"If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

Q.  When will clear unpierced beautiful skin come back in style?  And along with that, smiles? 

A.  When Black Jack, Clove and Beemans Pepsin re-emerge as America's fave chewing gum brands.

...CONTROVERSY AHEAD...

I thought the trend would go the opposite way in the 21st century but no. 

I have a theory though.  Something like the need to be in control of one's own suffering.  Inducing it.  Something like mitigating against the inflicted external pain brought about by life, families, inner pain, the world today, etc.  Yeah, then there's the pretty pictures and all.  But still...there's a compulsion to it.

I don't mean to be a tattoo kill joy.  I enjoy a photogenic moment as much as the next guy/gal.  But I do question when this compulsion/fad or whatever you want to call it -- this need to permanently alter what was once youthful, smooth, unblemished skin into a coloring book.  I keep returning to my theory.  Angelina Jolie's tattoos seem to me to go hand-in-hand with her previous cutting, bulimia and the vial of blood around the neck. 

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Some of it does do with pain and the euphoria I'm sure. Mine have to do with the meanings and the art, I like how the skin is a medium and what they can do with it now as oppose to when tattoos were being created with garbage inks and bad art. 

I will admit I got most of my work done while being single, they say you transfer a lot of intimacy during a tattoo and most likely the touch and euphoria and endorphins all add up.  You can't really base other people's ideas and art and meanings on Angelina's way of thinking. Or what you think her way of thinking is lol. I mean no offense to any of this btw, it's hard to convey a smirk or sarcasm via message board. Secondly her tattoos are all just trendy crap, not done well, removed and re done like ads on a billboard. 

 I look at it as to each their own, back when tattoos were only for military or prostitutes I would have told you to second think it. At this point it's much more open, much less taboo. The people have some beautiful art work and can express themselves as they see fit as well. Mostly an older generation sees them as bad or everyone with them is disreputable. check out http://www.rhernandeztattoos.com/, check out http://tattoofrenzy.com/

 Weather it's your thing or not, you can't deny it's caught on, and has been the medium for some beautiful art in the past 10 yrs or so. As for people who can't accept it or don't like it. That's their issue. http://s542.photobucket.com/albums/gg439/vampyremike/?action=view&current=boarshead.jpg&newest=1

 Check out my arm, whatya think? This is pre sleeve

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

I checked out all the links, Mike.  Lots of darkness including the musical accompaniment on that one site!  While the artists are generally competent, the same images on canvas/paper/board would be akin to what you'd find in a fantasy art shop or one of Saddam Hussein's palaces.  Where the ink may be permanent, the "canvas" is not even close.  The changes that take place over a lifetime would make for an even more interesting website.  Hmmm, I may want to chronicle these changes if I have some willing volunteers who'll let me track the progress of their tattoos from new to aging. 

I am the older generation but not so namby pamby that I am shocked by tattoos.  Along that line I find that people in their 80s and 90s are also not so delicate in demeanor that they cringe from horror at the "youf" of today.  Live long enough and you see plenty no matter the mores of the specific eras.  Hanging out at my mother's senior community with that demographic I find them pretty unflappable.

Many, maybe even most, of the 20 to 30-somethings I know have tattoos.  Piercings too.  I don't judge them as "bad or disreputable" but I will admit, the most obvious of markings makes me... how can I say?  ... maybe the word is a little sad.  Wistful.  Sorry. 

But I have photographed many tattoos.  Have stopped people on the beach and asked for permission to take a photo.  Have done the same at the Twin Peaks Festival, as Chris will attest. 

Here are some photos I took as a newborn baby photographer.   There's the mom's leg and foot and the dad's arms.  They had colorful and pretty tattoos.  She was into lilies; dad liked mermaids.  Nice couple.  Sweet people.  Adorable baby.  But when I look at her perfect bare and brand new skin, I project ahead a couple of decades.  I hope she rebels. 

We have a company policy for baby photographers:

No visible tattoos

No face jewelry (lip, tongue, nose, eyebrow, or chin)

No more than 3 stud-like earrings

Much of what happens these days is "less taboo" from single motherhood to open "medical" marijuana shops that proliferate in my town to posting nude videos of yourself on YouTube to televising your "celebrity" rehab experience.  It makes me wonder what will be the next taboo to be thrashed as passe.  And I start to believe there's some positive purpose to societal taboos. 

 Interested in this discussion and thanks for indulging me.

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

You too as well, this has been pretty interesting. Thanks :)

 As a side note you had mentioned seeing tattoos and how they age. I used to help out in the local shop from time to time. (Tattoo Frenzy the link I had sent you above.) Anyhow the inks now a days are made out of such fine materials as oppose to back in the sailor days when they only had a few colors and all the inks were made of garbage. Hence now why they turn that greenish hue. Also depending on if you go in the sun or take care of them makes a big difference. I've had mine for years and they are still as bright as ever, i don't tan or go in the sun. (Sort of like my name lol) and If I know I'll be around sun I use the highest SPF. I also take very good care of them when they are new, and I use cocoa butter to moisturize every morning. The main cause of tattoos getting all blobby and green and mush into one another is. Bad inks and  bad design where lines are too close are big culprits. The lines need a certain distance because your tattoo will bleed under the skin no matter what with age, however if the lines have that distance it will be fine. If things are very tight and there is no room... then as the platelets move the ink will spread and start to mix into one another to make "blobs". I have come across horrible pieces of work, most likely due to sun and them not leaving distance between the work. I understand your thoughts about the medium itself and respect it. But I just find it so fascinating that the medium is living skin. It's pretty interesting how far it's come from old two dimensional stuff to what is out there now with popping colors and a photo that could look better than real. Anyhow, take care and it's been a pleasure. ;)

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

 When his palace was photographed, he proved a big fan of this sort of art...

See what I mean?

As for the longevity of the newer tattoo inks, I was really talking about what happens to skin and bodies over time.  Weight gain and loss, liver spots, wrinkles, lost elasticity, sags, bags, broken blood vessels, varicose veins etc. All that good stuff. 

Don't know why, but I couldn't get anything but 24 "?s" when I went to your photo bucket link.  Tried it with Firefox and Safari.  Any ideas how I can view the photos?

Susan

PS Never mind.  I seem to be able to view the photos on Safari.

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

That art doesn't really remind me of any of my tattoos or ones i've seen recently, it looks like cheesy old fantasy art lol. 

 But interesting none the less =) 

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

What about you, Booth?  Somehow I don't picture you with any tattoos.  If you do have any, I'd imagine a single, small, discreet and maybe a single color.  Tell me I'm wrong.

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Personally i think tattoos are very sexy on a girl/guydepending on where he/she has it and what it is. I'm not too big on turning myself into a walking art gallery, but I wouldn't mind having a few decent sized tattoos here and there. My mom even got one (a small shooting star at the time of my BFF's funeral) before I did, and one of my friends talked about getting a tat of a FFVIII GF called Diablos. As for the whole job thing from my experience human resources have been very lenient on employees having tattoos (at least where I have worked) as long as you could cover it during work hours, or it wasn't offensive then it wouldn't be a problem, I knew a girl who had one behind her ear and on her arm and you could see them plain as day and no one ever said or did anything about it. 

"This is the Girl."

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

 "If I don't have enemies I'm not doin' my job."

www.segacduniverse.com

branded for life...

that`s how i view them...

and you might view something in a completely different way 6 months on...so i`ve never had one done...

people with tattoos on their necks/faces/hands...

they`re just making a statement....

that they`re scum....etc

Myowl