Help me choose my tattoo.
June 22, 2011 2:30 PM Subscribe
Help me help myself choose a tattoo.
I've been wanting to get a tattoo for a long time, and the other day I finally realized the symbol (I think) that I want. Except, I forgot it. So I'm turning to the denizens of metafilter to jog my memory.
I'm looking for ideas that represent resiliency, adaptability, and survival.
Symbols, animals, other ideas are fine. Please, no quotes, I'm not a written tattoo person.
Thank you in advance for your ideas!
I've been wanting to get a tattoo for a long time, and the other day I finally realized the symbol (I think) that I want. Except, I forgot it. So I'm turning to the denizens of metafilter to jog my memory.
I'm looking for ideas that represent resiliency, adaptability, and survival.
Symbols, animals, other ideas are fine. Please, no quotes, I'm not a written tattoo person.
Thank you in advance for your ideas!
Was it a tardigrade? Because that would be awesome.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:34 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:34 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Might I suggest that if it's that easily forgotten, then perhaps wasn't the right tattoo for you after all? That said nothing says survivor to me quite like the eye of the tiger.
posted by .kobayashi. at 2:35 PM on June 22, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by .kobayashi. at 2:35 PM on June 22, 2011 [7 favorites]
Phoenix
posted by desjardins at 2:35 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by desjardins at 2:35 PM on June 22, 2011
Batman.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:37 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:37 PM on June 22, 2011
kudzu
posted by found missing at 2:38 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by found missing at 2:38 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
If you don't absolutely know with every fiber of your being that you want to get something tattooed on your body, wait. Seriously, if you forgot what you were going to get, then it couldn't have been that good an idea in the first place. This is really not something you want to crowd source. This goes on you FOREVER.
posted by Sara C. at 2:47 PM on June 22, 2011 [12 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 2:47 PM on June 22, 2011 [12 favorites]
I want to chime in with 2 things. 1- don't get a tattoo that you aren't positive you want. 2- think about whether or not you really care if you tattoo says "resilience, survival, adaptability" to everyone else, or if you want to get something you love that says it to YOU.
posted by Zophi at 2:50 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by Zophi at 2:50 PM on June 22, 2011
Honey Badger (seriously, its one tough bad-ass mammal)
posted by samsara at 3:03 PM on June 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by samsara at 3:03 PM on June 22, 2011 [4 favorites]
"I got this tattoo."
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:27 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:27 PM on June 22, 2011
Terminator
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:28 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:28 PM on June 22, 2011
Best answer: I have a friend with a rule: don't get a tattoo unless and until you want the same image in the same place for a sustained period of more than one year. If you've forgotten the image, I'm going to guess that it isn't important enough to be your tattoo.
posted by cubby at 3:58 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by cubby at 3:58 PM on June 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
Gordon Freeman and/or his crowbar?
posted by Logic Sheep at 4:08 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by Logic Sheep at 4:08 PM on June 22, 2011
Best answer: I'm gonna fly with .koybayashi and Sara C on this one. If you forgot it, you dont want it.
I have two tats, and the image of each got stuck on my fridge for at least a year, looking at it every day, before I was sure it needed to be on my body. Do that. Find something that speaks to you, and look at it for a year. If it smiles back, go for it. The resilience, survival etc you are looking for has more to do with your reflection than some arbitrary snarling animal. My two pennies.
posted by elendil71 at 4:36 PM on June 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
I have two tats, and the image of each got stuck on my fridge for at least a year, looking at it every day, before I was sure it needed to be on my body. Do that. Find something that speaks to you, and look at it for a year. If it smiles back, go for it. The resilience, survival etc you are looking for has more to do with your reflection than some arbitrary snarling animal. My two pennies.
posted by elendil71 at 4:36 PM on June 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you vorfeed! That was it. Everyone else, great suggestions thank you. Metafilter wins another.
posted by trogdole at 4:36 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by trogdole at 4:36 PM on June 22, 2011
I'll admit that, when I decided on my tattoo, I just knew. I didn't need to keep it on the fridge for a year or anything like that. I just... knew. I went from "I've always wanted a tattoo, but what would I get?" to consulting with an artist in the space of about two weeks.
But I knew. Nothing in this would would have enabled me to forget it. The week before my appointment, I had a nightmare that my tattoo artist "decided to go in a different direction" and I ended up with this horrible Van Gogh inspired piece of crap stuck to me forever. But in the end, I got exactly what I wanted. Five years later, I still smile every time I think about this piece of art that lives on my body.
When you know, you know. Make sure you know.
posted by Sara C. at 5:56 PM on June 22, 2011
But I knew. Nothing in this would would have enabled me to forget it. The week before my appointment, I had a nightmare that my tattoo artist "decided to go in a different direction" and I ended up with this horrible Van Gogh inspired piece of crap stuck to me forever. But in the end, I got exactly what I wanted. Five years later, I still smile every time I think about this piece of art that lives on my body.
When you know, you know. Make sure you know.
posted by Sara C. at 5:56 PM on June 22, 2011
A former friend of mine drew her desired tattoo on herself with a Sharpie for awhile (note: it was extremely simple) to see if she'd like it/get used to the idea. So that's a thought to try.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:26 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:26 PM on June 22, 2011
It took me two years to get the concept down and two tries to get someone to do it my way in my place (nothing fancy). A lot of shops will do a temporary - over and over with minor corrections - to get it down and see how it looks before the final piece is done, so you could always just trace that in henna first to do a semi-permanent version.
posted by kcm at 9:36 PM on June 22, 2011
posted by kcm at 9:36 PM on June 22, 2011
Here you'll find a bunch of Narayani symbols that cover at least two of your three basics - resiliency and survival. I believe it's rooted in Hinduism but the context on the site is kind of scarce. I would suggest doing MUCH more research if you want to go this way. That being said, go for it. It's gonna be awesome.
posted by jay.eye.elle.elle. at 6:52 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by jay.eye.elle.elle. at 6:52 AM on June 23, 2011
A friend got a little tattoo of a fairy on her ankle. It was delicate and lovely. Ten years later it's a blue blurb she regrets.
posted by Dragonness at 7:47 AM on June 23, 2011
posted by Dragonness at 7:47 AM on June 23, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zagyzebra at 2:32 PM on June 22, 2011 [5 favorites]