Relationships and tattoos

[SeeSea]

This doesn't deserve its own thread, but is loosely related to relationships.

I just love this.

[herewego]

I have been lurking this place for a bit, and finally registered to post in this thread.

My boyfriend of 4 years has no tattoos, and absolutely no interest in getting any. I am currently working on a full sleeve and have a few other tattoos, and have a goal of pretty heavy coverage. He likes my tattoos, and appreciates good ones, and has no issues whatsoever with me going so far as to having a full suit.

This isn't really much of a problem, since we are already somewhat opposites in a lot of ways. He is an accountant, i'm a designer and am taking classes for animation. I am the daring one, he is the cautious one. i think tattoos just fall onto my side of the relationship. with us, it works.

that being said, I HATE IT sometimes. I can talk for hours and hours about a certain artist, or an idea I have, or just a love for a certain style, and he has nothing to say back. I save pennies for large work while he saves up for a house. He is understanding about the art/tattoo world, but he just doesn't get it. Just like when I draw something, he appreciates it, but it just doesn't feel like we are connected when I am creating art, or getting tattooed. I wouldn't want him to ever be there with me getting tattooed, and he does not ever want to be either. It would be a waste of time. It is incredibly frustrating not being able to really share my passion and feel like he understands my passions. this is not his fault by any means, it is just the way it is. and is probably the reason i look to things like online forums about tattoos .....

I am also very attracted to heavily tattooed guys, which he knows, but its not necessary for me. I do wonder that as I get more and more into the community and get more and more tattoos, that we may drift apart. But i doubt it. we don't share all of the same passions but I guess that is not mandatory to be in a happy and healthy long term relationship. I kind of like being the heavily tattooed one.

phew. nice to get that off my chest. thanks.

This is pretty much how tattooing is between my wife and I. Sometimes it makes me sad that I can't share my enthusiasm with her........

[Colored Guy]

My wife had no ink, but she was tolerant of mine. Lots of people around us have tattoos, so no novelty here. But since I got back into it, I realize how it has become more of a lifestyle thing. I could see how it could come between a couple enough to split them up.

[jen7]

hubby doesn't 'get' tattooing but he is tolerant of mine. I do kind of mourn the fact that I can't relate on this level to my SO but it is what it is. I don't 'get' video games so I guess we're even LOL

I actually have plans to get a skull tattoo this summer with a dear friend and have not yet worked up the nerve to confess to my spouse. I feel weird about it.

[sourpussoctopus]

Forgive the lengthy post, but I went through the whole thread and wanted to add a few things to the conversation:

I very much prefer men with tattoos. I guess it started with my very first serious crush way back when I was in middle school. My best friend told me my "type" is "aging punk rock" - Ha! Cracks me up every time I recall that conversation...

That is an excellent type.

I'm personally grateful for the built-in filter that my tattoos provide; I have enough now that the guys who don't like 'em mostly don't bother to approach me. Narrowing the dating pool a little isn't necessarily a bad thing--a whole category of "not good for me" I don't have to worry about!

This! Women have to contend with so much douchery while dating, anything that reduces it is great. The problem I consistently run into is that men are “intimidated” by me (I’ve been told this over and over for years, by girlfriends and guys alike). I wear too much black, I look too stern, tattoos make me unapproachable, my job is off-putting — my opinion is that if a man (or woman) is so insecure and frightened by my outward appearance, I want nothing to do with them.

I’ve only had one serious, long-term relationship (6 years) which sunk for reasons far more serious than my tattoos. But, as I started getting work done towards the end of it, he very clearly expressed his dislike. I’ve had other flings with plainskin guys, but they didn’t seem to feel strongly either way about it.

I have quite a bit more work now and I plan to become heavily tattooed, and I can’t see myself with someone who doesn’t support it. I think it would be cool to share ideas and discover artists, and have someone who gets exactly what it means when I say “don’t touch it, it’s fresh”, haha. With that said, I wouldn’t want to get tattooed together. Getting tattooed is something I very much enjoy doing solo and I’d like to keep it that way, whether my SO is tattooed or not.

that being said, I HATE IT sometimes. I can talk for hours and hours about a certain artist, or an idea I have, or just a love for a certain style, and he has nothing to say back. I save pennies for large work while he saves up for a house. He is understanding about the art/tattoo world, but he just doesn't get it. Just like when I draw something, he appreciates it, but it just doesn't feel like we are connected when I am creating art, or getting tattooed.

Girl, I feel you. Putting your phone in front of someone’s face and going “isn’t this the most amazing tattoo you’ve ever SEEN!?!?” to hear a nonchalant “it’s okay” just crushes your enthusiasm.

I was feeling OK with the amount that I had spent on my tattoos, until a close friend asked me what I had paid for them and I stupidly told him. His face dropped, and I spent the next 10 minutes justifying to him why I felt it was money well spent.

At first, I got side-eyed by friends and guilt-tripped by my mom all the time (she was a single mom; as a rule, how I spend my money gravely concerns). And yeah, when you add up all those hours of tattooing together, it looks like a lot, but it’s spread out over a long time, with carefully chosen artists whose work I love and find extremely beautiful. People outside of tattooing only see the number, they don’t understand the attachment you have to your own work. That shit is priceless.

[tay943]

Girl, I feel you. Putting your phone in front of someone’s face and going “isn’t this the most amazing tattoo you’ve ever SEEN!?!?” to hear a nonchalant “it’s okay” just crushes your enthusiasm.

At first, I got side-eyed by friends and guilt-tripped by my mom all the time (she was a single mom; as a rule, how I spend my money gravely concerns). And yeah, when you add up all those hours of tattooing together, it looks like a lot, but it’s spread out over a long time, with carefully chosen artists whose work I love and find extremely beautiful. People outside of tattooing only see the number, they don’t understand the attachment you have to your own work. That shit is priceless.

I was lying next to my boyfriend in bed and I started showing him some good work by an artist I'd recently found. By the fourth photo he sat up in bed, plugged his laptop into the TV and started playing League of Legends haha.

I try not to judge anyone by what they like to spend their extra money on. My boyfriend has spent a lot more on electronics than I have on tattoos (which I remind him of when he gets shocked about how much something cost), I know girls who spend upwards of $100 on clothing, which they are free to do if they enjoy it. One of my friends spent over a grand on a set of star wars figurines which I would never do, but its his bloody money.

[polliwog]

Bless his heart, my boyfriend thought I would be excited by these: Temporary Literary Tattoos | Litographs

[sourpussoctopus]

Those are so twee. But hey, at least he's trying!

[xcom]

Interesting thread...

My wife has a distinct dislike for tattoos (Very conservative person) but she deals with them because she meet me with them. Now 13yrs married and I still get them. Now getting older has not help me lol.... I am now diabetic and if I don't eat well after I get a tattoo I will hit the floor the next day or I go in a risk of going in to a coma while sleep... That gave my wife the power of arguing with me every time I get a tattoo or go in to a session.... She did saw me passed out the next day after a 8hr session... I didn't eat nothing and went to sleep.... Woke up went to the restroom and I hit the floor.... lol....

Scary but funny... At any rate I hate the fact that I am diabetic and my wife argues to me about it and tattoos... Funny shit is that I am a healthy person...

She likes my tattoos and she does not give me a hard time with them unless she finds something wrong, and if she does she will voice it... At the end we are together for ever.... ;)

She does bitch about it from time to time about the risk I am running but than she gets over it... She helps me allot when cleaning parts of my tattoo that I cant reach... She basically took care of me when my back piece was healing...

[SeeSea]

@xcom - duuuuude, why are you not eating and drinking before/during/after long sessions??????

[xcom]

@xcom - duuuuude, why are you not eating and drinking before/during/after long sessions??????

To be honest... I was been a dumb ass.... My brother went with me that day and he got a back piece done while I got my half sleeve started.. He was flying back home to PR at 7AM the next day... So... We both finish, It was around 2AM or so and my brother told me "Lets eat something" I said ok, I got home and he ate a quick snack + sandwich... I said .... Its too late and we have to wake up in two hours for your flight... He told me to eat something and me been hardheaded I just went to sleep...

I pay the price.... My sugar drop insanely when I woke up went to the restroom and on my way out I hit the floor hard... Hit my head with the dresser... It was scary but funny... Cant explain it... It was one those things of "I told you so" :p

[SeeSea]

Yikes! Glad is all worked out!

[xcom]

@SeeSea,

Thanks!

[jen7]

glad you're ok!

I have a type 1 diabetic friend and managing that while living your life is tough. Hats off to ya!

[Colored Guy]

Yikes! Glad is all worked out!

Very important to tell the artist that you are a diabetic right up front. I've heard from an artist that she had a patient pass out during a tattoo. So now she asks everyone.

[xcom]

@jen7, Thanks... It sure is a bitch but life keeps going and so do I! :D @Colored Guy Never thought about that... Will do the next time.

[tay943]

Very important to tell the artist that you are a diabetic right up front. I've heard from an artist that she had a patient pass out during a tattoo. So now she asks everyone.

I'm quite sure the last place I was at had it on the consent form. Is it common for tattoo shops to present a checkbox list asking about blood diseases, fainting, blood sugar, surgeries and pregnancies? Admittedly I've only been to too shops so far but both have had similar forms.

[Colored Guy]

I'm quite sure the last place I was at had it on the consent form. Is it common for tattoo shops to present a checkbox list asking about blood diseases, fainting, blood sugar, surgeries and pregnancies? Admittedly I've only been to too shops so far but both have had similar forms.

I've seen consent forms that asked if the client was HIV positive, had hepatitis but that's about it. This was years ago, I haven't signed a consent form in 20 years.

In the past, the consent forms were in place to mainly protect the tattooer, not the tattooee.

[tay943]

I've seen consent forms that asked if the client was HIV positive, had hepatitis but that's about it. This was years ago, I haven't signed a consent form in 20 years.

In the past, the consent forms were in place to mainly protect the tattooer, not the tattooee.

I remember questions like that as well. They did seem mostly to be kept on file to protect the tattoo artists, with both had me sign at the bottom after acknowledging that I have been giving proper after care information and that I agreed to the proceedure (I even remember one of the places had a line stating that I had not been tattooed under duress, and that the tattoo artist had not forced me into it). The most recent place I went to even photocopied my driver's license for record because I looked underage haha.

Edited March 1, 2015 by tay943
spelling errors

[xcom]

I didn't sign a consent form on my last session, We just went straight to work after a bunch of idea exchange...

[Tornado6]

I don't remember exactly what was on the form, but the Yes and No overlapped on the electronic one I had to do, so I clicked Yes for everything :o

I had to ask my husband about this topic. I thought he didn't really care, but now I know. He really doesn't care one way or the other about my tattoos. He said sitting through the one he came along for was kind of neat, and kind of boring. I know he'll never get a tattoo, or ride a roller coaster, or enjoy swimming in the ocean. So I do that stuff on my own or with my son.

[marley mission]

I don't remember exactly what was on the form, but the Yes and No overlapped on the electronic one I had to do, so I clicked Yes for everything :o

I had to ask my husband about this topic. I thought he didn't really care, but now I know. He really doesn't care one way or the other about my tattoos. He said sitting through the one he came along for was kind of neat, and kind of boring. I know he'll never get a tattoo, or ride a roller coaster, or enjoy swimming in the ocean. So I do that stuff on my own or with my son.

that man's missing out lol

ah to each their own

no tatts on my wife

she is crazy for rollercoaters though

and the beach

[jen7]

My spouse is kind enough to wait with me in line for the rollercoaster, but ducks out at the last sec. Me, I ride every one I can.

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[jen7]

I finally fessed up my future tattoo plans (ribs and second half sleeve) to my other half. He wanted to know if I was going to become one of those people with full coverage. I said I didn't really know. It was uncomfortable.

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[knucklehead211]

When I met my significant other (and hopefully future wife) we were both growing into ourselves. At the time, I had no tattoos, though I never hid that I had always wanted them. Now, with a half sleeve and a calf sleeve coming up, she has told me a few times that she doesn't want me to be one of those people that are heavily tattooed. On the subject of my calf in particular, she has said she didn't think it would look very classy! But I'm not worried about it. We've been together for almost seven years, and I don't think my plans to get inked will come between us. I've always wanted her to get more tattoos (she only has one small discreet one) but she says it's not for her. Doesn't bother me either way, still love her more than life itself.