Generally, when people see my tattoos for the first time, I get asked one of three questions:
"Did they hurt?"
"Why did you get them?"
"I want a tattoo, but I don't know what I want, what do you think would look good on me?"
To be fair, the first two are good questions. Ok, maybe not quite the first one, I mean of course it hurts getting a needle poked into your skin about a kajillion times a second!
The second one is a good question, although generally it depends on how it's asked. Really there is a huge difference between "what inspired you to get that one?" and "why would you get that on your skin?". The second way of asking this question is almost always meant in a condescending manner.
I have 15 tattoos, each of them with it's own meaning, and reason behind it. I got them because they tell my story, everything you could possibly need to know about me is tattooed on my skin; my name, my son's name, date of birth and what he weighed when he was born (you'd be amazed how many people ask that question), my favourite football team (Leeds United, yes I know, but I'm proud of it), my favourite band (I have the Bon Jovi logo on my back and the word "Always" on my wrist"), my love of comic books (this is simply a started half sleeve, and at the minute it's the Superman logo, it ties in with my love of Bon Jovi too), and what is quite possibly my worst personality trait (I have the words "hopeless romantic" along the top of my ribs). I only have one tattoo that could be considered an impulse tattoo, even though I did spend a month planning it, and that is flash cherries with the words "lucky 13" between my ribs. I got this because it was my 13th tattoo, and 13 is my lucky number, and because I like flash art. So I guess it was mildly impulsive.
However, I have never, and would never, go into a tattoo studio and pick a design out of a book. This is a personal thing, and I don't think that it's a bad thing to do, I know a lot of people do it and for some people it works, but not for me. All of my tattoos have an individual meaning to me, they are images that I have either designed myself or had designed for me. With the exceptions of my Superman logo and the Bon Jovi logo. Even my Leeds United tattoo isn't the actual Leeds badge, it's a Yorkshire rose and football, with the letters LUFC around it.
This is because I believe that tattoos should be unique to you. I dislike the idea of knowing that someone else has exactly the same tattoo as me. But then I dislike seeing someone with the same hair colour as me, or the same outfit!
My advice to anyone who tells me they want a tattoo but don't know what they want is simple; every time you find an image that you think you want tattooed on you, print it off and put it somewhere you will see it every day, be it on the back of your door, or on your mirror, anywhere that it will be in your line of sight. If after a month you're sick of looking at it, then don't get it tattooed, because you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life.
I can honestly say I do not regret any one of my tattoos, because this is what I do, I make sure I can 100% look at an image before I consider putting it on my skin.
Most people look at me and tell me that I will struggle to find work because of my extensive tattooing, However, this is something that I feel is unfair, but I know from personal experience is a fact. I am very lucky in my job that tattoos are widely accepted. However, I have been to many interviews, and openly said "Do you have a policy against tattoos?" and been told yes on a regular basis. Now most of my tattoos are easily covered, since most of them are on my legs and stomach, but I like to be open about them, it avoids any shocks if I wear a dress!
Tattoos are very stigmatised, it seems that people still if you have tattoos you in some way a bad person, or irresponsible and untrustworthy. It more widely accepted for men to be extensively tattooed than it is for women. Though it is something that seems to split people down the middle, some people really dislike tattoos on females, some people find it really sexy. It's generally less divided when it comes to men, most tattooed men are sexy men.
One thing I don't understand is that people who don't have tattoos, and don't want any, always feel the need to pass judgement on those who do have tattoos. And this is where questions like "Why would you do that to yourself?" arise. I mean I don't go round saying to people without tattoos "why don't you have any tattoos?" It's your body do what you want, I couldn't care less if you've got tattoos or not, so don't care about mine! "If the body is a temple, why not decorate the walls?" I personally feel that I look a lot better with tattoos, I'm much more confident in my appearance with them, and I am less inclined to hide my body, and as far as I'm concerned, if I love my appearance then why does what any one else thinks actually matter?
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