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.