I'm not a fan of tattoos. Maybe I would allow David Hockney to draw something interesting on my upper arm, but otherwise; no thanks.
Tattoo 'parlours' now seem to be on every back-street corner; they're as common as Oxfam, but what 'artistic' training do these people have?
Are they people who, whilst at school, were simply regarded as 'good at drawing', and not much else? It seems that anyone can open a tattoo parlour, providing that all the cleanliness criteria are observed. But the sterile needle isn't the purpose of one's visit; it's the indelible inking that's the objective, and if it's drawn by a talentless numbskull what can one do about it?
The fashion for tattoos is fading, just as the fashion for lazer removal becomes more popular. If I was putting my money into the tattoo business it would certainly be for their removal. Much more profitable, and, in most cases, much more aesthetic!
Whatever happened to "LOVE" and "HATE" on the knuckles? You knew where you were with a tattoo in my day. Of course, the extra finger with no letter was a little awkward on most of my school chums, but then so were the extra toes and the angle of the forehead.
ReplyDeleteMy grandpa, an old sailor, had Nurse Edith Cavell tattooed on his chest. Now that was art!
ReplyDeleteI'm in two minds.
ReplyDeleteHistorically, Celtic warriors wore tattoos, as do the Maori.
Many tattoos are just tasteless graffiti, difinitely not Body Art.
But then my youngest son has one, on the nape of his neck, just below collar level...his own design of a Celtic style knot, beneath that his first name and beneath that, "est 1989". His choice and I respect that. Once you get used to it, it looks good.
I'm with gz. Humans have adorned their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years (yes!). I don't have a tat, mostly because I am not able to decide what image would be worthy, and then there's the question of where on the body it should go....oh, and of course, the PAIN.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has her entire upper back colored with flowers and flowing shapes (very painterly) and a vivid lotus flower on her hip. I thought she was kinda crazy going all out like this, but like gz says, now I think they are beautiful.
Not for me either Cro...as my youngest daughter is wont to say, What happens when you get old and wrinkly...what would the tattoo look like then? Oldest daughter has one, on the small of her back (two japanese characters that read Charity)...she openly says it was a youthful mistake, but at least it's in a fairly hidden place and she doesn't have to look at it every day. I've been to a couple of weddings recently, and it just seems very odd to see bridesmaids in beautiful strapless dresses with tattoos up and down their arms and neck...but hey, that's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI have a tattoo Cro. Unfortunately the girl could only draw stick people so it's not very colourful.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline. I once saw an elderly tattooed woman on a beach in Ibiza. They had all blurred into oblivion, and she looked as if she was covered in bruises.
ReplyDelete"Hey boss, zee plane, zee plane!"
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't like tattoos either. I just don't.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan either and often comment to Mum that nursing homes in years to come will be so exciting as they bath the elderly and stretch out the wrinkles to see what once was a great pic lol...over here it seems to be the people that do not work that have them most..how do they afford them as I believe they are quite expensive...there is a joke locally that a man had "brook "tattooed on his private bit...when asked why on earth he had that he replied "so they know where I come from" well unless he is a very excited state only the close will know he came from Muswellbrook...may be a tale or may be like a fishing story the size of the fish is always exagerated! I have tried to tell this tastefully...sorry lol.
ReplyDeleteNot a tattoo kinda gal. I keep wondering what all those tattoos on those young'uns are gonna look like when they are in the 60's.
ReplyDeleteWhat may seem like a good idea one day, may not be such a good one on another. I' m with you, I think the big money may be in their removal.
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