Steampunk tattoo

[Albrecht]

Hello everyone.
Since I seem to be loosing the tattoo-race against my brother (currently it's 1:7, I've got one, he's got seven) and he's goimg to get his 8th next weekend I have decided to get a steampunk-themed tattoo, but I have no idea what motive it should be.
Any suggestions?
Images would be highly appreciated, too.

And yes, once I've got it I promise to send pictures.


And before you ask: upper right arm or right shoulder (blade).

[Atterton]

Something where it looks as if part of the skin is missing, and parts of a steam engine can be seen underneath.

[Lady Lavinea Dreadful]

hmmm...i've been giving this a similar thought a steampunk tattoo that is... possibly, for my self, a steam powered robotic geisha... for your self... not sure... hmmmm gears are all too commen... you could go all out and have a sort of steam powered spine tattooed on your back...then again you might not want some thing so big...

[Laverna Lovett~]

you could always get an airship, or some kind of gun. gears are a bit common, but they do represent steampunk, if you want something that other steampunks would recognize.

[Albrecht]

Something where it looks as if part of the skin is missing, and parts of a steam engine can be seen underneath.

that's a great idea. I will put it on the list of options.

[Brass Alchemist]

I've been thinking it'd be cool to get Leonardo da Vinci styled wings tattooed on the back with some gears incorporated into it. It would admittedly be more clockpunk than steampunk, but still pretty cool looking.

[Atterton]

Some soldiers get the regiment insignia tattoed. You could get a tattoo of a fictional airship fleet insignia.

[Lilith-Nighthawk]

 I like Ms boo dreadfuls idea for one she wants to get for herself. I'd probly do a mechanical Indian woman, or khmer woman. The idea of a mechanical spine though is a great idea, or maby a small mechanical animal of some sort. A snake or something to that effect.

[Brass Alchemist]

Some soldiers get the regiment insignia tattoed. You could get a tattoo of a fictional airship fleet insignia.

Aw, that is an awesome idea. I like it.

[Prof. George of Chaos]

I met a chap once who had f-holes tattooed about the small of his back. What about some sort of curlicues? I am very enamored with some of the scrollwork on the armatures (is that the right word? The non-moving pieces) of watch-clockworks. That ornamentation of the shape already there...Something like that could look extremely good on somebody's shoulderblade area.

[Sir. Silence]

Perhaps some form of hole in your body that shows metal underneath and some clockwork parts WITH little men inside stoking furnaces or repairing the skin (perhaps walking around on gantry's?). The tattooist would have to be good at perspective and angles but i believe with well thought out sketches and planning it would be possible.

Sir. Silence

[plum phlogiston]

 How about something like this?

http://download.minitokyo.net/104136/

Its by Hinoki Amamori; I have been coveting a tattoo done like this (without the figure) for years.

Aah such a shame tis so pricey to be inked.

[Brass Alchemist]

I met a chap once who had f-holes tattooed about the small of his back. What about some sort of curlicues? I am very enamored with some of the scrollwork on the armatures (is that the right word? The non-moving pieces) of watch-clockworks. That ornamentation of the shape already there...Something like that could look extremely good on somebody's shoulderblade area.

I met a chap once who WAS an f-hole, but he didn't have any cool tattoos.

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

Spiders?

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2007/10/30/steampunk-insect_54.jpg
http://brassgoggles.co.uk/images/clockworkspider.jpg

Mad scientist?

http://www.elfwood.com/art/s/s/sseal/kitaro_final.jpg.html
http://scienceblogs.com/strangerfruit/post_tutorial_mad-scientist_2_470.jpg
http://www.elfwood.com/art/l/u/ludvigsen/tym_the_merger.jpg.html

Ghosts?
http://www.elfwood.com/art/m/g/mgordon/clothman.jpg.html

Vehickylars?
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/images/Jasper_Morello_-Crew_navigating_in_skiff.jpg

Who the heck knows, man?
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-US&q=cog

Check the art thread for inspiration.

[GentlemanCaller]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you don't already know and really passionately want what you're about to have permenantly engraved on your skin, don't do it. Yet.

Obviously I'm not you, and can't say what your feelings on body modifications are, but nothing I get inked is without at least six months deliberation (Six years, in some cases) and layers of personal significance. I have enough symbolism running around my head for six people, but you get the idea.

On a prize piece of tattoo-able flesh no less - tattoo coverups are not easy or fun, and the last thing you want to do is put something you're not totally dead-set on on a handy bicep or shoulder blade. The places that are nicely shaped, easy to tattoo and easy to display are the ones you reserve for the creme of the tattoo crop, not wasted on something spur of the moment - that's what your backside is for 8D

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

Speaking of, I really ought to get that surly leprechaun on one of my cheeks sometime... 

[Albrecht]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you don't already know and really passionately want what you're about to have permenantly engraved on your skin, don't do it. Yet.

Obviously I'm not you, and can't say what your feelings on body modifications are, but nothing I get inked is without at least six months deliberation (Six years, in some cases) and layers of personal significance. I have enough symbolism running around my head for six people, but you get the idea.

On a prize piece of tattoo-able flesh no less - tattoo coverups are not easy or fun, and the last thing you want to do is put something you're not totally dead-set on on a handy bicep or shoulder blade. The places that are nicely shaped, easy to tattoo and easy to display are the ones you reserve for the creme of the tattoo crop, not wasted on something spur of the moment - that's what your backside is for 8D

I agree completely. In fact I've been thinking about two tattoos for a while now. One is Cthulhu-themed and I've got the motive already and the other should be steampunk-themed. But a motive seems to be more tricky.


Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

[Laverna Lovett~]

Mad scientist?

http://www.elfwood.com/art/s/s/sseal/kitaro_final.jpg.html
http://scienceblogs.com/strangerfruit/post_tutorial_mad-scientist_2_470.jpg
http://www.elfwood.com/art/l/u/ludvigsen/tym_the_merger.jpg.html

that last one is a bit...creepy. he looks like he's about to touch someone in inappropriate places...::crosses arms and legs nervously::

[Sir. Silence]

Mad scientist?

http://www.elfwood.com/art/s/s/sseal/kitaro_final.jpg.html
http://scienceblogs.com/strangerfruit/post_tutorial_mad-scientist_2_470.jpg
http://www.elfwood.com/art/l/u/ludvigsen/tym_the_merger.jpg.html

that last one is a bit...creepy. he looks like he's about to touch someone in inappropriate places...::crosses arms and legs nervously::

The gerbil or the man?? That is the question.

With Laughter

Sir. Silence

[tombshroud]

I agree with the posters that caution patience when getting a tattoo - really think it over.  All that being said - I have 2 'normal' tattoos, 1 black-light tattoo, and one scarring so I've given a lot of thought about all my body mods.  And I'm not done yet.

As for an idea to throw into the mix - what about a black widow spider with a gear (or two) instead of the hourglass?

I also second the idea of getting a steampunk DaVinci-esque wing on the shoulder blade.

[H. MacHinery]

I agree with the posters that caution patience when getting a tattoo - really think it over.  All that being said - I have 2 'normal' tattoos, 1 black-light tattoo, and one scarring so I've given a lot of thought about all my body mods.  And I'm not done yet.

A UV tattoo?  Any chance of a a phot of it in daylight and UV darkness?  I've only heard of such things before.

[Lt. Lily Shaw]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you don't already know and really passionately want what you're about to have permenantly engraved on your skin, don't do it. Yet.

Obviously I'm not you, and can't say what your feelings on body modifications are, but nothing I get inked is without at least six months deliberation (Six years, in some cases) and layers of personal significance. I have enough symbolism running around my head for six people, but you get the idea.

On a prize piece of tattoo-able flesh no less - tattoo coverups are not easy or fun, and the last thing you want to do is put something you're not totally dead-set on on a handy bicep or shoulder blade. The places that are nicely shaped, easy to tattoo and easy to display are the ones you reserve for the creme of the tattoo crop, not wasted on something spur of the moment - that's what your backside is for 8D

I completely agree with this!!
I thought about mine for only 6 months, I was so sure I'd want this well into my nineties, and i hate it now so much! It's in a prime spot, and so dark i'd have to have a very cunning coverup indeed, (which I am plotting unsuccessfully for some time.) it's not big, but it covers my upper arm in a way that any scarification piece I'd want (which is what i'm currently deliberating as a prettier option to a coverup) into something that would have to be very oddly placed indeed to cover the whole thing, egg-shaped though it is. I'm thinking about just giving it a respirator or gas mask in the same style as the piece to try and awesome it up, but in my head that looks tacky.

so think lots!!!

[Bezier]

I like my tattoos to be purely decorative. Nothing I can get sick of later because it's only there to look good, not to show "I like this stuff". Still, I agree that you have to really think ahead and make sure you're getting something you really want.

I have nothing against people who only believe in tattoos which express deep feelings and beliefs and such, but that is just my approach.

[Atterton]

I´d imagine you´d sooner tire of something which just looks pretty, rather than something which have meaning.

[Lt. Lily Shaw]

I´d imagine you´d sooner tire of something which just looks pretty, rather than something which have meaning.

People often change their ideals, as well as their sense of what's aesthetically pleasing. Personally i'd like a pretty tattoo over something that represents an experience or ideal i'd rather forget later on.

plus, don't ever get a lover's name tattooed on you  It'll never last.