Tattoos?

[Jesse Silverman]

After watching a recent Java podcast (which was very much Java related and not eligible for MD) I noted that the presenter had a lot of ink, which I was pretty sure most of our staff did not have in common.

Someone asked "How do you know?"

Like the Bill Maher skit "I don't know this for a fact, I just know that" -- I don't know this for a fact, I just know it.

If any of our CodeRanch regulars are carrying some serious artwork around on their epidermis, I am wrong.  I just didn't get that vibe.

So if anyone cares to share, I am at least curious enough to see how wrong I might have been.

When I made the comment, I was only thinking about the CodeRanch side, but it is Friday night and MD is dead as a gym on the eve of the End of the World, so, anyone?

[Jesse Silverman]

I know countless programmers and I know a LOT of people with serious tattoo investments, but the two sets are nearly disjoint.

At any rate, I score 0 on the skin art scale, no ink at all...

[Tim Cooke]

Nope, none on me

[Campbell Ritchie]

I can't see the point of tattoos.

[Liutauras Vilda]

Almost 20 years ago, when I was a fresh electronic engineering student (didn't finish that), in uni's dormitory, my classmate's brother who is an incredible artist, made me what I wanted, this (recognise?), just in b&w.

In case anyone wondering - no regrets! Need to refresh it a bit though, because after 20 years it is not as bright, however, the technology we used is way more sustainable comparing to nowadays. We used a guitar thread, which was embedded into a pen, and it was powered with a small motor, and of course an ink.

[fred rosenberger]

I have two.  One (my first) is a full back piece, the other is about 4" across on my right calf.

I have to say it was pretty amusing to go into the tattoo shop, see all these big-jock types getting something small on their arms and complaining about the pain...then my artist would say "you ready?"  I'd take off my oxford button-down, they'd see the nerdy, middle-age dork with a (partially complete) piece and they'd all shut up real quick.  

[Piet Souris]

I remember, at primary school, we could buy these stickers that you could hold against your arm and you had a "tattoo" that could be wa shed off. I cannot believe that anyone would let inject ink under his/her skin and face the result for the rest of his/her life.

[Jesse Silverman]

Piet Souris wrote:I cannot believe that anyone would let inject ink under his/her skin and face the result for the rest of his/her life.

Well, this level of commitment (that they couldn't muster up) was exactly what most impressed/impresses a friend of mine who feels the same way personally.

And that from a person that fell in love with Perl during Engineering school and still codes in it all day professionally, 12 years later.

My favorite song about the notion you find hard to comprehend is simply named "Tattoo" by the Who.  That something that takes such a long view of the situation ("you'll be there when I die...") was written when Townshend was barely 22 is something I often found striking:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo_(The_Who_song)

[Stephan van Hulst]

I love tattoos, but I never could settle on a design that I liked enough.

I dated a few girls who had a lot of tattoos. One of them was even a tattoo artist herself, and had a huge one made across her chest. She said it was one of the most painful ones she had made, on account of how close it is to the ribs.

[Jesse Silverman]

fred: I don't necessarily need to *see* anything, but am curious about the subject matter chosen for such a serious investment. -- *
Do you still feel the same way about whatever is illustrated/written, or has it taken on new meaning with no regrets?
Optionally, you could answer the second question without answering the first.

Stephan: That is extremely hardcore, literally just one step removed from a Battlefield Nurse removing a bullet and sewing herself up with her own kit.  I think only a small percentage of even tattoo artists could actually do that right?  Tho a lot of them do design and plan their own, it was my understanding actually inking it was a whole different story.  (I think when I've asked a few times they laughed like it was a funny/joke question, there's not enough overlap between yoga masters and the artists I guess to get into those bendy stretchy poses that would be necessary--I think they did state they fully designed/planned it, as if that wasn't to be taken as obvious)

* -- if it is of Bill Gates holding a Microsoft Phone or something else that embarrassing, forget it, I was just curious, in the case that it isn't.

[Tim Holloway]

Liutauras Vilda wrote:Almost 20 years ago, when I was a fresh electronic engineering student (didn't finish that), in uni's dormitory, my classmate's brother who is an incredible artist, made me what I wanted, this (recognise?), just in b&w.

You really should get a matching moose.

I'm not into ink. I pre-date it (unless you were in the Navy) and about 10 years back the skin on my arms turned to tissue paper. I can hardly turn the corner without sporting a subcutaneous hemorrhage. So in effect, I'm a self-tattooed version of Rorshach.

I'm always a bit taken aback when I run into the Illustrated Man. When everything's a tattoo, it's hard to see the trees for the forest. But I've seen some nice works.

Old tattoos were prone to fading and I've often wondered if the inks age better these days, especially since some tattoos I've seen are quite colorful.

[Stephan van Hulst]

Sorry Jesse, I suppose I did write that I a confusing manner. No, she didn't actually do it herself, she had it done. As you said, she did design and sketch it herself, if I'm not mistaken.

[Jesse Silverman]

LOL!!  Well, it would have been REALLY impressive had she done so.

Still shows a lot of dedication.

Cheers.

[fred rosenberger]

Jesse Silverman wrote:fred: I don't necessarily need to *see* anything, but am curious about the subject matter chosen for such a serious investment. -- *
Do you still feel the same way about whatever is illustrated/written, or has it taken on new meaning with no regrets?

My back piece is a pair of folded wings.  I would say I do not feel the same, but no, I don't have any regrets.  Honestly, 99% of the time I forget I have it.  It's on my back, so I never see it. And my wife and daughter have seen it so much that it doesn't really register with them, either. At least, no more than a birthmark, or (benign) mole would after 20 years.