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 Iron_Captain wrote:
This is the aquila tattoo you should be getting. With this, no one will ever mistake you for a fascist again:

Pfft, poser.
This is the real deal




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 Soladrin wrote:

 TheDraconicLord wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
If you want to go to Japan you should avoid being Tattoed.

You probably won't be allowed to go into a public bath or onsen spa.

Or a capsule hotel. The reason I don't have a tattoo yet is mostly because of this.

Still, I heard they pretend not to notice when it's a gaijin and has one or two parts of the body covered in bandages (ofc I can't confirm this)

Huh, really? Didn't know they were so dumb about tattoos. Then again, it's Japan, they are dumb about a lot of stuff.

Not dumb at all, actually.
Tatoos are associated with Yakuza

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Even on the calf? Which is still mostly muscle for me?

Friend of mine got an eagle tattoo'd on his stomach when he was travelling in Thailand and had dropped to about 8 stone. Ten years later of working in an office job and it has now expanded into a chicken.

The process for removing a tattoo is also more painful, and more expensive, than having one added (I'm also having to go through the removal of something I thought was a good idea when I was 18)

I would definitely think long and hard about it (especially considering the subject matter, and how your tastes tend to change through younger adult-hood).. At least you haven't just got it done when you were drunk, which is a positive step I suppose!

I have thought about an Aquila tattoo once or twice. I have no problem with it being a gaming brand that'll be forever- I have been playing 40k for just over 20 years, which is longer than 50% or more of current players have been alive, and is two thirds of my life besides. Painting gaming models has been a huge part of my personal expression since age 12, and a tatoo would be along the same lines.

It's not that big a deal if you are prepared for the outcomes of having a tatoo. And if it's in a easy to hide place, who cares? My wife is a school teacher and has had two tattoos for her entire career. Everyone knows about them, including her boss and the kids, but they are respectfully out of sight.

I would never get a tattoo, most of the reasons are already covered.

Its a permanent commitment to what is likely a fad. Its an icon highlighting your short sightedness and slavery to ephemeral cultural tropes.

If you want a tattoo make it art, not an icon of something specific but an artistic piece that doesn't require recognition.

Either that or something describing your own roots, tribal or national tattoos are ok.

Tattoos represent a connection that is to last for ever, so a faith, or national identity are ok, a sports team so-so a girls name or a cultural fad, no-no.

It so ties you in with the love you forever chav meme, when forever is definable as 'until my little mind drifts elsewhere casually'.

I was young when I got my tattoo, 20 I think. I got it for all the wrong reasons, but I'm still glad today that I had my head on right when I picked it out.

I look at it this way. If you are going to get a tattoo, something that becomes a permanent part of your body, it should be something that you can always look at, and have pride in it. Something you'll never be ashamed of.

I got the USAF Symbol put onto my right shoulder. That way it'll be one of those things my kids and their kids can ask me about, and I can explain to them that it's there to remind me about the commitment I made to my nation for such a large part of my life.

What would the GW Aquila mean to you? What if you stop playing the game in 5 years? What would you tell your kids about it 20 years from now? "This, oh, it's just a fictitious symbol from a game I used to play."

If that's cool with you, then awesome. That's not the type of thing I want on me though.

 curran12 wrote:
Just so I'm clear, you're getting this on your calf, not your head, right? Cause yeah...head tattoo...

Anyway, yes, the aquila is a bad idea because it is far more commonly associated with other things than 40k.

This. The iron eagle is an icon of white supremacy / neo-nazism.

People could easily mistake the aquila for an iron eagle.


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 dogma wrote:
I seem to recall you wanted to lose a large amount of weight, if so any tattoo is a bad idea.

Not necessarily on the calf. The calf is not an area that gains a lot of weight or loses it quickly, thus the skin doesn't stretch much. Belly, chest, arms, back, quads... sure, with you 100% .... calves ? Nah. He's pretty safe. I mean... disclaimer... if you're looking to lose 2 bills, then yeah, hold off until the weights off. But even 40-50 pounds of weight loss shouldn't affect your calves enough quickly enough to grossly distort the tattoo there. I think you're safe.

Note about the only places i would say this would be hands (which i dont advise anyway unless you're in prison), forearms (still dont advise it but at least you can cover that up), calves and feet. Everywhere else other than the head or neck (which i personally think make even the nicest person look like a sketchy criminal) is going to be massively prone to stretching with large swings in weight.




That said if weight loss is a goal ; reward yourself with the tat after the weights off. This will keep you motivated.




To the subtangent of the conversation about whether or not to get them and how:

I have 5 and still love them all. I would get more but for time.


When getting a tattoo if price is a consideration you're worried about, then you might not want to be shopping for tattoos. I know in college its hard, but you don't want to pick a tattoo artist on price alone. THe fact they offer discounts to colleges does not scare me though, that's actually pretty smart on the part of the shop, especially if its a fairly pricey school (means lots of parental care packages and money flowing into students, more likely than not).

Ask to see the artists personal portfolio of work. There should be 20-30+ pieces in it, preferably they have several portfolios like this available for perusal. Tell them what you're roughly in the market for, plus or minus some design tweaks, and they should be able to give you a ball park quote. As long as its not too much tweak the design however needed, and then ask for a final quote (a simple "So based on how we changed it up, is the last price you gave me still good ? "). Then either pull the trigger or don't.

Remember to tip your tattoo artist. It's a personal service. I typically tip about 20-25% as long as i'm happy with the result (which i always have been, and don't be shy to ask them to touch up things you're not happy with either).

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
So, with the discount they give too students at my town, I decided on a tatoo, specifically on my calf.
So, Im wondering, is an Aquila that bad? will people take it out of context?

Taken from dakka articles page, embarassing moments in 40k...

Make of that whatever you will, but don't say i didn't warn you

I have quite a few tattoos (including a full leg sleeve and quarter sleeve on my arm) from a long stint as an angsty teenager followed by four years in the Marines. To be honest, I'm not quite as excited about them as a 32 year old as I was when I was 22. I don't hate them (yet), I just don't really notice I even have them anymore.

My advice on tattoos boils down to one simple rule: Do not get any tattoos that cannot be covered up by a short sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans!!!!!!!!! Luckily my angst filled youth era ended before they spread this far down my arm.

Some other things to know if you do go down this road...

1. Get whatever you want. With the exception of forehead swastikas, there really is no such thing as an "appropriate tattoo". You are just as likely to regret or lose interest in the Mona Lisa etched across your back than a flaming 20 sided die. Making a decision on what you want does not require deep introspection or soul searching. It's just a tattoo. That being said, the aquila might be veering close to the aforementioned exception...which leads me to

2. People will ask you what your tattoo is and what it means. Complete strangers will bend down to eye level and scrutinize your work as if you are a goddamn mobile art gallery. Be prepared to explain to these people what they are seeing. If explaining Warhammer 40k to nosy strangers might annoy you, I would suggest putting it somewhere other than your leg.

3.Know that once you get one, you WILL get another.

Best place for tattoos in my opinion...on the inside of your arm. Discreet yet somewhat visible if you want it to be. Is very protected from the sun so will stay colorful much longer. Make sure you look at a person's portfolio before you let them draw on you!! While the content of a tattoo does not really matter to me in the long run, a shoddily done piece can be a nightmare.

A friend of mine finally decided to get a tattoo after years of thinking about it. He opted to allow a fairly new artist to draw an insignia with a star on his forearm. The piece was looking nice up until the star was three quarters of the way done. This is when the artist realized that in no way were his lines going to achieve any kind of symmetry, so he just fudged the rest and said "sorry dude". Wish I had a picture.

On second thought, just don't get a tattoo.

 Haight wrote:

Not necessarily on the calf. The calf is not an area that gains a lot of weight or loses it quickly, thus the skin doesn't stretch much.

That depends on the exercises being done, but that is another thread.

I have spent way too much money of tattoos and as a result have had good and bad experiences. Some I wish I had thought more about before getting and found a decent artist. As such I now have scars on my arms over which I have had to have a solid black cover up, not what I wanted, and limited my choices. I still want more but am making sure that I am spending time on deciding.

Your first post where you ask if not this then what about this, or this shows to me you are not ready for one. I second what many have said and do not get a 40k symbol. If you want gaming, the dice are a great idea as they have other meanings attached to them other than love of gaming.

As for my next, I want a Hanya mask to continue with my Japanese theme. (Koi and dragon so far).

 dogma wrote:

 Haight wrote:

Not necessarily on the calf. The calf is not an area that gains a lot of weight or loses it quickly, thus the skin doesn't stretch much.

That depends on the exercises being done, but that is another thread.

Very true, and fair. In general if we're just talking mild weight lifting and cardio to drop fat, i think you could agree with my statement... yes ?

Get a tattoo if you want, but don't do it on a whim. Spend a good 2 or 3 months honestly contemplating on what you want.

I have 6 tattoos and have never regretted any of them. I've also chosen to get them all (back, chest, both upper arms, and calf) in places that I can cover in just a t-shirt and jeans because I plan on going to work in a professional field and know the stigma exists.

Also, price shouldn't be a factor, but more the reputation of a place. One of the tattoo shops in my town is fairly overpriced, but has a reputation for doing gak work and offering little privacy to the customer.

The only thing I'd be worried about is the aquila does look kind of like a Nazi symbol, but if its what you want, then go for it.

 Haight wrote:

 dogma wrote:

 Haight wrote:

Not necessarily on the calf. The calf is not an area that gains a lot of weight or loses it quickly, thus the skin doesn't stretch much.

That depends on the exercises being done, but that is another thread.

Very true, and fair. In general if we're just talking mild weight lifting and cardio to drop fat, i think you could agree with my statement... yes ?

On the other hand, if you have any kind of design which is detailed and symmetrical, any type of stretching or shrinking in either direction is going to have an affect on that design.

I've got a couple tattoos and I'd say a few things.
1- Take some time to think about it before you do it.
2- Don't do a gaming tattoo.
3- Explore the potential ramifications of a given design first. The double-headed tattoo is mostly indicative of nationality (possibly "nationalism") for Serbia, Russia and a few other nations. Do you want to be associated with Russian foreign policy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-headed_eagle
4-Price is never a good reason to get a tattoo.
5-Far better to have people ask you to explain what you're tattoo is then have a tattoo with mixed messages that you will find yourselves having to un-explain.

Maybe I'm slightly old-fashioned, but I think tattoos should have some intrinsic meaning more than a game. Search your family history and explore your deepest beliefs and you'll find alot of great tattoos ideas that you'd be much less likely to regret in a decade or two.

Researching a Tattoo design can be quite edifying also. I enjoyed the research at the library picking the rune style and metalworking pattern that I used for a band around my forearm that reflects family ancestry and contains my name and my wife's name.

Getting an Aquilla tattoo is morally wrong IMHO.

It should be a Chaos 8-Fold Star.

That said, the tattoo may help you later in life, in the event that you get amnesia and forget which side you were on.

 Haight wrote:

In general if we're just talking mild weight lifting and cardio to drop fat, i think you could agree with my statement... yes ?

Not really. The calves can change pretty quickly as the muscles contained within are not only important to many exercises, but day-to-day life.

Yeah, given all that we 'know' about the ol' houtsaucester, I think a tattoo is a VERY bad idea at this point.

Ok, weight and price aside, lets say i do get a Tattoo and I want it to be gaming
What about a Twenty Sided Dice? Or maybe a Dragon?
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ok, weight and price aside, lets say i do get a Tattoo and I want it to be gaming
What about a Twenty Sided Dice? Or maybe a Dragon?
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

Heck, I know multiple people who have gotten math equations tattooed on themselves. I really don't think you're going to have much to worry about as long as you get it done by a competent artist. Check the place online, any tattoo shop worth considering will have a website with lots of pictures demonstrating the work of each artist that works there. Look for style of tattoo you like and overall quality. Also they should have an interior shot. The business end of a well run tattoo parlor should look a lot like a dentist's office.

If I was going for gaming related tattoo I'd consider the AdMech symbol (and in fact I had plans to get it at one point). It looks impressive enough on its own and I wouldn't be too worried about any connotations about it. Plus even if you decide to not be interested in 40k anymore it is still a pretty impressive piece of work as far as I'm concerned.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ok, weight and price aside, lets say i do get a Tattoo and I want it to be gaming
What about a Twenty Sided Dice? Or maybe a Dragon?
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

Think long and hard on this Sauce. If your getting a tat then it should be something pf significant importance that happen in your life.

I've one of this type on my ribcage for a reason

I disagree with the idea that Tattoos need have some significance to them. Neither of mine have any further significance then "I like this thing".

I suppose if your tattoo has a significance to you, there is less chance that it will become irrelevant to you at a different stage in your life, as your tastes (and what you think is 'cool') change.

In that sense, it is probably less of a risk.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

Well, that's an idea I can get behind.

I have an Alliance Starbird myself.

I disagree when people say it shouldn't be a gaming related tattoo because it isn't "deep" enough.

It all depends of the person, I mean, the 40k universe has what, 30 years now? If someone loved the IoM for 30 years and still enjoys painting little plastic men you think that's not a good enough reason?

The only thing he should be aware of is the social stigma: at least remember to do it where you can easily cover it up.

 Orlanth wrote:
Its a permanent commitment to what is likely a fad.

I'm sure this hipster would agree that tattoos are a pretty fleeting fad.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ok, weight and price aside, lets say i do get a Tattoo and I want it to be gaming
What about a Twenty Sided Dice? Or maybe a Dragon?
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

I don't think you should get any tattoo until you decide you want a specific tattoo, and not just the idea of a tattoo.

 Ouze wrote:

 Orlanth wrote:
Its a permanent commitment to what is likely a fad.

I'm sure this hipster would agree that tattoos are a pretty fleeting fad.

Wow, would you believe something good actually came out of an internet article comment section... this made me laugh so hard I could do nothing for about 30 seconds.

What.The.Hell.Is.THAT.

If you can't decide on something fully, 100%, don't do it (for tattoos). Those stay with you. Sounds like you're throwing hobby interests out there and asking what others think; not what you think. Are you super serious hardcore about one of those things? If so, that's the one you go with. Kudos to doing a bit of "research" first with the Aquilla/Iron Eagle. I had no idea myself, I would have said it's harmless.

If I was going to get a tattoo, it would either be Deadpool's face or the Heart&Skull design of Alkaline Trio. But since I'm not 100% sure, I've avoided it: it's with you forever or it's painful to get rid of. Think long and hard about it. I've been debating for 10 years now whether I want to or not. Which probably means I won't.

 Eilif wrote:
I've got a couple tattoos and I'd say a few things.
1- Take some time to think about it before you do it.
2- Don't do a gaming tattoo.
3- Explore the potential ramifications of a given design first. The double-headed tattoo is mostly indicative of nationality (possibly "nationalism") for Serbia, Russia and a few other nations. Do you want to be associated with Russian foreign policy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-headed_eagle
4-Price is never a good reason to get a tattoo.
5-Far better to have people ask you to explain what you're tattoo is then have a tattoo with mixed messages that you will find yourselves having to un-explain.

Maybe I'm slightly old-fashioned, but I think tattoos should have some intrinsic meaning more than a game. Search your family history and explore your deepest beliefs and you'll find alot of great tattoos ideas that you'd be much less likely to regret in a decade or two.

Researching a Tattoo design can be quite edifying also. I enjoyed the research at the library picking the rune style and metalworking pattern that I used for a band around my forearm that reflects family ancestry and contains my name and my wife's name.

I disagree with the second statement. Some of the coolest tattoos I've seen have little more meaning than "holy gak, that's cool". Don't get me wrong, if you want to get a tattoo that has meaning or sentimental value, than go for it, but I don't think it should be a requirement for it to have some deep message. Otherwise, I'd be down about 5 tattoos


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 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ok, weight and price aside, lets say i do get a Tattoo and I want it to be gaming
What about a Twenty Sided Dice? Or maybe a Dragon?
Or maybe a Star Wars Imperial insiqnia.

No, someone somewhere will be offended

I once met a guy who that the 8 sided star and For the Dark Gods tattooed on his arm.


I was like, hey that's a warhammer tattoo.