Hez sent me this amazingly awesome tattoo website, (which I believe can be credited back to Court) where all the tattoos are literary based. It gave me the tattoo fever and I am craving a new tattoo.
I have two tattoos. One on my hip that I got in April of 2007:
The other on my wrist, in February of 2008 with my Hezabelle:
Inspired by that website that I was looking at, Hez and I got into this discussion about particular tattoos... which I then carried over to a neighboring IM, to discuss with Sean. Some of those tattoos on that website absolutely inspired me, so I told Sean that I wanted another tattoo - most likely something scripted from one of my favorite pieces of literature.
Sean says he doesn't hate tattoos, but every time we have this conversation - he tries to talk me out of it. He says he admires the artistry and design of tattoos, but thinks that if I like something that much - I should just paint it on a canvas instead of having it permanently branded on my body.
Now, I wouldn't just get any old tattoo - but at the same time - I adore tattoos and what they stand for. They inspire me. I agree that there are absolutely horrid tattoos out there, but I like to think that I have good taste in tattoos. My reasoning behind tattoos is that they have to absolutely mean something to me (I'm also very picky about the placement, but that's just my OCD).
For example, the two tattoos I currently have both have huge meaning behind them to me. They're both inspired by songs (one from a movie), and right now - I still melt every time I hear either of the songs. But at the same time, there's a world of meaning behind each tattoo on why I got it, that goes beyond the songs.
Yes, "Imagine" is a beautiful song by John Lennon - but it was also a testimony to my best friend (we got matching tattoos - same word, different font). There's meaning behind why I got it on my wrist and why I got it on my left wrist, that is personal. But I will always be an imaginative dreamer. The tattoo on my hip stands for the idea of true love and the theory that we each have a "other half" that completes us. It's two half faces that when put together form a full circle. "The Origin of Love" is the song that it comes from, and that song comes from a movie. I could end up hating that movie, or either of those songs - but I will always love what each tattoo stands for to me (love and creativity), and that's not going to change.
Which is why I will only get tattoos that have that sort of meaning to me. I have always wanted to get the Triforce tattooed on me, but I go back and forth on it because while I do love Zelda and have for ten years now - there's not much other meaning behind it than that, haha.
So Sean's questions are, why do I have to get something tattooed? Does it make it any more meaningful to see it on my body every day? Will it inspire me, will it make me sad, will it make me happy (depending on the meaning behind it)?
[Tasteful] tattoos, to me, are inspiring and do make a difference. I can appreciate what Sean says, on painting on a canvas instead to admire on a wall, but I also think there is an entirely different artistic level to using your body as the canvas. So, I for one, will absolutely get more tattoos!
So what do you, oh readers, think on this matter? Do you believe art belongs on the body or the wall? SHARE YOUR TATTOOS!!!
Here's a few tattoos I'm considering:
"What we have here is a dreamer." - The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides (Favorite book)
"Infinite." - The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky (on my right wrist)
"And the ones whose stories are over." - Wicked, Gregory Maguire
"Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt thou the sun doth move.
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt that I love."
- Hamlet
But the one I'm most likely to get next will be a quote from Romeo and Juliet (favorite play), coupled with the heart symbol from Baz Lurhmann's version of the movie (my favorite movie of all time):
Because again - I'm a sap. I'll always believe in true love, even if it is star crossed and ends in double suicide. It's so much better than that fluffy duffy love anyway.
- Fae
4 comments:
I totally agree that the Internet is full of pictures of peoples' hideous tattoos, but your are both sooo gorgeous!
I would never, ever have imagined getting a tattoo until I got my first one. It carries a lot of meaning for me because my mom and sister have matching ones- I find any objectors are silenced when I tell them I got it for my mom's 50th birthday and she was the one who had wanted one forever. I do like to think that having fairly nice, coverable, tasteful tattoos makes people feel better about them (my boyfriend isn't a tattoo person either, but he claims to like mine) but then, I got these for me and I don't really care what people think about it (except my boyfriend's mom because I want her to continue liking me... of course she abhors tattoos so we just don't talk about it, eep. :S).
I read this quote somewhere (I can't remember where, sorry!) and to me, it perfectly sums up everything I feel about tattoos and generally shuts up the people who say, "But what if you don't like it in 10 years?"
Tattoos shouldn't be gotten by people who think the moment lasts forever, but by those who see forever in all the moments.Both my tattoos have taken on different meanings and the significance they have to me has changed, but I actually like that even more. I'm growing up and figuring out who I am and what's important to me; my tattoos are part of who I am and they're evolving with me.
I also think that the actual act of having something meaningly basically permanently inserted into your body (well that sounds gross) is really therapeutic. The actual getting-a-tattoo part is just as important as the having-a-tattoo part. I find it hard to explain, but... I dunno... it becomes part of you in a way painting on a canvas or framing on a wall can't quite do.
Ok that was reeeally long and probably not that coherent. I loved this post, Sarah. Your tattoos are amazing and you should totally get another one!
A million different things scar our body beyond repair in our lives. A tattoo, for me, is taking control of that, of what I want my body to say. To stand for. Beauty and imagination.
We're so firmly wrapped up in the things we CAN'T change about our bodies, so this is taking it back.
That and I really think they're an expression of me. And they remind me of things that I NEED to be reminded of everyday. Your love for me, Fae. My imagination. The reason we got them on our wrists. That I am beautiful, and waiting "for the fairest."
Imagine--oh man that song sends shivers down my spine everytime i hear it--Has to be 1 of 2 of my favorite songs ever.
Hmm, I have to disagree about finding soulmates---There are probably many different people whom you would work really well with, but true love is something that develops over time and with dedication and (effort at times)---That's just my opinion tho----i think what i mean is, soulmates is something that develops I think.
----About tattoos, I would get one if i could figure out something that was important enough to get on my body-
----And finally---Not that you probly want my opinion but--Id say that heart from romeo and juliet looks too cliche for a tattoo, because lets face it, everyone and their mother has a heart tattoo--While I like romeo and juliet, I think you could get something more abstract that embodies the film better and looks "better" for lack of a better word lol.
Hi, I just happened across your blog (someone who follows my blog follows yours) and I also LOVE literary tattoos and wanted to let you know about this site http://community.livejournal.com/literarytattoos/
I like your idea of having "imagine" on one wrist and "infinite" on the other.
Best of luck in choosing!
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