The Beauty and Meaning of Commemorative Tattoo's

For a number of years now, there has been a growing trend toward commemorative tattoos, and many people have used all kinds of tattoos, to remember all kinds of events. Some of the events memorialized in tattoo ink are frivolous in nature, like the bowling team who had their tournament win permanently commemorated in ink. Others events are far more profound, like the large number of policemen and fire fighters who tattooed the names of fallen colleagues on their arms for all to see. In fact, there was a big up tick in the demand for commemorative tattoos in the months immediately following the 9/11 tragedy, and patriotic tattoos continue to be among the most popular of all commemorative tattoos. Many of those in the military understand the symbolic power of these special tattoos, and they often choose to remember fallen comrades in this special way. This trend toward commemorative tattoos in all branches of the military dates back at least as far as the Vietnam war, and probably much further. Of course it is not just military members, police officers and fire fighters who understand the power of this most unique form of self expression and remembrance. There has also been a growing trend toward memorializing family members, friends and even beloved pets through the application of a tattoo. >From the lady who tattooed a picture of her beloved dog on her ankle, to the grieving father remembering a cherished son, there is nothing quite like the power and permanency of a tattoo to remember the life of a loved one. Of course nowhere is the choice of tattoo artist more vital than in the case of a commemorative tattoo. Since a commemorative tattoo is much more than just another piece of body art, it is vital that the tattoo artist you choose be up to the job. It is vital as well that the tattoo artist chosen understand just how meaningful and personal this tattoo is, and how important it is that he or she does an exceptional job when creating it. It may be a good idea to ask around for recommendations of tattoo artists who have experience creating these living tributes. If you know someone who has such a tattoo, ask for tattoo artist recommendations, and meet personally with the tattoo artist to discuss the tribute and what it means. A good tattoo artist will listen carefully and try to understand just what this tribute means to you and why it is so important. If you are unable to get a personal recommendation for a local tattoo artist, the internet may be the next best thing. The internet is at once both global and local, and chances are you will be able to find lots of feedback, both good and bad, about local tattoo artists. While it is important to take these comments with a grain of salt, since it is impossible to verify the identity of the posters, these comments can provide a good starting point as you shop. All the basic rules about choosing a tattoo artist certainly apply to commemorative tattoo, only much more so. You will, of course, want to carefully review the portfolio of the tattoo artists you interview, paying special attention to his or her freehand work. After all, there probably will not be a pattern to work from for the commemorative tattoo you want. It is important that the artist be comfortable doing the freehand work you need to memorialize a special event, or a beloved friend or family member. Keeping their memory alive on your own skin is one of the most unique, and memorable, of all possible tributes.