[lilacwine13]

This past summer I got an arm tattoo that covered up some scars, and it well well without a hitch. The entire thing hurt, so the scar tissue wasn't an issue there. I'm planning on getting a half sleeve to cover up the rest of them on that arm. (I'm not sure what to get done on the other arm, though, since there are scars there as well.) If you're really concerned, I'd suggest talking to the tattoo artist; the ones I've met have been really nice and don't want to make it any more painful than it might be.

If anyone asks about the scars I just tell them it's "personal," give them a look, and they usually drop it. I am extremely uncomfortable talking about them, rather embarrassed, and really don't want them to pity me over a phase I went through ten years ago (which has been the case more often than not).

[nickclick]

i watched some documentary on TV once about tattoos that included a story of a woman who tattooed over her mascetomy scars. they were absolutely gorgeous. i do agree with snow white, that the source of your scars are nobody's damn business. but this woman's idea was to create something beautiful out of her pain.

still, it seems like something i'd discuss with my doctor first. i'd be most concerned that scar tissue may be sensitive and that tattooing it would be painful!

[snow white]

london ink is my favorite

likeanyother, i don't think it would be a problem as i've had a tattoo artist offer to cover my scars when i went in for a peircing. i think you should ask the person you want to get a tatto from, you know? i also don't think u should feel obligated into telling ppl the truth over your scars, just make something up. it probably sounds stupid but thats what i do about things other ppl have no bussiness knowing about me.

nice tats, knorl. i've always liked the simplisity of black bands. a friend of mine has them around his arm and i guees he designed them useing some mathmatical eqation.

[banshee]

knorl,
i understand how tats going mainstream is a little annoying, but i actually feel really enthusiastic about the rise of shows like l.a. and miami ink... i think anything that makes body art more visible will help to chip away at conventional bias against ink. i've also read that as the older, more conservative generations retire, the job market may become more lenient.

it sucks because, to some extent, if you work for a monster corporation (one of the reasons i want to become a librarian - i cannot stand the idea of working for a monster corp) you are at their mercy as far as individual rights go (especially where body art/piercings are involved). i'm willing to dress the part for a job, i just feel that its unreasonable to have an employer rule against you based on what you choose to wear on your skin.

from what i understand, its my understanding that employees of government institutions have more First Amendment protections... whether or not that means a librarian can get away with a half sleeve, however, is still unclear to me.

i'd love to get involved with advocacy against employment discrimination... i only wish that TATTOO had a website.

[knorl05]

wow banshee. those articles brought up some great points that i hadnt ever considered. given that i'm not the corporate type, i guess i've not really thought seriously about the implications of my decision to get tatted. at least not after i got my first one, as i felt i had officially assimilated with (my) countercultural beliefs, and with that shift, i've not wanted to deny my beliefs &or strive for acceptance from anyone, especially not an employer. thanks for those links, something to not only consider, but also to advocate for...

although i'm also pretty old school when it comes to tattoos, so i wonder if i even support the idea of tats becoming mainstream.. hmm.

also, likeanyother: i have a friend that had a large birth mark covered up with no problem, and i have heard many people getting scars covered up as well. you should do a search on the internet, or consult with a tattoo artist to get a better idea of what the process would entail..

[likeanyother]

I have a "practical" question about tattoos, have any of you gotten a tattoo over a scar? I have two burn scars on my upper arm from one drunk, regrettable night of self-loathing in which I burned myself with a cigarette. I don't like them, and I especially don't like having to explain to people where I got them (the equivalent of getting "I'm an idiot!!" tattooed on my arm, it feels like). Anyway, I was thinking of getting a non-idiotic tattoo over them and I'm just wondering if that would cause any problems? Anyone have any input? Thanks.

[banshee]

here's my left wrist, obviously the right one is (just about) exactly the same.

as i've said, the color didnt turn out as vibrant as i would have liked, so in order to make it look good, i photoshopped the pic a little bit.

thanks snow white, n*joi.

also banshee, i'm not the best to ask advice about this... i tend to feel if an employer isnt going to accept me for how i look, tattoos included, they're not the type of place i want to work anyway. i'm one who fully believes that assertiveness and ability take precedence over appearance anyday. besides, you've got the law backing you up on that point as well; use your rights to your advantage.

i totally agree with you, knorl... in theory anyway. i guess i'm still trying to get a feel for how conservative libraries are in their hiring practices.

i was under the impression that the law doesn't recognize discrimination against body art/piercings. a few weeks back i had googled employment discrimination and found this article:
http://www.bmezine.com/news/guest/20040405.html

the impression that i got from the few articles i read was that the employee or potential employee has little legal recourse if they are fired just on the basis of body art.

i read an article about this lobbying group called TATTOO (Tattooed Against the Thriving Tolerance of Occupational Oppression): http://www.needled.com/blog/entries/tattoo...-on-kmox-radio/

...but i haven't been able to find anything else about them.

[knorl05]

here's my left wrist, obviously the right one is (just about) exactly the same.

as i've said, the color didnt turn out as vibrant as i would have liked, so in order to make it look good, i photoshopped the pic a little bit.

thanks snow white, n*joi.

also banshee, i'm not the best to ask advice about this... i tend to feel if an employer isnt going to accept me for how i look, tattoos included, they're not the type of place i want to work anyway. i'm one who fully believes that assertiveness and ability take precedence over appearance anyday. besides, you've got the law backing you up on that point as well; use your rights to your advantage.

[snow white]

a girl i work w/ wears long sleeves all the time. her arms are pretty well covered w/ tats but they don't seem to hinder her. we work as nurses in a hospital, btw, where they are fairly strict about not "freaking out" any of your patients. if u work in an air conditioned building i don't think it would be that much of a problem. as long u don't get stuck wearing a uniform of short sleeves or something.

i think the most visible i'd get would be the wrist, which u can always cover w/ a watch. but what if u got one on the nape of your neck or behind the ear??? hmm, me thinking out loud again.

knorl, u're tattoos sound sweet, u should post some pics!

[banshee]

Apologies if this has been posted before, but this has been a burning issue for me lately...

How many people have had conflicts between their tats and their careers?

I just finished my first semester of grad school (library science), so I'm starting to think more practically about my future career.

I'm craving my first very visible tattoo - it would probably amount to a half sleeve. Trouble is, I'm concerned (and irritated!) that it might interfere with my job prospects (because unfortunately, in the more conventional fields, appearance seems to trump actual ability any day of the week...). There's always the option of wearing long sleeves to work, but that may pose a problem in the dead of summer.

I have two other tattoos that I can easily kept covered up (lower back and left shoulder), I just hate accepting the reality that I will have to "cover up" to keep/get a job.

So I guess my question is - how do you cope with body art policies at work?

[knorl05]

yes tattoo mags are very fascinating i do agree.

thanks for the kudos on my recent tats snow white. however i guess i miscommunicated what they are... they are my sixth and seventh tattoos. no numbers on me. the new ones are actually covering up my previous tattoos on my inner wrists, which were celtic symbols known at the triskele. now i just have straight black bands around my wrists, which i think looks pretty hot even though the color didnt take completely.. i will have to get them redone.

[snow white]

i'm always pouring over tattoo magazines, which makes me feela almost a little weird since i don't have one. i just love the idea of them, it is extermly hard to find the right design though. thanks for the advice, and knorl your number tattoos sound really cool

[knorl05]

one thing to keep in mind i think is that tattoo trends change. so you should probably get something designed that carries some significance to you. also remember that, unless you decide to have them removed, tattoos become a part of you. i look at mine as self-made birth marks so that i dont allow myself to lament on the ones that i dont like so much anymore (namely the japanese writing i got while hung over during spring break in florida about ten years ago).

i think it's best to go into tattoo land with some respect for the craft. since i'm pretty seasoned with them (just got numbers six and seven around my wrists), what i've learned is most tattoos artists are genuine artists. they love to do work, body art, not just flash and trendy/girly symbols. what the tattoo artist wants isnt what matters here, but i'm making the point that (i feel) it's best to have some sort of knowledge of -or relationship to- your artist before you go in to have them ink you up. if you dont respect their work, many times they dont put their heart and soul into it, and so the work can potentially turn out half assed. speaking from experience here because i have typically gotten tats spur of the moment, which turns the artist into a robot with a gun putting ink on a stranger, so subsequently the work hasnt always turned out to the standard i would have liked.

did i go too deep into this? i tend to do that. hmm.

anyway. i guess my best bit of advice, is that if you know your artist, know yourself and what you want.. i dont see how your first tattoo experience could be anything less than great.

[nickclick]

snow, there's no hurry, because what's worse than waiting to get a tattoo is having a tattoo that you really don't like! keep looking at tattoo mags, art/design books, etc. if you find something you're into, still wait a few months before making an appt. also, ask around about good artists. you could always bring some scraps and ideas and see what s/he draws up.

not to say you might not change your mind in the future. my first couple of tattoos i don't love so much anymore. well, they just look a bit boring. so now i'm on the hunt for something to add to make them more likeable. one's a small black star with a little line design inside. the other's a small black swirly sun thing. both are on my upper arm. they need some red or something, but i just don't know.

[snow white]

yay, look what i found! a little late but thats ok.

anyway, i've been thinking about getting a tattoo. ya i do a lot of thinking about getting one and not much else.

so here's my tattoo standards:

~nothing that can't age w/ me (which is the hardest criteria to fill)
~no band logos, fashion logos and car logos, ect...
~must be sophisticated, classy, sexy and original

i really like the tattoos snuggled in behind the ear. i also like the ribcage and inner wrist placements. and ankle and foot. i have a hard time decideing

owl gang girl, u have really cute tattoos!

[culturehandy]

bumpity bumpity

[princess evangel...]

Hey, does anyone have a tattoo behind their ear? I've been thinking recently of getting a star - black outline with blue shading, leaving the inside the colour of skin - and I'm wondering just how visible it will be. Which may seem like a silly question, but I recently moved to a rather conservative town and for some reason I'm starting to care about these things. But I'll only be here for a few more months. And it's my 3rd tattoo.

Thanks! I should probably just jump in and do it, but it symbolizes a lot of change and a commitment to walking down the path I've been wanting to for years, but haven't been ready to/have been too scared to. Isn't it funny that a little bit of ink can have so much meaning!!!

voodoo princess here < starshine - i don't have any tats "behind" my ears but i DO have them "inside" both my ears and really, not that many people notice, or they think it's earrings ?, go figure on that one, but anyway, i suppose it would really depend on how you wear your hair as to how obvious the tat will be...... looking at you straight on, of course, the tat should be invisible and i would think that someone would have to be rather close to you and viewing you from a back angle to even see it and most people don't concentrate on someones ears anyway when looking at them, unless ears are their thing, i suppose... ha ha ha!

[Owl_Gang_Girl]

I'm getting new ink tonight (I hope..) Yay!

Owl Gang Girl-your ink is gorgeous! I LOVE Junko Mizuno! Nicely done!!

Thank you so much! I haven't been in here for SO long but my friend just got a beautiful half sleeve and it got me thinking about saving up to have one of my own done. I thought I might do a web search to see if anyone else had any Junko Mizuno ink that I could use for inspiration and Voila! up popped this comment in google. Not yet decided if I should go for a Junko theme yet or something more old school looking and symbolic.
I also want something as a tribute to my brothers one of whom died when I was 14 and the other has taught me a lot about growing up (mostly by making mistakes!). I already have a black and purple nautical star on my right foot and was thinking of having a matching one on the left foot with the words "little sister" across my two feet. It's an idea I've been toying with for some time but have yet to find the style I want for the writing. I'd quite like a swirly, almost handwritten -in a non chicken scratch way- looking script but haven't come across what I want yet.
I'm rambling now so I'll leave you with that information. Thanks again!
Xxx

[sillygrrl13]

I'm getting new ink tonight (I hope..) Yay!

Owl Gang Girl-your ink is gorgeous! I LOVE Junko Mizuno! Nicely done!!

[crazyoldcatlady]

i saw a web banner ad for the la ink show and was stoked... i missed kat von d on miami ink; yeah she was rough around the edges business-wise, but paul sr. is an asshole and the tattoo his lady friend wanted WAS juvenile.