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Having my first tattoo done to celebrate hitting 40 and quitting the fags, but not sure if I'm brave enough to have the tattoo done on my calf though. The tattoo is of me doing a thetford round done in black and grey. I need cyclists opinions... would you think it really daft to have a tattoo there?
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I've got one on each calf. It's like someone sawing your leg off with a blunt Stanley knife.
I'm gonna get another.
Love the tattoo locations guide! 😀
Have you got a pic of the image you will be having done? Go on, spoil us.
Get yourself a set of these.
Lol, will put a picture up when I get in
That diagram above makes me laugh!
To be honest though, all the haters are gonna chime in but it's your body, do what you want. Personally, just because of the "social acceptance in the workplace" phoenomena where people do (wrongly) still get judged on what they look like, I wouldn't get one where it could possibly be visible whilst in work attire, but that said ive known a couple of guys with tattooed heads and necks who were actually some of the nicest people you might meet.
Been thinking of getting one myself for a while, but the problem is I don't know what the hell I could get that I would want on my body forever. As an ex GF said to me ages ago, if you get bored of a piercing you can just take it out, not so with a tattoo... So still very undecided. Was dating (briefly) a girl last year who was very heavily tattooed, her ex ran a tattoo shop, and to be honest it was quite cool, though she did get an undue amount of attention just because of the tattoos, often positive (she had done a couple of tattoo mag shoots in the past so hers was top notch art), but sometimes negative.
Only [i]you[/i] can decide if a tattoo is right for you.
It's with you forever mate, so if you're having doubts...
I've got a couple. Hurt like hell, but glad I have them. Both have a very special meaning to me.
Well, I work in motorsport, so its unlikely to be viewed as unacceptable. I just have slight reservations I would be viewed as a bit of a nob! Mainly as I live and die in shorts 24/7
I'm not a hater, though I would never have one myself, but ............. I do find it quite funny that every time we have a tattoo thread the supporters talk of "expressing their individuality" and yet so many seek approval for what they are having done. Just an observation.
Carry on.
BB
My patriotic calf decor is 25 years old now & I don't regret it - pain is similar to that feeling you get when trying to rub grit out of a bad graze when you've slid down the trail after an off!
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The tattoo is of me doing a thetford round done in black and grey.
Huh? So its a tattoo of you?
no
YOu want an opinion - don't do it is mine.
Yes, its a black and gray portrait of moi
Your tattoo, put it where you want. If you're asking for opinions i think you should wait a bit before having it done.
Whatever you do, pick a good artist, not just the nearest tatoo shop.
that said ive known a couple of guys with tattooed heads and necks who were actually some of the nicest people you might meet.
and some of them haven't been...
one geezer i worked with had tats all over his hands and head. he'd done some time inside.
his best one was a self-made one on his forehead. he stood in a mirror and proceeded to etch "SKINS" into his head. only it doesn't say "SKINS" it says "2KINS".
You plan to have a tattoo of yourself? It's a bit.. Alexander Vinokourov
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I guess it depends if the image looks anything like you. If it does, then no no no no no. If it doesn't, go for it.
ir_bandito - MemberI've got a couple. Hurt like hell, but glad I have them. [b]Both have a very special meaning to me.[/b]
This, IMO, is the best (only good?) reason to permanently mark your body. I've ummed and arred about getting a tat or two done for years, but never been happy (or confident that I will still like it in years to come)enough with any of my ideas to go through with it.
Oh and one other thing, go large or go home. Nowt worse than silly little tattoos on people. Proportion is everything! If your doing it, do it right!
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Like this:
I think that looks quite good. A bit like a Banksy maybe.
At least increase the wheel size in the image. You don't want to permanently scar yourself with yesterdays technology.
That's so funny that guide as I can now say I have a socially acceptable rebellious tattoo 🙂
Looks good rbrstr.
Oh and one other thing, go large or go home. Nowt worse than silly little tattoos on people. Proportion is everything! If your doing it, do it right!
What he said.
Don't go tramp stamp, go supersize.. make it 'fit' your body.
Not convinced a tattoo of ones self is the way forward though.. but if you love the image then blinking go for it. Better to regret having it than regret never doing it, and to all the haters, WTF does it matter what you think about it when you are old? You will be OLD, wrinkly, undesirable, ready for death. At least the other fogies in the old folks home that didn't get tattoo'd won't dare steal your porridge.
i wanted to have a chain ring tattooed on the inside of my calf (like the imprint left behind when you press your leg against the chainring). then i ended up having a stupid crash and now have a scar instead....
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Monster Energy scar, radsick dude!
everyone said marzocchi... which is ironic as i've only got RS forks...
It'll be monster when it goes septic. 😛
My brother has a large maori style tatoo down each calf. It looks odd, in a vertically asymmetric kinda way. I've a couple of tatoos and am always thing of more but I'd never get any on my lower legs, just looks wrong to me. The bigger they are the more it looks weird as well.
(Maori style design not method)
I enjoyed my tat. I'm planning another. The first was a bit noddy but says a lot about me. The next will say something similar but I want it to be a lot tighter.
It's not like a real scar, granted but I've already got lots of them.
Im covered in tattoos. go nuts i say its your body. never had a problem with jobs. although it can attract the wrong attention on a night out in the town were i live. Wouldnt get that from one on your calf though. i will say this.. its noted that they can be somewhat addictive.
rbrstr - MemberYes, its a black and gray portrait of moi
Will the tattoo be represented on the tattoo? If not, I'm out.
^^?
NW+1
Looks pretty cool to me rbrstr, don't recognise you from Thetford though. 🙂
I've got a tattoo of myself, but it's full scale and completely covers my whole skin.
To look at me you'd think you were looking 'at me', but it's actually a perfect complete ink covering....
DrP
Tattoos are a gamble. I love both of mine (left upper arm, right calf), they each mean a lot in a subtle way.
A tattoo of yourself seems a bit (how do I say this delicately?)..... erm egocentric. I don't know what your personality is like, but people will definitely rip it out of you unless you are arrogant/ironic/both enough to have a self portrait on your leg.
Get something in the same place, but less cocky 😉
Personally I like tats and am thinking about getting one. I don't like them on calves though for some reason.
I've got a massive tat of Jimmy Saville on the top of my baldy head, with the words "Jim fixed it for me" emblazoned across my arse. It's what he would have wanted.
Feedback much appreciated. i will post the results in a week :o)
Having a posh spa break with mrs zip. There is a bloke here with the usual wing thing on his shoulders. Then beneath that is a babies face with either some flesh eating disease or burns.
How did anyone ever think that was a good idea.
Yes I know its his body and his choice but he's the only person on the planet who doesn't have to look at it.
a red bull or a toro rosso? riding a bike, maybe?
I'd suggest though that if you have to ask, best not to.
I want a chainring tattoo
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6741984963_a6a3c5abae.jp g" target="_blank">
Calf hurts a lot less than thigh.
Got three tattos and planning my fourth* so certainly not a hater. That said portraits very rarely come out well IMO. You only need to look on tattofailblog to see that a lot of them are portraits (the garden chair being an exception and particular fave). YMMV. etc
* Sorry to hijack, but any recommendations for a good tattooist in Herts/Beds/Bucks area appreciated.
"Calf hurts a lot less than thigh"
Yep definetely. Calfs and upper arms are no problem unless you go on for more than a couple of hours at a time.
Only problems i've had with lower legs is swelling and bruising (around top of sock line) for a couple of days afterwards if you spend a lot of time on your feet.
As for worrying what to get or what people will think, get whatever you want and sod everyone else, it's your body and none of their business 🙂
How about a life-size tattoo of your leg, on your leg?
I got my leg done, as it covers a pretty crappy tat I had ages ago..
I thought that it did hurt a fair bit... 😳
Mind, it was 7hrs of work tho'...
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Is that a Cornetto at the top?
I love cornettos!, but might have gone with a 99 flake instead.
There's room for a mini milk on your ankle and you could top it off with a great big white chocolate magnum on the thigh.
needs a zoom ice lolly to complete the comedy effect
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I think he's already got a zoom lolly in his shorts....
Pfft,
Well I like it... 8)
where are you based rbrstr? I know an awesome black and grey portrait artist, but she is in Moseley B'ham...
From the picture rbrstr put up thats not portrait and any decent artist would be able to do it.
I quite like it, with that style its not a detailed picture so it wouldn't be obvious its you anyway. Not exactly what I would call cocky.
That's the problem with tattoos - teeto loves his but people are ripping it to shreds. So whatever you get someone else will hate - either too big, too small, too irrelevant, too egocentric, too visible, not visible enough etc.
Best thing I ever did was decide against having one done (thought about it lots about 12 years ago). And much earlier, when I was a teenager I wanted this tattooing on my fore-arm. Thankfully I trusted my parents' opinion and decided against it...
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I've got six all round the body, jeez it does hurt having the calf done
Teetosugars, nice work kind of polynesian mix
This is a photo of my left arm, about 24 hours of tattooing done over a few months.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6868985971_3f10c32fc2.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/73332441@N05/6868985971/ ]tattooLeft[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/73332441@N05/ ]hopsinjoor[/url], on Flickr
This was my right arm, after a tattoo session.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7176/6868985837_54ee36fc34.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/73332441@N05/6868985837/ ]hulk[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/73332441@N05/ ]hopsinjoor[/url], on Flickr
...And my right arm as it stands at the moment.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6868985413_ca439e77c8.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/73332441@N05/6868985413/ ]IMG_0129[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/73332441@N05/ ]hopsinjoor[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6868985537_e12043efe3.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/73332441@N05/6868985537/ ]IMG_0130[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/73332441@N05/ ]hopsinjoor[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6868985709_c0ef0caacf.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/73332441@N05/6868985709/ ]IMG_0131[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/73332441@N05/ ]hopsinjoor[/url], on Flickr
Hulk Smash!
Not bad, saying that these are both cover-ups of tattoos I got in my teens. I think the right arm was about 12 hours over a month. I seem to be able to only sit still for about 4 hours.
I have most of my left arm done,one side of my chest under clavical, both calves and my right thigh.. about 70 hours all in.
these are both cover-ups of tattoos I got in my teens
I got my leg done, as it covers a pretty crappy tat I had ages ago..
noticing a theme here....
When I was younger I wanted tattoos, but had no style or direction, and so just picked flash off the walls, and after getting a particularly bad one when I was 21 I put the idea of getting more on the back burner.
I started getting the "itch" for more tattoos when I was about 25, so decided what I wanted (the left arm half-sleeve) and then spent about 5 years finding the right tattooist (going to expo's, studios, etc.).
I got given the advice "if you decide on an image you like, print it out and put it by your bed, if after a year you can still bear to look at it, you should be fine with it being tattooed". After 5 years of deciding and still wanting the same tattoo it wasn't a problem.
I've had my back-piece and legs planned for about 2 years, probably going to start the back-piece this summer, funds dependent.
noticing a theme here....
er.. ephemeral childs comic book daubing made permanent?
All personal opinion of course but most tattoos look pretty gash imo. You see the odd one that looks reasonably tasteful but the wall of ink look (see above) is truly gopping.
And what is the thetford round - is that something to be particularly proud of?
[url=
the tattoo connoissuers among you[/url]
noticing a theme here....
Yep, that people without tats can't help themselves with the comments.
Some awesome abstact stuff there Yunki.
why didn't I meet this tattooist 20 years ago...? 🙁
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Yep, that people without tats can't help themselves with the comments.
what? in the 'tattoo:opinions needed' thread?
🙄
Yep, that people without tats can't help themselves with the generic and boring negative comments.
If you were having difficulties filling in the spaces.
Yep, that people with tats can't help themselves with the generic and boring designs
in case you needed a polar view in the interests of healthy discourse.
ha ha rad...
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7045/6877100011_ef2ed116a6.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/66541880@N03/6877100011/ ]IMG_1435[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/66541880@N03/ ]passtherizla[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7209/6877140477_acdefb8670.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/66541880@N03/6877140477/ ]390410_10150398015665736_618825735_8424643_1084002241_n[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/66541880@N03/ ]passtherizla[/url], on Flickr
this is what my pal is currently enjoying doing stuff like... I like traditional sailor style tats personally, but each to their own.
Discussing tattooing on a bike forum does mean that the question is open to both tattoo enthusiasts and likers, and also people who don't like tattoos or any form of body modification.
If the question is abstractly about getting a tattoo, and the ideas around such then it's fair enough that people who fall into the second category air their opinions regarding such.
If the question is, 'I'm getting a tattoo, what do you think of this design?' then it's obviously gone beyond the discussion stage on whether to get one or not, and the various merits and opinions thereof. At that stage it's more about the actual design itself, and the question is asked with an expectation that people who respond will be in the enthusiast/liking tattoos camp so that they can say (in their opinion) whether it looks good/will work/any problems that could be encountered/etc.
This is not written aimed at anyone in particular as everyone has their opinions, and they are free to have them, and air them. It's more to point out that in a thread of this nature, which is being used to garner the opinions of a certain subset of the STW masses, coming in to post that you don't like tattoos, or to say you hate a posted idea or tattoo, when that hate or dislike is based upon your hating of tattoos in general, is nothing more than a troll.
Although I don't like tats personally I do have to say that first one posted by Yunki ^^^ is very impressive. Beautiful understanding of the shape of the body under and how the tattoo sits 'in' it rather than plonked on top.
Of course it will look a tram smash in 30 years time just like every other tattoo does though.
coming in to post that you don't like tattoos, or to say you hate a posted idea or tattoo, when that hate or dislike is based upon your hating of tattoos in general, is nothing more than a troll.
Yep I do think these people have to much time on their hands / have no life.
It's the real life equivalent of me going down to an equestrian event for the sole purpose of telling everyone I think they all dress daft and that all horsey type people are weird.
Is it really that hard to not open a thread based on its title or do these people really feel the need to have their username stamped on every thread going?
Yep, that people without tats can't help themselves with the comments.
Where did I mention that I don't have 'tats'?
I was pointing out that many of the people who have already commented have regretted their tattoos and have been forced to get larger tattoos to cover them up.
It seemed pertinent in a discussion about tattoos.
It's the real life equivalent of me going down to an equestrian event for the sole purpose of telling everyone I think they all dress daft and that all horsey type people are weird.
Hardly. Since this is a mountain biking forum, it is more like an equestrian aficionado coming along to a mountain biking event, showing off their new saddle and then getting all angry that some of the people comment that they're not fussed by horses.
Dave