For those of you following on twitter, I finally got my first tattoo this week and it was a pretty awesome experience. It was, of course, inspired by a bookish theme. But I’m already planning my next one and I almost certainly think it should be a YA inspired one. I’ve thought of a few series you could easily tattoo from. Let’s all share and care to help inspire each other!
Things to consider/I’ve learned from my tattoo experience:
1) Size of your ink
Since lines blur and fade over time, you want something that’s not going to become a hot mess in a few years. If you’re getting a small tattoo, keep it simple and not too detailed.
Also, if it’s your first tattoo, maybe do what I did and go with something small and quick to get.
2) Consider future ink
This was some great advice I got online. Remember, each tattoo you get might be awesome, but how are they going to look all together? Is there a common theme? Colour scheme? Make sure you’re not a clashing mess.
3) Style of ink
Think critically about the style of tattoo you’re getting. Water colour and white tattoos are very popular at the moment and look amazing – for now. But water colour tattoos age badly and white tattoos are very prone to accidents like blue ink leaking into the white ink. Remember, a tattoo isn’t just for now, you have to think about how it’s going to look five or ten and even more years from now.
With that said, here’s some YA tattoo inspiration I could find!
4) Ageing of your ink
Your ink will age. Really quickly in some cases. Artists post new ink to advertise, and sometimes you see amazing things done. But the unfortunate facts are that many of those tattoos are going to age badly, sometimes within a few months. Your skin stretches with age. The lines thicken and detail blurs. Small, detailed tattoos can quickly become a hot mess. Water colour tattoos without strong lines fade and become difficult to distinguish unless you get regular touch ups. Just try to think of the future with your ink.
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Kitsune Tattoo
“As was custom among all the great bloodlines of Shima, he had been adorned with beautiful tattoos on his thirteenth birthday.”
“Each man… displaying a myriad of irezumi-tattoos-in all colours of the rainbow.”
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Peregrine’s Tattoo
When he’d turned his back, she’d seen another design on his skin, some sort of hawk with wings spanning shoulder to shoulder. -PG 110, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Kaoru’s Hamsas
Rather, she held up her hands in front of her face, palms out. In the centre of each was an eye inked in deepest indigo, in effect turning her hands into hamsas, those ancient symbols of warding against the evil eye. – pg. 14, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Tris’ Dauntless Tattoo
First, she gets the Dauntless seal tattoo with Christina. As Tris notes, tattoos “are a part of life here” with the Dauntless—and here is where she lives (19.29). Let’s also throw in the fact that she gets this tattoo with Christina, which is sort of the classic friendship bonding experience (at least, if you were in the army or navy in the 1950s). SOURCE
Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Harry Potter has a lightning scar on his forehead, you could get that. Or you could get one of the hundreds of other Harry Potter inspired tattoos.
The Hunger Games
Mockingjay Symbol
The pin originally belonged to Madge Undersee’s aunt, Maysilee Donner, a tribute who died in the 50th Hunger Games. When Katniss first saw Madge wearing the pin, she thought that it could keep a family fed with bread for months due to the fact that it is made of finely crafted gold.[1] When Madge came to bid Katniss farewell she offered it to her as a symbol of District 12 and made her promise to wear it in the arena. SOURCE
Basically, make good life choices, people. I can’t imagine how a book themed tattoo wouldn’t be one of them. Well, unless of course you’re under 18. In which case, homework is equally as fun as tattoos. Do your homework instead.
Julie
I don’t think I would ever get a tat cause needles are made of pure evil, but I do enjoy looking at other people’s bookish related choices 🙂
Kate Copeseeley
Brilliant as usual, especially that last part! Kids, do your homework. hahahahaha
I AM a little disappointed we didn’t get a peek at yours. Because I’m nosy like that. *cheeky grin*
Brittany
I have two tattoos, but as far as bookish goes, the one around my thigh, a cilice, has the words “Crucio” on the front and “Bellatrix” on the back. I adore it <3
Tattoos are the best drug 😀 Once you get one, you'll want another, and another, and another, and… 😉
Christy
I just got my 7th tattoo last week and so far none of them are bookish related but I feel like I’ll eventually get one that related to books in some way 🙂
Missie
I have thinking of designing a book tattoo!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Anya
Yey, I love tattoos :D. I haven’t gotten a new one in years, but now I’m tempted again, haha. One thing I also would include is the place you get it makes a big difference. A lot of these things that you have rightly pointed out, my tattoo artist also said, which made me feel much more comfortable with my final choice. My studio also includes free touch ups for life since they insist on standing behind their work, really great sign!
Mel@thedailyprophecy
I grew up with a mother who dislikes tattoo’s, so I never thought about it. But now that I’m all grown-up, I do consider getting one that has to do with reading (or Disney, or both :p) I saw your tattoo on Twitter and it turned out great!
Eileen @ Singing and Reading in the Rain
I never thought about the aging aspect of tattoos, because if I ever got one it’d probably be really simple and not very detailed. Although I love those YA book-inspired tattoos 😀
Michelle @ In Libris Veritas
I’m hoping to get my second tattoo this year, and I’m really hoping to get a Harry Potter inspired one. I’m just kind of stuck in the design phase right now, I’m super picky (it’s permanent so I should be) and I hate the idea of getting a color tattoo for some reason so my choices are limited. I like to ‘see’ my tattoo well before I go to the shop, lol.
Your tattoo turned out great!
Kelly
Haha I got my first tattoo when I was 17.
I’ve always been careful with where I get my tattoos. My first is on the back of my neck, so I can cover it easily with my hair.
My second is on the inside of my wrist, so I can cover it easily with a long-sleeved shirt or a watch.
I never wanted to be held back (re: job opportunities) because of tattoos, so I made sure to get them where they were easily hidden.
I’ve wanted a third one for a LONG time, but I haven’t been able to commit to anything. Which is why I’ve been waiting so long! Haha
So that would be my advice. Make sure the piece you get is something you’ve wanted for more than a fleeting moment. I’ve had many ideas come and go, all of which I’d be unhappy with now if I had made permanent.
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Becca Lostinbooks
I want to get a tattoo sooo bad. I haven’t been able to work the past few years so I haven’t been able to pay for it. But once I get a job (yay I can start working now) a tat is one of the first luxuries I am going to go for! A bookish tattoo will definitely be one of the first tats I get. I’m thinking a quote though.
Lina G
Excellent advise and great ideas for future ink!!!!!
And I LOVED your tattoo!! The feather is very stylish and it really describes the quote 😀
Sandy
If I ever got a tattoo it would be water colour so I would probably never get a tattoo :/.
I think you should definitely include the tattoo from the cover of Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr 😉
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[…] Kat looks at ink for the YA book lover in you. […]
Lyn Kaye
Kat, I totally missed this! I’m going to have to go back and find the post! Congrats! On TTT this week, I am going to list out a tattoo!