Hi from LA

[Lppp64]

Hi all, I'm a classical music student in LA looking into getting tattooed for the first time, and I'd to ask some questions about the culture in general. I've had a few piercings done but at not so familiar with tattoo culture. Looking forward to being involved in the community here.

[TrixieFaux]

Hi @Lppp64, ask away!

[Lppp64]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back here.

My question is just is it cool to go into a tattoo shop and ask for an original piece of art? I feel like a lot of the people I know who get tattoos do so for symbolic reasons, or to remind them of some sort of important event in their life, but I'm just not really into that. I'd much rather just have a beautiful work of original art than something that symbolizes something else.

[OutOfIdeas]

Yes. Look around, go into shops and look at portfolios, look around online and find someone who's style you love. Then do exactly as you said. Get them to draw you up a custom tatty zap, and enjoy it for the rest of your life.

[Lppp64]

Thanks for the info, @OutOfIdeas.

[Graeme]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back here.

My question is just is it cool to go into a tattoo shop and ask for an original piece of art? I feel like a lot of the people I know who get tattoos do so for symbolic reasons, or to remind them of some sort of important event in their life, but I'm just not really into that. I'd much rather just have a beautiful work of original art than something that symbolizes something else.

I'd say not only is it cool, but that you're more likely to get a good tattoo if you want something primarily because you appreciate it as art and not for how many convoluted symbols you cram into a design. Like @OutOfIdeas said, go to shops and look through portfolios, look on the Latest Tattoo Lowdown thread here and on instagram to see what artists are doing, find one who is doing tattoos that really speak to you, and get tattooed by that person. Is there anything you've seen that you're particularly thinking of?

[Lppp64]

I'd say not only is it cool, but that you're more likely to get a good tattoo if you want something primarily because you appreciate it as art and not for how many convoluted symbols you cram into a design. Like @OutOfIdeas said, go to shops and look through portfolios, look on the Latest Tattoo Lowdown thread here and on instagram to see what artists are doing, find one who is doing tattoos that really speak to you, and get tattooed by that person. Is there anything you've seen that you're particularly thinking of?

I haven't really seen anything specific I can point to, but I just tend to like super bold colors and lines. Will do some checking around here.