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What would you think of this as a tattoo?
It's something I've been thinking about for awhile. For years, I thought, "No way." Then, I thought, "Well, maybe. If I found the right design, something that summons up a powerful idea for me, and if it was something I could see living with for the rest of my life." Lately, I've been thinking that it would be the Tree of Life, the Holy Tree. This would evoke Yeat's poem, "The Two Trees," and of course Tolkien's tree mythology. This, of course, also all ties in to the hearts of stone and flesh, too. See my entry here.
Yesterday, I finally found a design that made me think, "Wow. Maybe."
I'm not sure I'm going to do it yet, but for the first time, I'm really seriously thinking about it. What do you think?
Edited to add: Of course, friends list, you must accept that I may still like the idea, and you may all think it's beautiful, but I may still NOT get it. As![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kijjohnson and I say all the time, "You can make different decisions than I do." This would be a huge thing for me, and I'm not quite sure I have the courage to do it.
But I must admit, the idea is looking more and more attractive. For the first time, I can actually imagine myself doing it.
As for WHERE I would put it, well, that is a problem that requires some thinking. How big do you think it should be? I think I would really like it centered. The back is one option, except I would like to be able to SEE it. I think I would like it to be covered much of the time, making it private for me, but somewhere I could also show it if I like.
The poem speaks of the holy tree growing within the heart, so over the heart makes sense, and it feels like the most right position to me. Kij tells me, however, that since there is little fat over the breastbone, it can be a very painful location. I think if I did it, I would do it right, getting it with colors instead of black and white.
Here is an article about the artist. I like the fact that his art has a Christian emphasis. I found the design on a cover of a quarterly devotions guide handed out by our church.
Rob, by the way, is rather appalled at the whole idea.
Edited to add again:rarelytame, who should know, tells me that the flowers are a bit too small and fiddly and would have to be adapted to something else that is simpler, which doesn't surprise me. I would be willing to see what an artist could do to simplify it but still keep it lovely. redbird warns me that perhaps these specific colors wouldn't be best; paler ones don't show up as well. I would be willing to consider other colors.
Yesterday, I finally found a design that made me think, "Wow. Maybe."
I'm not sure I'm going to do it yet, but for the first time, I'm really seriously thinking about it. What do you think?
Edited to add: Of course, friends list, you must accept that I may still like the idea, and you may all think it's beautiful, but I may still NOT get it. As
kijjohnson and I say all the time, "You can make different decisions than I do." This would be a huge thing for me, and I'm not quite sure I have the courage to do it.But I must admit, the idea is looking more and more attractive. For the first time, I can actually imagine myself doing it.
As for WHERE I would put it, well, that is a problem that requires some thinking. How big do you think it should be? I think I would really like it centered. The back is one option, except I would like to be able to SEE it. I think I would like it to be covered much of the time, making it private for me, but somewhere I could also show it if I like.
The poem speaks of the holy tree growing within the heart, so over the heart makes sense, and it feels like the most right position to me. Kij tells me, however, that since there is little fat over the breastbone, it can be a very painful location. I think if I did it, I would do it right, getting it with colors instead of black and white.
Here is an article about the artist. I like the fact that his art has a Christian emphasis. I found the design on a cover of a quarterly devotions guide handed out by our church.
Rob, by the way, is rather appalled at the whole idea.
Edited to add again:
rarelytame, who should know, tells me that the flowers are a bit too small and fiddly and would have to be adapted to something else that is simpler, which doesn't surprise me. I would be willing to see what an artist could do to simplify it but still keep it lovely. redbird warns me that perhaps these specific colors wouldn't be best; paler ones don't show up as well. I would be willing to consider other colors.
no subject
I think the design you found is stunning, because it has such a lightness and elegance to it. The tree of life can look clunky because it really needs all the branches in order to be expressive (IMO), but this design is the opposite of clunky. I love it.
If you are sure that you want one and that this design has specific significance for you, go for it. But make sure you do some research first and find a good tattoo artist whose style fits what you are looking for. I hear there are quite a few good ones in your area.
no subject
I would be very careful about picking the most skilled artist I can find.
no subject
In general, bigger tattoos look better than small ones, thicker lines age better than thinner ones, less fine detail means fewer details to be lost to age and changes of skin tone and such.
If you're seriously thinking about a tattoo, don't let the pain of getting tattooed be your primary motivator as far as where you place the image. Tattooing can hurt pretty badly sometimes, I won't lie, but it is temporary pain, whereas the image you have tattooed into your skin is permanent... as tattoo hounds say, "short is the pain, long is the ornament." Since you're not going to get out of it with a painless tattoo *anyhow*, no matter where you have it placed, you may as well put it where it pleases you best.
Tattoos over major energetic centres of the body -- the spine, the solar plexus, the sacrum, the breastbone, etc. -- are often very interesting experiences. Not necessarily more painful, but more prone to do interesting things to your head. I had a fascinating out-of-body experience while being tattooed over my spine, and I have other friends who've reported visions, spiritual epiphanies, etc. while being tattooed in those sorts of places. Just something to think about as you consider, since the "heart" side of this appears to be significant to you.