# Need help designing a tattoo - don't need answer fast **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2015, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313 "2015-07-16T12:04:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/1 "2015-07-16T12:04:53Z")
I am designing a tattoo to celebrate passing my registered respiratory therapist exam (which I hope to do on Saturday). I am stuck on one point though. The tattoo is going to have the Staff of Asclepius with RRT carved into the staff the with a stream of air over it. I want to include the molecular components of air inside the stream, in the colors of their gas tanks (black nitrogen, green oxygen). But, I don’t want to include the trace gases, just N2 and O2. So, should there be a 7:2 ratio or an 8:2 ratio of molecules? I’m going to meet with my friend the tattoo artist next Wednesday to discuss the design but wont be getting the tattoo until the end of August so time is not short. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/2 "2015-07-16T12:27:23Z")
No love for helium? 😉 How are the molecules being represented? Discretely or just as colors? ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/3 "2015-07-16T12:41:38Z")
Like little green and black boobies! Actually, I’m debating adding the bonds between the atoms but haven’t decided if I’m quite that much of a nerd. Green molecules will be smaller than black molecules. If I added Helium my program director would kill me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/4 "2015-07-16T12:50:38Z")
OK, I was picturing just a foggy gaseous background done with various washes of green and black ink. This thread needs a chemist or three. Maybe a single ozone molecule to add some excitement? ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/5 "2015-07-16T13:00:39Z")
[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Respiratory\_Therapy\_Symbol.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Respiratory_Therapy_Symbol.jpg) We’re starting with a basis of this. But, changing the Caduceus to Asclepius, making the staff really look like a staff, making the snake look like a real snake, making the flow of air look less like clip-art, and then adding the RRT engraving to the staff and the molecules floating in the airstreams. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/6 "2015-07-16T17:22:51Z")
Go with 7.5 to 2 and dare anyone to count… ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/7 "2015-07-16T17:26:06Z")
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh my god that’s funny and made me realize that my program director is STILL haunting me, even though I graduated in May. Who the hell cares (besides her)? I could put whatever the hell I want in there and no one would even know. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/8 "2015-07-16T17:26:25Z")
I think the swoosh of air (or molecules) will be unrecognizable to anyone except other respiratory therapists. Maybe that is what you are going for though. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-designing-a-tattoo-dont-need-answer-fast/725313/9 "2015-07-16T17:30:37Z")
You’re probably right, but that’s ok. That’s why Doctor Jackson’s comment is so perfect. It doesn’t matter. No one matters but me, since it’s my leg. This is what happens when you spend 2 months studying for tests and not getting enough sleep. You end up focusing on the stupidest little things. :smack: