SHOCKER, WE KNOW! WHO KNEW THAT TATTOOS WERE PERMANENT?
It’s weird that we have to say this, but yes, tattoos are permanent. It sounds strange to even say it out loud, and that this concept even needs to be explained. Fortunately, most people understand what they are getting into. Others, well they need a little help.
It’s not that they don’t know that tattoos are permanent, it’s more of a reflection on their understanding that WHAT they are getting is permanent. Only an incredibly uninformed person doesn’t know tattoos are not going to just wash off. We’re more so making commentary on their decisions.
WHY EXPLAINING THIS IS SO IMPORTANT
It breaks down to a few points of interest. Content, quality, and the future. Each of these things should be considered before you get your tattoo(s) and why they’re important to think about.
CONTENT
The content of your tattoo is what your tattoo is about or what it’s saying. Sometimes content, or subject, tells a story of where you are in life, where you were, or where you are going. Sometimes the subject isn’t as deep or meaningful as all that. You may wake up one day and decide to get an image of a piece of toast for a tattoo, for no other reason than you were craving toast. This is why content is important when choosing to put something permanent on your body.
Sure, that toast tattoo may be fun, original and odd enough to be cool, but is it something you see yourself wanting on your body years down the road? Is it something you feel you’ll probably want to get covered up some day? If so, maybe you should put a little more thought into your tattoo.
What about the Olde English script “Sublime” tattoo across your neck that you got in the nineties when you just barely turned 18? Was that the best decision? Getting a “job killer” tattoo at a young age should be seriously considered before proceeding. Wait until you have an established career where it won’t matter and you can freely express yourself. In this case, your extreme love of the band Sublime. By the way, there is nothing wrong with loving Sublime.
This brings us to the dreaded name tattoos. One of the most common cover-up requests is for names of past boyfriends/girlfriends/spouses. A lot of people will advise against these tattoos for the obvious reasons. There are only a real handful of name tattoos that are completely safe, and that’s your kids, siblings, parents and grandparents. Other people, you should be absolutely sure that it won’t turn into a regret tattoo.
QUALITY
When getting a tattoo, quality is key. If you are going to put permanent marks on your body, most people want them to be a good quality. Of course, quality=cost. No quality tattoo is going to be cheap, unless you get really lucky. Tattoos are one of those luxuries that you shouldn’t skimp on the price. It’s permanent and a cover-up will probably end up costing you more than if you got a good tattoo in the first place.
Many of us, if not most of us that have tattoos, are guilty of getting a scratch and poke tattoo that either a friend of yours did at a party, or you did yourself. It’s very common. We might have not been considering the permanence of tattoos while we were doing it. Maybe we were young, or drunk, or whatever, but one way or another, we simply weren’t going into it with a clear mind.
Even if you plan on a very simplistic tattoo as your idea, you still want it to come out good and of a good quality. There’s a difference between a smiley face tattoo with good, even lines with a perfect circle and a smiley face tattoo that’s roughly done, uneven lines and egg-shaped. Quality is important no matter what design you are going for, whether simple or elaborate.
THE FUTURE
The future can play a role in the importance of tattoos being permanent. When you are young, you may not be considering what lies ahead. You may have dreams of becoming a successful musician, actor, sports figure, or whatever. You may be thinking your tattoos won’t matter in that case. Even if you happen to break into one of these careers, sometimes your tattoos do matter. This is especially true for actors. Many actors have gotten passed up for jobs because of visible tattoos.
Realistically, most people won’t land a record deal or a professional basketball contract. It’s a sad fact of life. Very high paying entertainment gigs are incredibly difficult to fall into. You’ll most likely end up working in some other field, which still may be high paying (like a doctor, or lawyer). Consider what tattoos you are getting and where on your body you are getting them when thinking about your future self.
Not a lot of people have a law degree with “THUG LIFE” tattooed across their knuckles, and if they do, they probably don’t have too many clients and may be stuck working as a low paid public defender. You don’t see too many General Practitioner doctors with face and neck tattoos.
When considering your tattoos, also consider what lies ahead in your future. You don’t want to hinder yourself and add any unnecessary roadblocks to make things more difficult than they have to be. If your career aspirations won’t be affected by the prospect of tattoos, great! There’s nothing wrong expressing yourself with tattoos as long as they don’t become a shackle.
TATTOOS ALLOW US TO EXPRESS OURSELVES CREATIVELY
Despite all that has been previously said, there is nothing wrong with using tattoos as a means to express yourself. Tattoos are a beautiful art form that have been around for thousands of years and have been expressed by nearly every culture and on nearly every continent on the planet.
Unlike other forms of art, tattoos are worn on the body at all times. Being permanent, they are a part of us until we die. This is why certain things should be considered when you are planning on your tattoos. You want a good design that will age well along with you, you want it done with a degree of quality and you want it go along with your future plans without it becoming a burden.
ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NEXT TATTOO?
If you’re ready to get your next tattoo done, schedule an appointment with an award-winning tattoo parlor. Here at Lucky Bamboo Tattoo, we have some of the best and most experienced tattoo artists in Utah and the Salt Lake City area. We can tattoo any style you’d like, and our artists can even design your next piece as well.
Come see why we have been voted “The Best Tattoo Studio In Utah” for several years in a row.
Lucky Bamboo Tattoo understands that tattoo collectors searching for the best tattoo shop in Utah comes with a big responsibility and we here at LBT are ready to fulfill your tattoo needs.