Need'n a little help with a story line

[Nyre The Black Rose]

I'm working on a story line and am looking for a little help in melding the idea of a tattoo on my back that is actually one half of a treasure map. The other half of the map will be on my beloved Jack's back.

The idea is I can read his, he can read mine but we can't read our own. For anyone to get the treasure, the maps must be placed side by side.

The location of the treasure can be real or imaginary, but I'd like to use real latitude and longitude lines for the directions.

The tattoos can be complex or simple and of course the designer and artist was killed to protect the location of the treasure. Please remember he was a real artist so the tattoos will need to look like pictures on skin. Words can be added to clarify something if desired. After the artist's death Jack and I were separated, when I was abducted by the local pineapple gang.

Any ideas? As we are all aware you all have some great ideas and that's waht I'm looking for, ideas I can meld together. Not ever having had a tattoo (but seen some really beautiful ones) I really don't know where to look.

Not looking for a handout but a handup. :)

[miss adventure]

so, as the resident tattooer (maybe one of a few?) how can i help you?

i'm a bit unsure of exactly what it is you need, but i will help a fellow pirate any way i can!

let me know!

yarrr!

[imadrunkenpirate]

Hmm... sounds like an interesting storyline! Now, I wish I could help ye, but sorry te' say that I don't know anything o' that sort..

Me advice is te try google and look fer some pirate tattoo artists. Hope that helps!

Need any more? Just ask.

Cabinlass Maggie

[Nigel]

...the designer and artist was killed to protect the location of the treasure.

Ow!

Tough gig.

[imadrunkenpirate]

Aye... sound good though!

Cabinlass Maggie

[Sjöröveren]

I've got a bit of knowledge in historic maps and navigation, and would be glad to help you out.

The first thing that comes to mind is how historically accurate do you want to be? What time period are you writing about? The concept of depicting latitude and longitude (especially longitude) developed during the classic age of sail. In the heydays of piracy in the late 17th early 18th century, there would not have been a grid of latitude/longitude on a map. It would have shown bearings (compass directions) to a destination, or trade wind routes, or sea lanes or similar things. They didn't show where you were so much as they showed which way to go.

The nice thing is, these are all very decorative and would great on a tattoo. They are also vague enough that, I think, a pair of tattoos could be created that would only make sense when seen together.

Would the map show the location of an island somewhere in the ocean, or the location of the burial site on an island or something? The smaller the area shown, the more "wiggle room" you would have for straying from actual cartography and into pure fancy.

Sounds like a cool project. Let me know how I can help!

[Zorg]

Go rent a copy of John Waters "Lust in the Dust". Wonderful exploration of the tattoo for two concept.