Real People, Real Tattoos

We all love to ogle those brilliantly photoshopped pics of models with excellent artwork tattooed onto their lovely, flawless skin. My Pinterest homepage is testimony to this fact. However, those perfect pictures lack something. Something unique and unedited and REAL. So, I've decided to do a post about real, average people and their tattoos. Check out these awesome, heartfelt, sometimes funny tattoos and the stories behind them.

Elicia

I got my tattoo 3 years ago. I'd been wanting one for a very long time but just didn't know what to get or where to get it. I played around with ideas for a while then got the brilliant idea of combining my kid's names: Caity and Tyler...Caityler. My husband drew up an idea using my favorite flowers(daisies), the butterfly and the ladybug(my favorites too). The tattoo artist cleaned up and simplified my husband's design a bit, and my tattoo became a real thing. I love it and definitely want another one. My tattoo is located on the upper right side of my chest. My next tattoo will be on my wrist and be either Courage or Strength as I am embarking on a new adventure...separating from my husband after being together for 21+ years.

 

Brenna

 I'd been considering getting this tatt for a couple of years before I did. My husband and I were on our 20th anniversary weekend away, and I mentioned that I wanted to get the tatt done, so he coughed up the money to do it, right then and there, as a gift. I got the hotel to print off the design I already had on my computer and took it to the tattoo artist. He was a little concerned when he saw it was glyphs. He wanted to be sure I knew what they meant, so I wouldn't be proven wrong later and want it removed. Since I created this language for one of my series worlds (Night Warriors...in fact, I've got those two glyphs at the top of the series page on my site), there was no chance of that problem. I'd chosen the set of glyphs I'd named Zel Jee, meaning 'death and justice.' The artist was floored by the idea of me wanting to put a fictional language on my ankle, but he did it for me.

TattPhoto46- 15 years old- I'd said for years that I wanted to get a tattoo, but it wasn't until after my son was born and I thought I was done having children that I decided to get it done. I'd already picked out the standard design with a friend of mine a few weeks earlier. It's a lion cub, lounging on a log. My husband went with me to get it done, since he had two hand-tapped tattoos already. When the tatt was originally done, it was in full color. Now, the black has turned dark blue, and the other colors have faded, leaving it a line-drawing look to it. I could have it recolored, but I sort of like that it looks weathered.

When I got the first tatt done, I made sure it was in a place that couldn't be seen in office wear. By the time I got the second, I knew I'd never be going back to an office, so I didn't worry about that. It will still be hidden in dress pants, but I didn't chose the placement with that in mind.

Would I ever get another tattoo done? I don't envision another at this point. My kids are old enough to start getting theirs now, so that's cool to watch. My oldest is planning a tattoo not much different than my older one. She wants a snow leopard the same place I got my lion cub.

Brenna Lyons

http://brennalyons.com

 Cathie

I have eight tattoos all together.  This one is “HOPE”.  I am a breast cancer survivor since 2004.  I know that there is hope out there for a cure and I will always hope for the best.  I also have the pink ribbon and the word survivor in pink on the back of my neck, but I can’t take the picture.    I got this tattoo in about August, 2012.  I got the ribbon and survivor on the back of my neck in 2007. 

Do I plan on getting anymore tattoos?  Probably, it’s like chips, you can’t eat just one, well you can’t get just one tattoo, as I already have eight.

 

Merritt

Middle of back says "Teufelhund" it is the name the Germans gave the Marines in WWI at the battle of Bellewood and it translates to Devil Dog. Over the shoulder states "Never forgotten Fallujah 06" which is a tribute to my Marines which didnt make it home.

Am I going to get another, YES. I plan to extend the tribal down over my shoulder into a 1/4 sleeve with a spartan helmet or shield molded in.

 

Sean and Elizabeth

Sean's tats are the tiger mom and baby (for me and Katelyn) on the underside of his left forearm and the semi truck and whale for the memory of his dad who was a truck driver and went by Whale that is on the back. 

The tribal band is on his upper right arm which is 4 in one.  First was bull then the dreamcatcher.  The bead band is tied underneath (you know so his arm doesn't fall off)  and the feathers were added later on.  The last one is the infinity and 13 on the wrist on his left arm (his watch covers this).  We were married on 8/13/05. The infinity for love and it also makes an 8.  13 for luck and the day itself.  Sean also has a john deere logo on his leg.  He wants to get more.  He wants to get Mater because he was a tow truck driver.  Mater will be on the opposite side of the semi and will have a tow rope thrown across to the semi. 

As for the horseshoe, that is my only one so far its on my (Elizabeth) back shoulder.  It symbolizes my country inside and luck.  The same infinity symbol and 13 as Sean's.   Plus, the shoe is right side up to hold my luck in.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in this blog post! 

If you enjoy reading and are a fan of tattoos, be sure to check out my Sinful South Series from Ellora's Cave.