In my opinion; it’s fine for the tattoo to have no meaning, but if that’s the case pick an artist that you love and have a good time so you have a positive day/memory attached to it
No they don’t need to have meaning. Lots of mine are just for the love of the art. People say trends change so you won’t like your tattoos if they don’t have meaning. Yeah, well so does your mindset.
Sometimes you choose a subject for a tattoo for a subconscious reason, you gravitate towards an image that speaks too an experience you can't pot in to words yet and only In hindsight find that out
I just booked my appointment for my first tattoo and I’m getting Pennywise, I can’t pin point a meaning behind it but something made me gravitate towards it (no pun intended) all I know is that I remember since I was a kid I used to draw this creepy clown face for some reason which was not a copy or drawing of anything, I just used to draw it. So idk exactly why, but I want this tattoo very badly!
I just scheduled a consultation date. I thought about it for a long time, and suddenly it feels really right. I found this artist, scrolled through his portfolio and contacted him right away. He (also) does abstract stuff, and that’s exactly what I want. I want to cover scars on my arm, and while it’s kind of supposed to symbolise closure, I just want my arm to be prettier. And I think that’s meaning enough.
Jim, great video, I am 65 now, I started getting mine when I was 63, I am in the 1st category. All mine have a deep meaning. You mentioned 101st Airborne, My dad was Eisenhower's personal bodyguard in WW2 and he was in the 82nd Airborne and was built like Arnold. A real man and an awesome father. So I have that division logo 82nd insignia with "Best Dad" and his name on me. The rest are my faith, patriotism, grandkids, Chinese friend and a night beach scene cause I am still a beach bum haha, Jim, never grow old dude!!
As long as it looks cool then it's cool to me, it doesn't need some special story or deeper meaning to it to be a nice piece. But for example, my dog is named anubis, so I have an anubis tattoo on my back, it's not a super deep meaning but it does have some significance aside from just the awesome aesthetic of the artwork that it is.
This is what I’ve never understood. I’m 40 and got my first ink at 18. I like getting tattoos of things I think look cool, and people always ask me what they mean. When I say it has no meaning, I just like it they think I’m crazy. Why can’t I have a meaningless tattoo that looks cool?
I find people usually shut up if I say "It means I love it and I could afford it" I don't go to their house and ask them if the pictures on their walls have meaning! I have several on my legs that are actually funny and you just KNOW there's a story behind them! So I love when people start a conversation about them in that way! Just depends how I'm approached I guess lol
After posting the video it's come to my attention that Wayne gretzky wasn't on the Detroit redwings. He played for the Edmonton oilers. Derp. Sorry, I'm not into hockey. Prolly should've chosen a different example 😅
James Withee it’s okay I’m not into hockey either but I love baseball and I love one direction if I get a one direction tattoo is that bad? And spongebob squarepants tattoo is that bad to get?
James Withee how about a rose with thorns and with the stems and leaf tattoo does it got to have a meaning ? Thank you cause it has a meaning in my heart , it's about my dad and i dont like to tell people about what it means ,what can i tell people when they ask me what's does my tattoo mean ?
James Withee Good on you for admitting it! Dude have you ever watched Fluffee Talks? You gotta watch some of his "worst tats ever" vids! Hilarious....but also informative warnings as well. Tats are just totally personal I think...but like you said AND Fluffee shows...you need to be lucid at least. You aren't using magic marker lol. Maybe that would be a thought. Have it drawn on first...? TY!😍🐾
I'm getting my first tattoo this week and while I'm beyond excited (I'm 37 and have wanted one since I was 18), the second thoughts have been strong over the past few days. Hearing you talk about the different ways to incorporate meaning (the Converse All-Star idea, for example), really helped ease any worries and opened up some ideas for future pieces. I genuinely appreciate that you're taking the time to do these videos; many thanks!
Dude you hit the nail on the head, my dad has bees so I did a honeycomb on my elbow and I'm doing 12 bees 9 for brothers and sisters, 1 for my dad and the last 2 represent my wife and my son. My mom loved carnations and hummingbirds so I also have that and my mom (the hummingbird) is set up above it all having her watching over us. Great video and have a great night.
I love how nuanced your videos are. Its really helpful for someone like me, who is a noob, loving tattoos and trying to decide how to get started and avoiding regrets.
"Let your artist be an artist." My artist's eyes light up when I tell him what I want, I give him just the skeleton, and let him do his own thing. I'm also a little bit of a challenge for him. He's been quoted saying, "I like pretty things, but they're everywhere. I don't want to make pretty things." (Maybe not verbatim, I'd have to dig out the magazine for the exact quote.) He makes some really dark art. But I'm like, I want this dark theme, but make it pretty. He loves me still. So much so that I'm his first (and last) apprentice since swearing them off over twenty years ago. As far as tattoos having meaning, my tattoos are special to me, and each body part tells a story, but none of them have actual meaning, if that makes sense. For instance, my sleeve is the story of a mermaid and her band of miscreants who sunk a pirate ship and drowned its captain. I have always loved water and everything that goes along with it, especially pirates, and my sisters and I did play mermaid at the beach as kids, so its something that represents me to the core, but its not really meant to be meaningful, it's meant to tell a story. I do have two planned tattoos that have actual meaning, but they'll be part of my other sleeve, which will be telling a different story. I think if you love it for its meaning, or because the design is cool, either way is cool.
Good video! I'm the kind of guy that ponders an idea for at least a year and keeps the subject matter close to the heart. Some personal connection makes for a lasting memory. My first tattoo was done in 2003 and although esthetically I'm not into it anymore (it got hidden in a sleeve but not covered) it's a very important part of my life. That being said, people should do whatever they want.
9:30 thank you for this explanation, it is exactly what I came up with by myself and I’m glad to hear it be said for others to hear. Every tattoo I have planned to do (I am about to schedule my first appointment ever at almost 23 years old) has significant meaning to me, but I am getting things to represent those important things to me as a theme (botanical in my case), as I knew going into my considerations that I never want lettering/words/numbers on my body in any language for the exact reason(s) you mentioned. Edit: my plan is to get different varieties of flowers (NOT watercolor or mini style) to stand for people close to me, alive or passed; then ones that represent important times in my life that formed me into who I am today. Each tattoo being a very different flower from the last and balanced across different areas of my body (such as a loved one’s favorite flower). I like that everything would be only known about the meaning If I decided to disclose that info myself on an individual basis. Again a point that is true about the high meaning tattoos like mentioned in the video is the fact that the tattoos in my situation are not as adventurous as I might otherwise have planned, but I am so excited nonetheless.
personally , all of my tattoos have deep meaning and i love all of them . i got a half sleeve of flowers , which are the birth flowers of my parents . to finish it off , i plan to bring it onto the shoulder by adding in the birth flowers of all of my siblings and i feel like its the perfect example of incorporating multiple subjects that mean a lot to you into one piece . by the way , i love you work and videos (:
My last tattoo I got from an amazing artist here in Boston. I was so confident on his works and I just told him what I wanted. He picked the colors and it came one better than what I have could ever imagine. I told him I trust him no matter what.
Just got my first tattoo less than 3 weeks ago. I fell on the end of needing deep meaning that wouldn't change. My boys. I went with 3 blue hearts outlined in black. It's on my forearm side by side on their side when my arm is down. I really should have gotten them going across because now I want to expand on it and have it flow better. I was afraid to do anything that wasn't extremely meaningful so I went as simple as possible. Now I have to figure out how to work around it. My advice is to not be afraid to play around with it and have fun. I'll take my advice next time. Haha
I saw a comment somewhere regarding tattoo meanings that will always stick with me. Meanings will come and go and change throughout your life. But badass art will always be badass art.
I got a pretty big anime tattoo on my foream. Full color, about 8 inchs long, and wraps quiet a bit being about 6 inches wide. It was a 6 hour session. It looks amazing, and I've seen A LOT of pretty bad anime-style tattoos. People have said that "I'll regret it in 30 years." but will I? It's a character from one of the first anime I watched when I was little. It's my all time favorite. It's what got me deeper into the hobby, as well as Japanese culture. It's what connected me with my closest friends, and it's defined who I am as a person today. Even if I end up not liking anime when I'm 50, I'll still be able to look back at how much it brought into my life. On the flipside, I get compliments daily on it, even from people who don't even know about anime. Had plenty of dudes tatted from foot to neck compliment the work.
thanks for sharing. i did a sailor moon cosmic heart on my gf.. same sort of meaning for her. she loves anime and it was a huge part of her life growing up. she even speaks japanese even though she is moroccan. i doubt either you or her will ever regret the subject matter
omg omg, i got sakura on my upper arm too. .. omg omg. it was the first anime ive ever watched and it got me into everything i like today.. just like you omg. its so weird........ i just finished my last session a week ago and it looks amazing full of colors and big,,, its sakura in a pink dress with the cards flying around her and kero.. give me your facebook or something so i can see your tatt. ill show you mine... im a girl btw
The meaning factor was the reason why it took me so long to commit to tattoos. One day it hit me and I realized: why do we get tattoos? Cuz they look dope! Some people try to justify getting a tattoo by how much it means to them when in reality they just wanna be inked up and theres absolutely nothing wrong with that. When I realized: "hey, I'm an artist I love tattoos and I appreciate good artwork and I want to wear it forever." I found a graffiti artist that I persoanlly look up to who is a great tattoo artist and his style was perfect. The work was amazing and the fact that I got work by him made it so much more special and I didnt have to deal with the restraints of "this has to mean something". The artist and the love for art is what allowed me to take the plunge.
I agree with you but a lot of ppl are steering toward “only noobs get tattoos with meaning and it’s at the sacrifice of art” I think both is the goal for me at least. Also my memory sucks so I love having all my favorite shit on my arms. It makes me happy.
I just got my first tattoo last night. Its a beach inside of a diamond with no other meaning really besides me loving the beach. Let the artist do his thing after telling him the general idea and I absolutely love it
So many tips I wish I knew before I got my first tattoo. I was 19, I had lost my dad a year before and I knew I wanted a memorial tattoo. I had an idea and I had put together inspiration (not the actual tattoo I wanted since it was super choppy and edited together), but the tattoo artist I had gone to was not helpful at all. 3 years later, what was supposed to be a beautiful memorial tat on the back of my neck is now my least favorite of all the ones I have. Hoping someday I can get someone to fix it up, or cover it up. Thanks for the tips though. So glad I found your channel 👍🏼
When I was 19 and got my first tattoo, it was a memorial piece for my dog that had passed away. I told myself I'd only get a tattoo if it had a super deep meaning behind it. I'm now 28, and I have 5 tattoos in total, and my mindset has totally changed. I still value the memorial tats I have the most, but the others I just got because I loved the artwork. Have 3 more planned and thankfully none are memorials.
Everything you said resonates a ton with me. I got my first and only tattoo a few years back and I followed your advice in part. It is a black and white animal on my inner forearm, about 3 x 3.5 inches. It is a metaphor for something and it has a lot of meaning for me. I sketched it and ask the artist to redraw it better, so it is original and I love it. But it is a silhouette, it is minimalist, because it was the first one and I was timid about it, I didn't want something complex. The first guy I talked to in the tattoo shop said something like it would be so cool to get a very nice and detailed version of this animal, and I thought he just wanted to get more money from me, but now I get it. I get wanting to have a tattoo that is like a very unique painting. Now I'm thinking of adding new more artistic tattoos to my arm and eventually developed them into a sleeve. I have to consult with some artists to figure out how to do it, because there are pros and cons with planning a full sleeve vs getting new tattoos and make it so they can eventually become a decently coherent sleeve. And on top of that I have the problem of how to mix a minimalist and somewhat large silhouette tattoo with more realistic ones. I'll figure it out but I don't think it's going to be easy.
I love your tips about not being literal when you want a meaning in a tattoo. I have some tattoos with meaning, otehs without, and that doesn't change whether or not I like them more or less.
I got my first tattoo from an artist who did really good anime tats and got myself a quarter sleeve tat of teen gohan before and after transformation. I love it because he has always been my favorite character and a character I can relate too In a way
Hi, I’m moving toward my first tattoo at the age of 50, I have been put off by the popularity and fashionability of tattoos and the idea of having something the same as a lot of other people. However, a recommended video took me on the path to your Channel via several other tattooists. I have enjoyed the videos. A common theme through out them all is how they do not appear to be interested, at all, in repeating anything they have done previously. This is piquing my interest again and I am starting to come to a decision about how I want the tattoo to represent the significance I want it to. I love the idea of finding someone great that I trust to do there best to bring my idea to life. I can’t draw for sh*t so having an artist be able to express the idea for me sounds great. I am thinking on my left upper chest but I have a fair amount of chest hair and I am concerned this would have a major impact on the final result. I would love to see some portfolio pictures showing this sort of situation and also a timeline of how a tattoo may change over time. Any thing you can point me toward?
i'll probably make a short video about this. if you're super hairy you have two options. either get whatever tattoo you want and commit yourself to shaving / using nair, or go with a bolder style of tattoo and leave the hair to grow as it may. choose a very readable image that can be recognized from far away. do a style that has bold outlines and solid fill, such as traditional or geometric. hope that helps
I know I've posted on a video before but it is an anomaly. Even if you aren't getting masses of hits, your messages are good. They're informed. They're strong. So thanks. I hope you stay motivated. You're awesome. (The impulsive type of client)
Can you please make a video about either or not having to tip a tattoo artist? I hope your channel grows because you got very informative content here. Thanks
Tip your artist. If you would tip the chick that brings you a plate of food you won't remember next week then tip the guy that spends hours putting something you'll love on your body for the rest of your life.
Another great video! I just had to subscribe and turn on those notifications. I don't know how to say this in a non-weird way, but the cadence of your voice is very soothing too. It's nice to get these straight forward explanations, and everything flows so well. No quick cuts or distractions needed. Anyway, I'm one of those people that likes to have meaning in my tattoos, from the somewhat light, to very deep. Tomorrow I'm checking out a new shop in VA with great reviews and some really impressive artists in order to get a memorial piece for one of my best friends who was like my brother. I already have the artwork illustrated by another friend of ours, so I hope the tattoo artist isn't bored or uninterested by that. Some times I feel like they'd much rather work on their own original pieces, so I feel oddly guilty about strolling in with fully finished art already.
Subbed a couple days ago like your stuff. I have 6 tattoos. My first two I was still in high school and just now got one of them covered up. Will be covering the other one at some point. My last 4 tattoos have deep meaning to me and no one else. But they still look good in my opinion. I have a portrait of my Grandpa on my forearm, one for my deceased wife and three showing my love for my Irish heritage. Can’t wait to keep filling my arm up. Nice video by the way.
Thanks for this video! You convinced me to change my thinking and I'm glad you did. There is some symbolism that I am interested in but I realized I was over-thinking it and I chose an artist based on his artistic skill and his intuition so I would prefer to have something that is just aesthetically beautiful rather than over-infused with ideas. I am still keeping the basic symbol but I don't think I need to nail down all the details. I wouldn't want to limit a creative thinker.
Meaning I started with one tat on each forearm.....then the tattoo artist expanded the feel..so the other tats draw meaning from the single tat..so now both arms full sleeve tattoos old school 3500.00 working at 1 day a week 2 to 4 hours been Wednesday...today 2 24 20...probably have about 15 more hours then be done..been a nice journey glad I did it small amounts for healing and I'm extremely happy....can't rush this.
I’m a mix of I like something and it has a lot of meaning and stories behind why I choose to as an example put a native America signal tree on my forearm. I like to think of my tattoos as a literal story book on my skin telling about a piece in time I was someone else, maybe that scared 19 year old who left home and misses her best friend or 20 year old who was trying to find her place in the world. In those moments piece of me is forever a moment I’ll never forget. But she grew up and so did her tattoos with her. I couldn’t imagine not having my tattoos anymore, they are forever a part of me in so many ways. It’s weird to see pictures without my tattoos like my forearm tattoos because they are part of me visually and a beautiful story I’m still writing for the future in my ink and my life. Without tattoos it’s like looking at a blank canvas waiting to be painted with beautiful stories.
What a great video, I’m 21 on the verge of my first tattoo and I definitely fall in the first characteristic of deeply thinking this too much. Legit great video thank you
All my tattoos have meaning to me and I’ve got almost 5 grand worth of ink on me. From the very start my artist pointed me in the right direction and suggested I don’t get any lettering. I’m glad he did because imagery is best way to go to fully express the meaning of your tattoo in my opinion
Nice. I have the same opinion. There are exceptions where people do a great job of putting lettering in there, like tattoos done by Benjamin laukis. But he usually only does one or two words. When ppl wanna put a whole sentence or paragraph that's when it gets cheesy
I have 2 tattoos, I have a appointment for my 3rd tomorrow. They all have deep meaning 😊 but I do believe if you don’t have a meaning for your tattoos that’s okay.
I have gotten spontaneous tattoos, but they've been by good and reputable tattoo artists. I don't regret those, they were fun and exciting to me. Now that I'm getting the rest of body done I'm thinking of themes for various areas, but they for the most part don’t have special meaning.
You are so dope! I’m really enjoying your content and your delivery of the info. It’s so easy to understand. I just started getting tattoos at 44, i now have 3 which were done with in days of each other. I’m building a patchwork sleeve, but I was hard pressed to come up with a theme because I was thinking that they had to have a strong meaning. My next tat is supposed to be an owl because it represents wisdom. Again, great content sir! Very concise and to the point.
thanks man. i don't think there's any rule. i've heard of "ink poisoning" before where people have problems because they get too much work in a short period of time, but i don't know if it's a real thing that happens. most of my hardcore clients come in every 2 to 4 weeks to get worked on. the only thing i can see that affecting in a negative way is their gym schedule, if they have one. that's the reason i wouldn't wanna get tattooed every couple of weeks. it would ruin my workout routine and i'd get out of shape in a hurry
James Withee Is going to the gym when somewhat freshly tattoo’d a bad idea? How long after my first sesh should I wait before getting back in there? Getting a sleeve done on my left arm in late September, and I’m an avid gym-goer. The tattooer has me scheduled for sessions every 3 weeks till it’s completed. Thanks
Art is something that is supposed to represent something much larger in a small concept. Artists are transcribing what the world does in our everyday lives. The world and everything inside of it is painting a picture to try and show us our true nature.
Of course not. I see so many people get these very meaningful tattoos that's like their starsign combined with their grandma's name combined with their favourite dish combined with a thousand things and a thousand colours. I would rather have a nice looking tattoo than a meaningful one that isn't good looking.
They don't necessarily have to have meaning, but tattoos are permanent, so there should be SOME reason why you choose to get a design on your body forever, even if that reason is small/simple. With that being said, most of that tattoos I get will have meaning, as I'm quite a sentimental person. At the same time, some of the tattoos I want have MORE meaning than others. Remember, it's YOUR body, what you put on it can have as much or as little meaning as you want.
Great video, i got my first tattoo the other week and now have a few planned, most have meaning to me but a couple I just love the design/concept of it.
I am currently working on a 3/4 sleeve done in the American traditional style. I had 8 tattoos before that. The sleeve will mostly have images that have some kind representation/meaning to me. Of the 8 before only a couple have real meaning to me. And I only regretted 2 of them. One of which is covered in the ongoing sleeve. I guess my theory on it is to each their own. Who am I to judge. I know some of (maybe even all of) the tattoos I have people would think no way they would get that, I know this because I have thought it about others tattoos. If they have meaning, that's cool. If they don't, that's also cool. The only real question is "do you personally like it?"
All my tattoos have meaning and I’m almost finished with my full sleeve, my other sleeve is going to just be awesome things I find pleasing to the eye and bad ass looking.
I think honor tattooing is pretty interesting concept as well. The concept that you have to earn your tattoos after you do something or complete a trial like graduating school, winning a sports competition, living to a certain age, traveling to all five continents, becoming Head of State, etc. I think the main issue is that a lot of artist group the concept with gang culture because essentially that is what a lot of gang tattooing is except the achievements would more things like: murder, serving a prison sentence, time served in the gang, rank, etc.
I was just thinking the same thing. Like, That doesn't sound right. But even if he had said six instead of five, I think it still would have made sense cuz people don't really travel to Antarctica, unless they're like researchers or something.
That was a good video. I feel like there's more that can go wrong with meaningful tattoos as far as risk goes. Since so many things change in life.. the amount of religious tattoos that people grow out of is insane.. so even the ultra safe stuff often isn't all that safe.. sometimes family gets really fucked up and messy.. etc. People pretend as if a meaningful tattoo will always remain relevant. At least with a tattoo that doesn't focus so heavily on meaning, it will always look awesome and not potentially remind you of things you don't want to remember anymore, or things that don't match the person you are today. As long as you spent the time to get a good tattoo that is still pretty safe and timeless as far as subject matter goes. Either way you should try and get the best tattoo you can as far as appearance of course. When ever I see people regret a tattoo.. it's because they grew out of the tattoo.. the meaning doesn't apply to them anymore.. or it's just a shitily done tattoo that wasn't thought out enough. But I don't see a visually awesome looking tattoo that is well done, with no deep meaning, being regretted.. they would be far less of a percentage. Also you can just apply certain meanings after the fact, too. But just not focusing on that too much, since you don't wanna risk ruining it with too much meaning lol. I think thinking of meaning, can help you come up with cool and odd tattoo ideas though. But I intentionally wouldn't tie it super tight to meaning, myself.
I got a couple tattoos when I was younger, one with no meaning, the other with great meaning. The last year I have been helping my new very naturally talented tattoo artist friend and got like 12 more to make a patchwork sleeve with all meaningful tattoos and they are all metaphorical but also look great. I wasn’t sure about placement but once you get a few of the centerpieces down you can figure out where the others will go to have it all come together. I think it’s better to get tattoos when slightly older so there is more meaningful things to reference from your life that makes it easier to figure out a way to also make it look bad ass.
I'd say it's good if they have some meaning. But people think they have to have a tone of meaning in your life. If you like something then it still represents you in some way I think. Even if you go off it, it's a part of you and your past interest. I can relate to the reptile one too! I have a watercolour surreal gecko because I own reptiles. I'm having a dilemma right now where I love dragons and started reading after years. I am reading eragon. I'd love a dragon but am worried I'll regret it even though I really want it! lol.
I just subscribed to your channel because I’m getting my first tattoo (Some Nordic Viking Art) on the 31st of August. You have helped me immensely in helping me make my decisions and with preparation. I appreciate the guidance and I hope you continue to make videos for a long time!
I got a tattoo from the second artist I went too. The first one I went too had just a little more experience/talent, but also charged a thousand bucks a day. The artist that did my tattoo, charged 500 bucks. It took just under 6 hours. Apparently I. Lucked out, cuz he did a great job on my Laura Croft Bare titties exposed tattoo. The detail is excellent.
People only ask me what they mean when it is something they personally don't understand. For example just a design, nope just a design. Some of my more obvious tattoos actually have meanings, but nobody ever asks about them because they know what the picture is. I never explain any of them and I never ask others to, but only compliment them if it's something I like.
I find it easier to draw what I want , pick an artist with a signature style I like, and let them do their thing. The lady that did my sleeve said it was fun cuz it was like drawing in a coloring book. Which to me make s the piece more interesting. 2 minds expressing themselves to make this unique art. Here's the lines, color in them... Or outside them however you want. Have fun
Great vid! Love how detailed you are on your explanation of things👍🙂 wonder if you would do a video on homemade tattoos? Got my first tattoo pretty young homemade😕 course it has shaky lines and looks terrible... ever since I have only gone to tattoo shops..... started getting tattoos on my arm where people could see them, where my other tattoos most people don’t see....and here’s where I would like your advice...? People come up to me and say oh wow that looks great! But the next two things they say are “ how much did that cost?” And “ I have a guy who could do it cheaper” meaning getting a homemade tattoo... I try to say thank you and be nice but I only trust a shop and I really like the artist (s) that I go to.... I don’t understand how people think that just because it’s cheaper but it’s better I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and I am extremely happy with my artist and my art....
i'll do a video discussing home tattoos eventually. if your friends are telling you you paid too much for your tattoos, just look at theirs and decide for yourself based on whether or not those friends have better or worse tattoos on you. most likely their tattoos suck if they have that mentality. if that's the case, don't take tattoo advice from them. it's like taking financial advice from someone that is on welfare. it's always better to go to a professional. and it's also a good idea to get the highest quality tattoo work you can afford. it's on you for life, after all. skimping on your tattoo budget is like price shopping for a plastic surgeon. that's how ppl end up with crooked boob jobs lol
Thanks appreciate the advice! I will continue going to my artist and their shop, as I have seen some of the tattoos that they are claiming I should go get😱 lol Love the channel👍 thanks🙂
Mmm very good points. I’m the kind of person that sees deep meaning in things, so for me I would gravitate to a more narrow minded view of designs, because I’m so focused on the meaning aspect of it. I think I should loosen up on that, it’ll open up more artistic opportunities. Thanks man 😁🙌🏼
I just booked my appointment for my first tattoo and I’m getting Pennywise, I can’t pin point a meaning behind it but something made me gravitate towards it (no pun intended) all I know is that I remember since I was a kid I used to draw this creepy clown face for some reason which was not a copy or drawing of anything, I just used to draw it. I don’t know exactly why but I want this tattoo very badly!
I have eight tattoos that are located on my arm. Nearly an entire sleeve and only two of them have any sort of “meaning”. The rest are just because I have a lot of respect for my tattoo artist and always have good memories every time I’ve gotten them with him. My tattoos are American-Traditional, I just love the artwork of that style.
I think I'm a mix of the two; being an illustrator myself, I'm pretty happy collaborating and creating fun concepts, but I have an overarching theme(s) in mind. Also, I have a little instagram roster of artists I enjoy, and I send them proposals, with enough flexibility to let them do their thing, but also some direction so they have a jump-off point.
I'm a DLBCL survivor. Now that I'm in remission, I'd love to get my 1st ink at 41 years old. I'd also love for it to incorporate a survivor theme but kind of hidden. I'd want the main theme to be Lovecraftian. I'll be in Guadalajara this year, so it would be awesome to get one while I'm down there.
Don’t sweat it man, Wayne Gretzky is known as “The Great One” for a reason and most Red Wings fans respect him for his talent even though he never played for our team.
In my opinion; it’s fine for the tattoo to have no meaning, but if that’s the case pick an artist that you love and have a good time so you have a positive day/memory attached to it
Great advice. The experience is half of what makes it meaningful
Great
No they don’t need to have meaning. Lots of mine are just for the love of the art.
People say trends change so you won’t like your tattoos if they don’t have meaning. Yeah, well so does your mindset.
Explanation level: MASTER.
As the other videos in this channel 😊
Sometimes you choose a subject for a tattoo for a subconscious reason, you gravitate towards an image that speaks too an experience you can't pot in to words yet and only In hindsight find that out
I just booked my appointment for my first tattoo and I’m getting Pennywise, I can’t pin point a meaning behind it but something made me gravitate towards it (no pun intended) all I know is that I remember since I was a kid I used to draw this creepy clown face for some reason which was not a copy or drawing of anything, I just used to draw it. So idk exactly why, but I want this tattoo very badly!
I just scheduled a consultation date. I thought about it for a long time, and suddenly it feels really right. I found this artist, scrolled through his portfolio and contacted him right away. He (also) does abstract stuff, and that’s exactly what I want. I want to cover scars on my arm, and while it’s kind of supposed to symbolise closure, I just want my arm to be prettier. And I think that’s meaning enough.
Got it done and I’m in love 😄
Jim, great video, I am 65 now, I started getting mine when I was 63, I am in the 1st category. All mine have a deep meaning. You mentioned 101st Airborne, My dad was Eisenhower's personal bodyguard in WW2 and he was in the 82nd Airborne and was built like Arnold. A real man and an awesome father. So I have that division logo 82nd insignia with "Best Dad" and his name on me. The rest are my faith, patriotism, grandkids, Chinese friend and a night beach scene cause I am still a beach bum haha, Jim, never grow old dude!!
I am 44 and will get my first and probably last tattoo. Meaningful and minimal for me. 😊
As long as it looks cool then it's cool to me, it doesn't need some special story or deeper meaning to it to be a nice piece. But for example, my dog is named anubis, so I have an anubis tattoo on my back, it's not a super deep meaning but it does have some significance aside from just the awesome aesthetic of the artwork that it is.
That sounds like a cool tattoo!
If the tattoo is an image, the meaning can change and grow with you, words are a little rougher
Very true. The meaning of words is way less flexible
This is what I’ve never understood. I’m 40 and got my first ink at 18. I like getting tattoos of things I think look cool, and people always ask me what they mean. When I say it has no meaning, I just like it they think I’m crazy. Why can’t I have a meaningless tattoo that looks cool?
I find people usually shut up if I say "It means I love it and I could afford it" I don't go to their house and ask them if the pictures on their walls have meaning! I have several on my legs that are actually funny and you just KNOW there's a story behind them! So I love when people start a conversation about them in that way! Just depends how I'm approached I guess lol
Hahaha I am going thru the same thing rn lol.. I love tattoss like skulls and stuff like that lol and people always wonder why I got it
After posting the video it's come to my attention that Wayne gretzky wasn't on the Detroit redwings. He played for the Edmonton oilers. Derp. Sorry, I'm not into hockey. Prolly should've chosen a different example 😅
James Withee it’s okay I’m not into hockey either but I love baseball and I love one direction if I get a one direction tattoo is that bad? And spongebob squarepants tattoo is that bad to get?
those tattoos are fine. it's really up to you. that's the beauty of tattoos.. a big part of the appeal is the ability to express yourself
I'm from Edmonton and love hockey so hearing that crushed my soul a little bit hahaha
James Withee how about a rose with thorns and with the stems and leaf tattoo does it got to have a meaning ? Thank you cause it has a meaning in my heart , it's about my dad and i dont like to tell people about what it means ,what can i tell people when they ask me what's does my tattoo mean ?
James Withee Good on you for admitting it! Dude have you ever watched Fluffee Talks? You gotta watch some of his "worst tats ever" vids! Hilarious....but also informative warnings as well.
Tats are just totally personal I think...but like you said AND Fluffee shows...you need to be lucid at least. You aren't using magic marker lol. Maybe that would be a thought. Have it drawn on first...? TY!😍🐾
I'm getting my first tattoo this week and while I'm beyond excited (I'm 37 and have wanted one since I was 18), the second thoughts have been strong over the past few days. Hearing you talk about the different ways to incorporate meaning (the Converse All-Star idea, for example), really helped ease any worries and opened up some ideas for future pieces. I genuinely appreciate that you're taking the time to do these videos; many thanks!
AnthonyDonofrioMusic puss
Impressive verbal skills! Listening to you I want you to do my tattoo! 😎
Dude you hit the nail on the head, my dad has bees so I did a honeycomb on my elbow and I'm doing 12 bees 9 for brothers and sisters, 1 for my dad and the last 2 represent my wife and my son. My mom loved carnations and hummingbirds so I also have that and my mom (the hummingbird) is set up above it all having her watching over us. Great video and have a great night.
I love how nuanced your videos are. Its really helpful for someone like me, who is a noob, loving tattoos and trying to decide how to get started and avoiding regrets.
"Let your artist be an artist."
My artist's eyes light up when I tell him what I want, I give him just the skeleton, and let him do his own thing. I'm also a little bit of a challenge for him. He's been quoted saying, "I like pretty things, but they're everywhere. I don't want to make pretty things." (Maybe not verbatim, I'd have to dig out the magazine for the exact quote.) He makes some really dark art. But I'm like, I want this dark theme, but make it pretty.
He loves me still.
So much so that I'm his first (and last) apprentice since swearing them off over twenty years ago.
As far as tattoos having meaning, my tattoos are special to me, and each body part tells a story, but none of them have actual meaning, if that makes sense.
For instance, my sleeve is the story of a mermaid and her band of miscreants who sunk a pirate ship and drowned its captain. I have always loved water and everything that goes along with it, especially pirates, and my sisters and I did play mermaid at the beach as kids, so its something that represents me to the core, but its not really meant to be meaningful, it's meant to tell a story.
I do have two planned tattoos that have actual meaning, but they'll be part of my other sleeve, which will be telling a different story.
I think if you love it for its meaning, or because the design is cool, either way is cool.
That story of your sleeve is really cool!
Good video! I'm the kind of guy that ponders an idea for at least a year and keeps the subject matter close to the heart. Some personal connection makes for a lasting memory. My first tattoo was done in 2003 and although esthetically I'm not into it anymore (it got hidden in a sleeve but not covered) it's a very important part of my life. That being said, people should do whatever they want.
9:30 thank you for this explanation, it is exactly what I came up with by myself and I’m glad to hear it be said for others to hear. Every tattoo I have planned to do (I am about to schedule my first appointment ever at almost 23 years old) has significant meaning to me, but I am getting things to represent those important things to me as a theme (botanical in my case), as I knew going into my considerations that I never want lettering/words/numbers on my body in any language for the exact reason(s) you mentioned.
Edit: my plan is to get different varieties of flowers (NOT watercolor or mini style) to stand for people close to me, alive or passed; then ones that represent important times in my life that formed me into who I am today. Each tattoo being a very different flower from the last and balanced across different areas of my body (such as a loved one’s favorite flower). I like that everything would be only known about the meaning If I decided to disclose that info myself on an individual basis. Again a point that is true about the high meaning tattoos like mentioned in the video is the fact that the tattoos in my situation are not as adventurous as I might otherwise have planned, but I am so excited nonetheless.
personally , all of my tattoos have deep meaning and i love all of them . i got a half sleeve of flowers , which are the birth flowers of my parents . to finish it off , i plan to bring it onto the shoulder by adding in the birth flowers of all of my siblings and i feel like its the perfect example of incorporating multiple subjects that mean a lot to you into one piece . by the way , i love you work and videos (:
My last tattoo I got from an amazing artist here in Boston. I was so confident on his works and I just told him what I wanted. He picked the colors and it came one better than what I have could ever imagine. I told him I trust him no matter what.
Just got my first tattoo less than 3 weeks ago. I fell on the end of needing deep meaning that wouldn't change. My boys. I went with 3 blue hearts outlined in black. It's on my forearm side by side on their side when my arm is down. I really should have gotten them going across because now I want to expand on it and have it flow better. I was afraid to do anything that wasn't extremely meaningful so I went as simple as possible. Now I have to figure out how to work around it. My advice is to not be afraid to play around with it and have fun. I'll take my advice next time. Haha
I saw a comment somewhere regarding tattoo meanings that will always stick with me. Meanings will come and go and change throughout your life. But badass art will always be badass art.
I got a pretty big anime tattoo on my foream. Full color, about 8 inchs long, and wraps quiet a bit being about 6 inches wide. It was a 6 hour session. It looks amazing, and I've seen A LOT of pretty bad anime-style tattoos. People have said that "I'll regret it in 30 years." but will I? It's a character from one of the first anime I watched when I was little. It's my all time favorite. It's what got me deeper into the hobby, as well as Japanese culture. It's what connected me with my closest friends, and it's defined who I am as a person today. Even if I end up not liking anime when I'm 50, I'll still be able to look back at how much it brought into my life.
On the flipside, I get compliments daily on it, even from people who don't even know about anime. Had plenty of dudes tatted from foot to neck compliment the work.
thanks for sharing. i did a sailor moon cosmic heart on my gf.. same sort of meaning for her. she loves anime and it was a huge part of her life growing up. she even speaks japanese even though she is moroccan. i doubt either you or her will ever regret the subject matter
been thinking about that, if you don't mind my asking what exactly did you get tatted? been thinking getting something from berserk done.
@@tragedyinc1012 Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura
ah nice, thanks for sharing that with me!
omg omg, i got sakura on my upper arm too. .. omg omg. it was the first anime ive ever watched and it got me into everything i like today.. just like you omg. its so weird........ i just finished my last session a week ago and it looks amazing full of colors and big,,, its sakura in a pink dress with the cards flying around her and kero.. give me your facebook or something so i can see your tatt. ill show you mine... im a girl btw
Just got my first tattoo on Thursday witch is the chinese symbol for "pain". Since then I've been very into you're channel good work G.
Green color has healing energy ,but it can not stop soldier going to war .So it is important to energize the object with good intention.
I completely agree with everything. I feel like sometimes its looked into way more than it should. Looking forward to new vids man!
The meaning factor was the reason why it took me so long to commit to tattoos. One day it hit me and I realized: why do we get tattoos? Cuz they look dope! Some people try to justify getting a tattoo by how much it means to them when in reality they just wanna be inked up and theres absolutely nothing wrong with that. When I realized: "hey, I'm an artist I love tattoos and I appreciate good artwork and I want to wear it forever." I found a graffiti artist that I persoanlly look up to who is a great tattoo artist and his style was perfect. The work was amazing and the fact that I got work by him made it so much more special and I didnt have to deal with the restraints of "this has to mean something". The artist and the love for art is what allowed me to take the plunge.
I agree with you but a lot of ppl are steering toward “only noobs get tattoos with meaning and it’s at the sacrifice of art” I think both is the goal for me at least.
Also my memory sucks so I love having all my favorite shit on my arms. It makes me happy.
I just got my first tattoo last night. Its a beach inside of a diamond with no other meaning really besides me loving the beach. Let the artist do his thing after telling him the general idea and I absolutely love it
Sounds nice to me....
I have a boat in a ocean with mountains inside a hexagon ♥
So many tips I wish I knew before I got my first tattoo. I was 19, I had lost my dad a year before and I knew I wanted a memorial tattoo. I had an idea and I had put together inspiration (not the actual tattoo I wanted since it was super choppy and edited together), but the tattoo artist I had gone to was not helpful at all. 3 years later, what was supposed to be a beautiful memorial tat on the back of my neck is now my least favorite of all the ones I have. Hoping someday I can get someone to fix it up, or cover it up. Thanks for the tips though. So glad I found your channel 👍🏼
When I was 19 and got my first tattoo, it was a memorial piece for my dog that had passed away. I told myself I'd only get a tattoo if it had a super deep meaning behind it. I'm now 28, and I have 5 tattoos in total, and my mindset has totally changed. I still value the memorial tats I have the most, but the others I just got because I loved the artwork. Have 3 more planned and thankfully none are memorials.
Real talks.
thankfully none are memorials? I mean they could be awesome with memories attached.
@alobar1094 thankfully as in I've already had people I care about die and would rather not have it happen again
Everything you said resonates a ton with me. I got my first and only tattoo a few years back and I followed your advice in part. It is a black and white animal on my inner forearm, about 3 x 3.5 inches. It is a metaphor for something and it has a lot of meaning for me. I sketched it and ask the artist to redraw it better, so it is original and I love it. But it is a silhouette, it is minimalist, because it was the first one and I was timid about it, I didn't want something complex.
The first guy I talked to in the tattoo shop said something like it would be so cool to get a very nice and detailed version of this animal, and I thought he just wanted to get more money from me, but now I get it. I get wanting to have a tattoo that is like a very unique painting.
Now I'm thinking of adding new more artistic tattoos to my arm and eventually developed them into a sleeve.
I have to consult with some artists to figure out how to do it, because there are pros and cons with planning a full sleeve vs getting new tattoos and make it so they can eventually become a decently coherent sleeve. And on top of that I have the problem of how to mix a minimalist and somewhat large silhouette tattoo with more realistic ones. I'll figure it out but I don't think it's going to be easy.
I love your tips about not being literal when you want a meaning in a tattoo. I have some tattoos with meaning, otehs without, and that doesn't change whether or not I like them more or less.
Very well explained James and makes perfect common sense on this subject involving tattoos.
No tattoos dont have to have meaning.Some are just fun,spur of the moment.As long as you like it,who cares.
I got my first tattoo from an artist who did really good anime tats and got myself a quarter sleeve tat of teen gohan before and after transformation. I love it because he has always been my favorite character and a character I can relate too In a way
Hi, I’m moving toward my first tattoo at the age of 50, I have been put off by the popularity and fashionability of tattoos and the idea of having something the same as a lot of other people.
However, a recommended video took me on the path to your Channel via several other tattooists. I have enjoyed the videos. A common theme through out them all is how they do not appear to be interested, at all, in repeating anything they have done previously. This is piquing my interest again and I am starting to come to a decision about how I want the tattoo to represent the significance I want it to. I love the idea of finding someone great that I trust to do there best to bring my idea to life. I can’t draw for sh*t so having an artist be able to express the idea for me sounds great.
I am thinking on my left upper chest but I have a fair amount of chest hair and I am concerned this would have a major impact on the final result. I would love to see some portfolio pictures showing this sort of situation and also a timeline of how a tattoo may change over time. Any thing you can point me toward?
i'll probably make a short video about this. if you're super hairy you have two options. either get whatever tattoo you want and commit yourself to shaving / using nair, or go with a bolder style of tattoo and leave the hair to grow as it may. choose a very readable image that can be recognized from far away. do a style that has bold outlines and solid fill, such as traditional or geometric. hope that helps
James Withee: Cheers, any thoughts on styles or methods that will last best without too much fading?
I know I've posted on a video before but it is an anomaly. Even if you aren't getting masses of hits, your messages are good. They're informed. They're strong. So thanks.
I hope you stay motivated. You're awesome.
(The impulsive type of client)
thank you! the channel will grow i think. just gotta make better videos
Can you please make a video about either or not having to tip a tattoo artist? I hope your channel grows because you got very informative content here. Thanks
Yes I will. Thx for watching!
Tip your artist. If you would tip the chick that brings you a plate of food you won't remember next week then tip the guy that spends hours putting something you'll love on your body for the rest of your life.
Mos def tip!
Sick video. Couldn't have done a much better explanation than that. Thanks bro
Another great video! I just had to subscribe and turn on those notifications. I don't know how to say this in a non-weird way, but the cadence of your voice is very soothing too. It's nice to get these straight forward explanations, and everything flows so well. No quick cuts or distractions needed.
Anyway, I'm one of those people that likes to have meaning in my tattoos, from the somewhat light, to very deep. Tomorrow I'm checking out a new shop in VA with great reviews and some really impressive artists in order to get a memorial piece for one of my best friends who was like my brother. I already have the artwork illustrated by another friend of ours, so I hope the tattoo artist isn't bored or uninterested by that. Some times I feel like they'd much rather work on their own original pieces, so I feel oddly guilty about strolling in with fully finished art already.
thanks for the feedback! maybe i'll make asmr vids next haha. glad you subscribed
Subbed a couple days ago like your stuff. I have 6 tattoos. My first two I was still in high school and just now got one of them covered up. Will be covering the other one at some point. My last 4 tattoos have deep meaning to me and no one else. But they still look good in my opinion. I have a portrait of my Grandpa on my forearm, one for my deceased wife and three showing my love for my Irish heritage. Can’t wait to keep filling my arm up. Nice video by the way.
thanks for the sub john!
Thanks for this video! You convinced me to change my thinking and I'm glad you did. There is some symbolism that I am interested in but I realized I was over-thinking it and I chose an artist based on his artistic skill and his intuition so I would prefer to have something that is just aesthetically beautiful rather than over-infused with ideas. I am still keeping the basic symbol but I don't think I need to nail down all the details. I wouldn't want to limit a creative thinker.
Meaning I started with one tat on each forearm.....then the tattoo artist expanded the feel..so the other tats draw meaning from the single tat..so now both arms full sleeve tattoos old school 3500.00 working at 1 day a week 2 to 4 hours been Wednesday...today 2 24 20...probably have about 15 more hours then be done..been a nice journey glad I did it small amounts for healing and I'm extremely happy....can't rush this.
I’m a mix of I like something and it has a lot of meaning and stories behind why I choose to as an example put a native America signal tree on my forearm. I like to think of my tattoos as a literal story book on my skin telling about a piece in time I was someone else, maybe that scared 19 year old who left home and misses her best friend or 20 year old who was trying to find her place in the world. In those moments piece of me is forever a moment I’ll never forget. But she grew up and so did her tattoos with her. I couldn’t imagine not having my tattoos anymore, they are forever a part of me in so many ways. It’s weird to see pictures without my tattoos like my forearm tattoos because they are part of me visually and a beautiful story I’m still writing for the future in my ink and my life. Without tattoos it’s like looking at a blank canvas waiting to be painted with beautiful stories.
I have everything from well thought out custom pieces to a "get what you get for $100" from a tattoo gumball machine! I love them all LOL
What a great video, I’m 21 on the verge of my first tattoo and I definitely fall in the first characteristic of deeply thinking this too much. Legit great video thank you
I appreciate all your advise and tips I am starting a half sleeve next month and if I lived in AZ I would def go to your shop ! Be blessed bro!
Everytime I see your vids about something controversial I'm always amazed by your response. Right on.
Your point of view is so cool. I’m happy I found you!
Love your videos man! Keep up the good work :)
All my tattoos have meaning to me and I’ve got almost 5 grand worth of ink on me. From the very start my artist pointed me in the right direction and suggested I don’t get any lettering. I’m glad he did because imagery is best way to go to fully express the meaning of your tattoo in my opinion
Nice. I have the same opinion. There are exceptions where people do a great job of putting lettering in there, like tattoos done by Benjamin laukis. But he usually only does one or two words. When ppl wanna put a whole sentence or paragraph that's when it gets cheesy
i just got my dagger stabbing through a flower tattoo yesterday so i lowkey started laughing when u mentioned the one through the wolf lol
I want a mix of meaningful and non-meaningful tattoos
Same
having meaning is always a plus
I fuck with you heavy bruh, keep killin it!
This is the problem I'm having with picking my first tattoo. Thank you for explaining this!
Answer: up to you
I have 2 tattoos, I have a appointment for my 3rd tomorrow. They all have deep meaning 😊
but I do believe if you don’t have a meaning for your tattoos that’s okay.
I have gotten spontaneous tattoos, but they've been by good and reputable tattoo artists. I don't regret those, they were fun and exciting to me. Now that I'm getting the rest of body done I'm thinking of themes for various areas, but they for the most part don’t have special meaning.
Ninja turtles in a tattoo would be SICK
You are so dope! I’m really enjoying your content and your delivery of the info. It’s so easy to understand. I just started getting tattoos at 44, i now have 3 which were done with in days of each other. I’m building a patchwork sleeve, but I was hard pressed to come up with a theme because I was thinking that they had to have a strong meaning. My next tat is supposed to be an owl because it represents wisdom. Again, great content sir! Very concise and to the point.
Dope video man I agree with you on all this. Could you make a video on how frequently you can, or rather should, get tattoos?
thanks man. i don't think there's any rule. i've heard of "ink poisoning" before where people have problems because they get too much work in a short period of time, but i don't know if it's a real thing that happens. most of my hardcore clients come in every 2 to 4 weeks to get worked on. the only thing i can see that affecting in a negative way is their gym schedule, if they have one. that's the reason i wouldn't wanna get tattooed every couple of weeks. it would ruin my workout routine and i'd get out of shape in a hurry
James Withee Is going to the gym when somewhat freshly tattoo’d a bad idea? How long after my first sesh should I wait before getting back in there? Getting a sleeve done on my left arm in late September, and I’m an avid gym-goer. The tattooer has me scheduled for sessions every 3 weeks till it’s completed. Thanks
If Tattoos Have Meaning To YOU YOURSELF PERSONALLY Fuck What everyone else think about your tattoos🤷🏽♂️💯
Thanks James
Art is something that is supposed to represent something much larger in a small concept. Artists are transcribing what the world does in our everyday lives. The world and everything inside of it is painting a picture to try and show us our true nature.
Of course not. I see so many people get these very meaningful tattoos that's like their starsign combined with their grandma's name combined with their favourite dish combined with a thousand things and a thousand colours. I would rather have a nice looking tattoo than a meaningful one that isn't good looking.
Sometimes meaningful makes things better looking. I get your point though.
Just get whatever you like. It's your body and it's none of their business just like their tattoos are none of yours.
Hope you're still tattooing when im older because i will definitely be booking a consultation with you! Keep up the good work dude :)))
They don't necessarily have to have meaning, but tattoos are permanent, so there should be SOME reason why you choose to get a design on your body forever, even if that reason is small/simple.
With that being said, most of that tattoos I get will have meaning, as I'm quite a sentimental person. At the same time, some of the tattoos I want have MORE meaning than others.
Remember, it's YOUR body, what you put on it can have as much or as little meaning as you want.
Damn this was such a good video. Such good insights, and such simple visual ways of getting your point across. Solid man
Great video, i got my first tattoo the other week and now have a few planned, most have meaning to me but a couple I just love the design/concept of it.
I am currently working on a 3/4 sleeve done in the American traditional style. I had 8 tattoos before that. The sleeve will mostly have images that have some kind representation/meaning to me. Of the 8 before only a couple have real meaning to me. And I only regretted 2 of them. One of which is covered in the ongoing sleeve. I guess my theory on it is to each their own. Who am I to judge. I know some of (maybe even all of) the tattoos I have people would think no way they would get that, I know this because I have thought it about others tattoos. If they have meaning, that's cool. If they don't, that's also cool. The only real question is "do you personally like it?"
I agree with you 100%
All my tattoos have meaning and I’m almost finished with my full sleeve, my other sleeve is going to just be awesome things I find pleasing to the eye and bad ass looking.
I think honor tattooing is pretty interesting concept as well.
The concept that you have to earn your tattoos after you do something or complete a trial like graduating school, winning a sports competition, living to a certain age, traveling to all five continents, becoming Head of State, etc.
I think the main issue is that a lot of artist group the concept with gang culture because essentially that is what a lot of gang tattooing is except the achievements would more things like: murder, serving a prison sentence, time served in the gang, rank, etc.
There are 7 continents
I was just thinking the same thing. Like, That doesn't sound right. But even if he had said six instead of five, I think it still would have made sense cuz people don't really travel to Antarctica, unless they're like researchers or something.
That was a good video.
I feel like there's more that can go wrong with meaningful tattoos as far as risk goes. Since so many things change in life.. the amount of religious tattoos that people grow out of is insane.. so even the ultra safe stuff often isn't all that safe.. sometimes family gets really fucked up and messy.. etc. People pretend as if a meaningful tattoo will always remain relevant.
At least with a tattoo that doesn't focus so heavily on meaning, it will always look awesome and not potentially remind you of things you don't want to remember anymore, or things that don't match the person you are today.
As long as you spent the time to get a good tattoo that is still pretty safe and timeless as far as subject matter goes.
Either way you should try and get the best tattoo you can as far as appearance of course.
When ever I see people regret a tattoo.. it's because they grew out of the tattoo.. the meaning doesn't apply to them anymore.. or it's just a shitily done tattoo that wasn't thought out enough.
But I don't see a visually awesome looking tattoo that is well done, with no deep meaning, being regretted.. they would be far less of a percentage.
Also you can just apply certain meanings after the fact, too. But just not focusing on that too much, since you don't wanna risk ruining it with too much meaning lol.
I think thinking of meaning, can help you come up with cool and odd tattoo ideas though. But I intentionally wouldn't tie it super tight to meaning, myself.
I'd love to get your view on the pros and cons of foot tattoos specifically top of the foot tattoos.
I got a couple tattoos when I was younger, one with no meaning, the other with great meaning. The last year I have been helping my new very naturally talented tattoo artist friend and got like 12 more to make a patchwork sleeve with all meaningful tattoos and they are all metaphorical but also look great. I wasn’t sure about placement but once you get a few of the centerpieces down you can figure out where the others will go to have it all come together.
I think it’s better to get tattoos when slightly older so there is more meaningful things to reference from your life that makes it easier to figure out a way to also make it look bad ass.
I'd say it's good if they have some meaning. But people think they have to have a tone of meaning in your life. If you like something then it still represents you in some way I think. Even if you go off it, it's a part of you and your past interest. I can relate to the reptile one too! I have a watercolour surreal gecko because I own reptiles.
I'm having a dilemma right now where I love dragons and started reading after years. I am reading eragon. I'd love a dragon but am worried I'll regret it even though I really want it! lol.
I just subscribed to your channel because I’m getting my first tattoo (Some Nordic Viking Art) on the 31st of August. You have helped me immensely in helping me make my decisions and with preparation. I appreciate the guidance and I hope you continue to make videos for a long time!
glad i could help man. yup im gonna make a fuckton of vids
Im the art collector lol i love it. I want all my favorite artists work on me
I got a tattoo from the second artist I went too. The first one I went too had just a little more experience/talent, but also charged a thousand bucks a day. The artist that did my tattoo, charged 500 bucks. It took just under 6 hours. Apparently I. Lucked out, cuz he did a great job on my Laura Croft Bare titties exposed tattoo. The detail is excellent.
Artwork come first meaning comes 2nd i agree on that i only only have one tattoo that means something about a love one who passed away .
People only ask me what they mean when it is something they personally don't understand. For example just a design, nope just a design. Some of my more obvious tattoos actually have meanings, but nobody ever asks about them because they know what the picture is. I never explain any of them and I never ask others to, but only compliment them if it's something I like.
I find it easier to draw what I want , pick an artist with a signature style I like, and let them do their thing. The lady that did my sleeve said it was fun cuz it was like drawing in a coloring book. Which to me make s the piece more interesting. 2 minds expressing themselves to make this unique art. Here's the lines, color in them... Or outside them however you want. Have fun
I always get asked if my sleeve has meaning and when I say “nah I just thought it looked sick” then they look at me like I’m Charles Manson.
Great vid! Love how detailed you are on your explanation of things👍🙂 wonder if you would do a video on homemade tattoos? Got my first tattoo pretty young homemade😕 course it has shaky lines and looks terrible... ever since I have only gone to tattoo shops..... started getting tattoos on my arm where people could see them, where my other tattoos most people don’t see....and here’s where I would like your advice...? People come up to me and say oh wow that looks great! But the next two things they say are “ how much did that cost?” And “ I have a guy who could do it cheaper” meaning getting a homemade tattoo... I try to say thank you and be nice but I only trust a shop and I really like the artist (s) that I go to.... I don’t understand how people think that just because it’s cheaper but it’s better I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and I am extremely happy with my artist and my art....
i'll do a video discussing home tattoos eventually. if your friends are telling you you paid too much for your tattoos, just look at theirs and decide for yourself based on whether or not those friends have better or worse tattoos on you. most likely their tattoos suck if they have that mentality. if that's the case, don't take tattoo advice from them. it's like taking financial advice from someone that is on welfare. it's always better to go to a professional. and it's also a good idea to get the highest quality tattoo work you can afford. it's on you for life, after all. skimping on your tattoo budget is like price shopping for a plastic surgeon. that's how ppl end up with crooked boob jobs lol
Thanks appreciate the advice! I will continue going to my artist and their shop, as I have seen some of the tattoos that they are claiming I should go get😱 lol Love the channel👍 thanks🙂
Nice channel. Keep it up
Mmm very good points. I’m the kind of person that sees deep meaning in things, so for me I would gravitate to a more narrow minded view of designs, because I’m so focused on the meaning aspect of it. I think I should loosen up on that, it’ll open up more artistic opportunities. Thanks man 😁🙌🏼
My first tattoo is going to be a step ladder because im short, so not a strong meaning
Can you do a video on tipping your tattoo artist?
sure
cant agree more, those tatts that u 'might' regret in 20 years, but it still resembles that period of time of "you"
Awesome channel!
Awesome vids.... I would like to see you do a video of grey wash
I just booked my appointment for my first tattoo and I’m getting Pennywise, I can’t pin point a meaning behind it but something made me gravitate towards it (no pun intended) all I know is that I remember since I was a kid I used to draw this creepy clown face for some reason which was not a copy or drawing of anything, I just used to draw it. I don’t know exactly why but I want this tattoo very badly!
At the end of the day, its up to you if you want to attach a meaning to it, as long as you are happy and proud you have to stunt it man!
I have eight tattoos that are located on my arm. Nearly an entire sleeve and only two of them have any sort of “meaning”. The rest are just because I have a lot of respect for my tattoo artist and always have good memories every time I’ve gotten them with him. My tattoos are American-Traditional, I just love the artwork of that style.
Cool video man thumbs up 👍
I think I'm a mix of the two; being an illustrator myself, I'm pretty happy collaborating and creating fun concepts, but I have an overarching theme(s) in mind. Also, I have a little instagram roster of artists I enjoy, and I send them proposals, with enough flexibility to let them do their thing, but also some direction so they have a jump-off point.
I'm a DLBCL survivor. Now that I'm in remission, I'd love to get my 1st ink at 41 years old. I'd also love for it to incorporate a survivor theme but kind of hidden. I'd want the main theme to be Lovecraftian. I'll be in Guadalajara this year, so it would be awesome to get one while I'm down there.
Don’t sweat it man, Wayne Gretzky is known as “The Great One” for a reason and most Red Wings fans respect him for his talent even though he never played for our team.