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Hi
I'm not actually quite sure how to answer this, but Ross, I didn't want you to think I was rude by not responding, so here goes.
First, I've never thought of myself as any part of any sub-culture. I'm not punk, or anything like that, just a regular person. When I say that if you saw me on the street in normal clothes you'd never know I had any ink done, well, that's true. I do have some tops that will show part of my back and the one on my shoulder.
Yes, being tattooed hurts. Some places hurt more than others. It's part of the process. If there was nothing more than just sitting still for a couple of hours, (meaning no pain) then I don't think they would mean quite as much, at least to me. Actually, the time spent healing can be more of a pain than the actual tattooing (why I never get ink during the summer). I guess you could say it's a bit masochistic in that you're paying someone to hurt you, but it's temporary pain for permanent pleasure.
For me, my tattoos tell a story. They are a part of my personal journey and history, and comprise my vision of the things I believe in that help me make it through the day. That is partly why I chose to have a backpiece done - not so the world can see it, heck I have to hold a mirror up and look at my back in another mirror to see it. It's just knowing that it is there, that it is a form of art (if done by a trained and skilled artist and of course art is in the eye of the beholder) and I choose to decorate my body in this way. All of my tattoos are original work, my roommate did the charcoal drawing of the centerpiece of my back. So I also get to carry original art around with me! I only get tattooed once a year for my birthday. Kind of like Wow I actually made it through another year.
And to be completely honest, tattoos are addictive. Once you get one, most people end up wanting and getting more.
Everyone who chooses to get tattooed does it for a different reason, and what they choose to decorate themselves with hopefully they've thought long and hard about and didn't just walk in someplace, point to some flash and pick the one that's the cheapest.
I will say that from things I've seen and read from the viewpoint of tattoo artists, collectors (the tattooed) and psychologists that men tend to get tattoos in more obviously visible places more than women, like their forearm or calf. Women tend to get to choose less visible places on their body. Except of course for people who get their own name tattooed on themselves, those are usually very visible. I've always wondered about that...Apologies to anyone who has had this done
I probably didn't explain this very well, it's kind of hard for me to explain at all. I'm sure someone else could enlighten you a bit more clearly.
Oh and by the way? I pass out at the sight of hypodermics!
Ann, I am so sorry to hear of the problems you are having with ET. I've never seen anything like the crowds of people, motorcycles, etc. that you're obviously all too familiar with. I have seen crowds in the shop, obviously. Many times, the crowds are off duty police dropping by. And yes, we had an "audience" when I was having my back done *sigh*. That I could do without. But otherwise, that's been my experience.
And I think I'm done with this topic...
Wendy
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--- Begin Message --- I think tattoos are used to mark your eternal, indelible entry into a sub-culture. It used to mean that you were in the military, or a gang, or Yakuza, or a carny, or a punk rocker, skinhead, maybe an ex-con. Then in the 90's frat boys started getting the Tazmanian Devil tattooed on their ankles, and maybe a Steal Your Face somewhere that could be covered with an oxford shirt.
I have a friend who has a tattoo of Ronald McDonald chasing cows with an automatic rifle. It's huge, and takes up his entire forearm. I think being punker than you is worth the pain to him.
Pete
ps I have no tattoos.
On Thursday, July 8, 2004, at 02:34 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
In a message dated 7/8/04 12:41:12 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Christy, another tattooed professional
Could any of y'all tattooed professionals or amateurs out there kindly explain the psychological gratification or whatever of getting a tattoo? I have always had an absolute abhorrence of needles, except of course for back in the day when we shot Wyamine into a grapefruit with a hypodermic, then ate the grapefruit sections and made our bodies sing for about 24 hours; that didn't involve any actual contact of needle with tender skin, so perhaps it doesn't count.
But particularly if, as Wendy repeatedly comments, nobody would ever know she had these masterpieces on her body except of course presumably significant others, then what the dickens? I mean, if I wanna mark up my face and/or other significant body parts with colored magic markers that's my business, but why in goodness would I pay to have somebody inflict torment on my skin with a needle? Is it a masochistic thang, or what?
Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org
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