Getting a half sleeve tattoo...which one?

[I.Dup.]

 

 

 

 

.....or do you think getting a half sleeve is just a really bad idea?

[mom4him]

.....or do you think getting a half sleeve is just a really bad idea?

 

I would consider it very carefully. I know of a gentleman that had to have ALL of his tattoos removed as he became allergic to the ink/die. Just saying.

[I.Dup.]

I would consider it very carefully. I know of a gentleman that had to have ALL of his tattoos removed as he became allergic to the ink/die. Just saying.

 

yikes! I do have a couple other tattoos :)

[Saille]

I prefer the second one. I tend to like warm colors, and the peony and chrysanthemum are just so beautifully rendered! Post pics if/when you do it!

[Ibbygirl]

I like the first one. :). I noticed though that the one has cool colors and the other warm ones. Are you one of those blessed people that can wear anything and look good? If not then maybe get the one that fits your skin tone best . :)

[I.Dup.]

I like the first one. :). I noticed though that the one has cool colors and the other warm ones. Are you one of those blessed people that can wear anything and look good? If not then maybe get the one that fits your skin tone best . :)

 

Good point! I'm so glad I asked! I do have olive undertones, even though I am pretty pale right now. So maybe the 2nd one would look better.

[Truscifi]

I like the first one. :). I noticed though that the one has cool colors and the other warm ones. Are you one of those blessed people that can wear anything and look good? If not then maybe get the one that fits your skin tone best . :)

 

:iagree: Both are lovely. It just depends on which color palette will suit your skin tone best.

[Starr]

These are very pretty but I'm still not a fan of large area tattoos. Do the vibrant colors keep? I like the first one best but never thought about skin tone. At my age, I think if I had one, there would just be too much drooping. lol

[Ibbygirl]

Good point! I'm so glad I asked! I do have olive undertones, even though I am pretty pale right now. So maybe the 2nd one would look better.

 

The second one is really pretty too. I like the red and gold. :)

[GoVanGogh]

I like the flowers in the second one better, but like the colors in the first one better.

They are both beautiful.

[mom4him]

yikes! I do have a couple other tattoos :)

 

Google 'reaction to tattoo ink'.

For my friend it was like it built up in him and he became quite sick. He used to pitch his tent in our yard during the BIG bike rally that is an annual event in our town. Every year he would get one or two more. One year he came with them all removed.

[LucyStoner]

My take on it? If I am putting something on 1/2 my arm it needs to be somewhat customized. I like the colors and the bird on the top one. I like the flowers on the second one. I would see what a tattoo artist can draw up for you based on your preferences.

 

My brother and his husband both have large area tattoos, especially my brother's husband. He has had them for a long time, 10+ years and the color has held up well. It can also be retouched later as needed.

 

I have tattoos but have not done the half arm thing. I think it looks great when I see them but it's just not my personal thing. Maybe someday.

[fhjmom]

Both of them are gorgeous tats, but I honestly prefer anything with such permanence to have meaning. Since you seem to like the floral motif, I would choose a flower that had special meaning for you, or weave some meaning into the design. I really like bird, too, but if I did something like that it would have to be something that really meant something to me beyond just being pretty.

[I.Dup.]

Both of them are gorgeous tats, but I honestly prefer anything with such permanence to have meaning. Since you seem to like the floral motif, I would choose a flower that had special meaning for you, or weave some meaning into the design. I really like bird, too, but if I did something like that it would have to be something that really meant something to me beyond just being pretty.

 

Yes, the blue bird does have special meaning. The flowers do not, but it's worth thinking about.

 

My take on it? If I am putting something on 1/2 my arm it needs to be somewhat customized. I like the colors and the bird on the top one. I like the flowers on the second one. I would see what a tattoo artist can draw up for you based on your preferences.

 

My brother and his husband both have large area tattoos, especially my brother's husband. He has had them for a long time, 10+ years and the color has held up well. It can also be retouched later as needed.

 

I have tattoos but have not done the half arm thing. I think it looks great when I see them but it's just not my personal thing. Maybe someday.

 

I agree. Thank you!

[JudoMom]

These are very pretty but I'm still not a fan of large area tattoos. Do the vibrant colors keep? I like the first one best but never thought about skin tone. At my age, I think if I had one, there would just be too much drooping. lol

 

:iagree:

 

I don't really care for large tattoos. If I had to pick between the two, I like the first one. Could you get it done in different colors?

[pqr]

Which one will look better at 75 with wrinkles?

 

Just something to think about.

[Ailaena]

My take on it? If I am putting something on 1/2 my arm it needs to be somewhat customized.

 

 

This, but make it completely custom. :001_smile:

[Evergreen State Sue]

Since you did ask "which one" or "is it a bad idea" . . . I would go with "it's a bad idea" IMO. I have seen some beautiful women in beautiful gowns or nice outfits and the large tatoos seem to ruin the look. If you would always wear sleeveless outfits in a color that would complement the colors in your tattoo, then maybe it would be okay. Sometimes those tattoos play peekaboo under a sleeve and it causes people to wonder what's under there. Or the tattoo clashes with the clothing. That being said, it's your arm and your body and your look. It's what you would like to have on your body forever and ever. :001_smile:

[ondreeuh]

They are both pretty, but I think the 2nd one will "age" better as the dye becomes more muted.

 

I regret one of my tattoos, though. I will get it removed eventually. I hate how it is visible when I wear a v-neck or tank. The other one is hidden, so there's not much to regret there.

[LucyStoner]

This, but make it completely custom. :001_smile:

 

I drew my tattoos and then had a skilled tattoo artist redraw them with more artistic skill and flair. Once we settled on a final design, the needle appointment was made for each. My oldest tattoo is 13 years old and I have been happy with it.

 

I have never understood walking into a tattoo place and picking something precisely from the wall. Get ideas? Sure. But I don't want the same thing everyone else is running around with.

 

Re: what about when you are 70? Well there is a reason I am not getting something that means nothing to me tattooed on my skin. I am not going to ever be ashamed of them. When I am 70, I will still me me. So women collect jewelry for milestone events, I prefer tattoos. I am not going to a granny with some generic skanky tramp stamp or tweety bird. Also tattoos can hold up better than you might think. My kids' great grandfather was a WWII sailor and a 50 year career Chevrolet mechanic with the tattoos to prove it. They did not look new on his 80 year old arms, but they really didn't look bad either. They can age with you. If they go horribly bad, that is a quality issue, a medical thing and/or just a risk you take when you sit down in the chair. Besides, when I am old it's not like I will be running around in few clothes or can't put on a granny cardigan (to go with my glasses, knitting and cookie making, right? :tongue_smilie:)

[LucyStoner]

Since you did ask "which one" or "is it a bad idea" . . . I would go with "it's a bad idea" IMO. I have seen some beautiful women in beautiful gowns or nice outfits and the large tatoos seem to ruin the look. If you would always wear sleeveless outfits in a color that would complement the colors in your tattoo, then maybe it would be okay. Sometimes those tattoos play peekaboo under a sleeve and it causes people to wonder what's under there. Or the tattoo clashes with the clothing. That being said, it's your arm and your body and your look. It's what you would like to have on your body forever and ever. :001_smile:

 

There is nothing I like better than seeing a woman in a fancy dress rock a serious tattoo. These brides are pretty much all awesome looking to me. The ones that seem out of place in those situations are the cookie cutter ones that are small and no longer interesting to the woman as she goes through life and all its stages. I was 18 when I got my first tattoo and it has weathered through marriage, becoming a mother and all the bumps in between. Tattoos have also never been an impairment to my employment, not for one second. It is usually service type jobs with dress codes and no visible tat rules. I work in a knowledge driven sector where it is about how successful I am at my goals, not how I look to the general and at times easily offended public.

[Amy in NH]

I like the top one better, but I don't really care for arm tattoos like that. I do think that this corset is beautiful, though.

[I.Dup.]

That corset is really pretty!! I've been coming across some really, really pretty ones.

 

AFA how I feel when I'm 75, I have thought about that. I may regret it, but it's not like I'll be wanting to show lots of skin at that point anyway, kwim? :tongue_smilie:Plus, there will be so many other old ladies running around with tattoos it won't be so weird to see an old lady with tattoos at that point. :lol:

 

Check out these old-timer tattoos:

 

http://www.collthings.co.uk/2009/04/vintage-tattoos.html

[Ibbygirl]

 

Check out these old-timer tattoos:

 

http://www.collthings.co.uk/2009/04/vintage-tattoos.html

 

Wow! Are all of those pictures real? I was shocked to see that woman with a full body tattoo in that day. I didn't even think there were women who had them back then. Amazing!

 

I like the tattoo artist in the first picture too. He looks like an Italian barber. hehehe :p

[I.Dup.]

Wow! Are all of those pictures real? I was shocked to see that woman with a full body tattoo in that day. I didn't even think there were women who had them back then. Amazing!

 

I know, crazy huh!?? I assume they are real. I came across quite a few others, too. :001_smile:

[Desert Rat]

The second one is really pretty too. I like the red and gold. :)

 

:iagree: With darker skin tones, the second pictures colors would look great. I prefer getting my tattoos customized, even if I use someone else's design. I would recommend the same. I won't get a half sleeve because of my age and the fact that my dh thinks they will look like floral drapes in a few years. :)

I do have terrible spider veins on my legs though. I have considered tattooing large areas of my legs to cover them up.

Please post picks whatever you decide!

[Ibbygirl]

I know, crazy huh!?? I assume they are real. I came across quite a few others, too. :001_smile:

 

Wow! That's cool! :)

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all. I wrote the guy I'm going to tonight and he is going to draw something up that combines the 2. :)

 

I will post pictures once I get it done, as long as I don't chicken out beforehand. :tongue_smilie:

[LucyStoner]

Wow! Are all of those pictures real? I was shocked to see that woman with a full body tattoo in that day. I didn't even think there were women who had them back then. Amazing!

 

I like the tattoo artist in the first picture too. He looks like an Italian barber. hehehe :p

 

Haven't you heard the old references to the tattooed lady at the circus? Or in vaudeville or burlesque.

 

Our recent ancestors (say last 300 years or so) were much less buttoned down that we might think. A Renegade History of the US covers this- public prostitution and drinking on the job and more well before the American Revolution and many sordid things after.

[I.Dup.]

Haven't you heard the old references to the tattooed lady at the circus? Or in vaudeville or burlesque.

 

Our recent ancestors (say last 300 years or so) were much less buttoned down that we might think. A Renegade History of the US covers this- public prostitution and drinking on the job and more well before the American Revolution and many sordid things after.

 

Interesting!

[Spy Car]

Who want to look like a tattooed lady at the circus?

 

I have to go with: bad idea.

 

Bill

[HappyCrazyMama]

There is nothing I like better than seeing a woman in a fancy dress rock a serious tattoo. These brides are pretty much all awesome looking to me. The ones that seem out of place in those situations are the cookie cutter ones that are small and no longer interesting to the woman as she goes through life and all its stages. I was 18 when I got my first tattoo and it has weathered through marriage, becoming a mother and all the bumps in between. Tattoos have also never been an impairment to my employment, not for one second. It is usually service type jobs with dress codes and no visible tat rules. I work in a knowledge driven sector where it is about how successful I am at my goals, not how I look to the general and at times easily offended public.

 

Looking at that blog has me in agreement with Evergreen State Sue.:) But if they love it and feel happy and beautiful then that's great.:)

.

[Ibbygirl]

Please post picks whatever you decide!

YES!! :iagree::iagree:

 

Thank you all. I wrote the guy I'm going to tonight and he is going to draw something up that combines the 2. :)

 

I will post pictures once I get it done, as long as I don't chicken out beforehand. :tongue_smilie:

 

Look forward to seeing it. :) This is OT, but did you see the tatoo that Nakia got on her back a year or so ago? It had a lot of the same colors as your first one and it was really beautiful too. The meaning was especially poignant. :)

[Ibbygirl]

Haven't you heard the old references to the tattooed lady at the circus? Or in vaudeville or burlesque.

 

The circus references yes. Vaudeville and Burlesque I hadn't heard. The girl didn't make me think of a woman who would be in the circus though. It didn't even enter my mind actually. To me she looked more like she could be a flapper.

 

Our recent ancestors (say last 300 years or so) were much less buttoned down that we might think. A Renegade History of the US covers this- public prostitution and drinking on the job and more well before the American Revolution and many sordid things after.

 

Interesting.

[Crimson Wife]

I would consider carefully how it will look when you are old and have chicken wing triceps (which everybody gets at some point). Sure it might look good when you're young, but I'd find an area less prone to age-related flabbiness.

[LucyStoner]

The circus references yes. Vaudeville and Burlesque I hadn't heard. The girl didn't make me think of a woman who would be in the circus though. It didn't even enter my mind actually. To me she looked more like she could be a flapper.

 

Interesting.

 

I know I have seen antique pictures of burlesque and various performers with tattoos, though not necessarily full sleeve ones.

 

Re: The Renegade History of the US it is not politically correct at all and while I don't always agree with his conclusions about what drove the expansion of personal freedoms and about race in America, his sources for the "scandals" are solid. Court records, letters, newspapers. One great one is a letter from John Adams decrying immoral acts and public lewdness on the streets of Philadelphia while he was staying there as part of the Continental Congress.

 

Not that tattoos = scandal and immorality but I would argue that generally counter culture is not exclusive to the last few decades like it is often made out to be. I can see a quirky dancing flapper wanting a tattoo.:D Tattoos have been around for a long time and people have been drawn to them for lots of different reasons.

[Mommyfaithe]

Both of them are gorgeous tats, but I honestly prefer anything with such permanence to have meaning. Since you seem to like the floral motif, I would choose a flower that had special meaning for you, or weave some meaning into the design. I really like bird, too, but if I did something like that it would have to be something that really meant something to me beyond just being pretty.

 

:iagree::iagree:

It needs to be personal....

[celticmom]

I would consider it very carefully. I know of a gentleman that had to have ALL of his tattoos removed as he became allergic to the ink/die. Just saying.

 

Thanks for the information, I have always wondered if an allergic reaction to tattoos was possible and that is one major reason that I have never considered a tattoo.

[Mama_Rana]

Wow, that corset is beautiful!

 

I'm glad to hear you're going to get a custom drawing done. I had the same thought: both are nice, but it should be meaningful and unique.

 

Can't wait to see the results!

[sparrow]

That corset is really pretty!! I've been coming across some really, really pretty ones.

 

AFA how I feel when I'm 75, I have thought about that. I may regret it, but it's not like I'll be wanting to show lots of skin at that point anyway, kwim? :tongue_smilie:Plus, there will be so many other old ladies running around with tattoos it won't be so weird to see an old lady with tattoos at that point. :lol:

 

Check out these old-timer tattoos:

 

http://www.collthings.co.uk/2009/04/vintage-tattoos.html

 

:iagree:with the bolded, which is why I'm sorry I have one :glare:. Mine is small and on my upper arm. It's simple, lovely, meaningful, and gets loads of compliments. Unfortunately, I personally feel it's the mark of my generation and I wish I would have bucked the trend. I suspect tattooing will be on the wane over the next several years.

 

I play a game with myself during the summer, when people wear fewer clothes. I see someone I expect to be within 10 years of my age then I guess if I'll find a tattoo on them :lol:. At least 7 times, out of 10, I find a tattoo.

 

I do think the art you've chosen is quite pretty, but for me, personally, I now think it's a bad idea.

[Miss Marple]

Very beautiful art work to hang on a wall - not on a body part, IMO. I've worked in too many elderly establishments and have seen the results of aging on tattoos. Aging isn't pretty to begin with, but adding art work makes it...well, icky.

[Dissent]

I like the first one...the bird is eh but the flower is prettier.

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all!

 

Now I'm thinking about wimping out. LOL

[mom4him]

Very beautiful art work to hang on a wall - not on a body part, IMO. I've worked in too many elderly establishments and have seen the results of aging on tattoos. Aging isn't pretty to begin with, but adding art work makes it...well, icky.

 

:iagree: Have to admit even if the toxic issue wasn't a part of it this is where I would be. I don't have any tattoos but have had experience with others that have and sometimes those tattoos have caused major stress in their lives.

[TranquilMind]

 

 

 

 

.....or do you think getting a half sleeve is just a really bad idea?

Really, really bad idea. Allergies are a possibility. It's not attractive at all, especially on the elderly, which, God willing, you will be before you blink your eyes, it goes so fast.

 

Just my two cents.

Edited June 2, 2012 by TranquilMind

[Ibbygirl]

I know I have seen antique pictures of burlesque and various performers with tattoos, though not necessarily full sleeve ones.

 

Re: The Renegade History of the US it is not politically correct at all and while I don't always agree with his conclusions about what drove the expansion of personal freedoms and about race in America, his sources for the "scandals" are solid. Court records, letters, newspapers. One great one is a letter from John Adams decrying immoral acts and public lewdness on the streets of Philadelphia while he was staying there as part of the Continental Congress.

 

Not that tattoos = scandal and immorality but I would argue that generally counter culture is not exclusive to the last few decades like it is often made out to be. I can see a quirky dancing flapper wanting a tattoo.:D Tattoos have been around for a long time and people have been drawn to them for lots of different reasons.

 

Sounds like an interesting book and I agree with you that tattoos have been around forever. :)

[marbel]

I would be worried about it going out of style and looking dated. I can think of clothing, makeup, and hairstyles I wore, even in my 20s and 30s (1980s - '90s) that were quite stylish then but just cringeworthy looking back now.

 

Like 1980s big hair! We laugh at those photos and say "what were we thinking?" But hairstyles and clothing can easily be changed.

 

LOL, that seems like such a long time ago. But there are surely things people are wearing now that will seem ridiculous when we look back.

 

Or, maybe I'm just getting old. ;)

[Ibbygirl]

I would be worried about it going out of style and looking dated. I can think of clothing, makeup, and hairstyles I wore, even in my 20s and 30s (1980s - '90s) that were quite stylish then but just cringeworthy looking back now.

 

Like 1980s big hair! We laugh at those photos and say "what were we thinking?" But hairstyles and clothing can easily be changed.

 

LOL, that seems like such a long time ago. But there are surely things people are wearing now that will seem ridiculous when we look back.

Or, maybe I'm just getting old. ;)

 

Nah, you're not getting old, and things today will go out of style and be dated too. It happens every generation.

[FiveOaksAcademy]

Very beautiful art work to hang on a wall - not on a body part, IMO. I've worked in too many elderly establishments and have seen the results of aging on tattoos. Aging isn't pretty to begin with, but adding art work makes it...well, icky.

 

:iagree:

[I.Dup.]

I don't see how these could make aging worse...is a bare 70 year old arm really much better than a tattooed 70 year old arm? Kwim? Aren't they both..not very attractive?