How do people react to your tattoos?

I feel like A LOT has changed since I was a kid. I'm in my early 30's now, but 20 years ago people with tattoos seemed bizarre, and while not necessarily bad, a little bit scary.

I've heard stories about older people and other groups reacting negatively to tattoos. I've never really experienced it, but wonder if other people actually do, or if it's a once a year thing that some blow out of proportion. Maybe it's regional too.

I have two half sleeves (shoulders to elbows), and if anything get compliments from older people. I've never had anyone shy away, or comment negatively. They're nice tattoos, well done and nothing distasteful. I think that helps. There are still times I want to wear a long sleeved shirt to hide them.

a reply to: Domo1

With a yawn..... tattoos were only kewl..... before they became cliche'.... trendy..... fashionable.
It's bell bottom jeans..... or polyester shirts.

It's a guy with a Mohawk who never herd of The Exploited...... just thinks they look cool so he got one

a reply to: Zimnydran

It's a guy with a Mohawk who never herd of The Exploited

This isn't a gay thread.

I only have 1 tat on my forearm, bout the size of the palm of the hand, and I'm pretty sure nobody pays attention to it. Now if I had a sleeve or tattoo on my forehead, I'm sure people might look at me weird.

a reply to: Domo1

People that had tattoos when I was growing up in the 80s were usually bikers, military or rockers. Now any pussy can have a tattoo.

I definitely still am predisposed to look at people with tattoos as trailer park trash.

If I see a female with tattoos I find her completely unattractive.

It is hard to change my perception in my older years.

a reply to: Metallicus

People have had tattoos for thousands of years, then there was a strange phase when only criminals and such had them, but slowly it is becoming normal again.

a reply to: Domo1

the only reaction i get now is the rare 'hey nice tattoos man' type comment.

i have both sleeves. hands. throat.
even 10 years ago i used to get the #ty stare from people. i dont get that anymore.

so many people have them now it is really no big deal.

kind of bums me out cause it is this trendy hipster thing now.

i am 40 and got my first professional tattoo when i was 13 and never stopped.
i used to look different but now i look like everyone else

Usually, the reactions have been... "Oh, you have ink? I would have never guessed that." This would be after seeing me outside of my work clothing.

I have a wolf face on my right upper arm,i sometimes get compliments on that one,usually from men.The tatt on my left upper arm is a Triquetra and seeing the people around here don't have a cookin' clue what it is,they focus on the wolf

They all like that I have No Regerts.

a reply to: TinySickTears

I do not mind if everyone has tattoos, i think it`s a fun way of communication,

Often it tells something about the person.

I agree with metallicus. tattoos use to be for tough guys and rebels but now they are in every level of society. personally I don't care for them but my wife had 2 tattoos. I don't care for them but ones and dolphin and I can't even recall what the other is lol. I don't like looking at them. I don't have any tattoos and don't plan on getting any. I do have many scars not from self mutilation just work and a couple from fights. so long as your face doesn't have tattoos and you can mostly hide them I doubt it would hinder your job aspirations. we even have a preacher with sleeves and I live in rural Oklahoma.

a reply to: Domo1

Thing is, we are living in a period now where many older folks, particularly men, have had tattoos at some stage, starting with those who served in the 1940s and onward. Although this did not apply to ALL service persons, it was very common, and after that time, although it took a long while, the prevalence of tattoo began to grow.. With military service being a route by which many of those fellows will have come by their ink, or service aboard merchant ships of some sort in some cases, them, their spouses, their kids, their kids children, will not be as programmed as previous generations were, to dislike them.

As a result of that initial growth via service persons and merchantile people of the sea, the trend grew beyond its insertion point into western culture. Now, some very mindless individuals like to assert that tattoos are masculine, a badge which proves something about ones manliness. This is, of course, utter rubbish. Its true that some compensators are certainly out there, looking to get something done which signifies manhood, perhaps in a fashion that they feel their anatomy does not in some way. However, tattoo is a broad and varied art form, which, depending on the artist and indeed the person who has it done, can be masculine, feminine, androgynous or anywhere on the spectrum between these various points.

Most crucially, it is an art form.

The realisation of this fact, I think, is what has led to the explosion in popularity that tattoos have undergone in recent decades.

People rarely react to my tattoos. They react to the rest of me first lol!

Depends on where the are. If their all over ones face i will be honest i get the look of horror washing over mine. But if they can be consealed for work purposes then meh their ok. I have a tattoo thats only seen 2/3 month out of the year. Lol its on my ankle

a reply to: Domo1

When I see tattoos, I run screaming like my hair is on fire. Tattoos are the sign of the devil and the apocalypse and are an indicator that you will rob and rape me. I think we need to ban tattoo parlors and kick people out of the country who have these disgusting marks on heir bodies.





Seriously? Most tattoos are art and if that's how people wish to adorn themselves, then more power to them. I know too many wonderful, beautiful people who have ink.

Got mine 36 yrs ago but as a female who wished to remain employed they are easily and thoroughly covered by normal clothes. Back in the day it was gasp and shock inducing. The last reaction I got was silliness as it's furnace hot here and at work I'm allowed to dress for the heat. As I was doing some paperwork on the fly my boss twigged a glimpse of part of one.

Pie-eyed doesn't even half describe the look on his face. I was mortified, cause I got them for me, and not to sport & flash. However have to say he's been much nicer since, altho too chicken-S#!t to ask me about it. The Griffon I have took 18 hrs back in the day and true to the artist's word laying the color in like that has truly stood the test of time.

My attitude is it's truly art and you either value yourself and get the best or you need a good slapping. I have no tolerance for sloppy, thick lined garbage that bleeds and runs. Or people who don't take care of them either!
Go figure, right?

There's a Romanian Artist locally doing some amazing 3-d work and I've been considering getting another one. Anytime I want to make my kids insane I text them a image of a tramp-stamp and ask them if they like the design...
snickers...

How do people react to your tattoos?

They ask:
And you really don´t have any tattoo´s?

And i tell them:
No. Was thinking about a tattoo years ago, but then it became "hip" to be tattoed and i just forgot about it. I like to be not a piece of the huge, programmed and grey mass. And that is what you are nowadays if you are tattoed. And i am ugly and looking evil enough without tatto`s, don´t need to put any recognition features on my body that i have to pay for.

The most disturbing people are nice looking girls which are tattoed from bottom to top. That makes them looking way less nice. And if i want to read a comic book in bed, well, i just take a comic book...

10 years ago I did my apprenticeship. I still work part time as a tattoo artist just for my love of the art.
Over the past 10 years the stigma associated with tattoos has declined drastically. They seem to be more socially acceptable EXCEPT when you are tattooed on your neck, face and hands. I have a good portion of my body covered, but if im wearing a long sleeve shirt (the expected attire of my full time job) you would never know.
Still to this day I try to discourage people from neck/hand tattoos, and a majority of my artst friends do to. I flat out refuse to do them UNLESS...
1. You are a tattoo artist
2. You are a tattoo model
3. You are a rock star

IMO those are the only people who can have the face/hand /neck pieces and not attract the stigma associated with such.

I personally do not have any tattoos yet but I will soon enough. I just need to find the right artist, get spare money, and avoid the ocean afterwards for awhile so about 8 months of the year are out of the question.

But i love seeing peoples tattoos. Quality ones can be so amazing. I like the ones that are personal and tell a story not just your generic dolphin on an ankle or whatever lol.

And women with tattoos? I find it sexy as hell personally. Women with a nice neck tattoo? Get outta here! That will turn my head all day.

I love the dont # with me vibe a sleeve or otherwise public tattoo on a woman gives off to weasly guys.

Growing up in the 60's most people with tatoos were usually associated with drugs or gangs,my dad got one in Okinowa during ww2 on his forearm,always regretted it,but nowdays it's like a rite of passage to have one,met some real nice people with tatted up faces and such,people do dumb stuff that seemed good at the time,everyone is different in their own way,my 4 kids all have one,me none,their mom none,different era,personally I don't care