Looking for some ideas

[Michael J Goldman]

Just lost my mom, my dad passed 22 years ago.

I'd like to get something in their honor but I'm having some trouble with ideas for a design. Not sure if I should incorporate their names, portrait, etc. I know it's a personal decision but, maybe someone could spark an idea.

[LadySparrow]

If I were searching for the honour tattoo design, I would pick something less obvious, maybe something we had loved doing together or they had been passionate about. Something that symbolizes them rather than names.

My friend has stylized portraits of her parents in oval frames on her feet, looks very nice.

[byzantine]

I agree with @LadySparrow . It might be worth going for something that you feel represents them rather than a more obvious portrait. Like activities you used to do together or a gift they once gave you. That way it means something to you but isn't so obvious as a commemoration.

If you get something more obvious like a portrait I wouldn't get it somewhere really visible unless you are okay with talking about them or their passing away all the time as you may get asked about it a fair bit. My friend has a tattoo on her leg to commemorate her stepbrother who passed away. It's really unusual and doesn't make sense unless she tells the story and it's really visible. She gets a tired of telling that story to be honest so I would probably go for something symbolic.

Just a few thoughts. I'm sure if you take a few ideas to a good artist you will be able to get something beautiful, symbolic and personal to you.

[SStu]

tripled. Just find anything that will remind you of them. Doesn't need to be obvious or mean anything to anyone else.

[Valpolicella]

Just as a thought, my little sister passed away when we were both kids and the last movie we watched together was Peter Pan, so I'm planning on getting a ship sailing into the stars to represent the golden ship from the movie. Super cool but also not super obvious to everyone who will see it.

[suburbanxcore]

Agreed. It doesn't have to be glaringly obvious to anyone but you. For example, my mom always had this purple porcelain flower on a bookshelf in our house as a young kid. I got a small bunch of lilacs on my leg as a little tribute.

Haha, she also used to have a ton of little pig statues around the house. I thought about getting the traditional Sailor Jerry pig design with a mom banner, but thought that it might send a weird message. I went with flowers instead.

[The Tig]

So many good ideas here already.

My wife's mother's name was Rose, so my wife got a small rose tattoo years ago. She plans on a larger, more detailed rose with a pink breast cancer ribbon for a future tattoo.

My mother loved magnolia trees and flowers, so I'll get a flower tattoo for her. I lost her 21 years ago.

[Tornado6]

I have a strawberry plant for my mom. I think I'll have a thistle for my Dad someday. They aren't memorial tattoos, though. I'm sorry for your loss.

Around here, the walls are filled with lots of memorial designs. There isn't anything wrong with some flash you like plus names / initials. Parents and your own children are exempt from the "no names" tattoo rules, IMO.

[PinkUnicorn]

Sorry for your recent loss.

My two tattoos are both very indirectly related to my parents - who are not around any more.

But the connections are extremely loose - I prefer that to something explicit.