The generation of negative stereotypes has passed. Our society today has accepted tattoos as a form of self-expression that shouldn’t be looked down upon or criticized. They are becoming more common because people see their bodies as a blank canvas that could be filled with their story, things they hold dear to their hearts, and experience.
Kat Von D, the famous tattoo artist said: “I am a canvas of my experiences, my story is etched in lines and shading, and you can read it on my arms, my legs, my shoulders, and my stomach.” Tattoos stretch back to thousands of years ago. The development of tattoos in different and distant cultures was parallel; the fascination of humans with the art of tattoos was instinctive and natural. They can be seen as expressive ink with deep meaning, and they can be seen as a form of rebellion. The true nature of ink and skin is a very intricate and artistic one. We’ll briefly give you a few reasons on why people love tattoos.
Remembrance
Whether it’s a military-style or a family tattoo, a lot of people choose to honor their loved ones through the art of inking their bodies. Usually, black and gray are used in a realistic-style tattoo. Some people choose to go with the verse, commonly with quotes. An ancient practice that a few still carry to this day is infusing the tattoo ink with the ashes of the deceased. Honoring your loved ones through a cremated remains tattoo is one of the best reasons anyone could get a tattoo for. It may sound odd, but people do it out of complete respect to the deceased.
Artistic Expressions
People often feel the need to be understood and known for who they are. The core element of art is an expression. This is why most people associate tattoos with art. Nothing can be as expressive as engraving ink under your skin. You can show everyone what you love, hate, take pride in, or your ambitions. A tattoo can express a lot with the need to show. Part of the mystique of tattoos is that sometimes it’s hard to tell the whole story from the tattoo, making it an attractive mystery for everyone.
Identification
A lot of people get tattoos to express where they belong or who they represent. Whether it’s a gang or a special force of the Marines, people like to create a unified tattoo to establish a sense of belonging. It doesn’t have to be a complicated tattoo, as its job is to be unified and simple enough to understand for anyone. People will always want to feel that they belong to a group, and nothing expresses that need artistically like a tattoo.
Some people take their style and sense of fashion a step further by getting tattoos. Expressing a certain direction of fashion through tattoos sends the strongest message. Whether your sense of fashion is gothic or minimal, you can find a tattoo that will complement your style and make it more authentic.
Commercial Use
Some people may look down upon this reason while others may believe it’s a good enough reason to get a tattoo. The world of advertising has started to incorporate tattooing as a way to advertise their products. Some people choose to use spaces in their body to advertise for big corporations or their small business. While this type of tattoos is quite profitable, it may sometimes end with regret, so it’s recommended to think it through.
Covering Up a Scar
People hate scars that draw attention; no one would like the most unique thing about their physical appearance to be a scar. It’s quite common for people to use tattoos as a way of covering up a scar. It’s like killing two birds with one stone; a beautiful tattoo and a hideous scar hidden forever.
Medical Tattoos
Important information can easily be communicated through tattoos. Some members of the U.S military tattoo some information under their rib cages. Some tattoos are used to display information as a notice to emergency workers to express the existence of conditions like a rare kind of diabetes. It’s quite common for those who underwent mastectomy, the removal of breasts during cancer treatment, opt to replace the areola.
The culture of tattoos is a very complex one that has been ingrained in the human civilization for thousands of years. It’s more than a conversation starter; people think of it as something that completes them, expresses them in ways they can’t do using language.