Embracing female tattoo culture
On her 90th birthday Grandma Heather Brooks from Canterbury got her first tattoo!
Heather chose a Cancer Research pink ribbon to signify her victory after a five year battle with cancer. Her two grandchildren are tattooed and persuaded her to commemorate her birthday with her very first tattoo.
It just seemed to me to be a fitting tribute to Cancer Research, who do such good work. I owe my life to them. I am also lucky to have an amazing family around me.
Images and quote from Kentonline.co.uk
Have you ever wondered what your tattoo looks like magnified? Have you found it hard to visualise where it sits in the layers of skin?
The Death Under Glass exhibition at The Mutter Musuem, Philadelphia, USA is a collection of microscopic art has been created and curated by medical examiner Marianne Hamel, MD, PhD and forensic photographer Nikki Johnson. The photographs of magnified human tissue, have been taken post-mortem and are on show until the 16th December.
Red tattoo pigment 400x:
Nel Bolton, from The Hauge in the Netherlands, has had the words ‘Do Not Resuscitate me! I’m 91’ tattooed on her chest. She hopes that if she falls ill the doctors and her family will follow her wishes and respect her right to die.
In the Netherlands there is much debate concerning whether these types of tattoos are legally binding and also whether paramedics and other medical staff should follow the declaration.
Ms Bolton is not the first to have a tattoo of this sort, but her’s is the biggest. In 2011 Joy Tomkins had the statement tattooed on her chest in a bid to stop Doctors from reviving her.
Images from Daily Mail and Abroath
On the ASOS clothing website some of the women models have had their tattoos edited out of certain photographs. The male models in contrast are covered in body art!
One of their male models:
One of our readers alerted us on Twitter and ASOS responded to her:
So we’re allowed to be tattooed, as are their models as long as it compliments what we wear. Will our tattoos clash with certain colours, patterns and styles? Do our tattoo choices really limit our fashion choices? Should we change our bodies to match clothes?
ASOS seem to think so!
It also appears that while wearing casual day wear it’s fine to have tattoos but if you are dressed for a night out then it’s a big no-no! The tattoos in question are already discreet and small (if size is an issue) so why the need to remove them?
ASOS have since tweeted this reply:
Images from ASOS.com
Can you ever truly be friend with your tattooist?
Sure, you probably would never have met outside of the tattoo studio and the only reason you have is because they can create something you want. But having met them, you may realise you have lots of stuff in common, that you make each other laugh, making the whole tattoo process more enjoyable.
You have singled them out for their drawing style, their colour palette or maybe on a recommendation. The evolving world of social media means that you can often view tattoos without ever seeing the person behind them. In simple terms your relationship with your tattooist is a business transaction, swapping a product or service for money.
But is money the means for a friendship to grow? Or can it be something that is problematic? If you are a loyal and regular customer to one tattooist should you get a discount or mate’s rates? Or like everyone else should you pay a fair price. What if you have something to exchange for a tattoo? Does the number of followers on your Instagram or blog have an affect on the price of your tattoo? Should the fact that you are inadvertently advertising the tattoo artists work when you post it count for something?
With large pieces comes longer time spans, more hours under the needle, more emails, more travel, more expense. You inevitably spend more time with the artist, you chat with them while you are in a vulnerable position, most likely undressed and in pain. What if your personalities clash and you realise that you really dislike the person? Or on the flip side you could become closer, realising that you not only love their work but also enjoy their company.
Tattoos by @jaketattoos & @karigrat