New Tattoo and thoughts on Gaming Ink [PIC inside]

[Athol]

Tattoo's are something everyone regrets soon enough anyway.

Not true, my grandfather got a tattoo in 1921 when he joined the Canadian Navy and was proud of it his entire life (he passed away in '04).

I dont know if Id ever get a gaming tattoo, as none of them have ever had any real significance to me, but I do have a tattoo on my right calf.

 

[danosaurus]

and I also would have no idea where to put it

I choose places that are easy to hide - I've only gone for ribs and abs so far. I refuse to get a sleeve or calf for now because to be honest, I get my tatts for me. I don't like having them on public display for street cred or to look cool. I actually hate random people asking me about them, I find it invasive.

After seeing this artists tattoo pictures I kinda wanted something like this:

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/244/e/5/anders_by_louvette-d2xr4l5.jpg

yes that's a grey warden tattoo, I think it would be awesome

Do it Maybe try personalise it to yourself a little more - I feel that tatts should always carry some sort of intrinsic weight over the aesthetic.

I love the idea of getting a gaming Tattoo, but will probably never get one on account of the pain. If I did it would probably be a generic Griffin tattoo, because in the words of Stanley Woo "Who doesn't like Griffins?".

I've said it in this thread already but to be honest, small tatts or small sessions (think an hour and under) are borderline enjoyable. The pain is not that bad at all. The only time it gets rough is when you're tattooing the same area for 2+ hours.

 

[comadorcrack]

snip

You're right, I don't fit in here much... not that it is any relevance to the conversation but I'm sort of fading out of posting here anyway, I just post when I'm bored and I come across a topic where I have something to say. Since I have very little in common with this community apart from the fact that we all like games, which of course is fine, but are you trying to say I should leave because I'm not the same as a lot of other people here? Sounds a lot like the kind of shunning that nerds always speak out against, except the shoe is on the other foot.. Kinda hypocritical, no? Diversity is the spice of life, dontcha-know.

But I'm certainly not trolling and I don't see how I'm being depressing? All I did was direct one line at you trying to help you, and you attack me.

Also I don't really understand your link? Yes there were pokemon games... What's your point?

Well you called it a kids show and I was talking about the games. But that was me just being pedantic.
Well in all honesty that was a lot of presumption and projecting right thar.
You're trying to call me out on something I very much enjoy and even would say love, thats a bit troll-ish and a bit mean.
Depressing is that you don't seem to think Games can be any more than "Just games". However games can and already are much more. Games are art =) And I would very much like to express the love of that art in another artistic medium.
And as for trying to help me... You were slightly mean about it when you could have handled it more like "danosaurus", who was constructive and offered me more to think about, rather than an alternative where I stop enjoying things that are fun.
Sorry If you feel as though I attacked you, but in all honesty I felt provoked.

But I don't wanna continue because this may turn into an argument. It already had by some deffinitions. And as we all know....

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Well you called it a kids show and I was talking about the games. But that was me just being pedantic.
Well in all honesty that was a lot of presumption and projecting right thar.
You're trying to call me out on something I very much enjoy and even would say love, thats a bit troll-ish and a bit mean.
Depressing is that you don't seem to think Games can be any more than "Just games". However games can and already are much more. Games are art =) And I would very much like to express the love of that art in another artistic medium.
And as for trying to help me... You were slightly mean about it when you could have handled it more like "danosaurus", who was constructive and offered me more to think about, rather than an alternative where I stop enjoying things that are fun.
Sorry If you feel as though I attacked you, but in all honesty I felt provoked.

But I don't wanna continue because this may turn into an argument. It already had by some deffinitions. And as we all know....

I agree that games can be art. Can be; usually are not but that's neither here nor there. Anyway art is subjective. I just think getting a tattoo of a specific game is a weird choice for reasons I've already stated, and I do think gaming is going to mean a lot less to you and indeed to most people as they get older. Like I said, it's not a lifestyle, its a hobby. I'd say the same to someone getting a tattoo of a movie or music group they like or something.

Tastes change over time, unless the tattoo has some deep personal meaning, you're likely going to regret permanently etching it onto your skin.

I wasn't trying to mean, all I said was "do you really think you'll like pokemon in a few decades?" that was it. One line directed at you, the rest was on the topic of the thread. Then you called me "fucking depressing" which is an attack. Only then did I get mean...

I don't want an argument anymore than you do though. All i'm doing now is discussing.

 

[CrashBang]

I'm a big lover of tattoos. I've got a full-colour, pirate-inspired half sleeve of a ship, shark, storm and more (planning on extending it to a 3/4 sleeve)
But anyways yeah I've got the crest of Hyrule on my shoulderblade. I originally got it as a practice one to see if the guy was good enough to do my sleeve (he was). I often forget I have it but I still love it
I'd love to get more game-inspired tattoos but donno what I would get

 

[Agayek]

I'm not a fan of tats in general. It's just not my thing.

If I was ever to get one though, it would be gaming, or at least nerd, related. Probably something like the Horde symbol from WoW or the Triforce.

 

[danosaurus]

Well you called it a kids show and I was talking about the games. But that was me just being pedantic.
Well in all honesty that was a lot of presumption and projecting right thar.
You're trying to call me out on something I very much enjoy and even would say love, thats a bit troll-ish and a bit mean.
Depressing is that you don't seem to think Games can be any more than "Just games". However games can and already are much more. Games are art =) And I would very much like to express the love of that art in another artistic medium.
And as for trying to help me... You were slightly mean about it when you could have handled it more like "danosaurus", who was constructive and offered me more to think about, rather than an alternative where I stop enjoying things that are fun.
Sorry If you feel as though I attacked you, but in all honesty I felt provoked.

But I don't wanna continue because this may turn into an argument. It already had by some deffinitions. And as we all know....

I agree that games can be art. Can be; usually are not but that's neither here nor there. Anyway art is subjective. I just think getting a tattoo of a specific game is a weird choice for reasons I've already stated, and I do think gaming is going to mean a lot less to you and indeed to most people as they get older. Like I said, it's not a lifestyle, its a hobby. I'd say the same to someone getting a tattoo of a movie or music group they like or something.

Tastes change over time, unless the tattoo has some deep personal meaning, you're likely going to regret permanently etching it onto your skin.

I wasn't trying to mean, all I said was "do you really think you'll like pokemon in a few decades?" that was it. One line directed at you, the rest was on the topic of the thread. Then you called me "fucking depressing" which is an attack. Only then did I get mean...

I don't want an argument anymore than you do though. All i'm doing now is discussing.

If I may chime in here, how would you define 'art'? You deem it to be subjective and you are correct but does not gaming encompass a multitude of singular mediums that are classified as art, into one single package.

for example
Drawings and animation are art, you agree?
Music is art, you agree?
Stories are art, you agree?

Then how so, is a game - comprised of Drawings//Animation, music and a story not to be considered art?
Do you feel that just because you're viewing it through a TV screen and controlling it with a plastic peripheral that it nulls any validity of its classification into the art category?
I propose to you to offer me one solid reason as to why video games are not art. I have proposed my case for, now please - show me your 'against' argument as you've now aroused my intrigue.

 

[danosaurus]

As someone who has been in the locker room of the Y, I am not really into tats. There is only so long before your cool dragon looks like a weird plate of spaghetti.

My man has a tat on his shoulder blade, and it isn't bad looking. It has faded over the years - it's about 15 years old now - and even he says that although it was neat at the time, and that he probably would have blown the $1,200 on something else anyway, he never shows it to anyone and forgets it's even there. He isn't particularly attached to it, even though he designed it and drew it himself.

I think tats are kind of a permanent mark to indicate a particular time in your life. Looking back at my life, I'm not all that upset I didn't mark any of those times into my skin.

Fair enough, I realise a lot of people don't see a point in tatts, it's a very black and white issue. You either love or hate, there's very little in between.

I've enjoyed video games for 90% of my lifetime, I'm 26 now so that's about a third of my lifespan - I believe it warrants my desire for gaming ink, this is why I choose to do it

Thanks for your rational input

Couldn't be any worse than my friend's sister who inked a local football player's number with a tramp stamp. No I don't live in a trailer park.

That's... that's just... oh my.

If I ever actually got one of those, it'd probably just be the Aperture Science logo. No text or anything, just clean and simple.

My first gaming ink was very clean and simple, I'm starting to get more adventurous with my later designs

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Well you called it a kids show and I was talking about the games. But that was me just being pedantic.
Well in all honesty that was a lot of presumption and projecting right thar.
You're trying to call me out on something I very much enjoy and even would say love, thats a bit troll-ish and a bit mean.
Depressing is that you don't seem to think Games can be any more than "Just games". However games can and already are much more. Games are art =) And I would very much like to express the love of that art in another artistic medium.
And as for trying to help me... You were slightly mean about it when you could have handled it more like "danosaurus", who was constructive and offered me more to think about, rather than an alternative where I stop enjoying things that are fun.
Sorry If you feel as though I attacked you, but in all honesty I felt provoked.

But I don't wanna continue because this may turn into an argument. It already had by some deffinitions. And as we all know....

I agree that games can be art. Can be; usually are not but that's neither here nor there. Anyway art is subjective. I just think getting a tattoo of a specific game is a weird choice for reasons I've already stated, and I do think gaming is going to mean a lot less to you and indeed to most people as they get older. Like I said, it's not a lifestyle, its a hobby. I'd say the same to someone getting a tattoo of a movie or music group they like or something.

Tastes change over time, unless the tattoo has some deep personal meaning, you're likely going to regret permanently etching it onto your skin.

I wasn't trying to mean, all I said was "do you really think you'll like pokemon in a few decades?" that was it. One line directed at you, the rest was on the topic of the thread. Then you called me "fucking depressing" which is an attack. Only then did I get mean...

I don't want an argument anymore than you do though. All i'm doing now is discussing.

If I may chime in here, how would you define 'art'? You deem it to be subjective and you are correct but does not gaming encompass a multitude of singular mediums that are classified as art, into one single package.

for example
Drawings and animation are art, you agree?
Music is art, you agree?
Stories are art, you agree?

Then how so, is a game - comprised of Drawings//Animation, music and a story not to be considered art?
Do you feel that just because you're viewing it through a TV screen and controlling it with a plastic peripheral that it nulls any validity of its classification into the art category?
I propose to you to offer me one solid reason as to why video games are not art. I have proposed my case for, now please - show me your 'against' argument as you've now aroused my intrigue.

.. I really want to be able to answer this properly.. But I don't really know how to. I already stated video games can be art so I don't understand where you got the idea that I didn't think they could be. Perhaps you read what I said wrong or misinterpreted?

Or were you referring to my comment that "games can be art but usually are not?".. Well since art is definitely subjective that was only my personal opinion so its not really relevant to any debate I probably shouldn't have even mentioned that since its not an objective comment.

I personally think most games have very little meaning behind them (sadly) and most game stories suck, most game art styles are uninspired, etc. Games as an art form to me are games like Portal, Half-Life 2, Shadow of the colossus. A few more maybe if I thought about it but I could probably count them on one hand... just my opinion though and it wasn't what I was trying to debate.

 

[Siegreich]

I'm considering combining two of my favorite games in to one small affordable bit of ink, inform of the great chain from bioshock with words "Memento mori" inscribed inside them.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'd never get a tattoo, period. It looks cool, though.

 

[Meggiepants]

As someone who has been in the locker room of the Y, I am not really into tats. There is only so long before your cool dragon looks like a weird plate of spaghetti.

My man has a tat on his shoulder blade, and it isn't bad looking. It has faded over the years - it's about 15 years old now - and even he says that although it was neat at the time, and that he probably would have blown the $1,200 on something else anyway, he never shows it to anyone and forgets it's even there. He isn't particularly attached to it, even though he designed it and drew it himself.

I think tats are kind of a permanent mark to indicate a particular time in your life. Looking back at my life, I'm not all that upset I didn't mark any of those times into my skin.

Fair enough, I realise a lot of people don't see a point in tatts, it's a very black and white issue. You either love or hate, there's very little in between.

I've enjoyed video games for 90% of my lifetime, I'm 26 now so that's about a third of my lifespan - I believe it warrants my desire for gaming ink, this is why I choose to do it

Thanks for your rational input

Well... I wasn't totally fair either. I do enjoy looking at awesome tattoos, even if I never would get one myself. I used to watch Miami and LA Ink until they became more about the drama than the ink.

I'm from a family of artists, and I find it amazing what some of these tattoo artists can do, particularly considering the medium is tricky.

I just don't really want one myself. I don't really see a problem with anyone else wanting one, gaming or otherwise. Heck, gaming is probably better than the old, Girlfriend/Boyfriend's name on your arm tat. At least the game can't sleep around on you and then break up with you.

 

[Mr Fixit]

I look at gaming & tats both as awesome forms of art & if you like something from a game & know that a tat is permanent then go get some game ink. Never regret the things you do in life, only regret the things you were too afraid to do...

 

[Deathninja19]

Of course current statistics show that older people don't game much, but they never grew up with them. Gaming is still incredibly young, it's still very much this generations thing. If you've grown up with games and they've played a big part in your life, why would you not still play them when your 50? Someone who grew up watching and loving films isn't going to stop watching them just because they're older, so why should it be different for games?

This misconception that games are only ever going to be played by young people is one of the things that makes everyone look down on it. I've been playing games for much of my life, and I love doing it. I know for a fact I'm still going to be playing them when I'm older. Probably not as much, but they'll still be there.

A lot of younger gamers put a bit emphasis on the gaming "lifestyle". Thing is it's not a lifestyle, they are just games. As people get older generally they get more hobbies and get out more, they also get jobs and a family, kids etc. Some don't and they are still consider themselves "hardcore gamers" with very few other interests (the same people who still live in a basement at 30 years old and in my honest opinion are very boring people) but they're a minority. Games have very little meaning behind them, it's just an ultimately pointless hobby, and although people may certainly play games as they get older and it's likely they will, I highly doubt there will many people not regretting getting gaming ink because it's not going to have the same impact on them as it used to.

Excuse me but I think you're insulting a lot of people here. Gaming on the surface is pretty pointless as is watching films, reading and any types of entertainment but deeper down it means much more to certain people than you think.

Gaming helps people let off steam, deal with problems and it even gets them through tough times you can't say it doesn't mean anything to these people short or long term thats just utter ignorance. And the statement older people don't play games, that's utter bs disregarding the new casual gamers many members of my family have played games all their lives starting in the 80s and even the 70s and they still play so think before you generalize.

I'm only in my 20s but I remember playing Super Mario All Stars, Sonic and Streets of Rage just like it was yesterday and I have great memories from them, I'd be proud to get a tatoo relating to my hobby of choice (not that I will I'm not fond of needles).

 

[WrongSprite]

Yeah I'll probably get the Morrowind symbol incorporated into my sleeve somewhere. I really don't see tattoo's as a big thing, in a 100 years my flesh will have rotted away, and I'll be forgotten to time, so I may aswell cover my skin in pretty things now.

 

[danosaurus]

Tattoo's are something everyone regrets soon enough anyway.

That's a rather bold and sweeping statement you've made there. I know plenty of old folks who take pride in tatts they had done when they were growing up. I sincerely doubt that I will ever have regret for my tatts either - if you're that concerned about regrets in life, I can only imagine you lead a very conservative and safely predictable lifestyle, my friend. <-- That's not meant to be a bold and derogatory statement, merely observation.

I wouldn't stamp a gaming tat on myself at all, that or names.

It's just like getting hungry, hungry hippos tattoo'd on you but for the modern generation.

That's way out of context. Hungry Hippos is in a whole different world to video games;

1) It's not open to interpretation or imagination - it's a physical manifestation of a linear and single-thought driven piece of plastic entertainment.
2) There's very little that I'd consider to be artistic about Hungry Hippos, as most people who grew up with it would agree.
3) It clearly hasn't changed many (if any) lives, short of being a memorable past-time from the late 80's.
4) I... I just can't believe you just compared video games to Hungry Hippos. Why are you on the escapist?
You realise that this is a video games forum? A forum where like-minded individuals come to share their love and appreciation of video games If you compare the magnitude of video games to a cheap, plastic board game from a couple of decades ago - your passions are clearly in need of some reflection.

Your Okami tattoo is pretty ambiguous, so you'd be safe in that regard. But be careful; I'm not sure how you feel about what others think of you, but try to retain that ambiguity if you want more game tattoos.

Just my thoughts.

Hmmm I've said earlier in the thread that I get tattoos for me. Not for anybody else, this is why I refuse to get them in visible places, not because I'm embarrassed of my passions in life (i.e I will openly and vigorously discuss video games in public places, in front of anyone) but I keep them shielded from public eye because I don't enjoy the attention of people poking and prying into my passion with little more input that 'wow, you're a nerd' or 'that tattoo is stupid'. I can do without the Monkeysphere comments in real life ^_^ At least on forums, I get to discuss the topic openly and maturely with open-minded individuals like yourself

Oh and for the record, my other tattoo comprises of a 'Boo' ghost (From Mario) wielding the original NES Zapper (light-gun)... as you can see, I hold no shame for my video gaming prowess

 

[Liberaliter]

Tattoo's are something everyone regrets soon enough anyway.

That's a rather bold and sweeping statement you've made there. I know plenty of old folks who take pride in tatts they had done when they were growing up. I sincerely doubt that I will ever have regret for my tatts either - if you're that concerned about regrets in life, I can only imagine you lead a very conservative and safely predictable lifestyle, my friend. <-- That's not meant to be a bold and derogatory statement, merely observation.

I didn't mean to touch a nerve, I can assure you I don't lead a conservative or predictable lifestyle. Having confidence in being able to assume that of me through one forum post is quite remarkable though.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I'd love to get something done like what the runners have in Mirror's Edge
The tattoos are some really awesome circuit board looking artwork :-D

 

[Tanis]

Doesn't the ribs REALLY hurt?
I don't think I could deal with that kind of pain, I'm a coward and proud.

That being said, I've got about ten to twenty designs that I'd like to put on me from anime and video games...
But I've never had the cash for it, or I'd ended up spending the saved money on gaming, anime, and/or electronics instead.