Outsourcing My Creativity

November 18, 2010 2:41 AM

Give me your tired, your poor, your... creative tattoo ideas? Details within.

A while back, when I was still marveling at the novelty of getting inked up, I got the kanji for peace (heiwa) tattooed on the inside of my upper inner arm.

Now, regret is a strong word, and I don't regret getting it. Rather, I'm just disappointed in how elementary (and cliche) it is.

I want to add something on -- give me any and all ideas. Only limits are that it has to be for the same arm or the opposite arm in the same area. Ironic, pretentious, and awesome are all welcome.

posted by the NATURAL to Grab Bag (23 answers total)

My favorite tattoos (not MY tattoos, but someone elses) are these cool Dada Art reproductions. Very unusual and original. Have a look through old art books, there's all sorts of ideas.
posted by Blake at 4:02 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Peace to me is nature, so I would be tempted to augment it with plant stems (vines? ivy?) winding around the letters.
posted by greenish at 4:12 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Maybe just have a go at it with sandpaper and end up with a cool-looking scar with a story behind it?
posted by Ted Maul at 4:22 AM on November 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

Rather than adding on, you might also consider getting a cover-up tattoo.

And, as I say in a lot of tattoo threads, it might be good to find an artist whose work you like and talk over your ideas with them.
posted by box at 4:38 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

I know you want it on your arm, but my dad had "your name" inked on his rear, so when he went to bars he would go I bet you x dollars that I have "your name" on my rear.
posted by glenno86 at 4:43 AM on November 18, 2010 [7 favorites]

Convert to angry Hitler smiley and tap dancing, singing bear with shopping trolley who is exposing himself?
posted by fire&wings at 4:56 AM on November 18, 2010 [16 favorites]

I'd go consult with a reputable artist who's ink you like and solicit their suggestions for how to build on the existing tattoo. This is not an unusual request and they may be able to help you transform something meh into something that really makes you happy.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:46 AM on November 18, 2010

As box said, a cover-up is an option. If you do a google image search for "tattoo cover up" you'll see many examples--some good, some bad. Even though it may look too big & bold black to you, a good artist can make something like that disappear into the folds of a flower blossom, the texture of fish or reptile scales, the hair of some animal....the possibilities are virtually endless as long as you are considering things with a certain level of texture and color-variation (and stay away from designs with lots of negative space or large sections of solid, light colors). The best thing to do here is forget for a moment what you have (and trying to choose a cover-up picture that will work) and get a vague idea of what kind of tattoo you would ideally like there (a Japanese fish? a realistic looking lizard? Optimus Prime?) and take your general idea to a good artist and see if they can make it work.
posted by K.P. at 5:49 AM on November 18, 2010

Tattoos are incredibly important. Even the tattoos that are just gotten because the person wanted a tattoo (and, hey, that's cool. Not every tattoo needs to have a deep meaning and story behind it).

Without knowing a bit more of what *kind* of tattoo style you like, it's hard to answer this question. Are you looking specifically for something to match the tattoo you currently have? Are you looking for something to make that one stand out more? Are you looking for something to subdue it? Do you like portraits? Do you like color work? Do you like black and white? Are you looking for text? Are you looking to adapt a painting or a picture? Do you have a particular artist in my mind that you want a tattoo from? Do you want to have a specific idea when you go in, or do you want to bring a vague idea and have the artist draw you up something?

Check out RateMyInk for ideas. I mean, it's definitely what it says it is, but there are thousands of tattoos and maybe a couple of them will strike an idea. And definitely do as box says and speak with a few artists about the ideas you have. Regardless of anything else, you want to be 100% sure you want the new tattoo/cover up. It can be spur of the moment or after lots of methodical thought, but it needs to be something you have no doubts about.
posted by zizzle at 5:52 AM on November 18, 2010

Scavenger Hunt.

Really. Multiple small tattoos of random items scattered across your body. Preferably with some kind of rebus interpretation (to make it a double puzzle).

Then you can rate partners by their ability to locate the red wheelbarrow! (hint: it's near the blue heron).
posted by aramaic at 6:20 AM on November 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

I have a tattoo I am rather meh about. I've considered covering it up with a big black rectangle. Then, when people ask what it is I'd say 'I don't want to talk about it' and then look off into the distance mysteriously.
posted by ian1977 at 6:29 AM on November 18, 2010 [9 favorites]

Scavenger Hunt.

Really. Multiple small tattoos of random items scattered across your body.

I have a tiny ladybug tattoo on my upper arm, and one of my "I'll get it done eventually" tattoo ideas is to cover the rest of my upper arm with tiny tattoos of other things - a coffee cup, an umbrella - just little random doodles.
posted by Lucinda at 6:44 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

I've always loved UPC / bar code tattoos (especially the people who use the actual code for a product they identify with
posted by Mchelly at 7:07 AM on November 18, 2010

Best tattoo I ever saw was on a fossilised piece of flesh in the Skin exhibition at the Wellcome Gallery. It was a pig riding a bicycle.

Personally, I have a ladybird on my right leg. Thinking about a companion piece on my left wrist; a friend suggested a half-chomped leaf.
posted by dumdidumdum at 7:38 AM on November 18, 2010

Few odd ideas:

- a bomb on the opposite arm
- a collection of similar sounding things, like a chess piece, a puzzle piece, peas...
- rebus puzzle that incorporates the word "peace" or "piece" (the word "of" and a picture of a donkey = "piece of ass"!)
posted by orme at 7:42 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Teeth made out of the words gnashing and grinding.
posted by Rubbstone at 7:43 AM on November 18, 2010

Sinfest does some cool stuff with kanji. Maybe you could make it a three-panel transformation?
posted by JeremiahBritt at 8:05 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

A calligraphy collage, using all sorts of writing systems. Doesn't matter if any of it has a particular meaning or even any meaning, just smash those symbols together in a glorious jumble. Make it a sleeve!
posted by VelveteenBabbitt at 9:24 AM on November 18, 2010

I'd probably talk to a tattoo artist who specializes in Japanese-style tattoos and have him work on incorporating it into a larger piece, you know, koi, chrysanthemums, dragons, whatever. Like have him build a half sleeve out of it. But I tend to like tattoos that all piece together instead of random skin doodles.
posted by mckenney at 9:57 AM on November 18, 2010

Nthing the idea that you should go and consult with a tattoo artist. Even if you don't find someone who is amazing at turning your "meh" into the most meaningful ink ever, looking at different artists' portfolios will probably inspire you to think more clearly about what you want to get. Also, if you choose an artist whose work you love, you can put your trust in them to design something for you, which frees you from having to get too precise. I went to my tattoo artist with "I want irises on my back" and got pretty much the most beautiful thing ever.

That said, if you really have no idea what to get... Umm.... maybe you shouldn't be getting another tattoo? You should wait until you at least have some direction.
posted by Sara C. at 10:09 AM on November 18, 2010

Yes, definitely go talk to a tattoo artist. The mister, for example, wanted a few oak leaves on his arm. His artist (who also designed my chest piece), turned that into a half-sleeve of oak leaves just beginning to change color, swirling around in the wind. It's gorgeous.

And many people will agree with me, but if your artist is good, larger and more complex is almost always better than smaller and more simplistic for tattoos.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:22 AM on November 18, 2010

The obvious thing to do is get "war" tattooed on your other arm. Then flex your biceps a lot.
posted by MsMolly at 12:41 PM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

I would love to see someone get a tattoo of a "hipster."
posted by Aubergine at 6:48 PM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]