Get Your Tatts Out

An anonymous student from Homerton.

“Getting a tattoo was part of my ‘things to do before you die’ list!  Most people don’t know I have one! Until now I guess…

“I wanted a feminine, flowing kind of pattern, something that would look good just in black, because I didn‘t want to have to keep going back to have colours re-filled etc. I loved the symbolism of ivy – Bacchus, the idea of immortality, fertility, fidelity, pleasure, and revelry was really attractive to me. It also represents determination and spiritual growth which is important to me.

“It was going to be a lot smaller originally, but the tattooist wanted to give greater justice to the design so I let him make it bigger!

“It makes me feel really feminine and pretty (especially when in the noddy!) and it’s always a nice surprise as often I forget I even have one!

Sarah Vose is a 2nd year SPS student at Jesus.

“My first tattoo was motivated by being a bit rebellious. I was 14, but I don’t regret it. I am very glad my sister talked me out of a few ideas i was thinking of at the time though (I vaguely remember discussions about a scorpion…)

“A lot of my friends are inked but then I have a few that don’t and to them it seems like a bit of a novelty. I also think that when it comes to girls, there is a bit more of a problem. In general people get more used to a guy having a sleeve, but a girl thats covered in tattoos seems to be a little more ‘taboo’.

Photo by Amy Jeffs

“After a scribbly-ish heart on my my shoulder blade I had a swallow done on my foot with a rose in its beak and a banner saying ‘Katherine’, which is my sister’s name.  There was a long waiting list for the artist I wanted. It’s all black and grey with white highlight. Colour tattoos can look great, but I really love monochrome art with bright white coming through, but that is just a personal opinion. It also ages better.

“There are a few reasons why I chose the design, which I drew myself. The style is Sailor Jerry-esque, which is an aesthetic I love, but also my sister is my best friend and the tattoo was my way of showing how important she is to me, both to her and the rest of the world.

“I’m thinking of getting a gypsy girl head on my thigh and I’m not going to pretend it has some deeper meaning. It doesn’t. I just love the idea and the image.”

Penny Robertson is a third year SPS student from Homerton.

“I would have to question myself if I was applying for any job that was so anal that they would look down on me for having a tattoo even if I can cover it up a work with a shirt or a watch.

“I have the tattoo on my side as a reminder of who I am and what I want. The symbol means passion. I got to uni and felt myself being pulled in directions. So I got the tattoo because with the reminder written on me, I’d feel like a hypocrite if I chose a path that I wasn’t passionate about.

Photo by Amy Munro-Faure

“The tattoo on my wrist means ‘the gift of family’ because my family are the most important thing to me, you never know when things will be taken away from you or changed and so I wanted to do something to show them how much I appreciate and love them everyday.

“I don’t regret it and I never have. I’ll probably think it looks ugly when I’m wrinkled and old and all the words have merged together like mush but if I’m still taking my top off in front of people at that age, I have bigger problems that my mushy tattoo.”