Andrea's Tattoos

What is your tattoo?

I have a bird surrounded by cherry blossoms on my right shoulder, f-holes on my back, and the om symbol on my foot.

What prompted you to get this tattoo? 

1)The bird tattoo was my first and I just wanted something really pretty and detailed 2) I had wanted the f-holes for 2 years before I got it. I first saw it on an Apocalyptica album cover and then further researched it 3) I got the Om symbol on my foot because my best friend and I decided on a tattoo together to get before we both went to college.

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? 

1) The bird didn’t carry meaning to me at first but I have since then attached meaning to it. I believe that the bird helps represent who I am since I have the freedom to do what I want and it’s perched because  I will always be happy with where I’m at in life. 2) The f-holes mean two different things to me. First, I play the cello and found it to be a good representation of my passion for music and second, the idea that my body IS a cello is such a beautiful idea to me since a woman’s body shape is usually similar to that of a stringed instrument. I drew the design myself and included cherry blossoms in the f-holes because I have found the symbolism behind them to be true to my beliefs. (Cherry blossoms don’t bloom long=life should be about the present day and to just enjoy the beauty as it happens. ) 3) My best friend and I both love tattoos and wanted to get something we both fully appreciated so we decided on the OM symbol. OM is the Hindu symbol that represents the sound of the vibrations of the universe which both of us found to be super beautiful. It also represents our bond together.  

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

I would go back and do it all the same!

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?

I don’t necessarily feel excluded, I more likely feel judged…mostly by my grandma though!

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?

I definitely feel like tattoos are a huge part of our culture and no matter how many people absolutely despise them, they will never disappear. People are getting more respect than they have in the past (unless it’s a super offensive tattoo...or ugly.)

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?

I definitely would do everything the same except I might have gotten the bird and flowers a little bigger, but I’m adding more onto that anyway.

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have any)? 

YES! First, I want to add another cherry blossom branch onto my shoulder tattoo, I want a tattoo of the birth flowers of my family, I want the Celtic tree of life on my other foot, I could go on but I don’t have any more solid ideas yet. Hopefully all the rest of my tattoos will be my own designs because that would be super sweet!! 


Tattoo Encyclopedia: The bird, once again traditionally has positive associations in mythology. The f-holes don't have any entry. As for the om symbol, Om represents the four state of consciousness: sleeping without dreams, dreaming, awake, satori. 

Corissa's Interview

What is your tattoo?

I have 3 tattoos. The first is a silhouette of a reef shark with some waves surrounding it on the back of my left hip. The second is a cluster of three hearts with filigree on the front of my left hip. The third is a swallow on the front of my right hip.

What prompted you to get this tattoo? 

The shark I had been thinking about it for a while before I got it and ultimately decided to get it because I have a huge respect for and have been fascinated with sharks since I can remember. Hell, my favorite movie is Jaws.  The hearts are something that my mom, sister, and I got together as a remembrance of our relationship before my sister got married. She wanted to get tattoos together as opposed to having a “bachelorette” shindig. The swallow I got because I have a huge devotion to my family and in the coming years my family will be growing. The hearts were a good symbol of my sister, mom, and I, but I wanted something that encompassed all of my family.

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? 

The shark doesn’t hold much significance other than that I love sharks. The hearts are significant because it always makes me think of my mom and sister and it is something that will always tie us three together. The swallow is significant because it reminds me of how important my family is, but it also represents the coming together of my family and my fiancé’s family into our family (yellow and blue combine to make green). 

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

Nope

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?

I do not; mainly because I decide whether or not the tattoos can be seen. 

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?

I feel like they are generally accepted by people our age (18-25) but they are not completely accepted by individuals older than that. For instance, there are many professional settings where people still don’t accept tattoos that are visible. Ultimately, I think that tattooing is a fad right now that may die out or could become more popular as time goes on, which would also increase the number of poorly done tattoos. There are certain tattoos in certain placements that are accepted moreso than others, but generally I think the acceptance of tattoos has increased more recently. 

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?

Yes. Despite that the areas may stretch when I become pregnant in some years, I like the placement of the hearts and swallow because they are somewhere that I can conceal if I want to and they are visible to me, which is important to me. I like the placement of the shark because it is slightly more visible than the other two and it is the tattoo with the least personal meaning. All of the tattoos are things that I have carefully considered before getting them so I wouldn’t want to change anything about them. Even if I didn’t like them as much, I wouldn’t want to change what they are because it was obviously something that was important enough for me to get at some point, so if anything it is a reminder of who I was at that point of my life.

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have any)? 

Yes. I would like a lizard with the word “Ahimsa” and a celtic tree of life.

Tattoo Encyclopedia: The heart symbol has an obvious meaning of love and affection. The tattoo encyclopedia mentions that the shark tattoo traditionally emphasizes their teeth or their fins, signifying their threat to man as well as the knowledge that they are always below the surface. Birds traditionally have positive associations in mythology, but the tattoo encyclopedia doesn't have any specific meaning for a sparrow. 

Ashley's Tattoos

*This is Ashley's interview only! There will be pictures soon! :)

What is your tattoo? Depending on how you look at it, I have either 5 or 7 tattoos total.  From the order I got them, they are: a circle, an infinity symbol, three little birds, the symbols for Led Zeppelin, and the words She. Will. Supply. (which is on three different parts of my body but I got it all at once, hence the confusion at quantity) J

What prompted you to get this tattoo? The first tattoo I got when I was sixteen, was to commemorate the loss of someone very dear to me.  From here, I got the fever.  And have been getting tattoos ever since. 

(I truly love them.)

 What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? Different reasons for all of them of course, so I’ll just talk about the last one I got.  The reason I got it on three different parts of my body is because I like the meaning of both the phrase holistically, and the meaning of each separate, individual word.  She will supply- just basically a reminder to always take care of myself (and also a lyric from a Tori Amos song which I love).  But on their own, She. (which is on the back of my neck) just stands for everything feminine. Also, I really like language- so the simplicity of just the singular feminine pronoun is to me, prime.  Will is on my lower back and I wanted it there as a reminder of my own autonomy, right at the base of my spine.  And then Supply. ( on the inside of my right foot) is again, just a reminder to both rely on and provide for myself, by myself.    

Do you regret getting a tattoo? Never!

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?  Like Paul said, it depends on who I am around.  In some ways, people prejudge me negatively because of the tattoos that I have, or maybe even because I have them at all.  In other situations, I think it gives people a reason to approach me, which serves to actually open up some social lines.  In a reverse way, I like my tattoos because the reactions that people have about them (or in some cases, a non-reaction) are often pretty telling as to whether or not I’d like to get to know them more.  (reverse tattoo discrimination yayyyy right?). 

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?  I would like to think it is at least going in that direction, yes!  More and more people have tattoos, so it’s inevitable that as it moves more into the mainstream, it will become less of a subject or practice that’s considered so low brow or taboo. 

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not? Yes! All of mine are very special to me, and couldn’t go anywhere on my body other than where they are. 

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have any)?

Oh so many more! The next thing I get will definitely be mountains on my back.  The thought has crossed my mind also, to someday get a super bright, big assortment of flowers on and across my chest.  We shall see….  

Paul's Tattoos

What is your tattoo?

I have three or four tattoos depending on how you look at them. My first tattoo is of an angel on my right upper arm surrounded by poppy flowers that has my friend's name (katie) written in one of poppy flower leaves. The next tattoo I got is a part of the painting Great Wave Off of Kanagawa that is placed on my left upper arm that has another friend's name (abi).  My third tattoo is the album cover of We Were All Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse. Finally I surrounded my Great Wave tattoo with Japanese wind bars and cherry blossoms making a Japanese style sleeve.  Some people combine the wind bars and cherry blossoms with the Great Wave tattoo so that's where some people combine the two and say it's 3.

What prompted you to get this tattoo?/What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you?

The first one is just because I thought it was cool looking honestly and I wanted my friend's name to be a tattoo because I love her that much but didn't want…to have a whole tattoo dedicated to her. Ya know, names aren't always the best ideas haha her name in the flower is mostly for me. Same goes for abi's name that's tattooed on my other arm.  I got the second one for basically the same reason as why I got the first one. I mean, I really dig the painting; the colors are phenomenal. 

I got the Modest Mouse tattoo because them as a band mean a lot to me. I love their music and as a musician I felt as though it was important enough to be tattooed on me.

I got the wind bars and blossoms because I like how they look and it kept to the japanese theme that I started on my left arm. The cherry blossoms represent mortality in japanese culture which is why I got them and is also why I got them such a dark red as in blood.  Just a reminder that this is one life sorta. It's kinda morbid I guess, but I dig it haha

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

Absolutely not.

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your 

tattoo? Why or Why not?

I certainly have felt judgment from those I don't know but reactions from people that I do know are generally more positive. Except my mom, she hates them.

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why 

or why not?

It just depends on where you go.  The people I surround myself with accept them and the places I hangout at generally like them. 

As a whole I think the consensus about tattoos are still pretty evenly split between those who do like them and those who don't.

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same 

placement? Why or why not?

I would probably do the exact same thing I did the first time. MAAAYYYBBEEE switch the modest mouse tattoo to the other side of my chest but that's still just a maybe.

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have 

any)?

I do plan on getting a number of tattoos including a letter "V" for my mom, a series of roses, more album cover art, a pyramid with an eye at the top of it, the word "live" and several more after these. 

Tattoo Encyclopedia: Angels traditionally represent benevolent spirituality. Much of what angels do (both in tattoos and in religion) centers around their relationships to humans. Water has a complex relationship with humans, being both representative of life and destruction (the book doesn't say anything specifically about waves.  The cherry blossoms that surround the wave tattoo traditionally symbolize the fragility of human life and the perfect death.

Emily's Tattoos

What is your tattoo?

I have two tattoos.  One is a stylized heart tattoo on the inside of my right ankle.  The other is the words “Wind Beneath My Wings” write in cursive on the middle of my back.

What prompted you to get this tattoo? 

The first tattoo I got for no reason other than wanting a tattoo.  I had turned 18 a week before and wanted to do something to sort of commemorate the occasion.

The second tattoo I got three years after the first.  Some friends were planning on getting a tattoo, and I had wanted a second tattoo for a while.  So, I joined them.

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? 

The first one does not have much of a meaning.  I think of it as a reminder to follow my heart, since the tattoo is placed upon my ankle.

The second tattoo holds so many meanings.  My paternal grandmother, Eileen, was always one of my role models and was such a kind person.  She died when I was in 8^th grade and I still cannot think about her without crying.  After her death, my grandfather gave me a porcelain music box that my grandmother had ordered for me before her death, which played the tune of “Wind Beneath My Wings.”  The phrase stuck with me, not only because my grandmother was one of my biggest supporters, but also because of her passion for birds.  I got the tattoo to remind me of her, and I placed it on my back in a place that would be, literally beneath my wings, if I had any.

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

I don’t regret either tattoo.  The only regret I felt was immediately after, due to my hesitance to tell my parents and to see their negative reactions.

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?

It really depends on the group of people I am around.  The only time I feel judged is when I am in a group setting with people who talk about how they never want to get a tattoo.  There are times when people can make the idea of a tattoo feel dirty, and it is easy to get offended by that.

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?

Again, I really believe that it depends upon the situation.  In my generation, I think that having a tattoo is more of a common occurrence.  However, around my parents’ generation, I find that they question the point of tattoos and often view tattoos as “ruining” a body.  It is also a common discrimination in the workplace, and people often have to hide their tattoos during an interview process.  I can’t wear a skirt because of my ankle tattoo, or I can, but I have to make sure to cover the tattoo.

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?

I would never change my second tattoo.  It holds so much meaning that I can’t think of any tattoo I would rather have.  I am sure if I had more time, I could have probably thought of something better for my first tattoo, but I still like it and I definitely wouldn’t change its placement.

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have any)? 

I have thought about getting another tattoo, but at this point I have no idea where I would put it or what it would be.  There isn’t anything meaningful enough for me to spend money to have it permanently put on my body that I can think of.  

Tattoo Encyclopedia: There aren't any entries for the words, obviously, but there is an entry for the heart flash. The heart symbol has an obvious meaning of love and affection. 

Lauren's Tattoo

What is your tattoo?: The graphic is a treble clef and a bass clef sign in the shape of a heart (this is a pretty popular graphic for music people). The phrase says, “Vita Brevis, Ars Longa” which is Greek for “Life is short, art is long.”

What prompted you to get this tattoo?: I was with a friend on vacation in Chicago, and I wanted to do something that I have never done before. I knew that I wanted a tattoo for a long time and had thought about this one for a while before deciding to get it. The tattoo place almost couldn’t get me in because my friend and I were both walk-ins. I was nervously waiting around for about a half an hour before they told me they could get me in. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. But now that I’ve done it, I want to do it again. 

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you?: I wanted to get a tattoo that I knew I would never get tired of and always mean something to me. I have performed music almost my entire life. I have even composed a couple songs for the piano. I have played piano for about 15 years, violin for about 10 years, and have sung professionally since I was 8. Joining Sigma Alpha Iota (the music sorority on Truman’s campus) sealed the deal on the tattoo. The phrase, “Vita brevis, ars longa” is our open motto. Several other girls in my sorority have this phrase tattooed somewhere on their bodies. I did not get the tattoo because of that, but because I thought the phrase would be something I could live by the rest of my life. Also, the tattoo is located on my left back shoulder. I am left handed, so my left side is my dominant one. Music is a passion that will always be dominant in my life. ALSO, the fact that the phrase is Greek is important, as I am Greek multiplied by three. In my time at college, I have joined three Greek organizations: Alpha Gamma Delta (social), Alpha Sigma Gamma (service), and Sigma Alpha Iota (music).

Do you regret getting a tattoo?: I did immediately after I got it only because I had NEVER done something like that in my whole life. I absolutely love it now.

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?: No, mainly because my tattoo is hidden most of the time. Actually, a lot of people don’t even know I even have one. Even my own father.

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?: Yes, if they are not distasteful with them. I still think older generations have a lot of issues with them because of the stigma that no one can be seen as “professional” with tattoos.

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?: YES YES YES! This tattoo is not just something I like, it is a passion for me. It is something I will love for the rest of my life.

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos? If so, what are your ideas (if you have any)?: Yes, although I have not had very long to think about another one. I just got this one last summer. Another thing that is very important to me is the image of a woman. By the zodiac, I am a Virgo, and a very strong one at that. I am also a Women & Gender Studies minor and feminist activist. I have also thought about a quote from my favorite book or poem or something, as I am also a literature enthusiast. 


Tattoo Encyclopedia Interpretation of the Treble Clef and Bass Clef tattoos: 

Both of these symbols are primarily found on musicians or music enthusiasts, but the treble clef is much more common than a bass clef.

  

Tristan's Tattoo

What is your tattoo?

It is a green T with the letters BSL across the top and the S going down says Sevilla

What prompted you to get this tattoo? 

I have always wanted to get a tattoo, and I finally had decided what I wanted and had it in my head for over a year. My dad is very against tattoos, and even threatened to cut us off financially if we got one. My sister got her tattoo and then I got mine shortly afterwards as I felt the timing was best. 

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? 

The T is the first letter of my name, Tristan. 

The B in BSL is the Boston Red Sox logo, my favorite baseball team (baseball is also my favorite sport)

BSL stands for Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where I lived for a year working for Habitat for Humanity/Americorps building houses for Hurricane Katrina victims in between high school and college

Sevilla was the place in Spain where I studied abroad for a semester my sophomore year of college. 

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

No I do not. I don’t feel like I will since it has so much significance to me, and I waited over a year from when I had the idea in my head vaguely of what I wanted. 

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?

No, but it is located on my upper shoulder which is generally hidden from view so except for friends people wouldn’t know I have it unless I’m swimming or something. 

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?

It depends on the circumstances. Professionals such as businessmen and doctors would likely not be taken seriously if they had visible tattoos, as there is somewhat of a stigma regarding them, but I believe they are becoming more and more accepted. 

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?

Yes I would. I also got this just over 6 months ago so maybe ask me again in a few years but I doubt I will regret my tattoo. 

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos?

I would like to get at least one more, but not until I find something else that means as much to me as the elements of my first tattoo. 

Myself and My Tattoos

I suppose someone reading this blog would have a lot of questions, but the main one I could come up with was: Why do you care about the tattoo community or why are you interested? And my answer to this is: because I believe I am a part of it. While I don't have a sleeve, or even a half-sleeve, I do have two tattoos, and I plan on getting more. Since I am the creator of this blog and this project, I figured it would be fitting for me to post my own tattoo interview and pictures first. So, he it goes! 

What are your tattoos?

-My tattoos are a key on my foot near and a white tattoo that says "beautiful" in cursive on my back in between my shoulder blades. 

What prompted you to get this tattoo? 

-My "beautiful" tattoo is a memorial tattoos in honor of my father who died in 2008. While my dad was alive he called me his "beautiful baby," which inspired my tattoo. Aside from that saying, I just felt like beautiful was a wonderfully positive thing I carry around with me for the rest of my life. My key tattoo was inspired by my "fake mom" and her love for keys. My fake sister, fake mom, and I were going to get a key tattooed on our ankles together, but fake mom changed her mind, so my fake sister and I did it together.  

What special meaning or significance does this tattoo have to you? 

-The "beautiful" tattoo was inspired by my father and is in many way a memorial to him. My key tattoo reminds me that: 1) I always have the power to open doors in my life 2) I always have my family with me, wherever I go. 

Do you regret getting a tattoo?

-Once in a great while, usually after I put on strappy heels, or I endure a particularly long and terrible winter I think, Damn, I wish I never got this tattoo on my foot, but then when the summer rolls around I get really excited about it and look forward to showing it off again. I have have regretted my white tattoo, and would venture to say I never will. 

Do you feel like you are judged or excluded from activities because of your tattoo? Why or Why not?

- Very rarely I feel judged by strangers for my tattoo, but I feel the stigma of my tattoo from my family all the time. Usually when my little cousins ask me questions about them or when family members try to make fun of them. 

Do you feel people with tattoos are generally accepted in this day and age? Why or why not?

-I strongly believe that tattoos are at least tolerated in most sectors of the population. Even though I believe this, I do acknowledge that there are some people who won't tolerate. I do have faith that they will become more and more accepted the older we get. All these opinions have been formed by articles and studies we've read in the Practice and Meanings of Tattoos class. 

If you could do it all over again, would you get this same tattoo and same placement? Why or why not?

-I would say I would keep everything the same for my beautiful tattoo, but for my key tattoo, I wish I would have placed it on the inside of my ankle instead of the outside. But I must admit, I rarely ever have this feeling. And I think this feeling will go away after I get my key tattoo touched up again. 

Do you plan on getting any more tattoos?

-Eventually, I would like to get more tattoos. I am currently keeping my eye out for a poem to get tattooed on my ribs. Most recently, I've been grappling with getting the word love tattooed on my wrist, but I'm waiting until I make a career choice before acting on that. 

After searching through The Tattoo Encyclopedia, I have come to the conclusion that there are no entires for keys as a symbol. 

...And We Have Lift Off

I finally received word from IRB that I am good to go for the blog! Great success! Ya know what this means, be expecting awesome pictures and entries about tattoos!

In other news, I added a section to my pages called Sources. In this section I'll be explaining why I've decided to use the Encyclopedia of Tattoos in addition to participant's interviews in this blog.

I am hopeful that I'll have the first interview up by the weekend and hopefully a little blurb about my own tattoos and why I got them.

Great Things Soon to Come!

Hello all (or most likely just Meg),

The blog is up and running! Now we're just waiting on IRB to approve the project so I can begin interviews. So check out the pages I have up right now and check back for news posts!