6 - The Chieftain Quill

6
Friday, September 27, 2012
features
Tom Tom
Teachers and teens 2013 Fall Fashion
join #teamtatted
Senior Roshawn Hollie’s tattoo says, “ I can do all things through Christ who
strenghtens me,” Philippians 4:13. It held a lot of meaning to her because of her
personal struggles. Photo by Kathryn Hoover
Mary Catherine Loy
opinion editor
At age 16, senior Zach Cochran was on
his way to get his first tattoo at Absolute
Body Piercings and Tattoos in Old Towne
Bellevue. He got “Taekwondo” written in
Korean on his right calf.
“I was super excited to get my tattoo even
though I was nervous,” Cochran said.
Cochran has gotten two tattoos since then;
a scorpion on his ribs and “Never a Failure,
Always a Lesson” on his right tricep. Cochran plans on getting more by the end of the
school year.
“I’m actually starting a half-sleeve on my
left on next Friday; it’s going along with the
one I already have but I’m adding three of
my birth flower, Cochran said.”
Cochran’s parents have wanted him to get
one ever since he was a little kid, because
they have some themselves. It was also a
great way for him to show his personality
through ink.
“I also like the fact that I can express myself through tattoos.” Cochran said.
The tattoo trend has been steadily growing, according to Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Fox
& Friends newest co-host. With some help
from a celebrity culture in which all of the
actors and pop stars seem to be getting ink,
body art is exploding in popularity. Teenagers aren’t the only ones getting tatted; young,
old, men, women— it doesn’t matter. Because tattoos have become more socially
acceptable, people are able to express themselves with body art.
English instructor Jennifer Mallett-Smith
has five tattoos; cookie monster on her shoulder, a self-portrait of Kurt Vonnegut on her
leg, a Celtic knot with the Scottish Gaelic
word for courage on her foot/ankle, a photo
image of “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe
on her back, and a W for Weezer on her wrist.
“I got the cookie monster tattoo because I
carried [a cookie monster toy] around instead
of a security blanket. After him, I wanted
to do literary tattoos, since I love literature.
My Weezer tattoo was an impulse purchase,”
Mallett Smith said.
Senior Roshawn Hollie has a tattoo
of “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me,” wrapped around her ankle.
She got it during her sophomore year, when
she was going through a bad time. Now, she
is stronger, and has moved past her troubles.
Her tattoo is to symbolize forgiveness.
“I got it because it was the first reference
I could make when I started my walk withChrist. It signifies forgiveness,” Hollie said.
“It gave me strength to look at my life and
forgive all the things I’ve done and what
people have done to me.”
However, before a person goes to get
inked, they first need to know the rules. Justin Moore, manager of Dr. Jack’s Ink Emporium, says that the youngest age they will
accept is 17, and that is with parent consent.
Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome. Also,
it is a good idea to evaluate the shop, and the
artist’s portfolio that is assigned to you.
“Go in and look at portfolio of artist, make
sure the shop is clean, and see if the employees are helping in giving you what you want,
and not trying to change your original idea.
However, you need to be open to exceptions
and alterations,” Moore said.
How much a person pays for their tattoo
is also a good indicator of how well the tattoo will turn out. If the pricing seems low, it
could turn out bad.
“If a tattoo is around $40-50, it might not
turn out well. Expect to pay for higher quality,” Moore said.
After choosing the tattoo, and getting it
done, after-care is vital to making sure the
tattoo turns out well. It is important to apply
lotion, wash it often, and to stay away from
swimming and tanning.
“Be gentle, and careful not to scratch the
tattoo, because it could damage it. We give
a sheet to place on it to cover and protect it
until it’s healed,” Moore said.
Getting a tattoo is permanent, so a person
must really know themselves, and be sure
that this is what they want forever before
making a decision to get one.
“I would say that I did not really know
myself until I was about 28, and I am still
changing. Luckily, I got tattoos that are
timeless, so I am happy with them. Also,
don’t do portraits of faces. They can be really creepy, and you have to have a really
good artist do those so that they look nice,”
Mallett Smith said.
Cochran is also satisfied with his tattoo
choices, and does not regret them. Like Mallett-Smith, he agrees that the tattoo should be
of something that a person will be happy to
have forever.
“Know what you’re getting before you
set up an appointment. It has to be something that you want to be proud to show off.
The pain is not as bad as you would think
it would be, either. And don’t forget to keep
them clean,” Cochran said.
Infographic by Desiree Wilson