Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Do You Tattoo?

My heroine in book three has come across someone with Chinese words tattooed on his shoulder and down his arm.

Now, I probably come across someone sporting tattoos on an almost daily basis and I'm betting probably a third of those tattoos are Chinese words. Then again, maybe I'm just noticing more of them because I've been thinking about writing this character for a while.

I don't have any tattoos and I doubt that'll ever change. That's just my personal choice. I know other people (lots of other people) who have decorated their body in this way and they are all (well, maybe not ALL but certainly ALMOST ALL) nice people. Even as I'm writing this scene with this character and thinking about his tattoos I haven't yet decided whether or not he should be a good guy, or a bad guy. Truthfully, I won't know who he is until I write him a bit more but it made me curious to how the other characters in the book will react to his tatts.

If you meet someone, an average looking someone, who has a lot of tattoos, what is your immediate reaction? Are you curious? Put off? Intrigued?

13 comments:

Sam's Lackey said...

I could never personally do it. The pain! Ack! The permanence! Double ack!

Regarding others though, I work in high tech & so many of my coworkers (“average someone” types) have them, and are comfortable letting them show, that I don’t really think twice about them.

The only time a lot of tattoos would give me pause or make me curious about the person’s outlook and values, would be when the tattoos cover his/her neck & face.

And of course I am instantly put off by tattoos that carry an offensive (i.e.: racist) message.

B.E. Sanderson said...

People in my family have tattoos. In fact, I have a cousin who is a tattoo artist. It's not for me, but whatever floats their boats. I like the human body unadorned with extra stuff. I'm also someone who doesn't think about the tatts unless they cover the neck or face, or they're offensive. But don't get me started on facial piercings. Eww. Oh, and scarification... Double eww.

Wendy Roberts said...

Sam's Lackey, the neck/face tats always make me wanna scream 'what were you thinking?!'

b.e., scarification gives me the heebie jeebies. Definitely a post for another day!

So did both of you get new blogger pics or am I so unobservant I'm just NOW noticing lol!

B.E. Sanderson said...

I put up a new pic yesterday, so your powers of observation are fine. ;o)

My last pic was 8 years old. I thought it was time for a newer version of me. =oD

Wendy Roberts said...

Oh I'm glad the pic was new! I've been known to say things like, 'wow, nice new car' to friends who turn to me and tell me that I've already scene it a dozen times *snort*

The pic looks great btw!

The (Mis)Adventures of a Single City Chick said...

I have to admit, seeing a tattoo on a guy makes me intrigued. Well, as long as it's not garish and totally covering his body. I like that unexpected "discovery," shall we say. I remember in our last office location, we were across Post Alley from a hotel and unbeknownst to the guests, could see right into the windows. One morning this guy was walking around the room nekkid and stopped in front of the window to sip his coffee and I spied a cool tattoo on his arm. Several minutes later, it was interesting to see he'd dressed in a suit and tie. Definitely wouldn't have guessed he'd have that tattoo underneath all that clean cut cloth. Hmm, that doesn't make me look very good for having watched him that long, does it? LOL! Oh, but I DID wait until he was dressed to step a little closer to the window and actually wave to him. You should have seen his face when it dawned on him that he'd just been full ftontal at that same window moments before. Yes, I find my fun in warped ways. ;-)

Christina

Amie Stuart said...

I have two tattoos and would love more. I also have my nose pierced and would love more (in my ear cartilage though) so I notice tattoos. I don't think too much of them except last year at Nationals I Did see some women in evening gowns with old tattoos and it totally made me rethink ever getting a tattoo where it would show (unless I got it on my ENTIRE back--yeah I know weird). But I'm weird. I"m embracing it.

Sam....ie the pain *ggg* on a scale of one to ten with ten being childbirth, I'd say getting a tattoo is like a 3. Heck I'd rather get a tattoo than a cortisone shot!

Wendy Roberts said...

Christina, I don't think anyone would fault you for watching a nekkid guy that long LOL!

Amie, interesting that you should comment on the evg gown thing because I saw a couple women in gowns recently who had tattoos on their shoulders. One of the women (the older one) actually sported it well, it was a nice tat. The other younger woman's tat wasn't nearly as nice, it didn't appear to suit her and it just looked wrong. About the pain, it wouldn't change my mind either way since I have a fairly high pain threshhold.

Amie Stuart said...

I think bugged me so much because they were old/faded and kind of obviously from thier youth if that makes sense.

And Christina that story was kinda hot :)

Chandra Rooney said...

It's not my thing, but I've met some people with very lovely tattoos.

I have a character with facial tats. No wait. They might be scars. Or weird tribal markings. Or birthmarks OK, I don't know what they are. I just know he's got wee lines on his cheekbones, and it's my friend's fault for designing the marks.

conley730 said...

I don't have any tats, but I've considered getting just a small one close to my ankle. I'm not big on the full body tattooing thing, but, hey, to each his own! I have heard that once you get one it becomes like an addiction. You just keep wanting to get more.

Sam's Lackey said...

hi.. yes I have a picture now :-)

Lest anyone think I was lackey to a man (human) I put up one of Sam's supermodel pics :-)

Anonymous said...

I've never wanted a tattoo, but did get a henna tattoo on the back of my hand on a whim - which freaked my friends out because I"m as straight-laced and goody-two-shoes as they come. It was nice seeing something different on me, but eventually was glad it wore off. Tattoos are not for me, but others having them doesn't bother me.

Single City Chick - your story made me chuckle and gave me a bright spot in a bad day! I could just see the look on his face when comprehension dawned on him.
Allison