Tattoos: Immortalizing Art, by Tatiana – In The Mix #14
April 2, 2009 Tatiana EL-Khouri 15 Comments
I’m a huge fan and have an even bigger appreciation of art. When many of my friends and loved ones find out I’m an artists, my tattoo-clad friends usually ask me to draw their next tattoo. I always deny the request.
It felt like a lot of responsibility on my shoulders to create something that would be long lasting and forever apart of this persons body. I designed the logo for a family business some years ago. An accomplished graffiti artist who’s work I admired was commissioned to recreate my art on the business’ storefront. I was excited to know that my art was going to be the flagship of the store and greet everyone upon entering.
As I approached the business I was ecstatic, that was until I saw it……
The colors were changed, the perspective was completely different, and the lettering looked nothing like my concept. Don’t get me wrong it looked great, it just wasn’t my vision. If you are an artist of any sort- painter, filmmaker, writer, architect; it’s tough to see your work translated into a new medium and let another creative person interpret your work. I guess that’s a bit how Alan Moore feels about his writing getting translated to the big screen.
Recently I was asked by a few more people to design tattoos for them, two of those people were family members and the other was a friend that loved a few of my editorial pieces as is. Since two of the requests were from family members, I decided to reflect on why I always reject tattoo commissions.
As I thought about it, I realized my decision had less to do with how my work would be interpreted in this art-form but more to do with the permanency. I do not have any tattoos, namely because I can’t think of anything that I want to have on my body forever and ever. Since I can’t commit to a tattoo- let alone the natural choice of designing my own, I realized my decision to reject the commissions was a selfish one.
I’m very open-minded person and tend to save judgment for others. So with that, I’ve decided to change my tune. While I wont be getting a tattoo anytime soon, I will allow my friend to get the Send in the Clowns piece I created for MOTU’s column on Comic Mix and I’ll begin drawing a soft, elegant mermaid for a mural piece for a woman’s side.
Keith Valencia
April 2, 2009 - 1:01 pm
I agree that you don’t like people changing you art work. If I made something with all my heart and soul I would not want anyone to change it. To tell you the truth i would take there head off if they did. A true lover of your work would not change anything on it. Thank you for giving me your blessing on get the tattoo of the kick ass clown that I love so much!!!! 🙂
Alan Coil
April 2, 2009 - 1:11 pm
Ooooh! Draw me a Michael Davis so I can get it tattooed on my butt!
Kidding, M.O.T.U. 😉
Martha Thomases
April 2, 2009 - 1:19 pm
The trouble with designing a tattoo for someone is not simply the possibility that the tattoo artist will change your design. The person who is tattoed might also change your design as their body ages. I know that, if I had anything inked on my thighs when I was in my twenties, it would be all stretched out and splotchy now.
McCarthy
April 2, 2009 - 1:24 pm
It was nice of your boyfriend to model all of his tattoos for this week’s column.
Hannah
April 2, 2009 - 1:25 pm
Hi Tatiana,
Enjoyed the article!!! 🙂
M
April 2, 2009 - 1:51 pm
That is a tough one. Because once you create it is totally out of your hands, especially with the issues that Martha brought up. (Tattoo Artist vs. the changing body) On the flip side it can be viewed as flattery that someone would want to keep your artwork on their body their entire life.
Great Article!!!
Reg
April 2, 2009 - 2:14 pm
What??!!! Boyfriend??!!
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/smokey-robinson-the-tears-of-a-clown-0001/415765810/?icid=VIDLRVMUS05
sniff… sniff…waaaaaaaaaahhhh!!
🙂
pennie
April 2, 2009 - 3:30 pm
Tatiana,
As a girl whose lack of drawing talent is so severe that my stick figures recoil in horror, I so admire your obviously mad skills: imagination flowing onto canvas, paper, screen with beautifully conceived strokes. You are gifted and also generous in sharing your talent with those of us who festoon our bodies with lines and color.
No illustrated woman I, but when it came to my first tat, a mermaid representing me, I scoured books, the net, and exhausted all available resources to no avail–and I do think I am somewhat resourceful.
Truly a sea-creature, I wanted particular attributes for my mermaid yet came up empty-handed.
Most of the representations were either too demure, too cutesy, too much like caricatures. Most were waaay too Victorian prudes with shells hiding their boobs. How can you swim with those anyway? None looked you in the eyes. None had my long red hair. Some were sleek but none had the whole package.
My local artist accepted the challenge.
He spent hours getting it right–he was THAT determined. And gifted.
He got it right and as a result, I have a lovely representation of me, the bare-nippled, sleek and lovely red-haired mermaid adorning my body.
As I age (what!), it will as well and I’m fine with that. Just a part of life–a specific part at that…}’;>)
Thanks for the fine work. I’m sure you’ll do your mermaid-seeking woman proud.
N
April 3, 2009 - 4:30 pm
I’m also a huge fan of art (in all its forms), but art is subjective. Even though I may not always like something I see, I still do appreciate and envy (in the good sense!) people who can capture their creativity in a canvas, a piece of paper, with a musical instrument, etc.
As M says, “…once you create it is totally out of your hands…” So, subsequent interpretations of your art aside, what a great compliment it is to have somebody ask you to immortalize your art and in their skin, nonetheless!
Chris Derrick
April 8, 2009 - 5:54 pm
part of the artist’s journey is growing… almost anything you create is going to take on “other” meaning once you pass it off to someone else’s hands… be honored that someone wants you to create something that will permanently be on their body (all your art is permanent, anyway, unless it’s destroyed), but be wary, because as you grow and change, what you consider to be “your best” grows and changes to… and what you see now, might make you cringe 5 years from now, or it might make you nostalgic for simpler times…
Some of your art is for you, some is for everyone else… you kind of need to figure out what’s going to be for others and give it to them all the time, because you might never be satisfied with what you do.
Great French Filmmaker Truffaut once said, be happy if you get 70% of what was in your head on film…
Tatiana
April 9, 2009 - 10:22 am
@ Keith- Enjoy the clown!
Tatiana
April 9, 2009 - 10:26 am
@ pennie- You pretty much summed up all the issues my cousin is having with looking for a mermaid that fits her liking! I’m glad you were able to find an artist to work with you.
I’m beginning the mermaid drawing soon and the goal in the tattoo will be done in phases so that it’s ready for summer. I’ll make some updates when it’s done.
Tatiana
April 9, 2009 - 10:28 am
@ N- ” I still do appreciate and envy (in the good sense!) people who can capture their creativity in a canvas, a piece of paper, with a musical instrument, etc.”
Welcome to the site and thanks for the compliment. Creating art is a magical experience for me.
Tatiana
April 9, 2009 - 10:32 am
@ Chris Derrick- “as you grow and change, what you consider to be “your best” grows and changes to… and what you see now, might make you cringe 5 years from now, or it might make you nostalgic for simpler times…”
As a creative person as well, you understand my sentiments.
Each piece of art I create is like a child. It’s hard to pimp out your own child. 🙂 LOL
MOTU
April 9, 2009 - 12:47 pm
Tatiana said:
“Each piece of art I create is like a child. It’s hard to pimp out your own child. LOL”
No…no it’s not.