As a girl who absolutely indulges herself in symbolism, one of the things that I find myself drawn to is tattoos. A lot of people who are more traditional and contemporary don't understand the idea of tattoos, most see it as a form of rebellion from strict parents, but today, tattoo is starting to become what it always has been, a permanent form of expression between two people, on a canvas that can't be more personal than your own body.
Tattoos are a process. They are something that takes extreme courage for a lot of reasons. For the first, there's the idea of trust. You are trusting an individual other than yourself to be able to express what you are feeling, what you want others to feel when they look at your tattoo. You are trusting another person to kind of sort of get inside your head, take your basic idea, expand it and turn it into a symbolic work of art that not only expresses you, but highlights their work as an artist. That my friends, is something that is very difficult to do.
The second reason, it is painful, and furthermore, it is permanent. You are enduring minutes to hours of pain, while a needle presses ink underneath your skin that is super permanent. God forbid you end up being allergic to a color, your body is now fighting against something it doesn't like. You have to endure days of ointment to minimize the pain, you have to endure the breakout that you may experience from the allergic reaction (I found that I'm somewhat allergic to pinks. My body will now tolerate it, but the healing process is initially a break out around the pink). Certain parts of the body are more sensitive than others, you're hitting bone structures, you're hitting nerve endings, your body is literally at the hands of someone else who has to somehow understand that this is not easy.
Third, it's a matter of comfort! You are entrusting someone to see parts of your body that are otherwise hidden by clothing. If you choose a chest tattoo, as a female, you're in a spaghetti strap tank if that...sometimes, your shirt is off completely. If you want a thigh tattoo, welcome some short shorts into your life girl. Want a back piece? It all comes off with your shirt being your only cover for your boobs. If you end up with a male artist, you have to be willing to allow these guys to not merely touch you, but to rest their arms and hands against your body, holding it still while inking your skin. They see the parts of you that you may otherwise be uncomfortable with. They see you, and sometimes they also see your scars, especially if you're trying to cover them up. Your artist, is now your most personal invader. But guess what, this is the person who is creating for you, something you feel is absolutely worthwhile.
Communication is key with a tattoo. You have to fully express your ideas, your desires, but you have to do so clearly so that they can interpret what's on your mind. A lot of times people realize that this is a difficult thing, and they bring artwork with them, and have that tattooed. I've done it. I've gone online and just had basic images tatted on me, and sometimes, I'll allow my artist to sort of go with it, but most times we stick to the image at hand. Flexibility allows the artist to create something for you that is original and that will stand out more. And that is something I look forward to for my future ink.
But the point of my blog is this...tattoos are permanent art. And they are absolutely that, ART. They are expression, they are color, sometimes they are black and white, they are imagery, they are symbolism, they tell stories. Tattoos are a composite of ideas, they are communication between two people who have an understanding of one story, of one piece, and they are a product of trust, of passion, of comfort. If after this, you still don't understand it, then that's fine...you don't have to. But just don't judge a person or think of them a rebel. There may be more to their tattoos than you think.
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