# Tattoo artists - do they ever say no? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026 "2011-01-26T05:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/41 "2011-01-27T09:47:38Z")
> [@beartato](#): > > We ended up planning out a horizontal stretch of words, going about as low on the stomach as possible - not quite stomach anymore, really . Um, mind being a little more specific? Reason I ask is, being a nurse, my idea of just below the stomach would seem to be right in the danger zone. Are you talking about down to the panty line, off to the side? Or not, if that’s more than you want to share. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/42 "2011-01-27T09:59:45Z")
> [@jellyblue](#): > > [Clueless]What’s the significance of those tattoos? [/clueless] I understand (from prestigious TV sources) it means the wearer has done time; in Spain, a large amount of the female prison population is there for drug-related crimes (often for being mules; consumption is decriminalized). I’ve seen three different star designs; the crosses I’ve seen were also a quite specific design. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/43 "2011-01-27T17:18:26Z")
> [@jellyblue](#): > > [Clueless]What’s the significance of those tattoos? [/clueless] I have a couple of questions of meaning of tattoos, if any. I’ve heard that a tear under the eye means your buddy was killed in prison. Does the spider web around the elbow mean anything? I’ve also seen a lot of sparrows? on peoples neck. Does that mean anything? The tats in question can be seen in this picture. [http://img03.picoodle.com/img/img03/7/4/5/f\_MikeNessm\_5c29e6e.jpg](http://img03.picoodle.com/img/img03/7/4/5/f_MikeNessm_5c29e6e.jpg) ---
**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:** [January 27, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/44 "2011-01-27T17:45:51Z")
I asked my tattoo artist once if he ever turned anyone away. He said he did almost every day. The reason? People with no money wanting to get ink and make payments. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/45 "2011-01-27T18:15:15Z")
Most I know will not do a tear tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/46 "2011-01-27T18:53:38Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > I have a couple of questions of meaning of tattoos, if any. > > I’ve heard that a tear under the eye means your buddy was killed in prison. > > Does the spider web around the elbow mean anything? > > I’ve also seen a lot of sparrows? on peoples neck. Does that mean anything? > > The tats in question can be seen in this picture. > > [http://img03.picoodle.com/img/img03/7/4/5/f\_MikeNessm\_5c29e6e.jpg](http://img03.picoodle.com/img/img03/7/4/5/f_MikeNessm_5c29e6e.jpg) Well, in the case of that picture they mean “I’m Mike Ness, one of the godfathers of the American punk scene.” Seriously, though, a tear on your face is one of the few tattoos that I don’t know people to get just for the sake of what looks good. Spiderwebs, sparrows, anchors - they may have all had meanings at one time, but now they’re just fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/47 "2011-01-27T19:19:13Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > Well, in the case of that picture they mean “I’m Mike Ness, one of the godfathers of the American punk scene.” Seriously, though, a tear on your face is one of the few tattoos that I don’t know people to get just for the sake of what looks good. Spiderwebs, sparrows, anchors - they may have all had meanings at one time, but now they’re just fashion. That’s kind of what I was thinking that maybe at one time they had a meaning but others just thought it was cool and it became a fad. Also I mostly see these tats on punkers so there probably is a, “Hey that punk has some cool tats and I’m punk so I’ll get those too.” ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/48 "2011-01-27T19:42:03Z")
What about [this tattoo](http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/adpoopoopants/Cat_Tattoo.jpg)? I always wondered if this was a Photoshop job or if someone really went into a shop describing wanting this kind of a tat, and the artist not only agreeing to do so but managing to execute it without laughing so hard that the needle went awry. ---
**Author:** ![mckall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mckall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mckall)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/49 "2011-01-27T19:49:08Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > I have a couple of questions of meaning of tattoos, if any. > > I’ve heard that a tear under the eye means your buddy was killed in prison. Traditionally meant that you’d killed someone in prison and if it was filled in, more than one person. It can also mean that you’ve lost someone in prison or outside. > [@](#): > > Does the spider web around the elbow mean anything? Traditionally signified the number of years you’d spent in prison, each loop representing one year. I think the Aryan Brotherhood used it to show that you’d killed racially, but I’m not positive. > [@](#): > > I’ve also seen a lot of sparrows? on peoples neck. Does that mean anything? This can mean a number of different things too, but today is pretty much just a trendy one. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/50 "2011-01-27T19:59:26Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > What about [this tattoo](http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/adpoopoopants/Cat_Tattoo.jpg)? I always wondered if this was a Photoshop job or if someone really went into a shop describing wanting this kind of a tat, and the artist not only agreeing to do so but managing to execute it without laughing so hard that the needle went awry. Google image search for bellybutton tattoos. Bart Simpson’s butthole, a cow’s butthole, a monkey’s butthole, a woman’s hooha - not exactly unknown. Now personally, I wouldn’t get a joke tattoo, but whatever floats your boat. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/51 "2011-01-27T21:55:46Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > Does the spider web around the elbow mean anything? I have heard that this means “caught up in the system”. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/52 "2011-01-27T22:17:44Z")
Not shilling, but check out [http://www.wtftattoos.com/](http://www.wtftattoos.com/) for considerable evidence that many tatooists don’t say No. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/53 "2011-01-28T00:53:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > It turns out that she’d been drunk AND 14 years old at the time she’d gotten it. It looked as if the tattoo artist had also been drunk. Jesus! Mind you, one of the best Thai tattoo artists I’ve ever seen did his best work when plastered - but never get anything in the morning as his hand would be shaking too much. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not shilling, but check out [http://www.wtftattoos.com/](http://www.wtftattoos.com/) for considerable evidence that many tatooists don’t say No. Google warned me off that site but I persisted thanks to decent malware protection… and… OMFG. That is hilarious and tragic at the same time - like a poodle with only three legs. What were they _thinking_!?! ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/54 "2011-01-28T06:28:10Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not shilling, but check out [http://www.wtftattoos.com/](http://www.wtftattoos.com/) for considerable evidence that many tatooists don’t say No. Also, [Ugliest Tatoos](http://ugliesttattoos.failblog.org/). There’s a lot of nasty stuff in there, so NSFW. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/55 "2011-01-28T16:07:25Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I’ve also seen a tattoo artist deny someone’s request to tattoo over some scarring, because the scars were too raised – though that was more of a practical matter than an ethical one. A friend’s one and only tattoo can be read as braille. It was completely unintentional, but rather neat. Though for the reasons stated it is pretty much the only tattoo that person will ahve. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/56 "2011-01-28T17:15:31Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > There really is some scarring, sorry to break it to you. Ideally it’s _very_ minimal, such that the tattoo colors completely obscures it, but it does happen. When tattoos are removed by laser the skin revealed has slight texture/appearance change visible to the eye that follows the old tattoo and not necessarily where the laser has been over the skin. Some people take advantage of this to get highly detailed decorative scarring. Google “tattoo gun scarification.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/57 "2011-01-28T17:59:23Z")
Well, if they can incorporate scarring into the finished aesthetic more power to them I guess. Not my cup of tea but it’s their body. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/58 "2011-01-28T18:27:46Z")
> [@mckall](#): > > I think the Aryan Brotherhood used it to show that you’d killed racially, but I’m not positive. Yeah, the spider web is a prison tat for the white power guys, but that’s an older one and not done as much anymore. The “flies” in the web were for people killed. Every time I see someone who I know hasn’t been in prison wearing certain tattoos for fashion reasons I say a little prayer that they never make a mistake big enough to end up inside, because some tattoos have to be earned or they’ll be…repossesed. Every single time I’ve been in the chair I’ve seen someone come in who gets turned away, usually for really good reasons. I’d say some artists do more “No’s” than they do actual tattoos. I’m always surprised at the numbers of 16 year old girls who think that artists will just hit them with a tramp stamp no questions asked. Another reason that artists don’t want to do hands is because that’s one of the areas on your body that you slough the most skin off of and work done on the hands and fingers doesn’t look good for very long, and that goes back to the artists reputation and not wanting to be associated with bad work. A good tat can bring in endless business and a bad one can slow things to a crawl since most artists work on word of mouth. ---
**Author:** ![vertizontal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ad7895/32.png) [@vertizontal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vertizontal)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/59 "2011-01-29T21:36:45Z")
This guy’s mother must be so proud: [http://animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rouslan-toumaniantz-tattoo.jpg](http://animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rouslan-toumaniantz-tattoo.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026/60 "2011-01-30T02:07:44Z")
> [@vertizontal](#): > > This guy’s mother must be so proud: > > [http://animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rouslan-toumaniantz-tattoo.jpg](http://animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rouslan-toumaniantz-tattoo.jpg) How does he eat? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tattoo-artists-do-they-ever-say-no/569026.md?page=4)