My Tattoos

 

My Tattoos

When I turned 18, I wanted to get as many tattoos as possible.

Before doing that, however, I promised myself that the first one had to have a personal meaning for me.

It took 13 years and I'm very glad that happened, because I would probably be covered in logos of bands I no longer listen to in addition to who-knows-what else.

My current count is fifteen and they represent me pretty well.

(I reached out to Starlight for the names of the first two artists but they never responded.)

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#01 – Ouroboros
by ??? @ Starlight in Rochelle Park, New Jersey

Like all cool kids, I got my first tattoo with my mom.

Hers was a tiger lily, because her name was Lillian and… I don’t know… I guess she was ferocious.

An ouroboros is a creature from many mythologies and cultures that represents both destruction and rebirth, symbolized by eating its own tail. Self-sustainment, too. I thought it was significant.

I gave the artist three designs and asked him to combine them. The most important element to me was that many small parts made up one larger entity. I simply liked the coloring and the wings.

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#02 – Groucho Marx
by ??? @ Starlight in Rochelle Park, NJ

I grew up watching The Marx Brothers, mostly because my maternal grandfather (who also introduced me to Monty Python) was a fan.

What I admire most about Groucho is the speed with which he spoke. His jokes hit so fast that laughing at one would mean missing the next.

I am not as quick-witted but always enjoyed that he was.

The quote “Whatever it is, I’m against it.” is from the 1932 film Horse Feathers, specifically part of a song Groucho sings.

For me, the line signifies looking at all sides of an issue before reaching a conclusion. I also tend to refuse anything offered to me.

UPDATE: I never regretted getting the quote around Groucho’s silhouette, but got it covered up for two reasons:

1) When I wore a regular T-shirt, only the ‘I’m against it’ part was visible, which prompted many people to inquire what I dislike. Some guy even raised my sleeve to see the rest but then freaked out when I asked if he commonly lifts up unknown men’s shirts.

2) I opted to get silhouettes depicting some of my heroes around Groucho.

While you cannot read so on my arm, please know that I am still firmly against whatever it is.

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#03 – Rune
by Chip @ Reykjavik Ink in Reykjavik, Iceland

When I first contacted Reykjavik Ink, I had a vision.

I imagined a person with Viking ancestry (who was also dressed like one) would give me the tattoo and find it so interesting I was getting a Rune that not only would we talk about it during the session, but we’d continue the conversation over a beer after.

I wasn’t naïve enough to think that would actually happen, but something like it was a hope.

Instead…

I checked in and was told to go to the waiting area until the artist was ready.

Then I heard, in a thick Southern American accent, ‘All right, man, where we puttin’ this thing?’

They’d stuck me with Chip from Mobile, Alabama. My Viking dream was shattered.

And he wasn’t even conversational! I figured we’d at least bond over being from the same country.

But no. Twenty mostly silent minutes later, I left and went alone to get the beer I’d been thinking about.

The Runes form an ancient Scandinavian alphabet (actually two- elder and younger) called the Futhark.

As for the Rune itself, it’s called Raidho, which signifies wanderlust, order, and a curiosity about oneself.

The design was originally going to be fairly standard, but I’d recently seen a dotted-outline tattoo and thought that was more interesting.

Also, Chip tried to convince me to get it the opposite way, so I could show the Rune to the world. ‘But it’s for me’, I said. And that was that.

The Rune looking like the first letter of my name is just a happy coincidence.

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#04 – Black hole
by Matt @ Starlight in Rochelle Park, NJ

This was modeled after Gargantua, the black hole from the film Interstellar.

I greatly enjoy both that piece of art and Astronomy in general, so it seemed appropriate.

Matt did not color parts of the tattoo because he felt it looked better, but asked me to think about it for a few days before deciding if that would be the permanent design. At first, I was unsure but grew to like it more when I looked at it as meaning part of me was in the black hole.

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#05 – Potato clock
by Jones @ Six Daggers in Boise, Idaho

A friend suggested this design because the 12:00 (though I probably should have gotten 00:00) represented midnight on December 31, 2022, when I would officially be rid of the house I grew up in.

The potato idea was simply because I was in Idaho.

Jones was very excited when I asked about the tattoo because he had made actual potato clocks in Science class as a teenager.

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#06 – House on fire
by Andrew @ Shogun in Pasadena, California

I found the idea of a building on fire to be an interesting design.

Then I realized I’d have to choose the structure.

What better place than my childhood home, right? (I might have some unresolved issues.)

I selected the place, sent a picture to Andrew, and was ready to get it permanently inked onto my chest.

We took a break when he was done with the outline. Looking at the artwork in a mirror, I noticed just how accurate it was. And then it all dawned on me.

I think it’s the most visually-stunning piece on my body but is also probably the most impactful, though I’m unsure of my capability to grasp such a thing.

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#07 – Semicolon and brain
by Cohen @ Apocalypse Girl in Cary, North Carolina

Project Semicolon began in 2013 and the semicolon has been a symbol of having dealt with mental issues and/or suicide.

I attended an out-patient mental health program and wanted to acknowledge its completion.

My original idea was to just get a semicolon on the side of my hand, but I realized it needed to be more personalized.

So, I decided on a brain outline and discussed it with Cohen, who drew up several ideas for the tattoo’s look.

After some tweaking, the chosen design was done fairly quickly and now it’s something I see every day as a reminder of… I’ll just say traumatic experiences.

Cohen never asked what it meant, which I was was mildly bummed about.

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#08 – Tragedy/Comedy masks
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

I often look at as many aspects of a situation as possible. This tattoo symbolizes the duality of emotions, both shown by masks, which can hide what's truly being felt.

I am also a fan of the performing arts, which has taken on the masks as a symbol for itself.

The "names" of the masks are Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy, and Thalia, the Muse of comedy. In Greek mythology, they are both daughters of Zeus.

The ivy is simply decorative because I thought the sample I found wasn't interesting enough.

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#09 – Ægishjálmur
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

Also called the Helm Of Awe, this shield symbolizes protection and victory in Norse mythology.

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#10 Vegvísir
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

This Nordic symbol represents a compass, but was never used by the Vikings. It was likely created in the 1800s, though the reason why is unknown.

The line at the "bottom" is not straight, which was an error by the artist that I've come to think of as making the piece unique.

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#11 – Stanley Kubrick
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

Director of Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, and several other films, I find his use of humor in dark situations fascinating.

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#12 – Frank Zappa
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

Post-humously inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, I thought his counter-culture stance and intelligent ideas were interesting. His use of humor supported by excellent musicianship made the inane seem glamorous. I’m especially a fan of his album Joe’s Garage, about a wholesome Christian boy falling in love with a gay robot.

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#13 – George Carlin
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

His influence on me cannot be denied nor under-emphasized. He was a comedian whose brainy jokes took aim at everyday ideas, though he wasn’t afraid to get serious(ish). He also rarely talked about sex, an issue that has forever made me uncomfortable. I blame/credit George for that.

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#14 – Anthony Bourdain
by Jayson @ Steel City Tattoo in Bethlehem, PA

Known to many as an accomplished chef and TV personality, his combination of travel and wit always appealed to me. I considered him a philosopher who led a very exciting life, which he ended himself in 2018. He also suffered from Depression.

#15 - ETWAS
by Hannah @ Obsidian in Emmaus, PA

I’ve been learning German for several years and wanted to get a tattoo of something in that language. I am also a fan of very corny puns. The word ‘etwas’ is German for ‘something’. The font is called Terminator and, as a life-long fan of that franchise, it simply had to happen and added another layer to the piece.

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Future tattoo ideas

PFEILSTORCH (German meaning ‘arrow stork’)
In the early 1800s, a bird was seen in Germany with an arrow through it. The weapon was made from wood that was only found in Africa, and the notion that birds migrate in Winter was born. I like that such an important thing was discovered by accident.

ANDY KAUFMAN & TONY CLIFTON
I've always admired Andy's work so getting an image of him and his alter ego would make for a nice angel/devil piece. Or perhaps pieces, if I separate them.

MONTY PYTHON FOOT
The famous symbol of their TV show Flying Circus.