Opening a Tattoo Shop in ED

[jellyolliffe]

Coming from a group of people living in dulwich, we think this would be a great addition for lordship lane and we'd be very excited if it does turn out!

[pincushionqueen]

I hope this does open! Will you also have piercing available?

[HaileyJean]

I think it's a great idea, there aren't that many in the surrounding areas either, closest I can think of is Herne Hill and I don't know much about them or their reputation.

Being quite heavily tattooed myself, I agree with those who have said that people will travel for a good tattoo. I currently travel to Islington for mine and would go further if my artist moved.

Saying that though, I also like to get pieces by different artists, and I'd the work by your guys was good I'd definitely pay you a visit.

I think tattooing has come a long way and isn't confined to a certain type of person anymore. To me it has a lot more to do with the art and actually having something thought through and beautiful on you rather than just being a way for kids to rebel. I'm sure there must be a few yummy mummies with an interest too!

[Marmora Man]

I understood that the craze for tattoos is declining. I certainly hope so. I wonder what the tattooed generation will look like as their skin loses the lustre of youth, sagging and becoming wrinkly. I can, perhaps, see the attraction of one top class tattoo discreetly placed, but a plethora of cheap works plus piercings on man or woman is just ugly to me.

[HaileyJean]

We'll look like any other older person, just more colourful.

I have more than just one tattoo, but they are all good works, well thought out and I love them all. I agree that cheap tattoos done by scratchers can be awful, and they're the ones that bring the image of tattooed people down.

Good tattoo work is like art, and though it may get a bit saggy as a person gets older, if down well it shouldn't lose it's value or it's beauty for that person.

[silverfox]

"...Good tattoo work is like art...it shouldn't lose it's value or it's beauty for that person."

The problem is it doesn't have any value, in a monetary sense. Even if you've been inked by the Banksy equivalent of the tattoo world, unless a Market develops where you can sell your skin with the tattoo on it the only person making money is the tattooist.

I can however see a potential Market for pets with artistic tattoos because you can always stuff them when they go to the great tattoo parlour in the sky and sell them at auction.

[Jeremy]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> I understood that the craze for tattoos is declining. I certainly hope so.

Why do you hope so? How does it affect you?

silverfox Wrote:

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> The problem is it doesn't have any value, in a monetary sense.

What a strange thing to say! I'm pretty sure nobody is claiming that they do. But they certainly can have other types of value, as in personal importance to the wearer, or artistic merit.

[silverfox]

It's not strange if you think about it. Much has been made on this thread how artistic tattoos can be. Yet I cannot think of any other artistic endeavour (in the drawing, painting sense) that is valueless like tattoos.

[Marmora Man]

Jeremy,

It affects me because the tattoos are, invariably, on public parade and, as I find them ugly, this affects my aesthetic pleasure in crowded places.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and so is lack of beauty and ugliness. I prefer to be surrounded by beauty.

[AbDabs]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> Jeremy,

>

> It affects me because the tattoos are, invariably,

> on public parade and, as I find them ugly, this

> affects my aesthetic pleasure in crowded places.

>

> Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and so is

> lack of beauty and ugliness. I prefer to be

> surrounded by beauty.

If only they were always on show. I wish everyone with a tattoo hidden under their clothes had some sort of indicator tattoo in an obvious place. Nothing worse than suddenly finding one at an intimate moment.

(I've always found them a little icky - I don't mind seeing them on people in the street but not on skin that I might otherwise want to kiss/touch)

[RosieH]

This is a strange thread.

silverfox, if the only value you can find for anything in life is monetary, then yours is a sad existence indeed.

MM, I find ugly clothes, hair, make up, voices, children most displeasing - but by and large, I'm of the opinion that people should be able to wear what they like.

[maxxi]

Marmora Man Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Jeremy,

>

> It affects me because the tattoos are, invariably,

> on public parade and, as I find them ugly, this

> affects my aesthetic pleasure in crowded places.

Your what!?

>

> Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and so is

> lack of beauty and ugliness.

So unless everybody feels exactly the same there can never be a consensus of what is beautiful in a crowded place (or they would never have developed Liverpool St the way they have) .

I prefer to be

> surrounded by beauty.

Ergo - avoid crowded placess.

[ibilly99]

Marmora Man Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Jeremy,

>

> It affects me because the tattoos are, invariably,

> on public parade and, as I find them ugly, this

> affects my aesthetic pleasure in crowded places.

>

> Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and so is

> lack of beauty and ugliness. I prefer to be

> surrounded by beauty.

http://historicromance.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/dandy.jpg

[DulwichFox]

To Tattoo or not to Tattoo...

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.asylum.com/media/2007/11/skull-face-tattoo-294a11090.jpg

Very attractive..

Fox.

[Otta]

Yep, that is a very good example of the average tattoo.

[silverfox]

But surely an ED Tattoo Emporium to the stars wouldn't do average tattoos?

[????]

I dunno, the bottom line for me is that I've never seeb a tattoo that's that great....you know, thet'd be ok if someone sKetched it on a bit of paper and I looked at it for, oooh, maybe 30 seconds, but some Celtic Rhun shit on my back or round my ankle FOR EVER, behave.

So, for me, a tattoo has to mean something

Football team, Regiment, HMS Prison or Ship, Proper gang/firm

...the rest is just middleclass w*nk that looks average as far as I'm concerned

[Marmora Man]

RosieH Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This is a strange thread.

>

> silverfox, if the only value you can find for

> anything in life is monetary, then yours is a sad

> existence indeed.

>

> MM, I find ugly clothes, hair, make up, voices,

> children most displeasing - but by and large, I'm

> of the opinion that people should be able to wear

> what they like.

And Rosie - I'm not arguing to ban anything - tattoos or tattoo shops. I have merely stated I dislike them and find them ugly. Tho' I'd support ????'s point - I've seen many a sailor's tattoo with the name of his first ship, the ports visited and so on - still not attractive but I can see some tradition and logic there.

[liverpoolkid]

i have a tattoo of ian rush on my left shoulder. and never regret it. gives me a sense of nostalgia when ever i catch a glimpse.

[dorisminor]

Why not. Good luck!

[uncleglen]

(anything to do with footie makes me feel sick and angry. but that's me.) i love good tats so go ahead in my opinion- but around this immediate area you may have a lack of custom so you had better be good to draw in outsiders. (or draw ON outsiders lol!)

[catwoman]

I should think that if marketed correctly, there's no reason why it wouldn't work....ED is full of open-minded Creatives, and as long as it's not intimidating to look at, and the designs/work are arty and innovative, well why not? Would be helpful to see some of your work / website first though...

[mlteenie]

My comment is that I am tattooed and if I like your style then you might see me down there sometime. I think the fact that the OP has spawned (so far) 7 pages of debate suggests that there may well be plenty of custom. Hope it goes well.

[urbanpixie]

Marmora Man Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan Medic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > >

> > Is it? I think it's cheap and demeaning. I

> realise

> > in this country I'm probably in a minority.

> What

> > happens though when they are not trendy? I

> think

> > David Beckham is a disgrace and sets a terrible

> > example.

>

> Agree entirely - and what happens when he skin

> gets old & saggy? The NHS used to pay for tattoo

> removals - no longer I hope, repairing self

> inflicted mutilation is not good value for tax

> payers money.

>

> I can remember a navy colleague who, as a young

> and impressionable sailor, had been tattooed on

> both forearms. On promotion to officer he used a

> steam hose to burn off the tattoos, reasoning that

> a burn scar was less unsightly than a Chinese

> Dragon.

>

> On sailors - it is perhaps understandable, foolish

> but there is at least a history and tradition

> behind it for that community. As a fashion

> accessory it's deplorable.

http://imgur.com/gallery/972GU

I hope this works :)

[stacey-lyn]

Growing up in the South Pacific has given me a different perspective on tattoos. The 'tatua' or 'moko' is similar to an identity card. Traditionally it represented status, ferocity, virility etc. The wearer's position of power and authority could be instantly recognized in his/her tatua.

Ancestry is indicated on each side of the face. The left is generally (but not always, depending on the 'tribe') the paternal side, while the right side indicates the maternal side. So, though I do not share the view that the Beckhams of this world are a disgrace and so on, I am bemused and bewildered by the popularity of "tribal" tattoos as mere adornments. I guess to the wearer, they are aesthetically pleasing but their true significance (genealogy etc) has been sadly lost in translation.