I want a tattoo. I don't have any tattoos (yet). I've wanted to be tattooed for a while, but I haven't yet got around to it. I know that may sound weird, but it's pretty close to the truth. When people say that they want a tattoo but don't have any, I have found that its usually either because they're scared of the pain, they don't want something "permanent" on their body that they may regret in the years to come, or perhaps it's taboo in their family or religion. For me, it's quite the opposite.
About 12 years ago, I was close to a co-worker that had some pretty extreme tattoos. I mean punk rock style, dark, graphic, and very visible. And he kept getting more. Every few months, a new image would appear on one of his arms, lower and lower creeping toward his hands. He now has full sleeves and more. I was still a skeptic back then and one day I asked him a question that anybody with visible tattoos has probably been (or will be) asked..."What if you don't like them when you're older?" His response came natural and quick, and now that I'm looking back on it I am sure that I wasn't the first to have this conversation with him. He explained that every tattoo was like a memory. It signified something that was happening in his life at that time. Whether it was the logo of his favorite band, a cool graphic design that he really liked, or something serious and sentimental about his daughter, every tattoo had a meaning and connection to him. He was already able to look at his body and pick out older tattoos that he would not have chosen again, but he didn't "regret" them. They were just reminders of previous phases and events in his life. And he would have these memories for years to come, as he continues to grow old.
That conversation was pretty eye opening for me and it still resonates. It didn't mean that I was going to start treating my body like a scrapbook and go out and get a Vanilla Ice, Pokémon, or Reebok tattoo, but it took away the fear of commitment. That was when I realized that I was not only open to getting a tattoo, but I really wanted one. I appreciated art, I had significant life events to remember, and I wasn't afraid. At that point, I just needed to pick one. And that decision dragged on for about 10 years. There were so many factors to consider; not just "what do I want to get," but I had to consider placement, style, etc. Then, about a year or two ago, my paradigm shifted again. I realized that I was searching for the perfect tattoo, but there is no such thing (for me). I have so many interests, and such an appreciation for different styles of art and symbolism, that I was just spinning my wheels trying to pick one. That's when I knew that I couldn't pick a tattoo that I wanted because there isn't just one. I need many.
Now my tattoo planning has stalled again. I have developed a short list of 4-5 tattoos that I want to get, along with positions and placements for them (mostly). I am coming to a point where I am almost ready to take the plunge. But now I still need to decide on which one I will get first, commit to the style, and find the artist. This has lasted for about a year. For the style, I look at Pinterest and I pin tattoos that I like in hopes that I will blend them together and create the right one for me. I'm sure that I'm the only one that does that. But the quality is a whole other issue. I have watched enough Ink Master to be worried that my tattoo wont turn out the way that I want it to. I have become an expert critic. So now I drive by tattoo shops and wonder if that's a place that would be good enough to tattoo me. I have looked up tattoo shops on Yelp to see how good my local ones are. I have thought about traveling to Vegas or Southern California or some other mecca of artists to ensure that I will get the best ink that I can. And that's where I'm at...hopefully to be updated soon...
So you may be saying "Wow, that was a really personal story. But I thought this was a Stampin' blog. Thanks for wasting my time." But wait! My story ties into my card! One of the tattoos that I like is the traditional (and some may say overdone) anchor. I like the graphic as well as the symbolism. So I was browsing Pinterest and we had just gotten a new box of SU! products in. I put down my iPad and started unboxing our stuff. Suddenly, the Guy Greetings set caught my eye. It was like one of those movie vignettes in my mind of part flashback/part vision; I was seeing the stamp set, Pinterest, my tattoo, and my new card in a whirlwind of flashing, spinning, fading images, complete with a dramatic music soundtrack. Ok, actually that's a little dramatic. I saw the anchor stamp, and thought it would be cool to do a card that looked like a tattoo. My creative inspiration came from the new style of "watercolor" tattoos (not my style for tattoo, but I thought it would make a nice card). It was outside of my comfort zone, but I threw it all together and I really like the outcome. See for yourself:
I embossed the anchor, then used the Aqua Painter in a combination of flicks, drips, and swirls to create the splotchy look. Inks are Real Red and Night of Navy. I was so happy with the outcome that I am thinking about doing a series of cards with a similar theme. Not sure what the theme will be though, Lol. It's just a work in progress.
Well, thanks for hearing me out. I was a little out of my comfort zone with the sharing of the personal info as well as the creation card. Hope you like both, and perhaps you can find encouragement for your own tattoo story. And if you have any advice, please share! It's not too late for me...
