# Design my tattoo, win... nothing! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758 "2004-06-05T03:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/1 "2004-06-05T03:16:14Z")
So I’ve decided I should get a tattoo. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now but I just can’t make up my mind. I’m a Pisces (I’m not totally nuts about the Zodiac or anything), so I was thinking of getting something along that line. About a year ago I thought I’d get a 69 (1/4 turn → ) because that’s what Pisces looks like. Sorta. But… no. That might send the wrong message. 😉 A friend of mine drew the two fish in a sort of tribal art-like fashion but I think maybe tribal art is getting overdone, so I’m not so sure I’d like to do that. It looked very cool but I’m just not sure. A few things… 1. This tattoo will very likely be on the back of my neck, so it’ll have to be fairly small. 2. It doesn’t have to have anything to do with Pisces or fish. That was just my original plan. 2a) I’m not real keen on the idea of permanently drawing a couple of FISH on my neck, hence the tribal art thing. The finished product didn’t look like two fish at all on first glance, and I liked that so, if you’d like to go with the Pisces idea, be creative. 🙂 1. Take your time, I’m not in any big hurry. I’ve wanted a tattoo since I was 14 or so, but I’m a big chicken. And I change my mind a lot. 2. Even if you can’t draw/don’t want to submit a drawing, I urge you to post. Tell me your funny/horrifying tat stories, describe your own tats, or just give me good ideas. 3. (Just so we’re all clear) Your submission does not have to relate to Pisces or fish **in any way**. Any and all (well, most…) ideas are welcome. I would also like to encourage the artistically gifted among us to submit more than one drawing. I can never find anything that really grabs me in those tattoo books and apparently tattoos are addicting, so I may need future ideas. I’m going to set up a PO Box to which you may send your submissions. I don’t have a very high quality printer and I’ll have to bring the final sketch to the tattoo shop when I go, so I think this will be the easiest way to do it. And, for the nervous among the group, I don’t require a return address (unless it’s like a law now or something) and I promise I won’t steal your identity, okay? And there is a sort of prize, too. You, Winner, will have your artwork displayed on my body until I’m dead. That counts for something, right? 😃 Also, I’ll photograph the finished tat and you can link to it your sig like, “I designed Silver Fire’s [tattoo](http://www.linktomytattoo.com/fakelink)!” Post your email address here (or email me at [xxsilverfirexx@hotmail.com](mailto:xxsilverfirexx@hotmail.com) with “SDMB Tat” in the subject line) if you’d like to participate. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/2 "2004-06-05T04:06:40Z")
I have a friend who is thinking about getting a tattoo. I told her to buy a copy of “Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book”, and have one of them tattooed on her ass. BTW… isn’t the 69 symbol Cancer, not Pisces? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/3 "2004-06-05T04:21:07Z")
Well, I’ll be damned. I could have sworn this book I had said… but I guess that wouldn’t make sense anyway since the fish are supposed to be connected at the tails and swimming away from each other. Huh. THIS IS WHY I SO DESPERATELY NEED HELP. Thanks! The simple way to draw Pisces (according to most google sites I’ve happened upon in the last 2 minutes) is with parentheses )( with either a line between them or a dot on each side (for eyes, I suppose). THIS IS WHY I SO DESPERATELY NEED HELP!!! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/4 "2004-06-05T11:31:07Z")
I’ve always liked the mercury sign. )o+ except more like a female sign with horns. The 69 symbolizes breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/5 "2004-06-05T15:08:31Z")
[Not my design, but it’s pretty cool looking.](http://www.miadolanltd.com/Graphics/symbol-pisces.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@Chimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimpy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/6 "2004-06-05T18:02:36Z")
well you could try a yin yang, thats pretty fishy or you could try [this](http://wwwjdic.eye842.nu/cgi-bin/wwwhalsod?2127_%B5%FB). I know you said it doesnt have to be fishy but that means fish. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/7 "2004-06-05T18:53:44Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > [Not my design, but it’s pretty cool looking.](http://www.miadolanltd.com/Graphics/symbol-pisces.jpg) Looks like a Quake symbol. 🆒 [Here’s my submission](http://www.suzi-quzi.com/tat.gif). It’s a rough 2 minute PhotoMax Pro job based on my tattoo design I did myself, but I’m Gemini. If I think of anything non-fish related, I’ll add it here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/8 "2004-06-05T19:17:18Z")
[Here it is again](http://www.suzi-quzi.com/tat2.gif), with the symbol instead of fishies. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/9 "2004-06-06T02:37:46Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > [Not my design, but it’s pretty cool looking.](http://www.miadolanltd.com/Graphics/symbol-pisces.jpg) That is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/10 "2004-06-06T02:53:52Z")
The dopers are great for this sort of thing. I’ve done it, and was very happy with getting a design pointed out by [Johnny Bravo](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=254216&highlight=tattoo) . It was very cool. Sadly, i don’t have pictures handy. I’m of the school of thought that any permanant markings should have deep personal significance to you. Choose something that symbolizes yourself or something you care about (like I did). ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/11 "2004-06-06T03:37:16Z")
Get the Triforce on the back of your hand in that UV ink that’s invisible until you shine a black light on it. ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/12 "2004-06-06T04:40:15Z")
I have err… zero artistic talent. I have tats though! One on my left arm that is a Celtic knot with my Scottish Clan Symbol (MacLeod of Lewis) on it. The other is a stylized anhk on my back. I am getting a [Shivan Dragon](http://www.donatoart.com/magic/shivan.html) done on my back next year. This is a full back piece in full color. The artist that is going to do it said it will take 150+ hours in three hour blocks! Be prepared for pain though. While my two didn’t bother me all that much, I can imagine that the back of the neck will be a tad bit rough. Perhaps someone else who has a tat on their neck will be able to tell you otherwise, but its better to know that it might hurt, than to think it won’t. That is a big suprise! Oh, and don’t have three shots of sctoch before you get your tat. It makes you REALLY woozy (and you bleed a lot). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/13 "2004-06-06T06:10:01Z")
I’m by no means an artist but I thought [this](http://members.aol.com/rdvr/untitled3.jpg) might be good. It’s a minimalist design and incorporates two things that are meaningful to you. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/14 "2004-06-06T06:17:04Z")
**Silverfire** may I also use this thread to request design ideas? I would start my own, but I don’t think the mods would like that too much. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/15 "2004-06-06T06:49:00Z")
> [@torie](#): > > **Silverfire** may I also use this thread to request design ideas? Sure. I haven’t gotten any emails yet which is good because I haven’t made it to the post office yet. 🙂 Thanks for the links, guys. If I find one online that I like, maybe I can convince someone to draw it for me. Or I could just get a new printer. A laser one. Oooooh… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/16 "2004-06-06T07:47:55Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > The dopers are great for this sort of thing. I’ve done it, and was very happy with getting a design pointed out by [Johnny Bravo](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=254216&highlight=tattoo) . It was very cool. Sadly, i don’t have pictures handy. Hey, cool. Which one did you use? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/17 "2004-06-06T14:32:38Z")
> [@Johnny Bravo](#): > > Hey, cool. Which one did you use? The first one. I agreed, it was the best. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/18 "2004-06-06T16:00:28Z")
My googling prowess will now live forever on… well, wherever you got it. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-my-tattoo-win-nothing/248758/19 "2004-06-07T12:27:45Z")
How about a 1920’s Style Death Ray?