Are you a graphic designer? Do you have a tattoo?

Alex and I were talking the other day about tattoos. I hate tattoos. Alex said that all the graphic designers he knew didn't like tattoos because they could never pick one mark, or design, that they could be sure of liking forever. Let alone a font, "The font is always something Latino and gangster". Couple that with the horrible colour distortion of tattoos over time and you've got a designers nightmare.

But obviously there are designers with tattoos.

And some marks would be OK for life, wouldn't they?

Let's do a quick poll. Are you a graphic designer? Do you have a tattoo?

 

Comments

[glass]

Designer? Yes.
Tattoo? No.

[Luz]

I'm a graphic designer and will be getting a tattoo in a few weeks. It will be a short phrase written in Helvetica Neue. The statement about location made me laugh out loud as I still can't decide where to put it—despite a year's worth of consideration!

[David Airey]

I'm a designer with no tattoos, mainly for the reason you state – I couldn't choose one I know I'd be happy with forever.

[Paul]

I'm a graphic designer and i hate to alter my skin with graphics, symbols or other staff.

[Joe Hastings]

I am a designer with tattoos and I can't see the issue. Tattoos are more about personal choice and expression than a self branding exercise or design experiment.

If you considered a tattoo but didn't get it because you are worried about font or weathering, it just means you haven't found a good enough reason to get a tattoo (or you are botching out and are using your career as an excuse!!!).

[Bruno]

Yes, yes. Commit to your choices...

[yotam]

I am a designer, and I could never pick one mark, or design, that I could be sure of liking forever. Let alone a font.

[Vicki Brown]

I'd like one, but I've never really had a reason to get one. But if I did, it would be very personal (not necessarily in location!) and therefore I don't think my career would come into it. It definitely would not be a logo! And it doesn't have to be green/blue you know...

[picsel]

traditional tattoos should be ok for any graphic designer. i do not thin a tattoo was supposed to show commitment to something, but to beautify your skin and/or appearance. i am getting a samoan tattoo on my legs and arms. i truly believe that traditional tattoos will never go out of style for a graphic designer, as they will be forever beautiful. think aztec or inca, you still love it today.
yes, i am a graphic designer :)

[Wil Freeborn]

designers need a brief
(I have tattoos)

[John]

I am not a graphic designer.

[Natalie]

Yup I'm a graphic designer with three tattoos. I have a fairly large faery falling through bubbles on my back, and on my inner wrists I have a interrobang on the right side, and an irony mark on the left side, both set in Palatino Linotype. The interrobang was easy enough to find but I had to design the irony mark myself.

[Dirk Sabbe]

Yes.
Yes.

[richard]

I have a Pilcrow tattooed on my upper arm: http://acejet170.typepad.com/foundthings/2008/03/the-pilcrow.html

[Loïc Boyer]

When I'm queuing in the supermarket, there's always at least one or two chubby guys with their kids and their tribal tatoos.
“Damn, what happened to our society?” is what comes to my mind.

[Loïc Boyer]

…but I guess the french society is not the same as yours, and the meaning of things is different beyond the sea.

[Loïc Boyer]

…but I guess the french society is not the same as yours, and the meaning of things is different beyond the sea.

[Bruno]

Means commitment to one thing: it's gonna stay there.

[richard]

Incidentally, I'm not an expert in this area but my tattooist suggested that skin growth can play havoc with precise typographic character shapes, not to mention kerning, so Luz, proceed with caution. Talk to your tattooist, you don't it turning out like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/acejet170/464162498/in/set-72157600090217278/

[Grez]

I have an anchor on each forearm.

[Daniel]

How about getting a decent grid tattooed over your body, and then you can align temporary tattoos on it whenever you fancy...?

[James Kirkup]

yes
& yes.

[richard]

Grez, do you smoke a pipe and eat spinach too?

[minxlj]

I think it's a little bit of a generalisation to say that any one profession/person/type should or shouldn't get a tattoo. I'm a graphic designer and although I only have 3 tattoos they're pretty large ones - full sleeve on my right arm included. The one thing I will say is I ALWAYS design them myself, and make sure they are unique to me, because I'm a designer and I'm picky ;-p

And yes, I would get something in a font, but only in a nice one. No makeshift gothic script for me, thanks. I have some gorgeous traditional Japanese script on my back (custom drawn by a Japanese calligraphy 'master' as they call them, very beautiful writing indeed) which sort of counts. It is beautiful typography, nonetheless.

I know I'm a damn difficult customer for my tattoo artist, but I want things to be perfect. Each design took me months and I would always stress to anyone - PLEASE take time choosing what you want to get, it's there for the rest of your life! (lasers excluded, of course). It makes me cringe to see the cheesy 'English bulldog' tattoos, names emblazoned in dodgily-kerned fake English gothic script (all in caps - NOOOO!!!!) or the many hundreds copying Beckham's famous angel tattoo solely because he has it. Very, very unimaginative.

It's a personal choice and highly subjective - just like design, just like art. Tattoos have been a part of art & design for many centuries, and I'm fascinated by their history. Yes of course you get the morons who just get a tattoo to 'look cool' or follow their friends (yawn) but some of us are intelligent and respectful about it. It's a mark of someone else's lack of education and tolerance when they choose to tar me with the same brush as the aforementioned morons, when I'm quite happy to tolerate and respect EVERYONE else, tattoos or not.

[minxlj]

On a side note, my best friend is a graphic designer and an absolutely brilliant illustrator - he's currently training to become a tattoo artist as well, because he's interested in it. Picking it up damn quickly too. I'm pleased as punch that he's doing it, not only as a Masters degree holding illustrator but a qualified and experienced designer who WILL kern text properly and WILL design tattoos with stunning layout. 90% of the tattoo artist I've met are excellent artists in terms of drawing, but few can design in terms of the talent of a graphic designer.