So, I’m thinking of getting a tattoo - sort of a reward to myself, if I end up leaving DC to take a public-interest legal gig. This is something I’ve planned on doing for years - so, at least, it’s not a silly impulse tattoo. Not to say that it isn’t silly - I want “Fiat justicia, ruat caelum” tattooed on my right arm. “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.”
Pretentious, I know. And sort of a cliche. But the words mean a lot to me; they describe the way I want to live my life and career. And if I start living those words, I want to have that reminder, in case I start losing resolve and start pining for my current, comfortable-but-meaningless job.
So, if I leave DC (and the civil service), I’m probably doing this. I’ve never gotten a tattoo before, though, and so I could use some advice regarding the design. Do any InkedDopers have tips regarding the best/worst ways to lay out this text?
Why not “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall” instead of “Fiat justicia, ruat caelum?” Maybe one in 1,000 people–if that–read Latin these days, so it will be unintelligible to almost everyone. Unless that is part of its charm . . .
Partly that - also, like I said, it’s a lot more concise. And the Latin version has been used in some interesting court decisions, both in England and the US.
I like the words you have chosen. I think that you will be happy with them. I got a tattoo after my divorce, a tribal band around my bicep with my children’s names in it. I will just share a few thoughts about the thing I have had since getting it:
1: I got it on my arm, but far enough up that it is easily covered by a short sleeved shirt. If I want people to see it I have that option, but more importantly I can cover it when I need to. Remember, as cool as you think you tattoo is, there are those who don’t. For the most part who gives a flying crap about them, except one of those people might just be someone who you need to impress, like say a boss. After I got mine I had to change jobs (when I could still work) and one of the first things I was asked was “do you have any visible tattoos?” If so, you weren’t hired as the company didn’t like that image. So, something to keep in mind.
2: Check, double check and triple check the spelling and words before the needle ever hits your arm. Mine was perfect, but go online and you will see many morons who now sport a simple mis-spelling or wrong word etc… Not so easy to correct once it is done.
I realize that my advice wasn’t exactly on topic, but I hope it helps. Congrats on your first tattoo. I still like mine and get compliments on it from time to time. Good Luck!
And be careful to choose a readable font - not too loopy or italicized, and not Gothic. As far as the layout goes, I would suggest this:
Fiat justicia
ruat caelum
As opposed to putting it all on a line. I don’t think a long line of text on an arm or leg looks very good and it’s not a very interesting layout. Breaking it up onto two lines would also probably allow you to use a bigger script.
What obbn said. Also, you can probably get away with printing this out from MS Word. The shop can make a transfer flash from your printout, so the font you choose is the font you’ll get.
Everything already mentioned here is spot on. A friend of mine has a Latin tattoo on her forearm, and she likes very much that that not every single person who sees it can read it.
If you do go ahead and get it, be CAREFUL when it’s healing. Seriously do not scratch it–if you screw up a design like that with lots of delicate, thin lines, it’ll be all you notice when you look at it.
Are you thinking of just getting the text ? Like others have said choose a good font.
Where on the arm are you getting it ? Shoulder, forearm etc… If you choose shoulder you may want to consider a symbol (scales of justice etc) with it with the text in a banner surrounding it. Text alone usually IMO only looks good on the forearm, from the elbow running in one sentence to the wrist for example. Like others have mentioned if it’s on the forearm it may be harder to cover up, although I don’t see short sleeved 1970’s dress shirt and tie coming back anytime soon.
Do your homework as to the best tattoo parlours in your area, go to the place ask to see the artists work. Once your happy with an artist tell him/her what you want, they generally like it if you give them a little artistic freedom with designs, usually they can come up with something way nicer than what you thought up. Tell them no rush and have them give you a call when he/she has some work ready for you to choose from.
Since I imagine that if there’s ever a time to be persnickety about it, it’s when the other guy’s about to get it burned into his flesh: it’s “Justitia.”
Have friends look at it and have them be honest. Remember, most people (that see it) aren’t going to tell you what they think. Not that what the random person thinks really matters, but it would be nice to know that the random person isn’t thinking “What a shitty tattoo, I can’t even read it.”
Also, make sure you look at the tattoo artist’s portfolio and don’t feel bad about walking out of a place that you don’t feel good about. (I like to say “I’m not ready to do anything yet, I just wanted to flip through your books” but now most places have them online) .FTR, I’ve done it once because their portfolio was fully of crappy work. I also didn’t like the fact that when I mentioned to this place that I had just had a drink and wasn’t planning on getting anything done today they said “That’s okay, we can still do it.”
If you have tattooed friends ask where they got their’s. This includes shitty work, there’s at least once place around here that I’ve seen a lot of shitty work come out of so I’m glad to know not to go there.
If you’re in a good-sized city, you can usually find someone who specializes in text tattoos (or tattoos that involve a lot of text). Look at their work and see if it’s what you like. My text tattoo was done by someone who did a lot of work like that–I’m glad I picked her.
What everyone else said, and - not only a clear, well-done font but get it done in a decent size. Especially if you think the tat might be exposed to a lot of sun…sunlight and frequent tanning will blur a tattoo quite quickly. I got a piece of classical music done around my bicep many years ago, in memory of my father. Initially it was clear enough that people could read and play or hum it off my arm, but it’s fuzzed out over the years because I’ve spent lots of time outside. Now it looks vaguely like music, or vaguely like Arabic script, but no longer decipherable.
I have four tattoos and don’t regret a single one. Each means something to me. All are in places that are easily covered by clothing if for some reason I don’t want them seen. I like the sentiment of yours!
At the time when I had only one tattoo on my back and I while I was on Accutane, a drug which makes you ridiculously sensitive to sunlight, I managed to do quite a number on it in one day out jetskiing.
I’m now up to three tattoos, one of them is on my forearm so it sees a decent amount of sun. For the first one or two summers I had it I used to keep a sunblock stick around. I wasn’t anal about it, but if I knew I was going to be in the sun all day, like if I was going to a music festival or going to be out on the water I would put a some on the tattoo. I’ve had this one for, I think, 5 years now and it still looks pretty good. It’s also my favorite one and quite visible and since it’s so simple I’m also fully prepared to have it redone if I notice it fading.
Yah, I remember initially being a bit anal about using sunblock on mine…but I work outside a lot, used to do a lot of outdoorsy stuff when living for 17 years in the Rockies, before awareness was high about the evils of daylight and the “necessity” of slathering on expensive cream every few hours…so yeah, lots of sun exposure. The tat I mentioned is now 17 years old. It was readable for at least five years, probably more. Now, it’s still cool but looks like sanskrit.
I decided that I’ll be getting one when the weather gets a bit warmer–I want it on my foot and plan on wearing lightweight shoes (sandals, flip flops, etc.) while it heals. I decided on my foot because in spite of nearly every single person whom I’ve told telling me how horrible it will hurt, I wanted a tattoo in a place where (1) I could see (and since I barefoot a lot, this should work) and (2) where I could easily cover it. (I figure I’ve given birth to three kids, have has several major surgeries–I can handle the pain from a tattoo, right?)
I decided that my 45th year of life (starting in January) will be my year of change, and the tattoo will be one of the changes for me. My body has marks that were not really my choice, so much as they were things that happened to me–stretch marks from pregnancies, a bikini line C-Section scar, a verticle hysterectomy scar (now I sound like the Bride of Frankenstein or something). This will be one mark that is something that is very deliberately my choice.
I’m still considering what exactly I want to get(want a swirl, but haven’t settled on which one) and actually have an artist friend working on a couple of possible designs.
Warnings: It will fade more quickly. You really have to be on top of things with sunscreen and lotion. Tattoos on the feet and hands tend to fade more quickly and require touch-ups more frequently. A solid-colour tattoo will make it easier to touch up periodically–once every five years or so usually does it. Especially if you’re going to be out in the sun a lot, you REALLY need to be on top of the sunscreen thing. Really really. But as far as the healing process…I had mine done in winter and it really didn’t bother me. It was a little easier in the wintertime to keep from scratching it, because I always had socks on and it kept me from absentmindedly scratching at it.
Yes, it hurt like hell. I squeezed my friend’s hand a lot. It’s pretty much scraping over tendons and bone there if you don’t have much fat in your feet, so…yep. It hurts. But it’s worth it!