Tattoos: got 'em? Want 'em? Hate 'em? (read OP before voting please)

[OpalCat]

So do you have any tattoos? If so, do you like them or regret them? If you don't have any, do you think you might get one/some later? Or are you totally against them? Poll to follow. Please read all the poll options and check all that apply as it is a multiple-answer poll with different sections.

[tdn]

Don't have any and never will. I don't mind if other people have them though.

An arm band or tramp stamp can look kind of cool. Covered head-to-toe looks pretty unappealing.

[Anaamika]

This is so funny. I just - literally about an hour ago - put down a deposit for my very first (and only) tattoo! I am planning to get a small Om symbol on the inside of my left wrist.

I was talking to my friend about it. I think that like everything else, some tattoos can absolutely be trashy and some don't have to be. I know lots of people think tattoos = trashy.

They also say "You can't stop at just one" which is also silly, IMO. I got my nose pierced - I didn't go on to pierce anything else.

I don't judge people negatively who have tattoos but I do feel like some effort should be made in a business environment. Like I don't care if you have a "tramp stamp" but I shouldn't really be seeing it in the office. I do judge people who have face tattoos, wholeheartedly and unreservedly. That is trashy, IMO.

[Omar Little]

I don't have any tattoos and don't expect that I will ever get one.

I generally don't care whether people have tatoo's or not. And I don't normally attach negative attitudes towards people with tattoos.

However, I think that some young people should figure out who or what they want to be in life before they start putting permanent ink on their bodies, especially in very visible areas. In most careers you are marketing something, and in most jobs it is yourself or your ideas that you are marketing. In some lines of work, having a full sleeve tattoo wouldn't make a difference, but in a lot of jobs, that style of body art, is going to detract from your ability to effectively market yourself or your ideas, as it will be distracting.

[ZipperJJ]

I got my tattoo 14 years ago and I still love it. I still love the design and love the placement. It's not tiny or hidden either - 4"x2" and on the inside of my shin.

I don't mind seeing them on others at all. My friend has a real pretty one on her shoulder and I like seeing it when she wears a cami. My roomie is pretty head-to-toe and he looks good. Except for the big "sXe" (straight edge) he got in high school, before he became addicted to drugs and sex. heh

I would like to have more but I don't have many spots on my body that wouldn't be affected by weight gain/loss. It's hard for fat people

[Asimovian]

After we'd been married a while, my wife got a tattoo on her leg that was the kanji symbols for "sun" and "moon." Several years later, after wanting a tattoo for a while but not having been sure of what I wanted, I figured that it would be a cool tribute to her and to us as a couple to have a matching tattoo. So I had the same characters done on my upper arm. My very first (and, so far, only) tattoo.

She was dismayed when she saw it. She reminded me that the symbols had nothing to do with us as a couple, but more her own attitude toward life. I had some regret then, but she ended up adding to her own tattoo, incorporating it into a much larger design. I was bothered and a bit hurt that she had no interest in us having matching designs, but I decided that even if it wasn't her meaning, MY tattoo would symbolize our relationship for me.

Of course, I discovered a much truer regret when our marriage ended.

Still, it's been over a year and a half since we split up, and I haven't done anything about it yet. Ultimately, I'd like to incorporate it into a larger design, but I haven't figured out anything meaningful enough to me yet to do so. And in the meantime, as much as I feared it might be, it has not become a painful reminder of the relationship for me. It's just marks on my arm. I rarely think about it.

Besides, jsgoddess finds it funny to point out that to her, the tattoo looks like a ladderback chair. So, it still serves a purpose for someone.

[MsWhatsit]

I am usually interested by other people's tattoos. Some look stupid and some look really cool, but I would not say that I judge people negatively just for having a tattoo. I might judge them for having a stupid-looking tattoo, though. (For the record, I checked both poll options "I generally don't care if a person has tattoos" and "I like seeing tattoos on other people" as I felt both were accurate.)

If I ever run a marathon, I plan to get a small tattoo of some sort commemorating this achievement.

[MadTheSwine]

How bout "I have tattoos and plan on getting more"?

[Mooch]

I checked "I have a lot of tattoos" and "I don't regret any of them". I generally don't care if anyone else has tattoos, but I like to see them (both the good ones and the hilariously bad ones).

[filling_pages]

I checked "I don't regret any of them" but also that I have had one covered. It was my only noncustom piece, a small kanji letter I got in the 90s. Since having it covered, I no longer have any that I regret.

[Marley23]

I have two right now, thinking about another and definitely planning others for the future. I've never regretted any of them. I also voted that I generally don't care if someone else has one. If it looks good, I think that's cool, but I don't feel more favorably disposed to someone with a crappy tattoo just because I have some myself.

[Dung Beetle]

At a brief glimpse, tattoos look to me like dirt, or a bug, or a wound. But then I look closer and see it’s some words, or a drawing, which somehow doesn’t improve on that first impression.

I know some wonderful people who have tattoos, so I don’t classify all tattooed people as trash. I simply think tattoos are hideous.

[Blut Aus Nord]

I don't care enough to judge a person unless they have an especially stupid or hideous tattoo, but even so, tattoos in general look to me like someone was doodled on with a bunch of Sharpies.

[TriPolar]

I don't have any tattoos but who knows about the future?
I don't have any tattoos and never will get one

I checked both of those because I don't have any, but have no objections to them, but I'm old and it seems stupid this late in life. I know a lot of people with tattoos. They can look stupid, which would be my only objection to any particular ones (and the same objection I would have to any non- or semi-permanent decoration which looks stupid).

BTW: What makes people stupid enough to get a tattoo of someone's name when either parties high water mark for a relationship is about 6 weeks?

[ugly ripe tomato]

Originally Posted by MsWhatsit

If I ever run a marathon, I plan to get a small tattoo of some sort commemorating this achievement.

my brother in law has a wing on his ankle with 26.2 worked into the design. It's done in blue and green and looks quite cool.

I picked "who knows about the future?" because if I ever found a design I really liked I might go for it and "don't mind them on other people." In fact if someone has a really colorful and elaborate sleeve or back piece I've sometimes asked if I can have a closer look, and they're usually happy to show it off.

[rhubarbarin]

I don't have any tattoos and can't imagine I ever will. Picked only that option in the poll.

I don't judge people negatively for having tattoos - most people I know have at least one. It's their prerogative. And I don't hate all tattoos - some are nice pictures, and many are very meaningful for the person who gets them.

I do however think it looks silly and ugly to have pictures, patterns, or words permanently displayed on your skin, no matter the quality of the artwork. I prefer any sexual partner I might have to not be tattooed. And I think tattoos in some areas, like the face or neck, look particularly awful and are a poor decision.

[Leaffan]

I picked:

- I don't have any tattoos and never will get one.
- I judge people negatively if they have tattoos.

I don't hate tattoos, and I certainly don't hate people who have gotten tattoos, but a tattoo on a person gives me another bit of information about that person, and it's not flattering.

[kapri]

I don't have tattoos and in general don't like them, but hey, it's your body. Anyway, some of my best friends have tattoos. Some have lots of them.

I do think tattoos make a person look dirty/smudgy, and nowadays having one seems to me a sheeplike thing to do. But again, be my guest and get a tattoo. I don't get why people do it, but again, it's your body.

[Crafter_Man]

I don't have any tattoos, and will never get one. I just don't see the point in getting one.

But though I don't have any, I am somewhat fascinated by them. But not by tattoos themselves; I am more fascinated by the people that get them. When I see a tattoo I often ask myself, "Gosh, I wonder why he/she got that? I wonder if they will regret it?" I am most fascinated by neck and facial tattoos, wherein I'll ask myself, "What in the hell were they thinking? What a dumbass. Don't they care about getting a good job in the future?"

[Invisible Chimp]

I don't have any tattoos and never planned on getting one. However, late last year I won a $100 gift certificate for a local tattoo parlor. I probably won't use it, but I might. I try not to judge people based on them having tattoos, but I do. Some tattoos on some people look cool, but I think that by and large, they look tacky.

[tdn]

Reading this thread has inspired me to check out some tattoo fail sites, and now I'm even gladder that I've never gotten one.

I think my favorite was the girl who got her nickname tattooed on her belly: Sweet Pee.

[MsWhatsit]

Originally Posted by tdn

I think my favorite was the girl who got her nickname tattooed on her belly: Sweet Pee.

Must be a diabetic.

[The wind of my soul]

I checked I have a tattoo and I have one or more tattoos and regret some of them. It seemed like the closest to the right answer, because I regret my tattoo once in a while but most of the time I like it. To say I wish I had never gotten any isn't exactly right because I don't feel that way, but there are certain situations where having a tattoo feels tacky to me.

I won't get any more, but I wish there were a better alternative between temporary tattoos and permanent. Sort of like with piercings ... you can leave one in for years, but just take the piercing out and it's instantly less noticeable, and often the hole will close up eventually.

[Gilliver]

I am fifty years old and don't have any tattoos, so it is unlikely that I will ever get one. My younger sister just got one last year at the age of forty eight though, so who knows. Maybe the urge will strike me.

I enjoy looking at other people's tattoos, and find many to be attractive works of art, although I have seen some ugly ones. It doesn't even bother me if someone's body is heavily covered. Now, if I see someone with the word F*CK written on their forehead, I am going to hope they are independently wealthy and never need a good job but it still wouldn't bother me or make me view that person negatively.

[tdn]

Originally Posted by MsWhatsit

Must be a diabetic.

Or really kinky.

[stpauler]

I don't have tattoos and generally don't care if you do. I do mind them if they're:
A) Horribly done
B) Have a typo
C) On your face
D) Are "trendy". Girls=Butterflies. Boys=Tribal Bands.

[Dung Beetle]

Originally Posted by Gilliver

Now, if I see someone with the word F*CK written on their forehead, I am going to hope they are independently wealthy and never need a good job but it still wouldn't bother me or make me view that person negatively.

Call me crazy, but I am going to view that person very negatively.

[anu-la1979]

I have the standard desi girl tattoo: om symbol on my back. No regrets.

[Joey P]

I have three, I don't 'regret' any of them, but my first two weren't done well, luckily they're on my back and really don't see the light of day ever except when I'm swimming. The third one is on my forearm, it's a very simple design and was done very very well, I'm very happy with it. I'm sure I'll get at least one or two more some day.

As for the other questions, I do like seeing tattoos on other people, especially if they're well done and the type of tattoos that appeal to me.

[Leaffan]

Originally Posted by MsWhatsit

Must be a diabetic.

Originally Posted by tdn

Or really kinky.

I'll assume both.

[Joey P]

Originally Posted by Anaamika

They also say "You can't stop at just one" which is also silly, IMO. I got my nose pierced - I didn't go on to pierce anything else.

Obviously, "you can't stop at just one" doesn't apply to everyone, but I've never heard it about piercings. Most people (that I know) do end up getting more then one tattoo. The reasoning that I've heard (and it was partially true for me) is that after all the build up, you realize that it wasn't that big of a deal. I think part of that is because unlike a wound or injury, no matter how much the actual tattooing hurts, the pain stops literally the instant the needle stops. Even just the few seconds that they stop to re-ink are nice little breaks for you. So, sure, for some tattoos, you might be in agony for two hours, but ten minutes later you're just fine other then maybe a bit of stinging.

[pbbth]

I don't have a tattoo and will never get a tattoo. I don't generally care if other people get them or not. Sometimes they are even kind of cool! I will say though that if you have a tattoo of any kind on your face, neck, or hands I am going to judge you as having very poor judgement. Also, if your tattoo is atrocious I will judge you for that as well. The recent spat of tattoos of Charlie Sheen with the word "Winning" underneath and the tattoos of animals on someone's stomach that use the bellybutton as a butthole are a couple of examples of that.

[Hampshire]

I have one that I got about 12 years ago that I love that symbolizes a lot of changes at that period of time in my life that have stuck with me and made me who I am today. It means a lot to me and reminds me of those years.
It was personal and I had it in mind for about a year before I got it and it was one of those "I don't plan on getting a tattoo but if I ever do this would be it" things. I've considered getting another one to symbolize the current stage in my life (wife/child husband/fatherhood) but haven't settled on anything over the last 4 years.
I don't understand people who seem to do it just to get one though. People who say things like "Oooo, I really want a tattoo I just don't know what I want yet" or "They're sooo addictive" or seem to get random ones just to get them of things they spent about 20 minutes deciding on. (Things like team logos, cartoon characters, or business logos like Harley-Davidson)

[Anaamika]

Originally Posted by Joey P

Obviously, "you can't stop at just one" doesn't apply to everyone, but I've never heard it about piercings. Most people (that I know) do end up getting more then one tattoo. The reasoning that I've heard (and it was partially true for me) is that after all the build up, you realize that it wasn't that big of a deal. I think part of that is because unlike a wound or injury, no matter how much the actual tattooing hurts, the pain stops literally the instant the needle stops. Even just the few seconds that they stop to re-ink are nice little breaks for you. So, sure, for some tattoos, you might be in agony for two hours, but ten minutes later you're just fine other then maybe a bit of stinging.

True...but I know myself well, and will be perfectly happy with my one.

[tdn]

Originally Posted by Invisible Chimp

I don't have any tattoos and never planned on getting one. However, late last year I won a $100 gift certificate for a local tattoo parlor. I probably won't use it, but I might.

It seems odd to me to make a permanent change to your body just because you have a coupon. Is that something you'd do if you had a hundred dollar bill instead?

[Peremensoe]

Originally Posted by Dung Beetle

At a brief glimpse, tattoos look to me like dirt, or a bug, or a wound. But then I look closer and see it’s some words, or a drawing, which somehow doesn’t improve on that first impression.

I'd say those would be bad tattoos. The ones I like (on other people) are pretty unmistakably images or designs, even at a glance. This, by the way, is why I personally think that the impulse to get small "discreet" tattoos is somewhat misguided. It's like hanging an itty-bitty picture on a big wall--from most perspectives it just looks like a blot. But a bold image, exquisitely rendered, can be beautiful. Not that any particular image will appeal to all tastes, of course, but that's anything you do.

Originally Posted by pbbth

The recent spat of tattoos of Charlie Sheen with the word "Winning" underneath and the tattoos of animals on someone's stomach that use the bellybutton as a butthole are a couple of examples of that.

The Buddha on the belly is sort of clever for the recursion, as noted--still a pretty odd choice. And not exactly a great artwork.

The rest... beyond words.

[Philster]

Love my tattoos.

[Suburban Plankton]

I don't have a problem with tattoos. I don't have any, but have thought on and off for a number of years about getting one. The problem is, I'm 43 now, and I don't want to look like some sort of "guy having a midlife crisis so he gets a tattoo to show how young and hip he is" person...

[Wheelz]

I voted "I don't have any tattoos and never will get one" and "I generally don't care if a person has tattoos." (The two most popular choices, as it happens)

In the interest of total honesty, however, I came close to choosing "I judge people negatively if they have tattoos" and probably would have if it had said "I judge people negatively if they have many large and prominent tattoos."

I really do try to maintain a live-and-let-live attitude, and small tasteful tats can actually be quite attractive. But deep down, I can't stop myself from wondering what the hell is wrong with those people who ink themselves up like carnival freaks. Creeps me out a bit.

[Shark Sandwich]

Originally Posted by tdn

Don't have any and never will. I don't mind if other people have them though.

This is exactly my attitude as well.

[wonder lust]

I have one tattoo. I don't like it. I WOULD LOVE it if it were what I'd originally wanted. Unfortuantely, I got the newbie artist who kind of made a mess of things. I stopped him before he added color at least, but then I had a weird ugly coloring book outline thing that just cried out for something. I went to a second guy for the color. He did a fine job, but it's still within the confines of the craptastic original. I don't want it to be any bigger and I don't really want a different subject... so I have no idea how to get it fixed. It's just a mistake that I'm stuck with. Fortunately, I don't have to look at it.

[silenus]

Originally Posted by Leaffan

I picked:

- I don't have any tattoos and never will get one.
- I judge people negatively if they have tattoos.

I don't hate tattoos, and I certainly don't hate people who have gotten tattoos, but a tattoo on a person gives me another bit of information about that person, and it's not flattering.

This. I have seen very few tats in my life that added to my evaluation of a person.

[BigT]

I figure I'll explain my votes.

I don't have any tattoos and never will get one.
I'm not the biggest fan of what tattoos look like, as they aren't crisp and clear, and I don't like the idea of permanently altering my body with something I may not like in the future.

I generally don't care if a person has tattoos.
If they are minor, and it is not someone I'm seeking to be in a romantic relationship with.
I like seeing tattoos on other people.
There are some that look cool. In a dating context, a small one can add to attractiveness if done well, especially ones done near the ankles.
I judge people negatively if they have tattoos.
This is in a dating context. If you have a lot of tattoos, it does tell me something about you, and it's not something I tend to be looking for in a mate. Plus, it's your natural skin that I find attractive. Covering it up is just like putting on extra clothing.

[Shodan]

I voted I don't have one but am planning on getting one.

My brother and sister-in-law are almost covered. I don't mind, because I know the story behind each one, and they are all good stories. My daughter is also inked, as is my son. The ones on their backs are awesome.

Bad tattoos, or facial tattoos, are something else. Go ahead if you want one, but I reserve the right to snicker behind your back.

Regards,
Shodan

[kushiel]

"I judge people negatively if they have tattoos"

I didn't check that one off, because I only judge people negatively for certain types of tattoos. Picked flash off the wall? Pretend macho guy/Ed Hardy stuff? Tramp stamp? Got it at a disreputable place while drunk? Yeah, judged.

FTR, I have two tattoos, one of which I got underaged. I waited on the design for 8 months, visited several artists with my mom, made sure they had the university certification offered here, made sure every needle was new and/or autoclaved and Mom signed the papers and went with me.

[Manda JO]

In theory, I have no problem with tattoos, but in practice I find upwards of 80% of actual tattoos to be pretentious, or cliche or tacky or gross or saccharine.

[StusBlues]

Trying to avoid them. I like to kiss women all over, and tattoos really mess with the texture in my experience. They also make a woman look just a little like a dude.

[mhendo]

I have no tattoos, and never plan on getting one. I don't care if other people have them, and i think some of them look great.

Despite being a non-tattooed person myself, i'm am (paradoxically?) something of a tattoo snob. I like what i tend to describe as "proper" tattoos, and have little time for "dilettante" tattoos.

I really don't care much for small tattoos on the ankle or the small of the back or the shoulder. I'm not a fan of just a butterfly or a rose or a piece of kanji or some other eastern symbol, and the tribal-armband-look-at-my-bicep thing just makes me roll my eyes.

I like sleeves, and i like large and interesting designs. It's partly about the aesthetic, but also about the underlying attitude or ideas. To me, those larger tattoos suggest a level of thought and commitment that (fairly or unfairly) i just don't see in the tramp stamp or the tribal armband. Those little tattoos always seem to be little more than "keep up with the fashion" tattoos, the sort of thing people get because everyone else is getting them. Dilettantes.

I recognize that my prejudice might not reflect reality. There are probably plenty of people with the small tattoos who have very personal and well-thought-out reasons for having them. It's more of a visceral reaction than anything else, and i understand that it is, in some measure, irrational.

And i think women with proper tattoos look hot.

[Al Bundy]

I don't care what people do. I think getting inked is a mistake. Visible tattoos can limit career choices. I think the statement there is that the person never hopes to get a decent job anyway. Generally, I see tattoos as a sign of weakness like other vices such as smoking and drugs. OK, go ahead and flame me for stating my opinion.

[Cat Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Dung Beetle

At a brief glimpse, tattoos look to me like dirt, or a bug, or a wound. But then I look closer and see it’s some words, or a drawing, which somehow doesn’t improve on that first impression.

I know some wonderful people who have tattoos, so I don’t classify all tattooed people as trash. I simply think tattoos are hideous.

This and...

Originally Posted by silenus

<snip>I have seen very few tats in my life that added to my evaluation of a person.

This. All tattoos look like scribbling on your body to me. It doesn't matter how much you paid for it, or how incredible you think the work is, it looks like you took a Sharpie and went to town on yourself. About the only tattoos I grudgingly approve of are Canadian Maple Leaf tattoos on Olympic athletes.

In searching for an example, I found this - classy. ETA: That's probably NSFW.