UKC

Before I start, I'll make it clear, I'm a huge fan of tattoos. In the next 5 years or so I plan on having my chest, arms, legs, hands and throat Tattoo'd. Despite what society thinks is acceptable... As far as I'm concerned, the only difference between tattoo'd people and non-tattoo'd people, is that tattoo'd people don't care if you're not tattoo'd.

Anyway, knowing how opinionated the regulars here on UKC are, I thought I'd see how the average person views heavily tattoo'd people. Would you cross the street to avoid them? Would you silently judge them? Or is that the olden days? .. Are tattoos more acceptable now? Will they become more acceptable in the future?.. I want your honest opinions on what you'd think of a guy approaching you (in the street or on the crag), with tattoos on his throat and hands..

Max Clarke

In reply to Max Clarke:

I'd not judge the person but I mightn't like the tattoos. I can go from liking tattoos to being neutral to not liking them depending on the individual tattoos.

In reply to Timmd: Good to hear it.. It's art, you don't have to like the pieces, it's just nice to hear people not judging the book by the cover.

Max

In reply to Max Clarke: I had my first tattoo in 1982. My only problem with tatoos today is that there are some really hideous unthoughtful and banal ones out there. Too many "try hards".

I was in a restaurant the other day, and this skinny little "hipster" kid was creating a fuss, and being bloody annoying. He had a dreadful collection of Amy Whitehouse tatts covering, I presume, all of him. But honestly, his legs and arms were; “like one of Ghandi’s split in two.”* After allowing him to rant on for ten minutes, and getting permission off the missus, I said in a stage whisper; “If he’d spent a quarter of the money that he’s wasted on those tatts on gym membership, he may have a body worth tattooing.”

He left soon after.


*Famous quote, but by who?

In reply to Max Clarke:

Personally I don't care for any non medical body modifications. I don't mind them. My partner has some tattoos and they quite suit.

As for whether I'd be worried by someone approaching with large amounts of tattoos, well that is obviously going to be heavily influenced by their general appearance and by the subject matter of the tattoos.

In reply to Max Clarke: same as one's opinion of people in general...

In reply to Max Clarke:
Too many variables to give a simple answer. Depends on the quality of the artwork, suject matter and the body they're on. A well executed tattoo on a toned body can look good, if the same will be true when the flesh has sagged and the tattoo's a bluey blur is debatable. Plus, to be really different you need no ink these days..

In reply to Max Clarke:

Fit!

In reply to Max Clarke:

Like others here i really enjoy good artwork. I've got a nice piece planned for my back when i can afford it.

Having said that, for some reason, i dislike tattoos on hands and throat. I guess it may be because it may look a little aggressive? It feels more like a rejection of society if the tattoo cant be easily covered up for job interviews etc.

Having uncoverable tattoos is much more of a statement and a lifelong lifestyle choice. I kind of respect those who do it, but often wonder whether they have fully thought it through.

I'd personally be fine with the person who had hand and neck tattoos, but what the greater public thought is, i guess, different.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Rather depends on the tattoo. If a young lad has got "Love" and "Hate" tattooed across their knuckles, a bulldog on their arm, etc then I'll admit I'll form an opinion of them based on the tattoos.

However this is an opinion based on the tattoos that they have, rather than the fact they have tattoos.

Personally I like tattoos (most of my friends have a varying amount from quite a few to quite a lot to, in some cases, a ridiculous amount - including hands and face), however I'll admit that extremely visible tattoos - like said above - tend to come across as a statement rather than a work of art, and one does wonder why that statement is being made.

One of my friends has "Feminist" tattooed across her knuckles. She certainly had that done as a statement.

On the other hand another friend has little stars across her face and forehead. That wasn't, she just likes stars

In reply to John_Hat:

One of my friends has "Feminist" tattooed across her knuckles. She certainly had that done as a statement.

Is that "FEMI" on one hand and "NIST" on the other, or is she from Norfolk?

In reply to Max Clarke:

Also - I didn't realise that in Japan, it really is a sign that you are a gangster to have tattoos - if you have them in visible places, you have to wear plasters to cover them if you want certain types of job. So having tats can close some doors to you (although I am sure that it will open others).
I form my opinions of people based on a plethora of things, not just on if they have tats or not.
My own opinion never stays still for long enough for me to ever do anything permantent, like have a tattoo...

In reply to Max Clarke:

Personally I don't like tattoos - I just think they look naff regardless of quality of work. In the same way I'd never take up smoking I'd never get a tattoo. I don't particularly pre-judge those with tattoos though it's hard to determine if I do so subconsciously. Unlike smoking, tattoos don't affect me directly in any measurable physical sense so I don't particularly care if someone is tattooed, it's only my sensibility being upset.

There was a piece on the TV the other night about tattoos - apparently in the UK they were originally an upper class fad then once the lower classes took it up, particularly sailors, then it fell out of favour. Like a lot of "lifestyle choices" they go in and out of fashion plus there's media coverage - you might get more pieces on tattoos when there are fewer "serious" news items which can make it seem like they are more or less popular.

Tattoo must be one of the few Polynesian words in the English language.

ALC

In reply to Max Clarke:

One doesn't really need to hold any views because they are a sign of the person's inferior breeding and are a reflection of the lower and criminal classes lack of decent taste.

In reply to a lakeland climber:


Along with taboo and ukulele...

In reply to Trangia:

Yes I agree, I found this old picture of you.

http://www.tattoostime.com/old-man-extreme-tattoo/

In reply to Max Clarke:

Of course not.
Honestly, yes though I can't put my finger on the judgement I'd make.
I don't think my opinions have changed in the last decade, beyond that my memory/experience is unreliable.
Clearly in some circles, not in others.
Fashions change. One thing seems likely, the heavily tattooed youth of today are likely to have excluded themselves from positions of leadership in business and politics, not absolutely but by putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage. I don't see any huge swing in mainstream fashion, heavy tattooing is likely to remain a relatively niche interest.


I'd wonder how the tattoos affect his long term prospects for progression in employment. If the tattoos were good I'd be interested to see them, know what if anything they mean and whether they were the wearers own work. Mostly I'd just see a guy on the street/crag, your questions have focused on the tattoos so have my answers to the exclusion of all else.

Why do you ask? If you're sure it's right for you then do it, don't worry what others think. If you're not sure...

jk

In reply to Max Clarke: I'm suprised it hasn't been mentioned already, but regardless of what UKCer's would think...far more important what prospective employers will think.

If you are self employed or work in a "fashionable" industry then I suspect it will be fine, but much of the corporate world would probably frown upon neck and hand tattoos.

Having said that, anyone planning on covering themselves in tattoos probably doesn't plan a career in a bank

In reply to Max Clarke: Not really a fan. I like a small, tasteful tattoo on a girl but wouldn't date someone with lots of them.

In reply to Max Clarke:

I don't see how a fashion statement is art.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Art really? How is art?

In reply to The New NickB:

That's terrible, he should have gone to specsavers.

In reply to Max Clarke:

How much will your tattoos cost you over the next 5 years?

And how much do you think that you will lose in earnings from potential employers over your working life?

You may love your art but you still have to earn a living and the only people that really matter are potential employers. Your tats may or may not restrict your future career path.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Personally, when I see someone with tattoos I always wonder what the reason behind the decision to have it done was. Reasons for people I know getting tattoos have ranged from periods of depression / unhappiness or insecurity about their body to vanity or personal 'statements', but there always seems to be a reason behind it. Whether that's a positive thing or not I don't know, but it's quite fun guessing why they had it done.

As others have said, it depends on the person, design and location but generally I find they look pretty naff and much like other fickle fashions they seem to be 'on trend' at the moment but are at risk of going out again. If the person's well toned then they can sometimes look alright, but on flabby, saggy or wrinkly skin once people get old/out of shape they look awful IMO.

In reply to Removed User:
This one is quite amusing:

http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/essays/tattoos.htm

In reply to Max Clarke:


I think it's perfectly reasonable to judge people who have tattoos; after all they all belong to the same group of people- people who think it's a good idea to get a tattoo. To get a tattoo you need either a) extreme confidence that you will not change your mind about having the tattoo, or b) a mentality that you just don't give a shit.

People are naturally afraid of both these kind of people- in the case of 'b' I think this fear is justified, as it suggests that one doesn't really care about the society that we are all a part. In the case of a, I understand why people would be intimidated by strong will and people who know their own mind, but I don't think it's justified.

So yes, I think people do judge people with tattoos, like they judge everything else about the way a person chooses to look- the difference between a tattoo and other fashion accessory is that a tattoo is fairly permanent, so one's stuck with that 'label' for ever, in every situation one finds oneself in.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a tattoo, just be aware that you will be making a statement and subliminally winding up quite a few insecure bigots (perhaps that is the majority of our society).

In reply to Max Clarke:
How about one of these:
https://twitter.com/nuciphaal/status/207393709891919873

In reply to Max Clarke:

That's like saying "I'm trying to start an argument!"

I've noticed as I've gone through life that compared to many people I am heavily disinclined to judge people on appearance. It doesn't seem to feature heavily in my opinion-forming, although I am very observant of behaviours and can still form a first impression quite easily. Possibly because of this, I'm unconcerned with being seen in public looking scruffy, and also I play around with my own appearance a lot. Clothing feels like costume to me, not an extension of my personality but a reflection of what I'm doing at any one time. So I have zero interest in getting a tattoo because there is no freedom in it, no ability to change it the next day.

Tattoos on their own make no difference to me - I've seen some genuinely beautiful ones and some genuinely awful ones - it's the behaviour of the person with them I will notice.

In reply to Ramblin dave:
About as bad as a tattoo with a spelling mistake...

http://www.elistmania.com/still/25_regrettable_tattoo_spelling_mistakes/sho...

In reply to Max Clarke: You are a silly young man who'll live to regret it.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Oh, and people's personal change in taste/fashion regarding tattoos through their life seems to lead to them just having more and more added as they get older. So when they get bored of their original tattoo(s) or decide they don't like them any more they just have another one added, which tends to lead to that Angelina Jolie 'scrapbook' look with random different styles juxtaposed, to awful effect! (IMO)

In reply to Max Clarke: the few I have are hideable and all mark special points in my life - something with real meaning for me,rather than fashion statements.

Tats can be beautiful body enhancing art or a crude scribbled embarrassment,do your research well.

In reply to Max Clarke:

I agree with the poster that stated that your opening sounded quite argumentatitve. However...

This is very much a personal choice, and I try not to judge people based on tattoos or other forms of 'body art'.

This problem is that it is very tough NOT to make judgements about people. After all, very visual tattoos are a statement. They say "look at me, I'm in your face and I want to impose myself on the world around me." Not everyone is comfortable with that and not everyone wants to have that imposition.

The work aspect has also been mentioned and is a very valid point. Very visible tattoos do not look professional no matter how good the person behind them is.

I have one small tattoo that most people will never see. I have it for personal reasons and I'm happy with it.

The OP talked about loving tattoos and wanting them everywhere. This is a very enthusiastic statement and builds a picture of someone who wants to fill up a canvas. The only problem with that is when the canvas is full there is nowhere else left and you are stuck with what you have created. Imagine liking a picture and sticking it up on your wall only to discover that you have to have it there for the rest of your life and to take it down would be restrictively time consuming and expensive. You could then fill up your walls with more and more pictures until you have a gallery on your wall that is hard to decypher and impossible to change.

It's your body, but think VERY carefully about the now and the future.

In reply to Max Clarke:
Horrible, awful, and common, especially on females. Yuk. and it isn't long before they blur and look a mess.

Sx

In reply to Max Clarke:

Its a funny one really isnt it and peoples do jump to conclusions on this. I have had a tattoo from about the age of 18. I grew up with horror films and so my tattoo is something on that theme.

Thing is, its on my shoulder and so cannot be seen unless in the right light whilst wearing a white shirt. As i work in a professional environment, i would suggest that an obviously visible tattoo, especially some of the larger ones, would not suit the environment and im sure people would judge badly, regardless of the person.

Im now 36 and I dont often think about it but when I do, i sometimes think it might have been better without it. I have just had it overdrawn again to make the lines crisper (they all fade and disperse over time) but when I get much older, the subject matter will start to look a bit stupid on a crickly old prune.

In reply to Max Clarke: People can do what they like. I do however wonder how awful all those beautiful tattoos will look when the wearer is older. You often see older men and women with black / blue patches on their skin that were once magnificent tattoos.

In reply to David Hooper: don't know if they will get done now, but I still wanted a cadeceus,a berber azul symbol, and an andean whiphala. Maybe won't happen now,but all very important to me. Also I need to look it up but there is a phrase in high valeryan from Game of Thrones - something like Valor Mhorgulis (all men must die).

In reply to Max Clarke:


For someone who appears to state he doesn't care what others think, that sounds a lot like you might care, really.

I've made some negative comments on here before about tattoos and I sort of regret it because I do know a lot of people with tattoos and, normally, I don't care. I think the issue I have with them is what are clearly 'statement' tattoos. The sort of tattoos you describe might well make it hard for someone to see past your tattoos at the real you. Sure, once you get to know someone that's not an issue but it can be a sort of a barrier. As jkarran said above, you might have concerns about how it would affect job prospects, particularly in certain fields. Maybe you don't care now, maybe you will later.

I also find it odd that you seem happy to split sociiety into those with tattoos and those without. Sounds like you're happy to create a division.

In reply to Max Clarke:

This is going to sound very patronising, but i'm going to say it.

In your profile pic (you are 20 and good looking), you look pretty "emo" and give the impression of being heavily into some style of music and you may possibly emulate in appearence the bands you like. I would also wager that said bands are possibly covered in tattoos.

Be aware that this could well be a "phase"

Speaking as someone who was heavily into metal in their youth with long hair, bullet belts etc I can fully understand this, but neck and hand tattoos are pretty extreme IMO...why not do those last and see how you go with the rest of your body.

Feel free to tell me to fck off though...I would have told me to fck off when I was your age

In reply to Max Clarke:

I have quite a few tattoos and would definitely agree to think long and hard about what tattoos you want.

What might be cool now might be uncool in say 5 years. Tattoos go through fashion cycles like tribal, stars to swallows and so on.

I agree with David Hooper and get original tattoos that mean something to you.

As to spelling mistakes I have some Welsh writing on my chest done in Scotland and it took a lot of research to get the mutations right and my first language is welsh !!!

good luck

Gaz

In reply to Christheclimber:

the same way a cow cut in half is art - its subjective

In reply to Trangia:

Grief, you are even older than I am so I may forgive this wind up. My son has one on each shoulder/upper arm. He is intelligent, runs his own busines, comes from outstanding breeding stock, has a tasteful home and has never done anything criminal in his life.
That throws your view out of the window.

If you'd like a "visit" to talk your apology through just let me know and I'll have "da boys" call to see you.

In reply to Co1in H:

Troll, best to ignore.

In reply to Max Clarke: I also like tattoos, but can never bring myself to get one on the grounds that I'm a fussy git and would likely be unhappy with any result, no matter how good the artist.
I've a friend who pretty much has the set up you describe, he must be ~80% inked. On one hand I've a great respect for him as an athlete (lifter) with a level of commitment to nutrition that is far from anything I could ever achieve. On the other hand, I think society has a long way too go regarding tattoos and I would never get a visible one. It can (but doesn't have to) make having a job in for example health care very difficult.

In reply to MJ:

It is indeed. She is not someone to mess with. Fairly petite lass, somewhat unrestricted in her reactions. e.g. she once set someone on fire for trying to bully her.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Just get what you want done. If you ever find that having tattoos stops you from getting a job then it's a job you wouldn't want anyway.

If anyone decides they don't want to speak to you because you have tattoos then you wouldn't want to speak to them anyway.

In reply to BruceWee: 'If you ever find that having tattoos stops you from getting a job then it's a job you wouldn't want anyway.' That is such a hackneyed, cliched and rubbish statement I don't know where to start.

There are lots of jobs where having a highly visible tattoo would stop someone being appointed - anything from TV presenter to anyone in business who is expected to mix with potentially conservative clients who *might* be offended - OK they shouldn't but business is business. I know several people who have had tatoos painfully removed because they were increasingly embarrassed as their careers progressed.

This business about it being art, again you're kidding yourselves, 90% of images are cliched, repetitive, banal and as artistic as a 5 year old scribble. For the most part they're just a fashion accessory and when fashions change - which they will - there will be a lot of people queing u up to have theirs removed, and the rest looking about as sad as fat middle aged blokes wearing flared jeans, tie-dyed t shirts and a pony tail. (Yes Phil, I'm talking about YOU!) For some of the remainder they're just about self-hurt and negative body image, and that's just sad and exploitative.

In reply to Max Clarke:

I was very much into metal and that whole scene back at uni and got a few tatts on chest and arm, all but one are not in a visible place.

However, i do have one on my wrist which is covered by a long sleeve shirt but if I strecth for something or hand you something you will see it.

I wouldn't go down the line of saying ' its a phase - you will grow out of it' but just have a thought about your future. Where do you see yourself in 20 years time. There is no danger with a throat tattoo I would be in the job I am now ( had to get rid of the facial jewellery when I joined) and i am extremely conscious of the one on my wrist. Having said that i would never get rid of it, I like it, its a part of me, its a symbol of a time in my life.

However, i also like having a decent job where I get to make my own decisions, where i earn a good enough wage to afford a car, petrol and boots and can get out on the hills whenever I want. You might not change much as a person as you get older but your priorities might.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Does art have to be 'high art'?

My definition of art is its just colours lines and shapes that replace adjectives.

In reply to John_Hat:

She's not a a blonde Glaswegian climber from the lower orders by any chance?

In reply to Max Clarke: I have no problem with them, but I would advise you to think very carefully before having tattoos that can't be covered by a shirt because some people do discriminate and it may cause you problems in the future. If you have your back chest or arms done its a much more personal thing, you can show them off or not as you choose.

In reply to Postmanpat:

Nope...

In reply to Max Clarke:

Well, since you ask, I think thye all look tacky - without exception.

In reply to Max Clarke: I have a few tattoos ranging from £10 scratches to £450 'pieces', all can be hidden and I work in a formal office setting. Some I regret, some I cherish but c'est la vie, at the time each one meant something personal to me and I enjoyed the process and results.

It's only skin at the end of the day, I would naively hope for a society where this type of judgement doesn't exixst, not for selfish tattoos such as my own but rather those who didnt have a choice in the marking of their skin.

I'd get them somewhere that can be hidden by clothing unless you are very sure of what type of work you'll be doing for the next forever number of years. go to a custom person, take time with the design process, dependant on who you go with the tattooist will have drawings going back and fourth for your approval. If you are dead set on visible tattoos, may I suggest a studded leather jacket instead.

In reply to Max Clarke: hi Max

With all due respect I've just has a look at your photo profile and you haven't become Max yet. You are of an age where you need to identify with and fit in with a group of peers. Hence your look has a commonality with a lot of other young folk who choose to adopt the mores of your particular tribe (at least you ain't a scall).You are gonna chose tattooed that reinforces your belonging and identity to your group.

Don't do it, wait till you are older and have more life experience and then by all means have work done that is meaningful for you as an individual. At the moment your are still learning who you are.

I had my first done when I was 28,before that I was working class had manual jobs lorry driver etc. At 28 I went to uni as a mature student and deliberately had a tat done to mark out my "otherness" as working class going into middle class academia (this was in the days before tags were a fashion statement and it was quite shocking for a student tracer to have one..

So go for it,but not to conform with your peers,get some life experience first.

In reply to nickyrannoch: I totally agree with nickyrannoch.

Think seriously about getting a throat tattoo, or tattoos on your hands.

There is no way I would send someone with visible tattoos to see a client. There would be too much of a risk of the client forming an instant opinion. After all, most people have tattoos to make a statement, to say they are of an alternative mindset. If tattoos are accepted by all then they won't be much of a statement.

If I'm totally honest I'd have to say that I really don't like lots of tattoos, or visible tattoos. I say this as someone with a tattoo! The current trend (yes it is a trend) for loads of tattoos looks ugly, and shortsighted. Also tattoos should have some sort of significance. I can't see what significance most of the tattoos I see can have.
Don't do it. To flip the old phrase around; it's better to regret not having a tattoo, than to regret having a tattoo.

In reply to Max Clarke: One of the great and sometimes not so great things in life is that you will often have very intense and unexpected changes happen in your life. You never really know what is around the corner but also, more importantly, how they will change you fundamentally. What is important to you now may well not be at all important to you in the future. In fact life may well be very mundane if those things didn't change.

Falling in love, falling out of love, having children, illness, injury so many, many things. One major thing you learn as you age is that however sure you think you are about something that something will inevitably come along and change it in a way you did not expect.

I was sure of everything when I was 20 and ever since I've learnt more and more that I know very little, and with each passing day I know less. But I don't find that thought depressing, I find it very liberating!

Who knows, this may have happened to you already and I may be speaking out of turn but perhaps you'll fall in love with someone and have ten children with them and then your entire focus will be them and maybe earning enough money to give them the best life that you can (not that money equals a great life of course, but it helps!). Would visible tatts stop you from being able to do that, will you regret being limited in some ways?

Will having plenty of not so visible tatts not limit your future opportunities in the same way but still scratch that itch you have? You will choosing a certain life before you have experienced so much that life may dish up. Is that really wise?

Ps. I do judge people with visible tatts. I think they have made choices before knowing what choices they will have to make later on and I think that is lacking in wisdom and making a statement too far.

In reply to Christheclimber:

How is a picture/drawing not art?

In reply to Timmd:

Calling something art does not give it some special merit. There's a whole load of bad art around which would be much better off if it had never been done. Much the same can be said for tattoos - some are good, some are great, some are rubbish.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Seeing as you ask, if I were to see someone with lots of visible tattoos my private reaction would be, ‘B----y hell, what a clown.’

Of course, he might be over the moon with them, but first impressions are inevitably incomplete judgements. Consequently employers in which those first impressions count may take a dim view, plus they are likely to reflect on your ability to think things through and identify the consequences of actions

As far as art is concerned, hardly. Wasn’t it Jeremy Clarkson who wondered why anyone would have a permanent alteration done to their body by someone who learned their trade spray-painting transit vans?

Whilst it might seem to be a really good idea now to decorate a room with posters, because they’re art and reflect your outlook on life, I’d be very surprised if you kept the theme unchanged for the rest of your days. However, it is your skin, but it’s got to last many, many years and time will take its toll upon it (and your art will suffer as a consequence).

I loathe them by the way, but that's probably as obvious as a tattoo upon your face.

In reply to David Hooper:

I think I agree with this.

In reply to Max Clarke: an old boss of mine would never admit on record but did used to say he would never employ a person with a tattoo.

This is just an example of what does exist in the workplace (whether common or not).

Personally I'm growing my hair. I know the big boss is itching to tell me to cut it as it is going through the 'difficult' stage. The problem is if he tells me to get it cut I will demand all the women on site have to have their hair cut first. I will not accept double standards from him.

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

And will you wear a dress next ?

In reply to Max Clarke:
The only tatoos I really object to are the ones on a local waster who has never worked, but can somehow afford to have a car (better than mine) go on holidays; smoke; drink; go into bookies AND have a body full of expensive tatoos (all apparently at the taxpayers expense)

He also has a nice tan as he lounges around in the sun all day whilst others are all at work to pay for it.
(PS I'm not a Tory)

In reply to Max Clarke: As for tattoo art - I like the good stuff.

A friend of yore has an imp sitting on a little mountain on her shoulder. The mountain is two tone shadow/light so when you look it just looks like a little devil squatting over a pile of poo - not what it was intended.

Another friend of yore has a tat that looks like a penis - again not what he originally intended.

Finally, a friend of a friend has a washing instructions label on his hip - I thought that was imaginative at the time.

In reply to dunc56: Not allowed due to H&S! Shame, I've got a cracking pair of legs for a skirt!

In reply to Will:

Concept and context are missing with Tattoos I think.

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

It always annoyed me that on a sunny day women have carte blanche. But we have to stay in shirt and tie.

In reply to Thread: Max responded to the first response but has since disappeared...Max, has any of the responses struck a chord? Was it what you expected? Do you think you will take any of the advice on board or stick to your own path as stated in the OP?

In reply to Timmd:

Drawing? Concept and context are missing with Tattoos I think.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Ok so let's see him get a tattoo which is artistic in this style.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/mar/02/pompidou-centre-vides-ex...

Sorted. Job interviews will not be an issue.

In reply to Max Clarke: I had a climbing mate (who shall be nameless but possibly posts on here) who had what he said was a unicorn tatoo, I can't remember where, but his wife was in hysterics when she saw it, and told everybody it looked like a 'my little pony'.
He had to go and get it overtatooed into a dragon.

In reply to Max Clarke: Yeah! be an individual and get a tattoo like everyone else.

I don't get them at all, I was thinking about getting one (peer pressure) about 30 years ago, glad I didn't.

I'd be gutted if any of my children got one, but I think they are their own people and we've brought them up to be happy with what they are in themselves.

Tattoo's are advertisements of the quality, or lack of, of someone else’s work, they don’t say much about your own personality apart from maybe you’re a bit of a rebel or a crowd follower.

I’ve got lots of mates with tattoo’s and at the end of the day it’s up to the individual.

Judgement; too right but isn’t the at part of the reason for having one, especially if it’s in open view.


After saying that I've got my ear pierced

In reply to Max Clarke: Oh and in answer to your post, if somebody wants to make a mess of the body he has been given thats up to him, be it getting enormously fat or tatooing all his or her body. Your choice mate, but it's a lot harder to go back in either case than not getting there in the first place.

In reply to Christheclimber:

I remember seeing five five pointed stars of different sizes across the nape of a girl's neck a few years ago, and I thought it reflected something of her personality, it's difficult to explain an emotional/gut reaction, but I had a positive one.

I think artists often say they just want people to have a reaction to thier work. To me it was beautifull, and I reacted to it in one of the ways in which artists want people to.

Tim

In reply to krikoman:




So what are you if you are not a crowd follower or a rebel?

In reply to Max Clarke:

Getting a tattoo is like deciding to wear flares for the rest of your life.

In reply to Max Clarke: It's "tattooed". Make sure you get someone to check the spelling before you get anything done

In reply to Christheclimber:

Pretentious and ignorant rubbish. I am not great fan of most tattoos, but as Tony says, it doesn't have to be good art to be art. I am not sure that you can judge too much about the concept or concept because it is drawn on skin rather than paper or canvas.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

OK, if I ever found that having a tattoo stopped me from getting a job then it's a job I wouldn't want anyway. That better?

Seriously, I've had jobs where tattoos have been frowned on and I've had jobs where no one bats an eye. The only ones where tattoos were a problem were the soul destroying office drone type jobs. If all you need to do to avoid this kind of life is a few tattoos then bring it on I say.

In reply to Timmd:

You got a bonk on didn't you

In reply to nickyrannoch:


Can't you be an individual, free thinker, who has great sense of self awareness while being a valued part of the community and have a caring attitude and respect for others?

The two, rebel or sheep, aren’t mutually exclusive, and conformity isn’t the end of the world or a surrender of oneself.

But, it can depend on your point of view and how far along the line you want to travel. I suppose it could be said that good manners are a sign of herd mentality, but I agree wholeheartedly in being polite.

In reply to dunc56: LOL,

Yeah come on Timmd, we can all see straight through this..probably just saw them as targets

In reply to The Lemming: I feel a bit sorry for you if you genuinely think that the only people that really matter are potential employers. Unless I've misunderstood what you meant?

RC

In reply to Shani:

I fail to see the correlation between getting a tattoo and wearing flares for the rest of your life.
If you mean in the way that things go in and out of fashion and that a tattoo will look unfashionable a few years then you're at worst extremely narrow minded and at best - just plain wrong.

And besides, Im sure there are hundreds of thousands of people who would happily wear flares for the rest of their life.

RC

In reply to RyanC:

Anyone who doesn't wear flares their entire life is naught but an insignificant dried up leaf flying hither and tither on the fickle winds of popular opinion.

In reply to RyanC:

you weren't there in the great days of the flare

In reply to dunc56:

Nah, I didn't fancy her, it just sounds like I did, but you there you go, nobody has to believe me.

She had a fragility about her which seemed to be reflected in how the stars had been drawn I thought, or something like that.

They were just cool tattoos, I know what I mean...

In reply to Max Clarke:

I tend to think that people with tattoos and unusual and piercings and stuff must be a little bit 'look at me'. You asked for an honest opinion. I certainly wouldn't avoid someone because of it, but I'd make some sort of little judgement about their personality: the way they view themselves as a bit 'other'.

This is coming from a very alienated person who doesn't think they share the values of surrounding society - but I don't want to advertise that (except by posting on here!) to the rest of the street etc. I want to pass by unnoticed and only get any reaction from the people I actually choose to interact with. I think that those with tattoos and stuff on show want some reaction (unexpressed, usually) from the person they feel different to - the guy with the suit and office job, say.

Plus, while I might feel alienated from society generally, I still want to have some of the good stuff on offer. I might not like shopping or haircuts or want to have a family or go to B&Q, but I do want a professional career in healthcare. For reasons that could be discussed for hours, if you go to have your eyes looked at, society's expectation is that that is done by a very neutral-looking, conventionally smartly dressed person who looks like they care 100% about accuracy, professionalism and stuff, and not about how great-in-an-unconventional-way they look. Sure the two could be compatible, but expectations are built up by association and that's hard to undo. An employer (say the NHS) is not in the business of trying to undo these conventions, except where they concern harmful prejudice (against something that a person cannot control e.g. their skin colour).

In reply to krikoman: No - I wasnt.
Although I have seen countless other 'fashions' come and go, I still fail to see the link between tattoos and trends.

RC

In reply to RyanC: At lunchtime I saw a woman with a swirly tattoo on the side of her hand, below the little finger. Just like Cheryl Cole only bluer and not as pretty. She is at least the fourth person I have seen with this (aside from the lovely Cheryl). That is your link.

In reply to RyanC:

Tramp stamps. Another one.

In reply to RyanC:

Celtic bands - end of story.

In reply to Max Clarke:

i think there's going to be some big business in tattoo removal in the next ten years.

there are some amazing tattooists out there, John has to be one of the best. http://www.nemesistattoo.co.uk/johns_tattoo_gallery.html

In reply to RyanC:

Because not so long ago they suddenly became very fashionable, in the same manner they could go out of fashion just as quickly.

Or do you think that the popularity of tattoos is something different like mods, rockers, teddyboys and punks.

In reply to zoobizooretta: Image 1 - Jocky Wilson after the operation trying his hand at golf

In reply to Rampikino: I would be all for these if they also had cartiledge implants underneath so they made proper 'handles'

In reply to Max Clarke: Tatoos; they're a phase, a fashion; give it ten or fifteen years and they'll be thought ugly and disfiguring, something that no sensible person would wish to inflict upon themselves.

All of which means that if you want one - and there's nothing wrong with them as such - then you should want it for what it is, for how you'll look with it the day after, twenty years after and for the rest of your life; not because it's a fashionable thing to do or because your mates have them and you want to belong to the 'in' crowd.

As someone who occasionally interviews for jobs that deal with the public, I'd have to be faced with an exceptional candidate to offer a position to someone with visible tattoos on their hands, throat or other places. Not that this would mean that such people are any worse, they're just wouldn't project the kind of image that I'd think appropriate. You might want to make your first one or two in areas that are a little more discreet depending on where you consider your future employment prospects may lie.

T.

In reply to Max Clarke: Whether you like 'em or not there is a stigma attached to tattoos, particularly ones on the face, neck and hands. To be honest i nearly got a tattoo when i was about 20 but changed my mind in the shop, now i'm in my early 30's i'm glad i did change my mind. Tattoos might look good on youngsters but by the time your 50 they'll look ridiculous

In reply to Max Clarke:
I think a few things when I see them
First I wonder what the tattoo will look like in 30 years time and will the owner still be pleased with it
Second I wonder if they are trying to be different by not looking conventional. Yet if I turned up to a Cult concert in a smart shirt and jeans I would probably be the one that looked different.
Thirdly I wonder if I will ever meet someone with a tattoo brave enough to admit that they regret it....

In reply to RyanC:

Try spending 20 years in the Job Market covered in excessive tats looking for employment, rather than being self employed, and then come back to me with that statement.

In reply to Pursued by a bear: When i got my job in my current school I got chatting with the head and said I used to have an earring.

His comment was the school I work for would never employ blokes with earrings, women with facial piercings or any one with facial tattoos. His argument was that we have very high expectations of student presentation of themselves and as professionals we should reflect that attitude as well.

In reply to WB:

I do.

Am I brave?

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

maybe, but might be just honest.

I think it is a bad choice to have a tattoo or noticable piercing you can't cover up with normal clothing for a job interview or work.

I've never seen a heavily tatooed GP, accountant or rocket scientist.

In reply to elsewhere:

I have.

In reply to Max Clarke:
Ironic thing about the transience of 'art' or fashion is that the other day, I saw a girl with the Banksy image of the girl with the heart-shaped balloon as a tattoo on her upper back. 'Balloon' rising up into her neck.

Now I've currently got a Banksy calendar on my wall, and one of the months is that image. In 10 years time I don't think I'll be displaying the same calendar. And if I see an old picture of my flat with this calendar in it, I'm sure the picture will look as dated and as whimsically nostalgic as this poor girl's back and neck will.

In reply to Max Clarke:

Depends a lot on the tattoo. I see lots of people with 'tribal' tattoos, why? they have no cultural significance to the majority of people from Bolton. Why not have some Celtic art say or something that reflects your own culture.

Many (perhaps even most) of my friends have tatoo's ranging from one small one to 3 or 4 who have almost their entire body covered, and every stage inbetween. Some are good, some are quite frankly awful.

Comments above about finding a job etc, but I believe you're asking for my reaction, not the reaction of other people. I do employ people, I have employed two girls who are heavily covered, although leg sleave's/body so not overly obvious.

It would be difficult to employ someone with say a facial tattoo if that person had to meet customers. But the same would apply if they were pig ugly. Sorry, that's the way it is, deal with it.

In reply to Max Clarke:Wonder if anyone has ever regretted NOT having a tattoo?

I understand the need to be individual, it's just that tattoos are so permanent and on the face and hand it like saying FU to the world.

Tongue studs on women (or blokes for that matter)– isn’t that just an advertisement that they give oral sex?

In reply to Max Clarke:
Find out what colours of ink are more easily removed with lasers.

In reply to paul-1970:

I have a tattoo of a drawing by John Keats of a grecian urn which inspired him to write my favorite poem down my ribs and side. It was written in 1819 and to me has never gone out of fashion.

That Banksy image might be very important to her and may be as meaningful in 10 years time as today. Who knows?

I suppose that's why it's important to get a tattoo that is personal to you and not just like 25 years ago where you chose from so sheets in some smoke filled shed.

In reply to krikoman:

You are Titus Bramble - I claim my £5

In reply to Gazlynn:
The first time I've ever heard Keats compared, albeit obliquely, to Banksy!

True true, we'll never know. But surely that is the clincher.

If this craze for people tattooing themselves had been all the rage 30 or so years ago, I wonder if we would be looking at men with images of lady tennis players scratching their backsides on their arms now... Women with pictures of men cuddling babies on their backs...

But if it's her choice and she is happy with it - fine. If she's still happy with it in 10,20,30 years time - fine.

In reply to Gazlynn: It's funny that Banksy has cropped up; I think there are strong parallels between street art/graffiti and tattoos, in that some people think they it defiles a place and some people think it's art and has a value as such. Often our judgement comes down to how beautiful or otherwise we think the final product is and how beautiful or otherwise we think the original wall was - so street art can be seen to add visual value on a derelict building but wouldn't be considered appropriate on Conwy Castle.

Think of the most beautiful image you know, whether it's a painting or a photograph or Keats' urn or whatever it might be, and now imagine it painted in permanent ink across El Capitan. It might look cool, briefly, but you took two lovely things - your original image and a beautiful piece of rock - and by putting them together you make something.... less beautiful. A bit cheapened. A bit demeaned. And over the years the image weathers until you just have a rockface blighted forever by an indistinct drawing.

So perhaps the decision to have a tattoo or not comes down to whether one values the natural beauty of the human body - each of us already unique - or whether one sees painting on it, permanently, as an improvement.

I can see both sides to that but I'm in the 'don't mess with nature' camp. Not that I'm El Cap - more a small, obscure limestone outcrop with occasional foliage, but still... you know... better left alone than painted over I reckon.

In reply to Gazlynn:

John Keats wrote a poem down your ribs and side? You must be older than you look.

In reply to Alyson:


Like it, she's good you should listen to her.

In reply to Alyson:

I am deffo no El Cap

I didn't get the tattoo to make my body more attractive I got the tattoo for a number of reasons, one is I think it's one of the best poems ever written as beautiful as any mountain landscape and in my opinion worthy of a place on my body forever as a reminder.

Each to their own I suppose but I can also see both sides

Kirkoman it's a bit late now

In reply to Gazlynn:

Next time then

In reply to Timmd:

Probably should have added a smiley to that in case it sounded a bit grumpy.

Smiley ()

In reply to Max Clarke

having said all i have said about it meaning something to the individual blah blah the celtic band tribal art stuff is shit.

I also know someone who walked the west highland way ( using baggage porter service) and got a tattoo to commemorate it which i find slightly hilarious.

In reply to Max Clarke: wankers

In reply to Max Clarke:

People who can't make a mark on life - make a mark on themselves. Generally awful, always terrible on women. Especially crapy celtic sleeves.

D

In reply to krikoman: I don't doubt that they have become much more popular fairly recently and that has probably got more to do with the advances in tattooing technology over the last 20(?) years (ie not a safety pin and a bottle of ink).
People can now get almost anything they can imagine as a tattoo so naturally, tattoos on a whole will appeal to a wider audience.

The trends mentioned (ie wearing flares, 'tramp stamps', celtic bands - whatever it may be) are apparent in pretty much aspect of life that I can think of - sports, hobbies, fashion, business etc. There will always be people who follow fashions and people who purposefully don't follow them. Some people wear certain clothes just because they like them and don't worry about 'fitting in' or what people think of the way they look.

I got my tattoos because I wanted them. I'm not sure why I did - I just did. I prefer the way my body looks after getting them and don't regret either of them and can't see at the moment any reason I ever would.

RC

In reply to Max Clarke: In polynesian society, you didn't get to choose your tattoo it was chosen for you based on your sexual maturity, family history, occupation and rank within society.
I have tattoos and like some above are hidden out of view when wearing office type clothes.
I have half a lower leg done based on research of the origins of Polynesian tattooing and the things I had done and achieved in life.
I do have other tattoos which didn't have the thought that went into my leg.
These I don't regret as such as they are part of me and who I am and was, but if I had done the research I did into my leg before I had them, they wouldn't be on me.
Am I judged, yes I am but not by all.
Some people just don't expect it from prejudging me based on other things (the tattoos are only visible in shorts and if I take my top off).
Do I pre-judge, well yes, a prime example was walking home from work passing a group of three men drinking kestrel lager on a wall in the sun with tops off and one with tattoos covering neck and face.
In fairness I prejudged more on the basis they were drinking kestrel lager early afternoon on a Monday afternoon than the tattoos!
There was a really good conference on society and peoples attitudes I attended that people avoided the guy with face tattoos - turns out he was the guest speaker with a Phd!
Also I think they are more acceptable based on the fact many celebrities now have them.

In reply to Dauphin: You are a very, very prejudiced human being.

RC

In reply to Max Clarke: Again, each to his own.

As for prejudging, of course I do it, most people do. Most of the time I'm right, some of the time I'm wrong and I like it when I am. But we live in a world of making split second decisions, when we cross the road, going for a hold that looks a bit iffy, drinking, smoking taking drugs. All choices we can make on the fly, there's nothing wrong with it. If I see someone I don't like the look of or think they aren't my type I don't waste my time on then -I have better things to do really.

It's quite common knowledge that people make the decision about other people’s attractiveness in the first 10 seconds, if that's not prejudging..

I like to think I give people the benefit of the doubt, but I pretty sure that’s not always true.

In reply to sleavesley:
.

I read that traditional Tahitian tattooing was on the buttocks. Apparently a man was not able to marry unless he had undergone the lengthy and painful operation of having his entire backside blacked over.

In reply to The Lemming: Poor argument - If somebody chooses to get tattoos that are considered excessive by society and therefore making themselves apparently unemployable - that's their own fault and nobody else's. Everybody knows that face/neck/hand/head/eye tattoos will obviously lower one's employability. If you think you might want to get a career in a field where tattoos are unacceptable - don't get a tattoo.

RC

In reply to RyanC:

Go away, you annoy me.



Come back when you've got some life experience under your belt.

In reply to Jim Hamilton: Did this contribute to a low number of marriages in Tahiti then?

In reply to The Lemming:

Please - don't get me wrong, I may be only 23 and I've no doubt you have had much more life experience than me but even a toddler like me knows that if you have to tell someone to "go away" because they're annoying you - They've probably won.

RC

In reply to Max Clarke:wouldnt consider having throat or hands done as its probably been said looks like youve just come out of the state penn .i think if the tatts actually mean something to the individual why not?dont see a problem with them personally.
hidden tatts on girls i think is a bit of a turn on too and should be encouraged !imo

In reply to The New NickB:


Ignorant I think not. Pretentious? Moi?

In reply to RyanC:

Hardly I suspect quite a few people would probably agree that people who plaster tattoos all over themselves (particularly the face and neck) are just crying out for attention

In reply to Max Clarke:

I think when women (Or men) have tattoos above their backsides it is asking for you to look at them - if not to look and enjoy the art then what are they there in that place for. If women (Or men) are inviting people to look at their backsides then you have to question the integrity of it as a piece of art. A friend calls them 'Tramp stamps'

I have various views on them and see them in the best case as body art in the worst case as the most singularly unattractive method of classifying yourself that there is! The classification being in the eye of the beholder one which varies from person to person.

Whilst at Uni I saw a chap who had 'I hate students' tattooed on the inside of his lip which he revealed shortly before knocking ten bells of c**p out of you - thats not body art or art or anything else for that matter

In reply to RyanC:

Not true. Having tattoos of eyes on my eyelids makes my employer think I'm wide awake when snoozing at my desk.

In reply to tatty112:

That's not the same thing as them not having made a mark in life though, which is what Dauphin posted.

In reply to Max Clarke:
When Mrs Num Num used to work in Cammell Lairds, she had a picture of a welding mask and two crossed gas cutting torches tattood on her biceps.

In reply to birdie num num: check out these loosers

http://wtftattoos.com/

And yes I know how to spell losers.

In reply to KTT:

When tatts go bad..

Just don't bother visiting Japan with all those tattoos, you won't be able to get into any onsens (hot springs), lots of clubs/bars will exclude you and so will most gyms.

I wanted to get a tattoo but as I want to return back to japan every now and then, it's just not viable.

In reply to dunc56:


No I'm Tight Arse Bumhole - and I'm skint.

In reply to Max Clarke: Depends on the tattoo I guess. I would be trying hard to avoid the blokes with the Nazi tattoos, and the girls with the dolphin tattoos on their back or belly. But I have an impression that the guys totally covered in tattoos (neck, arms,full body) tend to have a good sense of humour, so I'd be happy to talk to them. So yeah, tattoos mean a lot of prejudice.

In reply to The Lemming:

Ah yes, the old "I'm older than you, therefore I obviously have more life experience."

There's plenty of 70 year olds who have never gone beyond the end of their streets. Hell, there are plenty of middle aged IT workers who spend all there money going on expeditions and climbing mountains who have never gone beyond the end of their street.

As soon as you start bringing age into it you're just proving that you don't have the experience to win an argument.

In reply to Max Clarke:
But what are you going to do about your tattoos when you're older?............... http://imgur.com/gallery/972GU

In reply to Max Clarke: well max, after a lot of folk have taken the time and trouble to reply to you,it would be courteous of you to come back and offer your thoughts and some thanks for the advice.

In reply to Alyson:


Are you owned and managed by the BMC, to ensure continued public access for climbers?

If I was interviewing candidates, there is no way anyone with obvious and pronounced tattoos (e.g. facial tattoos) could be considered for a customer-facing role - far too aggressive and confrontational. So if you think you might ever want to work in sales if you think you are a "people person", or in customer support, best avoid them or keep them discrete.

For a technical role? Their skills would need to be pretty special to overcome the disquiet at apparent poor judgement and lack of forethought.

In reply to Simon4:


I'm afraid not. Access is only available by negotiation with the landowner

Now I'm sitting here thinking of dozens of increasingly innappropriate ways this metaphor could lead. I'll try and come up with a safer one next time.

In reply to Alyson: Do you need someone to tend your grounds?

In reply to Alyson: Indeed. References to occasional foliage also caused a raised....eyebrow.

In reply to Max Clarke: as a none tattoo'd person I feel exactly the same as Max claims tatoo'd people do, I couldn't care less if a person has tattoo's or not.

I do know a lot of very heavily tatoo'd people through various friendship groups, all or most of them artists who work in the trade

In reply to krikoman: What have I done? <head in hands>

In reply to Alyson:


So only trad routes, no bolting allowed then? That's a relief!


No doubt the next few hours will result in many of the less tasteful ones being helpfully supplied by the more juvenile of posters? Oh dear, I've made the first contribution.

In reply to Max Clarke:

he looks like a nice lad...
http://media.freeola.com/images/user-images/12798/img_1489.jpg

In reply to zoobizooretta:

I bet he's been assaulted more than once whilst swimming....

In reply to Simon4:

Any particular policy on dry tooling?

Even by UKC standards there's some judgmental bile on this thread, its a bit depressing.

In reply to deepsoup: Strictly no dry tooling thank you! My nice, clean lines are for the trad purist only.

Can we call time on this before someone makes a reference to small jugs and earns themselves a punch please?!

In reply to deepsoup:


Yes, BUT there's also a lot of non-judgemental and thoughtful posting too.

Any topic is going to end up being most attractive to the people who have the strongest opinions on it.

In reply to Simon4:

The forethought that you wouldn't employ them due to their lack of forethought? Or, you could employ them, ignoring the tattoos, and then they've not had a lack of forethought and haven't made a bad decision, because they're now just as employable as before they got their tat done.

Easy.

In reply to Alyson:

That's very glass-half-full of you. ;O)
You're right of course, but personally I'm feeling more of a 'haters gonna hate' vibe. Sometimes UKC can be *nasty*.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:


Why bother when you have perfectly good candidates who have not engaged in gratuitous self-mutilation? It is largely a buyers market in employment now, why scupper your chances?


No, that is what you wish was the case rather than what actually is.

Suppose you have some major dispute with a neighbour or employer whatever, that has been preying on your mind and making your life hell for months or years. You have finally decided that you need to pay the outrageous rates for a solicitor. You walk into their office to find they are plastered with very visible and obvious tattoos. The chances are that you will think "this person is a clown or worse" and walk straight out the door. Of if you won't, 90% of their potential clients will.

Similarly you are really worried about some physical symptom and in nervousness and deep trepidation, you finally go to see a consultant. You take one glance at their disfigured face and immediately conclude "I am going to die!"

It would be better if people stuck to piercings - these will self-heal when they no longer wish to be marked by them.

In reply to Simon4:

_You take one glance at their disfigured face and immediately conclude "I am going to die!" _

Hi Simon,
I have a facial disfigurement, not from a tattoo but from an accident.

Does this make me untrustworthy, off putting and bad at my job too?

In reply to red.stiletto: Clearly not, it makes you the victim of an unfortunate accident.

There would be no reason why you should be considered as a suitable candidate for any role, including customer facing for any reasonable company.

In reply to Simon4:
>>

I disagree, Tatoos are really fashionable at the moment and everyone seems to have them. I regulary see police men with whole tattooed arms on display etc. I think as they become more normal and fashionable they will become more generally accepted and less stigmatised.

The flipside of this is that they will inevitably become unfashionable again at some point so will just look dated and naff. beacuse unlike a pair of amazing bell bottoms you can't take them off.

In reply to red.stiletto:

in fairness to Simon4, I think there is no doubt he is referring to facial tattoos rather than facial disfigurement by accident/birth etc.

That's not to say he may have been slightly clumsy/provocative in his wording

In reply to doz generale:

Imagine removing an amazing pair of bell bottoms to reveal a completely tattood leg....now we are talking!

In reply to Simon4: Have you missed a 'not' in there Simon?

In reply to Removed User:
Ha ha.
Ok I am being a bit facetious here, but my accident was as a result of taking part in a dangerous sport (not climbing in this case). Does this not proVide evidence about my personality (risk taker, clumsy, incautious?) Which might also be taken into account in a similar way to Simons lawyer/doctor scenario? If we are judging people on their faces, that is...

In reply to Max Clarke:
If Num Num was looking to employ someone, he wouldn't pick the interviewee with 'Love' and 'Hate' tattood on his knuckles. He just wouldn't, that's all.

In reply to Simon4:

My point is that you're marking people down for not expecting your prejudiced viewpoint that tattoos should preclude you from having a job, and thereby perpetually proving yourself right.

In reply to Max Clarke: I am going to throw my thoughts in to the mix. I always said I would not have and tattoos below my elbows but I do have my entire back done and both of my upper arms.
Last year I decided that life is too short and I got both of my forarms done, I have not lost any customers and my rate of gaining new customers have remained the same.
The flip side though is that I would not employ anyone with hand or facial ink.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:

Your point isn't a point to be honest, if you, or anyone else, knows that there is a prejudice against tattoos. Then why should people change their minds just because YOU think they should. Everybody has their right to their own beliefs and prejudices - even if they are wrong. Just as you have the right to tattoo your face off if you want, just don't expect everyone to treat you like you want to be treated.

A job interview is a very difficult place to be, people are forced to make judgements on appearance, aptitude, on how well they think you'll fit into "the Team". If a woman came in with her tits hanging out and a belt for a skirt are you saying that she shouldn't be judged, or a bloke with dirty clothes? They might be perfect at doing the job but it's about impressions, being appropriate and selling yourself.

In reply to birdie num num:

What if I got 'Num' and 'Num' done?

In reply to Max Clarke:
When your 50 and got some dosh, and your at the 5 star hotel, your going to feel really concious of those tattoos when your by the pool.
I reckon that a good career move for anyone over the next 20 years will be to get into tattoo removal.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:


No really I'm not.

Prejudice - from the latin pre udice, before judgement, before evidence is gathered or interpreted. A decision to have a tattoo, especially a facial one, is clear evidence of intention, so drawing a conclusion on its presence, is postjudice - after judgement.

If I interview somebody and think they are technically competent but maybe a bit weird, if I get it wrong and they are a disaster (and all interviewing is a hostage to fortune, anyone can make horrible mistakes, nothing scientific about it), if they have a facial disfigurement everyone will just say "oh well, X didn't work out too well did they, better luck next time". If they are plastered with tattoos, the comeback will be "Weren't they flashing enough bloody warnings that they were going to be a disaster - it was written on their face, literally - what kind of an plonker are you?",

I'm letting people know the reality of how many employers will mark them down in the competition. If they choose to accept diminished chance of employment or success, their priviledge, but to imagine there will be no consequence is foolish and inaccurate.

I'm not against people doing what they want with their bodies and taking the consequences. Climbing is all about taking calculated risks, much more than most people would be prepared to accept, and then still going ahead with the risk activity (or not if you personally feel the risk in a given situation is too high). But to deny the existence of an obvious risk and likely consequence of an actionrather than to recognise it and decide that it is acceptable, shows poor judgement, and bad risk assessment - you are a bad climber, not because you recognise a risk and say "I am prepared to live with that and regard the route/experience as justifying it", but because you pretend it doesn't exist when it clearly does. So you are not a rounded climber, just driven by unjustified optimism. You may get away with that approach for a while, but then it will bite you in the backside horribly.

Its your bodies, do what you want, but show personal responsibility and accept the consequences, don't pretend there won't be any.

Bodies and skin are a bit like joints - you only get one set to last a lifetime. So consider that before you plaster it with tattoos. Your call at the end of the day, but think before you do.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Num Num would complement you on your good taste prior to showing you the door.

In reply to Alyson:


Sorry no, Pandora (may I be familiar and call you Pandora?)

"The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on
Nor all your piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line
Nor all your tears wash out a word of it"

You are destined to be the butt of off-colour jokes on this theme for the next decade!

In reply to birdie num num:

youtube.com/watch?v=X20XIg38GcE&

I reckon old Bobby Mitchum might get a job?

D

In reply to Simon4: Always like a bit of Fitzgerald. Alternative translations are available.

In reply to sjc:

If I'm 50 and find myself trying to fit in with people who hang out at hotel swimming pools then I'll know I've seriously f*cked up my life.

A good career move for anyone over the next 20 years is to be shit hot at your job so you can look any way you want.

In reply to Dauphin:
Or an updated version for my homies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UULT4iNWfrg&feature=fvwp&NR=1

In reply to stroppygob:
his legs and arms were; “like one of Ghandi’s split in two.”*

Spike Milligan

£5?

In reply to nickyrannoch:

Your house must be full or pricelees works of art then.....

http://art.ngfiles.com/images/38/blackunigryphon_boston-dogs-shooting-pool....

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=wpkxg&s=5

In reply to John Rushby:


Nice, but my favourite is http://www.flickr.com/photos/norbet/6306829373/

In reply to galpinos: I love it, commemorative plates you actually want to buy!!

Here's mine.

http://www.seotunes.co.uk/post/1599359881/celebrate-peasants

In reply to Wonko The Sane:

That's got it all.
Lizards, Germans, Jedward and horsey teeth !

In reply to galpinos:

Scary - but this is real.....

http://www.bradford.co.uk/product_info.php/info/p2048_John-Wayne-American-I...

Love the reference to hamdmade using artist's resin....and the constat references to how high it is.