80s images for a half sleeve tattoo.
September 16, 2017 3:02 PM Subscribe
I'm a massive 1980s fan.
I'm seriously considering getting a unique 1980s themed half sleeve tattoo.
I want it to contain loss of 80s images. Pacman, a space invader, Rubics cube. Maybe a wslkman.
Any one come up with some other suggestions?
Also I want to add a 1980s or 80s in a nice neon type script in it. Any pointers?
Q-Bert.
posted by kellyblah at 3:17 PM on September 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by kellyblah at 3:17 PM on September 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
Joan Cusack's character in the film "Working Girl"; note hair and makeup.
posted by Melismata at 3:24 PM on September 16, 2017
posted by Melismata at 3:24 PM on September 16, 2017
Lisa Frank cats.
posted by Flannery Culp at 3:33 PM on September 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Flannery Culp at 3:33 PM on September 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
He-Man!
posted by speakeasy at 3:58 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by speakeasy at 3:58 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Nagel art!
posted by matildaben at 4:04 PM on September 16, 2017 [19 favorites]
posted by matildaben at 4:04 PM on September 16, 2017 [19 favorites]
He-Man!
Oh, man, so many cartoons. Voltron. ThunderCats. She-Ra. Jem and the Holograms. G.I. Joe. Dungeons and Dragons. Transformers. Go-Bots. M.A.S.K. SilverHawks.
Other random ideas: the MTV astronaut. Trapper Keeper. ColecoVision.
posted by solotoro at 4:17 PM on September 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
Oh, man, so many cartoons. Voltron. ThunderCats. She-Ra. Jem and the Holograms. G.I. Joe. Dungeons and Dragons. Transformers. Go-Bots. M.A.S.K. SilverHawks.
Other random ideas: the MTV astronaut. Trapper Keeper. ColecoVision.
posted by solotoro at 4:17 PM on September 16, 2017 [4 favorites]
Ghostbusters logo.
She-Ra.
Delorean.
posted by wintersweet at 4:18 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
She-Ra.
Delorean.
posted by wintersweet at 4:18 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Frankie says relax
Camp Beverly Hills
Fiorucci
posted by janey47 at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Camp Beverly Hills
Fiorucci
posted by janey47 at 4:37 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Max Headroom
Atari Joystick
Apple Logo - rainbow version
Blade Runner's title font is pretty good
posted by Caxton1476 at 4:43 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Atari Joystick
Apple Logo - rainbow version
Blade Runner's title font is pretty good
posted by Caxton1476 at 4:43 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
You should probably have a mushroom cloud somewhere as that was one of the defining images of the 1980s.
posted by bondcliff at 4:45 PM on September 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 4:45 PM on September 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
Mr T
posted by Dip Flash at 4:49 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 4:49 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Be Kind, Rewind
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:50 PM on September 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:50 PM on September 16, 2017 [6 favorites]
Michael Jackson's sparkly glove
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:03 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:03 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
"The more you know" and the shooting star.
Bubble lettering
Cassette tape
That yellow 45 record adapter
posted by vivzan at 5:53 PM on September 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
Bubble lettering
Cassette tape
That yellow 45 record adapter
posted by vivzan at 5:53 PM on September 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
Seconding Max Headroom.
posted by Autumnheart at 6:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Autumnheart at 6:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
The MTV logo.
posted by rtha at 6:10 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 6:10 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
One of the roto-scoped images from the Take On Me video.
posted by alphanerd at 6:20 PM on September 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by alphanerd at 6:20 PM on September 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
Scratch and smell stickers
posted by Ftsqg at 7:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Ftsqg at 7:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
E.T., and maybe some Reeses Pieces
Care Bears, original My Little Pony
Atari logo
Sierra logo
"Where's the Beef?"
Neverending Story imagery (maybe Falkor?)
Labyrinth imagery (owl-Jareth?)
Dismantled Berlin wall
Mary Lou Retton
posted by DingoMutt at 8:55 PM on September 16, 2017
Care Bears, original My Little Pony
Atari logo
Sierra logo
"Where's the Beef?"
Neverending Story imagery (maybe Falkor?)
Labyrinth imagery (owl-Jareth?)
Dismantled Berlin wall
Mary Lou Retton
posted by DingoMutt at 8:55 PM on September 16, 2017
If you're really going for images of everything from the era, you need a pair of day-glo legwarmers, a pair of blinds sunglasses and a white Miami Vice jacket with the sleeves pushed up. And a Baby on Board sign.
And maybe a Cabbage Patch doll and the words "gag me with a spoon!"
Seconding the MTV astronaut.
posted by Mchelly at 9:01 PM on September 16, 2017
And maybe a Cabbage Patch doll and the words "gag me with a spoon!"
Seconding the MTV astronaut.
posted by Mchelly at 9:01 PM on September 16, 2017
Memphis Milano-style graphic design.
The old L'Oréal "Studio Line" primary colour squares design.
A Lacoste alligator (ideally with one on top at an angle so it looks like they're gettin' it on).
Strawberry Shortcake (original version).
A unicorn-shaped "liquid crystal" sticker.
Rainbows.
Dot matrix printer paper (I'd do the kind with green lines).
(If you get started on this with enough time to post a pic in this thread I bet we'd all love to see even the very beginning of it.)
posted by kmennie at 10:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
The old L'Oréal "Studio Line" primary colour squares design.
A Lacoste alligator (ideally with one on top at an angle so it looks like they're gettin' it on).
Strawberry Shortcake (original version).
A unicorn-shaped "liquid crystal" sticker.
Rainbows.
Dot matrix printer paper (I'd do the kind with green lines).
(If you get started on this with enough time to post a pic in this thread I bet we'd all love to see even the very beginning of it.)
posted by kmennie at 10:02 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Boom box.
Big over-the-ear headphones.
E.T.
Anything Lisa Frank
The CRT monitor text from War Games
Half-digitized sunset
Max Headroom
Siouxie Sioux's eyes
posted by erst at 10:37 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Big over-the-ear headphones.
E.T.
Anything Lisa Frank
The CRT monitor text from War Games
Half-digitized sunset
Max Headroom
Siouxie Sioux's eyes
posted by erst at 10:37 PM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Were you alive/aware in the 80s? If so, where did you live then? It could be cool to sneak a few local(ish) references in there. This was pre-internet, so UK, Australia, Canada, and large sections of the USA had a lot of unique cultural touchstones.
I'm assuming an English-language cultural home from your post, but maybe that isn't true...
My own 80s touchstones:
Through most of the 1980s in Los Angeles, where I was a kid, Little Tokyo was booming. There were multiple dedicated toy stores, video game stores, and department stores that sold both. I had access to every manner of robot that transformed into something else, and all kinds of import video games. So, a red Sharp Twin Famicom, bought with my money from delivering notices and flyers to a semi-famous apartment complex.
I would also reference my Mongoose Mini-Scoot, Dyno Pro Compe freestyle bike that followed it, and the Vision skateboards that brought me closer to the cool kids.
...Plus X-men comics, Ramones records, Stephen J Cannell TV Shows, and Megaforce.
I don't expect any of these to resonate for you, but I think you should try to find things that resonate with your own history.
posted by Anoplura at 10:59 PM on September 16, 2017
I'm assuming an English-language cultural home from your post, but maybe that isn't true...
My own 80s touchstones:
Through most of the 1980s in Los Angeles, where I was a kid, Little Tokyo was booming. There were multiple dedicated toy stores, video game stores, and department stores that sold both. I had access to every manner of robot that transformed into something else, and all kinds of import video games. So, a red Sharp Twin Famicom, bought with my money from delivering notices and flyers to a semi-famous apartment complex.
I would also reference my Mongoose Mini-Scoot, Dyno Pro Compe freestyle bike that followed it, and the Vision skateboards that brought me closer to the cool kids.
...Plus X-men comics, Ramones records, Stephen J Cannell TV Shows, and Megaforce.
I don't expect any of these to resonate for you, but I think you should try to find things that resonate with your own history.
posted by Anoplura at 10:59 PM on September 16, 2017
Freddie Mercury at Live Aid.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:05 AM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:05 AM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
I mean honestly when I think of the 80s, a lot of it is Arthur Scargill and AIDS: Don’t Die Of Ignorance, and the Cold War, and swathes of London still being caked in soot, and having to go up to Soho if you wanted to buy something as exotic as an espresso. And that kind of griminess was the backdrop for all the brightly coloured plastics and androgynous pop stars.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:20 AM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:20 AM on September 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
Manic Miner, or a ZX Spectrum.
The original Channel 4 ident.
Danger Mouse, Bananaman, The Trap Door.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:51 AM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
The original Channel 4 ident.
Danger Mouse, Bananaman, The Trap Door.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:51 AM on September 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Gigantic mobile phones.
Graffiti art, boom boxes, the Sugar Hill Gang logo.
Keith Haring.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 3:30 AM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Graffiti art, boom boxes, the Sugar Hill Gang logo.
Keith Haring.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 3:30 AM on September 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
A woman with big hair. Ronald Reagan. A pile of cocaine.
posted by Meatbomb at 8:57 AM on September 17, 2017
posted by Meatbomb at 8:57 AM on September 17, 2017
if the tech exists, a hypercolor tat that changes with body temp like the t-shirts
maybe the image is the silkscreen image an Ocean Pacific t-shirt design
posted by Caxton1476 at 3:07 PM on September 17, 2017
maybe the image is the silkscreen image an Ocean Pacific t-shirt design
posted by Caxton1476 at 3:07 PM on September 17, 2017
Tammy Faye's eyelashes.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:01 AM on September 18, 2017
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:01 AM on September 18, 2017
Garbage Pail Kids, Keith Haring, Akbar & Jeff.
Fonts - If you google the term "synthwave" that will bring up plenty of 80's images and font styles.
posted by Julnyes at 2:15 PM on September 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
Fonts - If you google the term "synthwave" that will bring up plenty of 80's images and font styles.
posted by Julnyes at 2:15 PM on September 18, 2017 [2 favorites]
Calculator watch (Casio Databank series)
posted by ringu0 at 3:29 PM on September 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by ringu0 at 3:29 PM on September 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rhizome at 3:05 PM on September 16, 2017 [2 favorites]