Unique Permanent Tattoo Designs

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Choosing a Unique and Meaningful Tattoo Design

Getting a tattoo is an important decision, one that will accompany you for life.

If you have made the decision that you do want to get a tattoo, then the next important step is to choose a tattoo design that is unique and meaningful to you.

Remember, it is permanent, but of course that's the point, so do choose your tattoo carefully!

Click here to find some of the best tattoo designs available!

About the Lens Master

This Squidoo lens was written by Aldric Chang ( Follow Aldric on Twitter! ) - a creative businessman who is active in music composition and production, internet marketing, casual games production, animation production, cartoon production and character licensing.

His 3d animation studio - Mediafreaks - is focused on producing high-end animation work for documentary producers, advertising houses and cartoon animated series - with projects ranging from the animation of dinosaurs to the visualization of natural disasters and something as chic as 3d jewelry animations. He runs a popular animation blog where he frequently posts informative articles on the animation industry and shares useful advice on the business of animation.

To find out more about Aldric, visit his lensography at http://www.squidoo.com/aldricchang.

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Chopper Tattoo - Carrier of the Most Number of Tattoos Online

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Tattoos

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Click above to check out the most extensive library of tattoos you can find.

Ed Hardy -Japanese Tattoo Chart

The Decision to Get a Tattoo

It's hard to decide!

The most important step is making the decision if you want a tattoo on your body until the day that you die.

That's either a YES or a NO.

I must say, when tastefully done tattoos can look amazing, that is why it is so important to choose a unique tattoo design!

I would suggest choosing a timeless design, that doesn't lose meaning as you get older. This means don't get a tattoo with your girlfriends name on it if you've been seeing her for 3 months.

If you're serious about getting a tattoo, and you do some browsing, avoid the generic sites offering free tattoos, and make sure you choose a unique and meaningful design.

Another suggestion...once you have decided on your design, print it out and put it away.

Don't look at it for 6 months.

After 6 months take it out and then see how you feel about it, if you without a doubt feel that that is the tattoo you want, then you can go out and get inked, and be sure that you have made the right choice:)

Do People Regret Getting Tattoos?

Most people don't, some people do

"A majority of Americans with tattoos (83%) do not regret getting them, while 17% do feel regret. The survey found that regret for getting a tattoo was highest among tattooed Republicans (24%) and among those living in the South (21%). And, the reason cited most often for feeling regret about getting tattoos was "because of the person's name in the tattoo" (16%)."

Angelina Jolie's Tattoo in Wanted

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Tattoos if selected well and drawn by a good artist can look very sexy and sophisticated, as exhibited by Angelina Jolie in this screen capture from her bareback appearance in Wanted.

Wanted the Movie

Watch Angelina Jolie's beautiful tattoos in Wanted!
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The Tattoo Decision Flow Chart

Use this to help you decide if you really want a tattoo!

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Getting Your Tattoo Step-by-Step

Once you've decided to get a tattoo, this is what to expect!

1.) PICK A TATTOO DESIGN

This means choosing a design that is unique and meaningful to you, one that you are willing to live with for the rest of your life. Think about the size, the color and if you want graphics or lettering.Make sure the design is timeless, and not related to a current trend or something that will fade because the tattoo is permanent!

Tattoo Me Now Design Gallery has thousands of unique award-winning designs to choose from, everything from graphics, to animals to lettering!

2.) DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT YOUR TATTOO

Depending on where you get your tattoo on your body there are different levels of pain involved.
Will the location of your tattoo affect your career or relationship one day? Do you want it visible to everyone, or hidden so it can only be seen by someone who is intimate with you?

3.) CHOOSING A PROFESSIONAL TATTOO STUDIO!

With the constant threat of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis, strong measures are being taken by local governments to standardize the health procedures followed by tattoo shops. Many reputable tattoo shops govern themselves, following strict codes of cleanliness and anti cross-contamination practices. But when it comes to your health, common sense should rule above all else. If you see something that you feel will jeopardize your health, question it. Don't take unnecessary chances.

4.)DOES IT HURT??

Your sternum,hands,ribs and feet are very sensitive, the least painful areas and often the most popular because of that fact, are the upper arms,calves,shoulder blades, outer thighs and your bottom.

5.) TATTOO AFTER CARE

Remove the bandage after 2 hours (do not rebandage)

Wash tattoo with your hand (make sure hand is clean) using warm, soapy water. Rinse with cold water. Don't over soak your tattoo. Keep out of the direct spray of the shower. Pat dry, DO NOT rub with towel.

For 3 to 5 days or until tattoo is healed, apply Vitamin A&D Ointment or Bacitracin or Zinc Oxide Ointment 3 to 4 times daily after washing tattoo. Keep tattoo moist. If allergic to these ointments, use a water based lotion such as Curel.

Tattoo will flake. DO NOT pick at the flakes or you may pull the color out. Try not to let clothing rub on your tattoo while it is healing.

NO swimming or suntanning until healed. Apply a high SPF sunblock to tattoo after healed to prevent fading.

6.) BE PROUD OF YOUR NEW TATTOO AND ENJOY IT! :)

How Ink is Applied to the Skin During Tattooing

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Remarkably, the modern tattoo machine is not much different from the original version patented one hundred years ago. Although Samuel O'Reilly patented the first tattoo machine, Thomas Edison developed tattoo technology almost fifteen years before when he was working on an autograph printing machine. He wanted to speed up the printing process, so he combined a needle attached to a long bar with electrically charged electromagnets. The needle would go up and down, as the operator would draw onto the hard surface.

Today's tattoo machine uses metal needles to imprint the dermis with ink, which is below the first layer of skin, the epidermis. By injecting the dermis, where collagen fibers, sweat glands, hair roots, and nerve cells reside, you obtain a permanent mark on the body.

The handheld tattoo machine has four main components:

The sterilized needle to penetrate the skin and inject the ink
A tube assembly that guides the needle, holds a reservoir of ink, and provides a gripping surface for controlling the tattooing process
A power supply (that can be controlled by a foot pedal) that supplies electric current to enable movement of the needle ]
The electromagnetic coil based device (sometimes referred to as a tattoo gun) that moves the needle up and down at a rate of 80 to 150 times per second

The Process of Tattooing

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A Japanese Dragon Tattoo Chart

My Personal Favourite Tattoo Designs

After doing a lot of research about tattoos, and out of all the gorgeous tattoo designs I have come across, these are my favourites! Enjoy :)

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Did You Know?

Tattoos are applied using a tattoo machine which has kept the same design since being patented in 1896.

Advances have been made in the quality of the equipment, but the process is still the same. The machine causes a needle or combination of needles to first scribe a line and then apply colors.

The tattoo pigment is inserted into the skin cells in the epidermis and new skin grows over the top forming a protective layer over the tattoo.

Decorative and Spiritual Use

Tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, amulets and talismans, protection, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts. The symbolism and impact of tattoos varies in different places and cultures, sometimes with unintended consequences. Also, tattoos may show how a person feels about a relative (commonly mother/father or daughter/son) or about an unrelated person.



Click here for the rest of the article
on Wikipedia...

Becoming a Professional Tattoo Artist

The profession of a tattoo artist is a bit of a contemporary one. There are many tattoo parlors and artists out there, a lot of them very sleazy and bad, some good and very few very good ones.

It may not be the most glorious job, but there is a huge prestige that comes with it.

If you are good, and I mean really good, people will come from far and beyond to get their tattoo done by you. Think about it, a tattoo is super permanent, and you can only get it done once...no mistakes allowed. If the artist messes up, the person has to carry the ugly tattoo for life!!!

Imagine people sporting tattoos and telling them it was designed and inked by YOU!

Of course it's not so easy to learn, and you will need a lot of practice, but I came across an awesome training course for aspiring tattoo artists. It gives you over 5 hours of video footage of how to tattoo people! It also shows and teaches you about body piercings and healing times.

Be a Tattoo Artist

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Tattoo Design Collection on Youtube

Tattoo Design Collection Photoshooting Part 1
by funnyvideo07 | video info

24 ratings | 36,232 views
curated content from YouTube

Temporary tattoos for those of you who don't like the "permanent" solution :)

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Henna Tattoos

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An Unidentified Japanese Tattoo Artist Works on a Woman

Tattoo Stuff on eBay

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Will You Ever Get A Tattoo?

Will you ever get a tattoo? Why? If yes, where will you have it?

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Why not?

Cherrybomb2009 says:

If/when I get a significant & steady income again, YES. I'd do it now, but I simply can't afford it. I want an inspirational quote written in cursive on my left forearm & stars on my outer right ankle. They're going to be simple tattoos, ones that I won't regret when I get older.

Margo_Arrowsmith says:

It hurts.

Hell no!

RitaK says:

No, I can't see going through all the pain.

Aldric_Chang says:

It's something I would probably regret for life if I'm not careful! LOL!

 

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Click here to find some of the BEST TATTOO DESIGNSavailable!

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The Mammoth Book of Tattoos 

The Mammoth Book of Tattoos

Amazon Price: $9.93 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

This collection covers all styles of tattoos from bold tribal pieces, Chines characters, and hieroglyphs to delicate air-brushed designs. Included are striking images of tattoos ranging from all-over "body suits" to individual motifs.

6 Guns Tattoo Kit Tattoo Machine Complete w/ LCD Power Supply Needles Ink Grip Tube Case 

Complete Tattoo Kit 6 Guns Tattoo Machine with Liner Shader Gun Power Supply Ink more T06

Amazon Price: $119.99 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

# 1 SIX The Latest Tattoo Guns (Perfect 10 Wrap Coils) # 2 Rare Empaistic Grips with Tube # 2 Stainless Steel Grips with Tube # 8 Stainless Steel Tips In Different Sizes; (4 for Round , 4 for Flat needles) # 1 Professional Power Supply System; # 1 Foot Switch; 1 Foot Switch # 50 High Quality Sterile Tattoo Needles; (the sizes from Round Liner 3,5,8,9; Round Shader 5,7,9; Magnum 5,7,9; 5 for each size) # 18 Disposable Tips, match with the Needles # 7 Bottles of Tattoo Ink; (Black, White, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Brown) # 1 Ink Holder; 10 Rubber Rings; 50 Grommets; 50 Rubber Bands # Set of Adjust Tools and Other Attachments # 1 Top Quality Carrying Case with Lock & Keys # Tutorial Video for Tattoo Beginners # Practice Skin is included # One Quality hard case for all your storage

Vintage Tattoos: The Book of Old-School Skin Art 

Vintage Tattoos: The Book of Old-School Skin Art

Amazon Price: $18.91 (as of 02/13/2012)Buy Now

Tattoos have gone from badges of rebellion to fashion statements fully absorbed into mainstream culture. They are enjoying a renaissance, with graphic designers and artists creating specialty tattoos for a growing audience, unleashing a revival of interest in the bawdy vintage tattoo. Old school tattoos are being rediscovered (sometimes ironically, sometimes not) by a new generation. Originally embraced by rebels, sailors, and gangsters, these tattoos-broken hearts, naked girls, floral motifs, and maritime emblems-are now showing up on the fashion runway and in music videos. This book chronicles vintage motifs in thematic chapters interspersed with profiles of influential tattoo artists and their distinctive designs: Sailor Jerry Collins, Don Ed Hardy ("the Godfather of Tattoos"), Mike "Rollo Banks" Malone, Bert Grimm, Japan's Horiyoshi III, and Shanghai's Pinky Yun.