TATTOOS

[Kuthroat Kim]

Great tattoos Lasseter and Royaliste! Those look great and its made me even more excited about gettin one. Also, I really appreciate everyone's input about the tattoos. It may be true that sailor jerry was raceist, but it doesn't mean that the nautical star tattoo or his other designs symbolize raceism does it?

I still really like the idea of the star as well as the compass rose "helping to find your way" etc. Not to mention they have nautical meanings and look nice :)

I'm suprised to hear people think of the star as a straight edge tattoo. Last I heard striaght edge tattoos were X's on the hands.

Anyway, I'll be keepin you all posted of my decision!

[miss adventure]

nononononoo!!!

well, a small percentage of jerry's designs were completely f*cked, but 99.9% are NOT....

rest easy in the fact that your nautical star means exactly what you have learned...

damn, i opened up a can o' worms that were better left fermenting in the past....

and only ONE kid specifically asked for a "straight edge star" and we gave him holy hell about it...

heheheh

[Paisley]

ok....this must be one of the first signs of getting old....what the heck is an "emo" kid???

...geeze..i'm only 32!

[Kuthroat Kim]

ok....this must be one of the first signs of getting old....what the heck is an "emo" kid???

...geeze..i'm only 32!

It's a pretty new term. I don't know too much about it, but it has a lot to do with a certian kind of music. And a style where being "uncool" (nerdy, etc.) is "cool." Don't quote me on that though, but its the best explanation I can come up with.

[Paisley]

nice sailor tan there dorian!

wooooohoooo

[Dorian Lasseter]

Aye Paisley,

Thankee, kindly...

That was my effort that day, ta even it out, some.... workin' indoors alla th' tyme is a bugger.... Tho I did sightly burn me back at lunch tyme the one day...

I need ta make sure I spend more tyme on deck this year...

[Nomadicalpirate]

Yo-ho-ho and a three year old thread.

I was just about to head out the door to get my Southern Cross (The Australian Flag one, not the Eureka one) inked into me (Is it original? Hell no, but it's all very patriotic to me, and while I've never managed to actually navigate without a compass, I can always lie and say I use it to find my way)

and I figured I'd drop back to this ancient haunt of mine to ask if there was any lore I needed to know about where a tattoo ought to be placed?

Is Pynch still around? Yes? No? Anyone else who might know?

[Red Cat Jenny]

Within the tattoo lore of sailors, a simple tattoo of a full-rigged sailing ship meant that a sailor had rounded Cape Horn, one of the most inhospitable, dangerous and feared stretches of water in the world, but a necessity for circumnavigating the globe along the trade routes. Cape Horn is located at the southern-most tip of South America and for many years it was a major milestone on the routes of sailing ships, including the famous Clipper Ships (think of a bottle of Cutty Sark!). The waters around Cape Horn are particularly hazardous, due to strong winds, large waves, strong currents - the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans collide there - and icebergs from Antarctica. These dangers have made Cape Horn notorious as a sailors' graveyard and it was a legendary place in sailor's lore, featured in song and story.

Sometimes the storms around Cape Horn were so strong and so violent that safe passage was impossible, and ships would have to "Heave-to" and wait until the winds and currents made rounding the Cape possible.

"Rounding the Cape", or "Rounding the Horn", were synonymous with seamanship and meant that a sailor and his ship had survived and were often then "Homeward Bound". For sailors, rounding Cape Horn was seen as the equivalent of running a marathon for long-distance runners, or climbing Mount Everest for mountaineers. It was no easy feat.

A rather macabre variation of the "Homeward Bound" and "Full-Rigged Ship" tattoos, were the "Sailor's Grave" tattoos. These tattoos often showed a sailing ship sinking beneath the waves, its bow thrust up on a reef or rocks, with a terrible hole ripped in the belly of the ship. Like tattoos of skulls or demons, these tattoos were often done as talismans of protection. And a reminder of just what a harsh mistress the sea could be...

[blackbonie]

well coming from a professional tattoo artist i can tell you that tattoos had meanings at one time,but now nautical stars,etc, seem to mean "my buddy just got them and they look cool".especially nautical stars.i must do about 10 of them a week

[Isabella Gage]

I kind of have a star theme with all most all my tattoos. I've always liked stars, always doodled them, etc. As far as nautical stars go, I like them, but they are very popular. If you like it... get it, getting a tattoo is a big decision.

EMO: back in the day (like five years ago, when I was in high school) I was totally emo. Used to be defined by listening to "emo" music, short for emotional. Dashboard confessional, the get up kids, alkaline trio, jimmy eat world, weezer... all that counted (back then). You typically work black glasses (mine were actually rx) and dressed sort of dorky/vintage. It wasn't cool to be emo then... now it is.

But emo music has also manily evolved into "screamo" music which is i guess supposed to be emotional but screamy??? i don't care for it a whole lot.

I had read somewhere a while back that it was common in the gay community (mainly lesbian) to get nautical stars on your forearms, kind of as a badge of identity i guess? I don't know, I just remember reading that.

As for sailor Jerry... I like his style, mainly because it's classic and colorful. i have two tattoos that are sailor-jerry esque.

Here's what I've got.

(not finished)

(memorial for my gramma, in horrible need of retouching and fixing)

(alakline trio logo, a bit distorted in the pic)

(lotus on my lower back, my favorite and i feel best peice of work)

(my first, kind of sailor jerry-ish, bad pic though)

(and this is the newest, originally, the idea was to get a crossed cross and anchor with a heart at the intersection of them, because that was traditionally placed on sailor's gravestones (meant faith, hope, and love)... but where i was getting it, i nixed the cross and put the three stars in to represent the trinity)

so there's my experience!

[blackbonie]

i like the anchor, the shading was very well done.

[Isabella Gage]

Thanks Bonie!

I am wondering how much flack I'll catch for it being on my forearm. All my other tattos are t-shirt and jeans coverable. I figure at the least my mom and dad will flip... but that's why i moved out and bought my own house now isn't it?

[blackbonie]

Thanks Bonie!

I am wondering how much flack I'll catch for it being on my forearm. All my other tattos are t-shirt and jeans coverable. I figure at the least my mom and dad will flip... but that's why i moved out and bought my own house now isn't it?

your body is the one thing that will always be fully yours, so you have to do what you wish with it. i have 27 tattoos,7 peircings and 1/2 inch guages in my ears,sometimes my hair is pink- who cares what anyone thinks.

[Jolliet Rouge]

I whole heartedly agree with you Blackbonie. Your body is your own, a temple and an encasement for the spirit. And every one is unique. Unfortunately not too many people know how to show their individuality. Don't be afraid to be yourself Isabella. Tattoots are ane expression of one's own being or so I believe.

[Isabella Gage]

I believe that as well, but I have somewhat different circumstances for incurring the parent's wrath (particularly my mom's) for my tattoos. She's ok with mine but she doesn't like them. Her step dad abused her in every way possible, including using her as a guinea pig for home-done tattoos. So, it took alot of guts for me to even get my first one, I even waited till I was 21. Most of my friends had been allowed to get them when they were 16 (which I think is bs, and even though I have tattoos, I'd make my kid wait till they were 18). I've always loved them, the art and expression. I'm just kind of worried about this one, since it is so affirming, and public. I don't regret it a bit... I'm just waiting for the storm.

Not to say the storm will stop me, it won't. I have many other tattoos planned. Again, this is why I've been on my own since 17... along with the fact that Lazurus lured me out of a full ride to college and a brand new Mustang. (Now that's a man!)

[Capt. Lazarus Gage]

well shucks now I'm embarrassed

[Isabella Gage]

I knows a good pirate when I sees one.

(you had me at "dubloon")

[blackbonie]

and I figured I'd drop back to this ancient haunt of mine to ask if there was any lore I needed to know about where a tattoo ought to be placed?

Anyone else who might know?

my opinion there- a tattooshould just be porportionate to the area where its placed.a small tattoo on a small part (writs,ankle),larger tattoos on larger areas (calf,upper arm) and it should be the right shape a tattoo on the forarm should be taller than it is wide, on the upper back usually wider than tall,etc. thats how i (and most professionals) would explain it. the rest is totally up to you

[BriarRose Kildare]

and I figured I'd drop back to this ancient haunt of mine to ask if there was any lore I needed to know about where a tattoo ought to be placed?

Anyone else who might know?

my opinion there- a tattooshould just be porportionate to the area where its placed.a small tattoo on a small part (writs,ankle),larger tattoos on larger areas (calf,upper arm) and it should be the right shape a tattoo on the forarm should be taller than it is wide, on the upper back usually wider than tall,etc. thats how i (and most professionals) would explain it. the rest is totally up to you

Aye, BlackBonnie is correct in the location and position of where and how tattoos should go. You should also be aware of the placement as to whether or not you want to show off your tattoo or keep it covered or have a choice of doing both.

For me tattoos and their placement are very personal. Each of the 8 tattoos that I have were well thought out, placed accordingly and have a special meaning to me. I am hoping to get another tattoo soon, and I am trying to decide what I want for I have several ideas I have been going back and forth on.

[BriarRose Kildare]

So many ideas running thru me head...what to choose for my next tattoo. I am trying to keep a theme going on the one's that I already have. Hopefully I can narrow my choices down soon.

I had wanted to get a tattoo in memory of my cousin who passed away last year. But I can't decided on irish roses, the scottish thistle or a cat in her honor. When all else fails I guess I should go straight to the source and ask her.