictures, people! ;)

[Graeme]

I am having a similar experience. I started out with a lot of planning and it finally got to be unfun. So I took a break, picked a spot, gave a couple of different thoughts but mainly went with what my artist was into or most excited about. Somewhere in there I crossed some kind of line and accepted that I am well on my way to full coverage which carries with it it's own innate symmetry/harmony of balance. It's been freeing for me to just enjoy the spontaneity and surprise of how things turn out. In the face of the long game, spaces and asymmetry really don't bug me as much anymore because they are temporary.

I love this post, and especially the last sentence of it. I wish I'd understood earlier that spaces and asymmetries are ultimately temporary and to not worry about looking lopsided and needing to balance things out right away. Then again, while I never planned on getting just one tattoo, I also never planned getting as much coverage as I currently have, and I think one the super cool things about tattoos is that you end up with a more or less permanent record of the process of figuring things out. I may not have always made the choices that I would knowing what I do now, or will in the future, but that's tattoos. I totally agree with the sense of freedom that comes when you decide you're going to be more or less fully covered.

Having a back piece in progress has been pretty wild in terms of how much of my body is getting tattooed in a fairly short period of time.

[falco4758]

scumbag :)

[KVipers]

I love this post, and especially the last sentence of it. I wish I'd understood earlier that spaces and asymmetries are ultimately temporary and to not worry about looking lopsided and needing to balance things out right away.

It's funny because while it seems a lot of people worry about looking balanced, I've always been more attracted to an asymmetrical look. For example, maybe having a 3/4 sleeve on one arm and a full or half on the other, with the opposite side ribs done on the short sleeve side, etc etc.

I'm still early on in my tattoo experience but the more time goes by and the more I take in the culture, the less and less I care about uniformity and the more it's just fun to get tattooed.

[purplelace]

Interesting thread :) I have OCD, so I have to be balanced. I got the angel on outside of lower left leg to balance the demon on the right. Even though they have separate meanings, still have to be balanced.

In relation to planning tattoos, yes, all mine are planned and the placement. At the moment, I'm working on getting legs finished. Planning on half sleeves though I think we (me and my tattooist) both know it will eventually be full sleeve, back will be Giger, left ribs will be another memory tattoo to balance the one on right ribs. I know what I want done on stomach and bit under bra, know what I want on top of boobs (bit that can be seen while wearing bra), some of my dresses/tops are low cut so why not? Also have idea of what want done under bra strap on shoulder down. And then all filled. No plans for neck or hands, as work wouldn't allow, but wouldn't rule it out.

When I first started getting tattooed 15 years ago, I didn't think I'd have as much coverage that I do

do. I've also had more people say that I've changed their views of heavily tattooed people and I've inspired a few to start their tattoo journey :)

[keepcalm]

It's funny because while it seems a lot of people worry about looking balanced, I've always been more attracted to an asymmetrical look. For example, maybe having a 3/4 sleeve on one arm and a full or half on the other, with the opposite side ribs done on the short sleeve side, etc etc.

I totally agree! At the moment, my right leg/side has more tattoos, but I have a small tattoo on my left ribcage. I like the way it feels and the way it looks and would like to keep it going.

[SeeSea]

I have no visible tattoos. My back is always covered. My 4 year old granddaughter saw the big sea scene for the first time the other day. She just stared, and them immediately tried to rub it off! And it wouldn't come off! Then she tried to rub harder. But when I asked her if she could find Nemo - bam, she picked him right out. Kids are fun.

[purplelace]

@SeeSea Awwww that's so cute! :) My friend's children love seeing mine, especially the recent ones on my legs :) They just grin and stare at them, same with ones on arms. I agree they are fun :)

Mine are visible, when I want them to be, but mostly they're covered.

[Patrick Bateman]

So far I only have tattoos on my upper legs. Plan on getting more but on either my upper arms, torso and back.

I would like to be able to wear a short sleeved shirt and shorts but none will know i'm tattooed.

Some people ask why, it's because i really don't care if people know i have tattoos or not.

As time progresses, I may change my idea on that but that is how i feel for now.

[purplelace]

It's your personal choice where you get and don't get tattooed. It's all good, don't let anyone else make you feel otherwise. You'll have space left so if in the future you change your mind, you can. If you don't change your mind, it's good also.

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As a side note, anyone come across arseholes in regards to your tattoos? I'm single, ex is reason why I'm single. And have given up on the dating scene, since the response in regards to my tattoos have been erm, nasty to put it mildly. Though it is their problem and I look at my tattoos as "an arsehole deterrent" (or something like that). Yes, I'm used to some negative comments, but I'm not talking about the normal negative here. I'm just curious, maybe this isn't the place for such a question? But I think it is, if not I'll remove this bit.

[Tornado6]

I work at the home office for a Fortune 500 financial firm. Our dress code is so old school that it doesn't even address tattoos and piercings. Nobody would be hired with anything visible, I'm sure.

I trained a young lady with a pierced nose. She wears clear plastic at work. We sometimes see a foot tattoo in the summer, when open shoes are allowed.

My boss and VP have seen my tattoo, because I chose to lift up my pants hem and show them, but nobody walking through the halls would ever know it is there.

I'm totally fine with this. I didn't get the tattoo for my coworkers :)

[Aliex Patricia]

I'm not balanced yet, but in my mind the end result shows balance. LOL

[marley mission]

i tell ya

the more coverage i get the more i see the blank spots

haha this is NOT good

anyway -i find myself trying to balance out

not it terms of content / theme

more in terms of general coverage

11 and 12 coming up in jan - placements still up the air somewhat

my current work varies in 'size' if you will

ranging from 3 hour to 10 hour (multi session) pieces

upcoming works are each 3-4 hour pieces give or take

currenty i have right upper arm x1, left upper arm x1, left chest x1, rt rib x1, right lower leg x3, left lower leg x2, left thigh x1

future placements will be left rib, right upper chest, right thigh, and then the back - ah the back - definitely going there but i have to consider if i just want to add individual pieces or do i think full piece

[sighthound]

definitely going there but i have to consider if i just want to add individual pieces or do i think full piece

In my opinion, the back is the one unique piece of the body that was made for one giant piece. To each their own, but I don't think it gets much better than the scale and size of a full on back piece.

[marley mission]

In my opinion, the back is the one unique piece of the body that was made for one giant piece. To each their own, but I don't think it gets much better than the scale and size of a full on back piece.

i'm tending to agree - i constantly hop into the backpiece threads and i am both impressed and intimidated on varying aspects of such a project - hope to get there someday

[KBeee]

As a side note, anyone come across arseholes in regards to your tattoos? I'm single, ex is reason why I'm single. And have given up on the dating scene, since the response in regards to my tattoos have been erm, nasty to put it mildly. Though it is their problem and I look at my tattoos as "an arsehole deterrent" (or something like that). Yes, I'm used to some negative comments, but I'm not talking about the normal negative here. I'm just curious, maybe this isn't the place for such a question? But I think it is, if not I'll remove this bit.

Hey @purplelace

There was a quick discussion about this on the ladies thread:

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/5371-ladies-thread-page10.html

So you are not alone...

[purplelace]

Thanks @KBeee, I took a quick look and glad am not alone. So since last post, am back on dating scene, and am seriously thinking of saying fuck it! Won't go into a rant, but may do so later on the ladies thread. In the meantime, recently have had lots say to me that I've changed their views of heavily tattooed people. That made me smile.

[KBeee]

Very cool @purplelace...and glad to see you will be enjoying the Ladies Thread at some point. Cheers!

[Metfly]

I am very impulsive with my tattoos and i think i've come to regret one out of MANY. Now, i don't regret the tattoo design or how it was tattooed but more on where it was tattoed

[ChaosDani]

I only have one piece so far, but as I keep going, I will be very concerned with balance. For now, I like the idea of keeping the amount of coverage on the left vs. the right around the same, but on different parts of the body. My right side is covered from ribs to hip, so my next move will probably be left hip/thigh.

I definitely think about the overall aesthetic and negative space. I am a belly dancer, so I think about how a potential tattoo will look with my costumes, how it might look when I move different ways, how it'll change the way people perceive me as an artist. My overall "look" is important to me.

I think in the future, I'll be a lot more heavily covered on my legs- starting with the left, but eventually both, as they are easily covered. I think my no-go zones will be forearms, hands, belly, left ribs, chest. I'd love to have a backpiece someday, so I'm saving that real estate for now.

[Kimmie]

I don't focus on symmetry. As I plan pieces, certain designs and ideas just seem "right" in specific spots.

[ThatGuy]

I'm definitely still going for a fairly balanced look. Will most likely stick to traditional for all my tattoos, and similar size/placement on both sides of my body.

Have only got one tattoo on my leg at the moment, and having booked in my next one, trying to decide if I should fit it on the same leg as the tattoo that I have, or start on my other one. Decisions.

[AuntTudie]

So far I have my right lower leg covered and my left 1/4 sleeve on my arm. I also have a full back piece. Oh, forgot about the butterfly on my left foot and the tiny konji on my right wrist. Right now I see myself stopping there for a bit. But I am contemplating my next placement and the subject matter. It's defiantly I put a lot of thought in to. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll be here seeking some advise.

[jen7]

I have opted for big pieces covering entire body parts rather than lots of small ones. It feels more cohesive to me so I guess it's an aesthetic decision. I also work a corporate job so that has governed my "look" decisions also, like no forearms etc. I also waited until my 40s to get visible or otherwise hard to hide work so I only have to struggle with clothing choices for a few years pre-retirement. When I retire in a few years my criteria will change a bit but I think big pieces will stay with me.