Relationships and tattoos

[Colored Guy]

....Her grandad had some pretty cool tattoos and had both hands done during the 30's, which in the UK at least was more or less social suicide. I've taken the attitude that people without tattoos are cool because they make tattooed people stand out.

From what I've seen of British tattoo history, aside from sailors, most people had them covered up. I have a book of tattoo pix and they have a big collection of the British Tattoo Club.... lots of people look like bankers or doctors.

CG

[shell]

for me personally- i don't think i could be with someone with no tattoos- not because i'm not attracted to them, but because of work/life balance alone. i am currently a tattoo apprentice but spent many years managing studios and just don't know if a non tattooed person would have the same appreciation for why i'm still at work 2 hours after the shop has closed, or why i'm drawing for this weeks appointments instead of watching tv with my partner, or why when going on holidays does it have to be planned around wanting to check out a convention somewhere or getting tattooed by someone specific.

that said- i'm lucky i have an amazing boyfriend of nearly 2 years who is pretty much financially supporting us through my apprenticeship. he was already pretty tattooed when we started dating but has become more tattooed and made better tattoo choices since we've been together.

[Nate Pea]

From what I've seen of British tattoo history, aside from sailors, most people had them covered up. I have a book of tattoo pix and they have a big collection of the British Tattoo Club.... lots of people look like bankers or doctors.

CG

it's definitely true that we have a history of tattoo'ed eccentrics, but their not so much the everyday collectors. my old boss knew Ron Ackers for awhile before he died and he's fond of quoting him saying 'tattooing is a working class past-time' by which he meant both doing and getting.

when i was a kid in the 70's it was kind of an unwritten rule that people with either one or two on either fore arm were acceptable because it was assumed that they were gotten while serving in the armed forces, but any body with much more than that was instantly assumed to be a gypsy, thief or thug.

to be honest not so much has changed, the amount you have and placement still seem to have a large bearing on how you are percieved, i have throat, neck and hands done and while that is still way beyond the pale a lad i know who has some really outstanding geometric stuff on his face draws more attention still. like....he's way too cool to notice i think!

by the way, my girlfriends grandfather was indeed a gypsy, but he settled down when he met his wife and worked in the local mine for the rest of his life. he used to get tattooed by a travelling tattooer who would come for a week once or twice a year and work out of the barbers. it's hard to pin down exactly what he had, just a lot and a ballerina on the top of one hand that my girlfriend remembers because she liked it so much.

- - - Updated - - -

oh, my old boss was Winston Gomez. not sure how he's remembered in the industry because i only have his version of events. he's semi retired at the moment but he was heavily involved in the industry around north wales and chester.

[JeffK]

Sorry if I'm bringing back a dead thread, but this one was interesting.

I've been getting tattoos since before me and my wife were dating. We've been married 8 years, together 10. She actually JUST got her 1st and 2nd in the last 2 months. I never thought she would. Not that she's against them. She usually said "I like them on you, not on me."

Anyway. Now we have all sorts of new conversations that we just never had. When are you getting one? Do we have the money for us BOTH to get one now? What are you getting? Haha that's stupid, you're such a goon! All things we each hear or say now.

I know it's trivial but it does add a new dynamic to our relationship.

Our next plan is to go in and pick out one another's tattoo based on the classic wall flash, making sure to choose something the other would probably not think to choose themselves. Risky, yeah (because my wife's an asshole and I'll no doubt walk out with Tweety Bird holding an AK-47) but fun and just kind of part of who we are anyway.

[gougetheeyes]

and I'll no doubt walk out with Tweety Bird holding an AK-47

HOW IS THIS A PROBLEM?! Hahaa sounds awesome man.. kinda dig the idea of having each other pick one.

[Vinn]

My wife has no tattoos. She has never had a problem with me continuing to get tattoos, except once when she asked, "Why another skull, don't you have enough" (answer: never can have enough). I always thought she was just tolerating my tattoos.

But this past weekend she went from tolerating to supportive. When I found this forum I learned more about tattoos than I had learned in years of being tattooed. There is a whole nation of amazing tattooers out there and i have to visit as many as i can. So I told her I wanted to start traveling for tattoos. She said great, where are we going first?

Life is good.

[spyro]

I don't think it should, but i think it does.

Theres a stigma that comes with heavy tattooing that is hard to ignore, and has to be okay with the other person

[CercleRouge]

My girlfriend has no tattoos, and I prefer her like that. She can of course do whatever she wants with my full support, but right now I like her the way she is.

[else]

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...

[rocketfish344]

if the relationship is meaningful enough i believe a tattoo would be fine.

[Dan S]

i very much prefer men with tattoos......

lucky for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[David Flores]

if the relationship is meaningful enough i believe a tattoo would be fine.

What does that even mean?

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My Wife has a few tattoos, my girlfriend on the other hand......... rimshot!

[CultExciter]

NAILED IT!

[bulldog]

My girl has started getting on my case to slow down, I have been getting a tattoo at a rate of approx 1 a month for the last year, which is cool as with my laser also i am getting fed up with always having something healing. Even so I have booked my next tattoo in two months time which I will mention a couple of days before to limit the nagging. She also has asked me not to tattoo my legs, looks like ill have to by some long socks in the future too!!

Considering she has no tattoos she is pretty cool about tattoos though.

[Scott R]

My girl has started getting on my case to slow down, I have been getting a tattoo at a rate of approx 1 a month for the last year, which is cool as with my laser also i am getting fed up with always having something healing. Even so I have booked my next tattoo in two months time which I will mention a couple of days before to limit the nagging. She also has asked me not to tattoo my legs, looks like ill have to by some long socks in the future too!!

Considering she has no tattoos she is pretty cool about tattoos though.

I Am going through this as well except my girl is my wife, I will not get any for a while and let the dust settle

[rocketfish344]

i have yet to be in a serious relationship. hopefully the other members can help you out!

[HaydenRose]

My girl has started getting on my case to slow down, I have been getting a tattoo at a rate of approx 1 a month for the last year, which is cool as with my laser also i am getting fed up with always having something healing. Even so I have booked my next tattoo in two months time which I will mention a couple of days before to limit the nagging. She also has asked me not to tattoo my legs, looks like ill have to by some long socks in the future too!!

Considering she has no tattoos she is pretty cool about tattoos though.

My boyfriend/fiance has no tattoos and no plans on getting them. Like your girlfriend, he has some stipulations, too. But will probably ignore them...oops. I really want to get my hands done and maybe my chest :/

Also, is it just me or are most relationships with one person tattooed and the other not, its always the man thats tattooed. I feel like were such an odd couple with me having a bunch and plans to get more heavily covered, and he has no plans or desires to get any.

Thankfully, I don't mind at all, and neither does he!

[fourtotheflush]

I have three mediocre tattoos and my wife has two pretty bad ones.

I plan on, or want to plan on getting at least 4 more. She only has plans for 1 more.

With that she doesnt want me to get any 'Big' pieces. or really dark pieces, which Im ok with - for now anyway.

We both have 1 that we watn to get covered - hers will be pretty easy as its only some line work. Mine is full color and im in no rush to get it covered until I start running out of room!

[Chelsea Shoneck]

I may have already posted in this thread but I'm too lazy to check. Oh well. Maybe this post will be different enough anyway?

When I met my husband about 8 years ago, he probably wouldn't have been the type to really get tattooed - maybe one or two tops. I think being with me has definitely changed that. I tattoo and I have plans to be pretty heavily covered (although we agreed no face or throat - which I am totally okay with -everything else is up to me). He has a law degree and will likely work in very conservative white collar jobs for most of his life, so he is pretty limited as far as visible tattoos go. In the past year especially he has been getting more and more into tattoos, and now follows a ton of tattooers on Instagram. He constantly has ideas for new pieces he wants to get and I think he gets a little jealous that he can't really have his forearms done while I can do whatever I want with my job haha. I feel pretty lucky that he's very open to my plans to be heavily covered, and that he shares an interest in tattoos in general. Some people might not care too much about what their significant other thinks, and I think that's a perfectly valid stance, but how he feels about my body definitely does matter to me. I'm glad he and I are on the same page with that.

[HaydenRose]

He has a law degree and will likely work in very conservative white collar jobs for most of his life, so he is pretty limited as far as visible tattoos go. In the past year especially he has been getting more and more into tattoos, and now follows a ton of tattooers on Instagram. He constantly has ideas for new pieces he wants to get and I think he gets a little jealous that he can't really have his forearms done while I can do whatever I want with my job haha.

Why can't he get his forearms done? If he's working a conservative job, most likely he won't expose them anyway. I've never seen a lawyer wearing a tshirt... I think only the hands would be an issue. I also find I just can't wear white or you can see my tattoos through the shirt.

[ThaliaCamille]

Also, is it just me or are most relationships with one person tattooed and the other not, its always the man thats tattooed. I feel like were such an odd couple with me having a bunch and plans to get more heavily covered, and he has no plans or desires to get any.

Thankfully, I don't mind at all, and neither does he!

I've actually never dated a man with tattoos. I was in a 6-year relationship that ended a couple months ago, with a guy who never even considered getting tattooed. My current partner also has virgin skin and no plans to change that, but loves my tattoos. I do sometimes wonder, since tattoos are a big part of my life, whether I'd be better off with a tattooed love interest, but I can always talk to him about my plans to get more and he gets just as excited as I do so I guess in the end it doesn't matter.

I suppose it's a less common combination (tattooed woman, non-tattooed man) but I wouldn't say it was all too rare.

[else]

I've actually never dated a man with tattoos.

That seems so strange to me...

Actually, reviewing "the list" in my head I've only ever been in a relationship with one man without any tattoos at all... and he was a schlecht. Not to say that all the tattooed men I ever dated were awesome catches- but the one particular guy with no tattoos was especially awful.

I always knew that I liked tattoos (and liked men with tattoos), but I had never actually stopped to review my dating choices in regards to tattooed vs. not tattooed men until just now. I'm learning all kinds of things about myself this evening!

[David Flores]

I have never dated a heavily tattooed women, but can't think of the last women I dated or even played twister with that didn't have at least a couple tattoos.

[else]

I have never dated a heavily tattooed women, but can't think of the last women I dated or even played twister with that didn't have at least a couple tattoos.

Just out of curiosity... Do you think it's just a lack of opportunity or do you think that at a certain point of "tattooedness" it becomes unattractive to you? (Seriously, no judgement implied - just curious what your thoughts are on this.)

[David Flores]

Just out of curiosity... Do you think it's just a lack of opportunity or do you think that at a certain point of "tattooedness" it becomes unattractive to you? (Seriously, no judgement implied - just curious what your thoughts are on this.)

Honestly I am 33, I was married for 5 years the first time and 3 so far this time and had a couple other 1 year or close to relationships. I am just not on the market that much. I would not be opposed to dating a heavily tattooed woman, but my wife might take issue with it. Also the idea of what is heavily tattooed might be different to me. I mean if the average person who has a tattoo has one or two at the most, maybe my wife with her 10-12 tattoos could be considered heavily tattooed, but maybe I still see her the way I met her. I mean it's hard for me to even consider myself heavily tattooed.