ink == intimidating? i don't get it.

Bahet

1st impressions are based on looks. Maybe you are more intimidating. Maybe some do think it's white trash or unprofessional or that you're way too cool for them. I'm sure every person has a different reason. I've gone tostores before in sweats, a T-shirt, with my hair in a ponytail and no makeup or jewelry. I've had the salespeople give me a look like I was bothering them. If I go back the next day dressed nicely with my hair done and my jewelry on they fall all over themselves trying to help me. Whether it's ink or piercings or a bunch of kids or cloths or jewelry or weight or just about anything, people are going to judge. It's human nature. Even if they try to fight that judgement, it's still been made.

hypergrl

I strangely get the most 'normal' looking people stop me in random places and play the "oh! Oh! I totally know what that's a picture of!"game....or they see one peaking out and want to see. It's mildly disturbing to have someone ask you to pull your shirt down with no dinner or movie even offered....

I get this a lot because of the placement...it's weird when a stranger comes over and starts wanting you to pull your shirt off to show your back or pull it up so they can see the tats better. Do I even get some beads for this flashing? . LOL

ak_in_ak

maybe it is the time of day and where you are. During the day a type of people tend to be in resturants and around, these are the times you happend to be covered. At night you are uncovered and more punk rcok people might be out, just a though. It would also depend on the type of tattoos you have. Are they blood and guts or flowers and butterflies? I know is is a generalization but you get what I mean.

abyt42

I find the opposite... when my ink is exposed, I make tons of friends.

Granted, I have my pants off then, but whatever...

Almost shot water out of my nose! Thanks for that!

Ha!

ojell

I only perceive ink as intimidating if the subject matter of the tattoos is gory or scary looking. I know that's REALLY shallow, but that's a factor for me.

A girl with an entire sleeve of flowers/colors/pretty design of almost any kind? Lovely, and doesn't seem intimidating to me.

A girl with a sleeve of demon faces, spurting blood, gory or overly suggestive art? A little scary, to me. I saw a girl who had a giant dragon, curled up and holding it's *member*, and a big spray of blood gushing forth. On her forearm. Combine that with the "love" and "hate" on her knuckles, and ya, I was fully intimidated.

Basically, if it seems like you're trying to scare me with your artwork, chances are, since I'm a chicken, it's working.

LOL

Helenatrandom

Some people are intimidated by anyone they perceive as "different".
Maybe they are also intimidated by the confidence it takes to put a permanent work of art on your body. I can't seem to decide what color to paint the living room. I can't imagine choosing a design for my body. I have contemplated getting a yellow rose with a butterfly in honor of my mother(she LOVED yellow roses) who passed away, but it seems rather ironic since she wasn't fond of tattoos. :laugh: Still, it's the only thing I could imagine wanting on myself permanently. (Not a judgement on anyone but me, who can't bring herself to paint the living room lilac, even though I could paint over it when I get tired of it.)

WickedGarden

c'mon...surely you saw one of the many 'ink' threads here...seems that many people are still very judgemental of those that have ink. i.e "the only job they can hold is 'would you like fries with that'"

I will talk to just about anybody, tat showing or not. I usually ask people about their ink because I'm impressed by the artwork and may possibly seek out the artist.

InnerPinup79

I actually get a lot of compliments from young to old because I have a half sleeve on my left arm of van gohs "starry night"... grant it I'll get a good handful of people that think its a Monet or Picasso but hey they tried. I also have an unfinished calf and chest piece that I suppose can come off as "trash".

I was apparently intimidating way before tattoos as a teen due to my short temper and aggressive behavior and even now because of being big and tall as well as the type of people I affiliate with. My husband is over 6ft tall and over 300lbs has his neck and throat and full sleeves down to his hands done (before hand and neck tattoos became "cool").....he definitely looks intimidating and because of his past he is...... but people that know us know that I'm actually the scarier of the two since his temper has mellowed out over the years...and mine is worse hahahah

What I don't like.....assuming I'm uneducated (i have a masters degree in occupational therapy), I'm poor and get stared at in stores like Im going to steal, that touching my tattoos are ok, that showing me your crappy tattoo without asking me is ok and to assume that just because we have tattoos that we will get along.

InnerPinup79

tattoos are lame

Hahaha yeah they are!

LastMinuteMama

People do make their judgements based on appearence, that is for sure. Most of my ink is hidden away {because I'm a chickensh*t}, only one for the world to see on my forearm and even that can elicit different reactions from different people. Then take my husband who is very tall, has a full sleeve & half with a shaved head and when people see him for the first time they are taken aback...I had one person say, "Oh, I didn't realize your husband was a big, biker dude." When, um technically he's not "biker" since he sold his bike, but hey, whatever. ...if I mention I had a bike too, well, then their head really starts to spin...

I love seeing other people's ink, but I'm never sure if it's rude to stare are it or comment on it?

LastMinuteMama

I actually get a lot of compliments from young to old because I have a half sleeve on my left arm of van gohs "starry night"... grant it I'll get a good handful of people that think its a Monet or Picasso but hey they tried. I also have an unfinished calf and chest piece that I suppose can come off as "trash".

Starry night....I bet that's really pretty!!!

krae070

I do agree with this. I have a ton of tattoos and it is a requirement that they be covered in my place of employment. I have friends irregardless however there are still ppl out there who stereotype and shun ppl like us. Some don't care but it's still bothersome to have to defend yourself. I get sick of being asked wow didn't that hurt? why do you need all that it doesn't make you attractive. well thanks for saying that I'm ugly due to something that I think makes me beautiful. I can put my soul and true personality on the outside to shine for all to see. Why should I have to hide? There should be more tattoo acceptance in the work place and outside of that as well!!!!

saragato

There are a lot of mindsets when it comes to tattoos. Some see them as meaning the person's "rough around the edges", some think it makes them look stupid/juvenile, some get offended at the sight of them even if there's no reason they just don't like them. And really from what I understand tattoos haven't exactly had the best reputation within the last 100 or so years. I've also read that placement and content is important to what opinion can be drawn of you.

Course then you have those that find the novelty in them and will harass you about your ink. I only have one tattoo so far, on my wrist, and I've gotten my share only to hear people whine about they'd get one if it didn't hurt so much.

There's just a lot of contradiction, which is stupid because it's just another form of art. But of course there are media sources that like to play up the use of tattoos in gangs, prisons, cults, etc so everyone maintains the fear of "oh no what if that person's a psycho?"

Humanity's not yet over racism or sexism, it's no surprise tattoos and piercings are still catching flack.

dancing_cat

I definitely find ink intimidating. Rightly or wrongly I associate ink with people who are strongly opinionated, sometimes a bit rough around the edges and individuals who don't care so much about what other people think. I find these type of people difficult to talk to, so yes, I'll avoid people with visible tattoos. Tattoos scare me!

Pocket_Pixi

I find that I get talked to a whole lot more when my ink is uncovered, but I actually had a new friend tell me "this changes my feelings towards you now that I know you have tattoos" needless to say we are no longer friends.

BigDaddyBRC

INK IS AWESOME. Unfortunately, pending the area and business culture you are employed, it is not as widely accepted. I work for a VERY Blue-Collard "Good-Ol' Boy's" club corporation. And while it is widely accepted that they look down upon the predisposition and highly miss interpreted culture impact of tattoos...I REFUSE to cover up who I am.

As with anything in life, be who you are. And ad shock value in what you bring to a company with your mental prowess to overcome that which people believe is the beholder of "eye"

Qarol

that touching my tattoos are ok

grrr..not OK.

tmarie2715

I'm a ~really~ "outgoing" person. Its rare that I go anywhere alone and end up not making a friend with the person who had the (un)fortunate luck to end up sitting next to me.

Case in point - I just got back from lunch where I went solo. By the time I left, one waitress was sitting next to me after bringing me some food she personally cooked earlier, wanting me to try it, and the guy sitting on the right side of me gave me his business card with the promise I'll call him randomly one day, tell him he's an arsehole, and hang up.

So that happens all the time.

But I'm dressed for work at the moment (meaning tank top under a long sleeved button up to cover my tattoos (sleeves)) and i'm starting to notice a pattern. Tattoos covered, I can (and do) make friends with pretty much any stranger. But when my colors are on display, I only make friends with other tattooed/punk rock people.

why?

does lots of ink == intimidating? Or does lots of ink == white trash == me not being worth talking to by the average joe?

From a non-tattooed person, I'd just think you were way too cool to talk to a square like me. But then again, I'm pretty outgoing too, so that may not even stop me.

Edited to add: Do you think this is common in the millennial generation, though? I feel like the odd one out for not having tattoos. Everyone my age has them.

_snw_

<snip>

I was just wanted to add that I know a few people who are actually upset when people start questioning someone over their artwork or even worse walk up and touch it, move an article of clothing out of the way to see it, etc. And yes, that does happen! As a result, I rarely do more than say "I really like your artwork" to someone. I don't like to use it as a conversation starter.

<snip>

I AM one of those people - BUT ... only when it's overly so. I would not have gotten them if i didn't want the attention. Saying "nice ink" is perfectly ok. Telling me a long description of why you hate ink - keep it to yourself.

InnerPinup79

I actually get a lot of compliments from young to old because I have a half sleeve on my left arm of van gohs "starry night"... grant it I'll get a good handful of people that think its a Monet or Picasso but hey they tried. I also have an unfinished calf and chest piece that I suppose can come off as "trash".

Starry night....I bet that's really pretty!!!

It's pretty awesome. I actually plan to get it retouched and cleaned up soon because its almost ten years old

Elzecat

I'm a ~really~ "outgoing" person. Its rare that I go anywhere alone and end up not making a friend with the person who had the (un)fortunate luck to end up sitting next to me.

Case in point - I just got back from lunch where I went solo. By the time I left, one waitress was sitting next to me after bringing me some food she personally cooked earlier, wanting me to try it, and the guy sitting on the right side of me gave me his business card with the promise I'll call him randomly one day, tell him he's an arsehole, and hang up.

So that happens all the time.

But I'm dressed for work at the moment (meaning tank top under a long sleeved button up to cover my tattoos (sleeves)) and i'm starting to notice a pattern. Tattoos covered, I can (and do) make friends with pretty much any stranger. But when my colors are on display, I only make friends with other tattooed/punk rock people.

why?

does lots of ink == intimidating? Or does lots of ink == white trash == me not being worth talking to by the average joe?

I'm kind of shy at times so I don't know if I would strike up a conversation with you whether your sleeves were covered or not. But I'm not intimidated by ink at all, other than the thought of getting my own (serious fear of needles lol). As a photographer in the local music business, I find that I tend to gravitate towards folks who look "different" (tattoos, piercings, rockin' haircuts, guys w/long hair etc) and I am sure they are scared of me because I look so completely "plain Jane." I'm kind of boring. LOL.

When I see someone with lots of ink, I will usually compliment them on it, but I would never ask to touch it...that's just a little weird lol...

InnerPinup79

I also love when.people ask what about when I'm older...."duh! It's going to cover my liver spots and easily bruised skin!"

parvati

Its not you... Or your tattoos.... Its close minded people! In my opinion if they are going to judge you based on your tattoos they probably arent worth getting to know. I have 3 tattoos, although 2 are usually covered, if someone doesnt want to talk to me over having them, they are the ones missing out! Dont sweat your pretty little face off over it! xo

thcri

I am a shy person and don't care for the ink for me. However it does not bother me nor do I back off when next to a person that has ink. In fact I am intrigue by a lot of it. Just not me I guess

Pocket_Pixi

I also love when.people ask what about when I'm older...."duh! It's going to cover my liver spots and easily bruised skin!"

The what about when I'm older question makes me laugh.

I really can't stand people that touch my tattoos though, it makes me uncomfortable.

fatboypup

every time i post in a tattoo thread i get like 5 friend requests ...... weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

rammsteinsoldier

My ink does open conversations with people I might not otherwise meet but there is a certain group that seems to be put off my tattoos. I don't know why they seem to be bothered by the ink but that is their hangup.

dinosnopro

I don't know whats more off putting the tribal tat on my face, or the ski mask I use to cover it up when I go out in public.

annameier8706

Ink = hot to me, but then I have tattoos and piercings...

ahubacek

I have a sleeve and I do feel like I get different responses when it's showing. Like, if I go into a nice shop I feel like people are watching me more closely to make sure I'm not stealing and I get some dirty looks in nice restaraunts when I take my jacket off. But I also have way more random people come up and touch me when it's showing. I was in a gas station a few years ago and some random woman came up and lifted up my shirt sleeve to get a better look without saying anything first. It scared the hell out of me!