What should my first tattoo be?

Your first tattoo should be......NOTHING. I strongly urge you to reconsider getting tattooed. Your body is clean now, and not profaned by any graffiti, but that will change forever if you pay some tattoo predator to forever ruin your body with a tattoo. You have lasted this long without tattoo, do not cave to the pressure from lesser people or a sick society and take that fatal step. Everything will change for you, for the worse, after you get that first tattoo. The true cost of a tattoo is a lifetime of regret. There is an 80% chance you will regret it in your lifetime. Many people will look at you with disgust, for tattoos are offensive to many, many people. Your chances of getting a good job will be greatly diminished—most companies will not hire you since your tattoo will be seen as offensive to other workers. There is nothing good about a tattoo. A tattoo is little better than a cartoon—you can’t get a good quality drawing on the human skin. It will deface your body like ugly graffiti defaces a public building. Tattoos are an urban blight. They are ugly, like graffiti. Like graffiti, they lower the quality of the environment. Tattoos lower the quality of life, for everyone who has to see their ugliness. I don’t like the whole concept of tattooing, the way these hideous cartoons are inked into the flesh of people through bloodletting and pain; to me they are a dark and evil art. Tattoos are closely linked to other forms of self harm, like cutting, piercing, drug use, etc.; they are hand-in-glove with these destructive behaviors. I don’t like the way evil people encourage our vulnerable children to get tattooed, so they can make money off of them. They do not care that they are causing harm. And yet, these evil ones, these tattoo predators, are even admired by their deceived victims. I don’t like the way that young people are fooled into wanting tattoos by degenerate Hollywood and the media. Kids think tattoos are cool and cutting edge, but over time, they wind up hating their tattoos. Far worse, they wind up hating themselves. I don’t like that parents and older people are so afraid of being disliked that they say nothing against tattoos, even though they know better. Worse, some completely abandon their responsibility to provide sound guidance and even encourage the young ones to get tattooed. The Lord clearly commands against them. "Do not cut your bodies… or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD” Leviticus 19:28. As far as tattoos being “art”, that is garbage. A tattoo is NOT "a work of art". The human body is not a canvas and the abusers and mutilators who desecrate it are not artists. Most of their so called "art" is little better than comic book drawings. The majority of western people get tattooed when young and their decision making process is not yet matured. They need to be very careful in making important, permanent decisions. The reasons young people get tattooed are not mature (i.e. they want people to notice them, they want to pretentiously “honor” someone in a way that will attract notice, they want to pretentiously present some “deep” quotation on their skin in the hope that people will think they too are “deep”, they are rebelling against their parents or society, they are conforming to what they think are social norms, they are unable to see ahead and view the negative results of their actions, et . More and more young people are buying into this Hollywood lie that tattoos are a cutting edge way to “express” yourself. But that is so not true. You should express yourself with your words and actions, not by inking graffiti onto your living flesh. I want to help young people avoid disastrous mistakes that will damage their spirit and ruin their lives, such as drinking, taking drugs, and getting tattooed. I oppose the many predators and enablers here, who encourage young people to abandon decency and live self indulgent and destructive lives. Know there is no such thing as a tattoo "artist"--there are only tattoo predators who seek to hurt you and take your money. The tattoo industry is full of abuse and negligence. Tattoo removal is a growth industry. Tattoo lawsuits are soaring due to the harm caused by the tattoo predators who abuse the young people who mistakenly trust them. If you were tattooed as a minor or while intoxicated, take the tattoo parlor and the tattoo predator who ruined your body to court. Make them pay for what they have done to you. God bless you. Young people-- stay in school, do your best there, avoid drinking, drugs, tattoos and piercings, and avoid those who have them. Go to college, study science, mathematics, or business, and avoid liberal arts, unless you are wealthy and do not have to support yourself and your family.

I have Phil Ochs tattooed on my arm (folk singer) I also have "Never Die" and a rose tattooed across my toes, with a tigerbat above the toes on my left foot for Tiger Army. I see me getting a couple more musician tattoos. I have an Ochs lyric tattoed across the back of my neck (Sacred are the scars) and an Op Ivy lyric across the insides of both arms (It's beautiful I would say... I wouldn't have it any other way.) I'm thinking about a hot-rod culture tat, skulls and roses and a banner, gotta pick the lyric to go in the banner though. As it stands today, I'd probably choose "In death as in life, I will arise" or "My conscience carries the weight of blood."

First - find the artist, then choose the image.

Check out your local tattoo artists and see if you find an artist whose work you admire. Once you know their style and have seen the work they've done on others, the ideas for your image should come much easier. Remember, the best idea in the world will look awful if it's done by a poor artist.

Tramp stamps are hot. You should probably get something meaningful instead of a tattoo just to get a tattoo. I know a guy with a big purple scorpion on his arm and another one with an even bigger goofy. Just remember you can't wash it off when you get sick of it.

A tattoo should mean something to you, not just be a decoration. If you can't think of something you want to get on your own, then you obviously shouldn't be getting one(like others have said).

Don't get a tattoo just for the sake of getting one... like that girl said, if you don't know what to get, don't get one.. you might make a mistake. There's MILLIONS of different types of designs and things you could get.. and i wouldn't want you to be like "oh i shoulda got that one instead" or get bored of the one you have. No rush, but if you insist on getting one.. just look at art, nature and open your mind to different types of things.

If you go to a reputable artist they will be able to talk with you, understand your personality, and draw up a unique beautiful tattoo. Remember- you get what you pay for, DON"T BE CHEAP!!!!

I think you had better think it through and read through this article I've written, first-timer's guide to getting a tattoo. Hope it helps. :)

http://www.coquettishmish.com/2011/05/guide-to-get...

something simple yet not too boring.. I'm getting a dove on my wrist

If you don't know what to get... Don't get one.