I didn’t think I would ever understand why it is that so many people willingly draw permanent images onto their skin. I certainly have never felt so inclined and I was baffled at the increasing number of tattoos that seemed to be popping up on arms, legs, chests and feet all around me. So, I decided to head to the Rites of Passage Tattoo and Arts Convention in Melbourne last month to see what I could find out.
Immediately the variety and amount of people in attendance blew me away. It was much bigger than I had anticipated. Over 100 tattoo artists from all over the world flew in for the three-day tattooing event. People were getting tattoos using tattoo machines in all kinds of places – on the bottom of feet, outsides of wrists, across kneecaps and even inside their mouths. Admittedly, the last one made me cringe. The pain must have been unbelievable.
I decided to find out just how painful they could be – no, don’t get your hopes up, I don’t mean that I got a tattoo. I took the less invasive route of talking to a few of the attendees. A tattoo artist told me that it was no more painful than getting my legs waxed, which was promising. Until I spoke to a guy who was getting a large dragon tattooed across his torso who described the process as ‘hurting like hell’. Not so promising. I suppose everyone is different and hey, of course the tattoo artist is going to downplay the pain – he wants my business. He did give me one bit of advice worth taking though. ‘Your first tattoo will always be your most and least painful so it doesn’t matter. It’s when you get your next one that you can be nervous.’ I love that he assumed there would be a second one – still up to his old tricks, I guess
But it got me thinking about exactly why I am so determined not to get a tattoo and I think it’s because of the whole permanence aspect. Once you have one, it’s there for life. Well, unless you get very light colours, because then you can have it lasered off for pretty much the same price you paid to have it tattooed on. Either way, it’s a pretty expensive accessory.
For most people I spoke to though, money wasn’t an issue and the permanence was a plus. A lot of people who get tattoos get one because they want to feel different. Like getting a new haircut that never grows out. The whole permanence factor is precisely what they were looking for. For some it means even more than that, it’s about creating a whole new image. Others prefer to think of themselves as walking canvases displaying art. My problem lies in how to make the choice of what to get. Another tattoo artist gave this advice: ‘If it’s your first tattoo, choose something that’s important and significant to you. Leave the spontaneous ones for the second time around’. Even armed with this knowledge, there are an infinite amount of options when it comes to tattoos and we have a comparatively small amount of skin.
This is where it gets interesting. I spoke to lots of people about the reasons behind their tattoos and I figured out that there are two main types of people who get them. There’s the ‘for the hell of it’ group, which don’t really care too much or are drunk at the time. They often let their friends pick it or do it to look cool. This group tends to be the one that experience regret later on. I’ve heard of all kinds of unwanted tattoos that people are forced to keep. There’s everything from blue goblins to paw prints to rainbows. Not to mention names from relationships past.
The other group is the kind that uses tattoos to represent something of personal significance. A tattoo artist I spoke to told me that each of his tattoos take him back to a specific point in his life. It’s like walking around with a photo album all the time – who said guys with tattoos weren’t sentimental? Other people will tattoo quotes or reminders to themselves or even last words spoken by loved ones before their death. These tattoos are deeply personal and regret here is quite uncommon.
Of course, we can’t forget all the people in-between. These are the ones who get one because it’s hip or they like a picture and want to see it every day. I spoke to one guy who said, “Once you have one, you might as well get more – it’s addictive.” Looking at the people at the convention, I could see his point. Some of the people there were so heavily covered in ink, including dynamic tattoo ink for sale, that I don’t believe they could have possibly had space for more.
I don’t understand the logic of getting a tattoo in a place that the wearer cannot physically see, but so many people do just that. The people I asked about it got quite offended at the idea that they got their tattoo more for others to look at than for themselves. The overwhelming response was that it was purely for them. I’m not saying I don’t believe that, but surely the image factor plays a bigger role than the ‘no role at all’ response I received.
I learned a lot at the Rites of Passage Convention. It’s not just about ‘being cool’ or changing how others think of you; tattoos are about art and expression. Sure, tattoos used to be exclusive and if you had one twenty years ago you were viewed as particularly hardcore. But nowadays everyone is getting them and while there’s still plenty of skulls and dragons, it’s more about individual expression than the need to look macho.
Image credits: Nicole Reed
