Tattoos and why

[gougetheeyes]

KEV- best thing ive read toady!

Ive been watching the tattoo shows on tv probably since i was seventeen and just was in awe of what was being done. i loved the finished piece and the bright colors or bold black on beautiful skin. fast forward to my current job where i started working with my now friend who has some beautiful pieces on her arms by some great Toronto artists. i had to stop myself from staring. i was mesmerized! i wanted a change in my life and i wanted to do something that seemed "dangerous" and i decided that getting a tattoo was the right thing to do. my co-worker told me about lizzie and i heard about LST from her. i have learned so much from this site and seen mind blowing stuff. i've recently fallen in love with Amund Dietzel's work and life. just last week Nick Collela was in Toronto at Speakeasy and i got my third piece from him. a sparrow and horseshoe design from the book about Amund by Jon Reiter. i love it! *smiling from ear to ear*

Alanna, this is really incredible! That you went from watching the TV shows, to seeking out a good tattooer, to LEARNING about the history and the trade, to actually being so invested to continue to get tattooed by great people and talking with such enthusiasm about Dietzel's desings -- amazing. I bet most people's initial reaction to that first sentence of your story was something like, "Here we go.." but you've just proved that nobody's own story is more legitimate than anyone else's. Truly, truly awesome.

[MsRad]

Alanna, you should see if Jon is coming to Toronto anytime soon. He's a nice dude and would probably love to hear that you were inspired by his book!

[Kev]

KEV- best thing ive read toady!...

I can't take credit for it; I heard it from a much wiser person than me :)

[cfgsteak]

I initially got a couple of tattoo's while i was in the Army. My Dad had a tattoo and I thought it was pretty cool. I grew up in a middle class area and NO ONE had tattoos except guys like my Dad who had served in the military. I thought they were pretty cool...I felt they represented something unique among these guys that otherwise seemed pretty boring and normal.

I got a couple of (bad) tattoos. Well, they arent the worst, but I dont feel they represent me anymore. Its been a long time since I got them and my life has changed...I want art that represents my life now...I like how Kev put it, the outward symbol of an inward change. So fitting!

So...fast forward about 25 years from my first tattoos and I finally feel comfortable with what I actually want to cover the old work I had done as a kid. I am so impressed by the quality of work being done by artists today. I've always wanted my upper arms covered completely. I am planning on getting a panther head on my calf like my Dad's in honor of him. I'm glad my tattoo "dream" is finally happening.

[AlannaCA]

Alanna, this is really incredible! That you went from watching the TV shows, to seeking out a good tattooer, to LEARNING about the history and the trade, to actually being so invested to continue to get tattooed by great people and talking with such enthusiasm about Dietzel's desings -- amazing. I bet most people's initial reaction to that first sentence of your story was something like, "Here we go.." but you've just proved that nobody's own story is more legitimate than anyone else's. Truly, truly awesome.

Alanna, you should see if Jon is coming to Toronto anytime soon. He's a nice dude and would probably love to hear that you were inspired by his book!

Pat, thank you so much for writing that comment, it was such a surprise and so nice to read! haha you wrote that comment about the sentence i started with and i knew, i just knew it would cause some people to think that or to skip over my little story but it still plays a part in my little history, so it has to be said, lol!! the little tattoo that i got is only my third and one that has no meaning what so ever, i got it because i liked it and it was so refreshing!

Robin thats a good idea, im really enjoying the book so far and it would be really cool to meet Jon!

[gougetheeyes]

Bumping this one back up. Used to tell people they helped me understand myself, which was my quick, bullshit response since everybody always wanted to know why why why -- kind of recently realized it's true, even when just getting something you like the look of. And I think it makes sense the more inclined I seem to be towards black work. Though I need to get all the big planned spaces out of my system first...

[Stitch626]

My dad was an artist, and as far back as I can remember I got bored of drawin on paper and drew "tattoos" on myself. Though my dad didn't have tattoos and wasn't a tattooist. And my mom and brother have none.. Just always liked how they looked.. My mom wasn't surprised in the least bit when my bf at the time took me for my first one.

[Mel Noir]

Customer here: I think I'm just an obsessive collector at heart. That's the only reason I've ever managed to come up with, anyway. You could maybe also say that because my mam, aunties and cousins all have tattoos (and the fact I went with them for a couple) made it "one of those things", where you just sort of do it without thinking that much. Mind, I'm a lot more covered than anyone else in the family (see: obsessive collector).

[aaronkicks]

When I got into tattooing all my friends were either punk/hardcore/skinhead scene (non racist scene) and a few of my most influential friends got tattooed at this local biker tattoo shop. The artist did awesome tattoos, very new school style so of course I went to him for my first one. I've never been afraid to speak my mind or tell people how I feel or what I feel and that is one of the main reasons why me and the artist hit it off so well. I wasn't afraid to talk shit to him when he'd dish it out first. So after me getting a few tattoos I told him how I was going to art school (originally american academy of art in chicago) and expresed how i wanted to be an art teacher in inner city schools. Needless to say he talked me out of it and asked if I'd pursue a career in tattooing. The rest is history. It's been ups and downs, depression, happiness, loneliness, joy, every emotion possible. Tattooing chose me. I learned the hard way, the extremely hard way. To this day I still have repercussions as to who I worked for, why I worked for him, and what I'm still doing running his shop but overall I don't give a fuck. Tattooing chooses you and not the other way around. I'll never respect someone who paid 5 grand to learn how to tattoo. Fuck that, paying for an apprenticeship is easy, but EARNING one that's a different story.