Everyone and their mother has a tattoo these days. Getting a piece of permanent art inked on your body seems to be the hot new trend for the masses.
My problem with the explosion of body art appearing on the streets is the multitude of pretty atrocious ink that I’ve been seeing lately.
I have to ask: Is it really “cool” to get a random hibiscus on your shoulder blade, a nonsensical tribal pattern wrapped around your arm or a misshapen cartoon character on your butt?
What happened to having real meaning behind your pieces rather than just a drunken spur-of-the-moment idea while in Mexico on spring break?
There’s no way that I can knock going under the needle for personal artistic expression in general because I happen to have a rather large piece in between my shoulder blades myself.
However, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think that the main difference between my body art and the majority of tattoos that I’ve seen around town is the obvious thought and care that I took in its design and application.
My back piece depicts the circular Ajioka Mon (my Japanese family’s samurai crest) surrounded by Hokusai-style cherry blossom tree branches and sparrows that further represent my Japanese heritage while also symbolizing the spring concept of rebirth and renewal.
I chose the tattoo shop that I went to (Seattle’s famed Slave to The Needle) based on its stellar reputation, quality of work that I’d seen on other people and the artists’ heavy Asian art influence that matched my specific tattoo’s design.
I put major thought into this piece and took the time to research tat shops in the area so that I would be able to get exactly what I wanted.
As for the rest of the inked world, I honestly just don’t think that many people put enough thought into the pieces that they get and take no care when it comes to choosing a parlor.
I’ve seen my fair share of janky tats with uneven lines, blank spots and funky fading patterns.
These particular problems usually stem from a combination of improper after-care and poor choices when it comes to choosing an artist or shop.
What many people don’t understand is that not all tattoo parlors are created equal. You get what you pay for and honestly, do you want a cheap yet poorly done design to permanently grace the surface of your skin?
I suppose the overall moral of the story is that I’m sick of seeing so many people who are carelessly defacing their bodies with cliché, unattractive body art that is completely devoid of actual symbolism.
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