I got my first tattoo done today, it's originally a viking-age woodcarving that is found at the Urnes stavechurch in Norway so I just had it adapted to a design that worked for a tattoo.
So, what do you guys think?
Wow, that is a very intricate, nice looking tattoo. Two thumbs way up, dude =)
Thanks man!
mesmerizing tatoo.... man you just look so mesmerizing overall.
Thanks!
I wish I could meet you some day... then I could call myself mesmerized as well...
Hey Mesmerized -
I really like it. "Very impressive" and with a timeless quality upon which it is based. Not the type of Tattoo that when one reaches 40 they suddenly wish they had never gotten. No Way!
Goes perfectly with you and is a killer great one! :-)
Justin~
Thank you! That was actually important to me, that it wasn't something I'd regret!
Thank you, glad it fits me :)
Sweeeeeet!! Here's to many more (I'm at 18 and counting).
Thanks man! I'm thinking of some designs, but my next one is still far into the future because I need to save up some money, and be sure on the design. I spent a lot of time thinking before getting this one!
18, that's a lot! When did you get your first one?
I didn't get my first one until I was 43 (8 years ago). It's true that they become addictive!! Check out tattoofinder.com for some ideas for your next one.
Beautiful and badass at the same time. It fits you perfectly. I'd love to get a tattoo, but the slightest chance I'll want rid of it in a couple of decades keeps me from going through with it.
Do you have plans for more?
Matt
Thanks man! I can appreciate the way you're feeling. That's part why I've waited this long. If I was going to get one, it should be one I was sure I wouldn't regret.
Not plans per se, more like thoughts on it :)
Hi Stefan thanks for posting that great pic of your new tattoo!Looks really cool and its nice that you put some thought into choosing that design instead of that run of the mill stuff that everyone seems to get.Makes it more unique and its an original!As for me I've never had a tattoo done which kind of surprises me since I did earrings in both ears but never had the urge to do bodyart.Oh well maybe someday I'll do one.Any suggestion?Mark
Thanks man! Yeah, the design was very important, which is why I haven't gotten it done until now, even though I could've gotten it legally five years ago.
Anyway, it's never too late to get a tattoo. My dad went with me to the shop, and now he's urging for one too! :)
About design, I don't know. It's a very personal thing so it's got to be something that matters to you personally!
Nice! Is this the first of many more to come?
Thanks! Most likely, yeah, more will follow!
My father suggested maybe to expand part of it to go all around my arm.
If you like it, and if it gives you perasure I am happy for you.
I have long hair and bi-lateral earrings, but do not expect ever to get a tatoo, do not like them, do no want them.
But I celbrate your freedm to be you.
Caledonian
That is a very nice design... I appreciate the artwork apparent in many tattoos. I've thought about getting one but can never see myself happy with it in 20 or 30 years. There are no designs with deep enough meaning to pass that muster. I hope yours stands that test of time because you've got it for life.
Thank you! I'm sure it will, or I wouldn't have got it. Spent 8 years pondering before getting that first one!
As someone said, beautiful and badass at the same time. I love the intricacy and randomness and yet the simultaneous connectivity of it; it reminds me of Celtic knots. Very nice indeed, and I think it'd suit you very well to have tattoos running down your arm.
How did it feel, though, since it was your first? Did it hurt more or less than you expected? I've never had one, so I really have no idea what to expect. I've played around with the idea for a long time, but besides my great fear of irrevocably putting something indelible I might not want later on my skin, my mom would have a medically unprecedented series of heart attacks if I ever DID get one. And then there's the fear that you're desecrating something sacred and natural, but then clothes and lipstick are temporary tattoos in that sense. Oh, well, we'll see.
Thanks man! I like the combination of bad and beautiful, heh :)
And yeah, the whole intricacy of the viking art is something that I'm really into. We'll see where I go from here. As far as the job I have now, I can't go further down the arm. But I don't think I'll stay in this job forever!
It hurt a lot less than I had imagined, but I do have a pretty high pain threshold so your mileage may vary. But from what I gather it never *really* hurts, more like it feels a bit annoying while it's going on. It's a bit sore today, but nothing much.
There's a lot of stuff to consider, but don't let the pain factor be one of the issues. My mom wasn't hooked on me getting it, but she was really impressed when I showed it to her! As was my grandmother!
I believe that the body is finite, but the spirit isn't, so whatever I get inked on my body won't have any effect on anything spiritual.
If you do get one, make sure to post it here for us to see!
Thats cool and original, I like it a lot. Although being historical and cultural it still has that 'badass metal' feel.
Thanks!
Yeah, that's also one of the things I fell for. It's a lot more badass than the design I brought with me on paper. The tattooist really brought it to life in the way he did it!
Hi
Stefan
Personnal I dont like tattooss as i see it as a mark on your body for life but everyone to his own.
Ive never had a tatoo and i got a feeling its very painful and the though of someone jadding me with needles aint my idea of fun !
Seriously though enjoy mate
Axel ( Zig)
Well, it is :)
It's really not very bad. But if you don't feel like it, there's really no reason to do it!
Thanks!
Actually Stefan I know someone that has an eye tattooed on each of cheeky has his bottom you can laugh but its true !!!
I really like it! Whoever did it did a good job. It is a very interesting design all woven together with the Celtic knot influence. Is it Fenrir and the Midgaard serpent intertwined or something altogether different?
It's actually not a wolf, it's a stag nibbling on a tree, and some serpents intertwined. If it'd been only one serpent, I would've guess it was Nidhug, but since there are two, I guess they're just serpents!
It's not celtic knot influence though, it's original viking style! They are sort of similar though. The woodcarving it's based on is on a church that was built in 1050!! That's oldschool :)
There's actually a lot of Gaellic influence in Norse craft, especially what's been excavated from Iceland, so the artwork probably did have some Celtic influence!
I thought Nidhogg was more of a dargon than a snake, so I suppose that'd be ruled out either way.
..but, that tattoo looks very very awesome. If I had a tattoo I'd get something similar, as it's something you'd be much less likely to regret as years pass by. As opposed to the trend of Asian characters and band names, etc..
Was thinking maybe a small Celtic knot and Mjolnir on each side of my upper back, nice way to split both sides of my heritage.
True enough, but it's still pure viking art, cause they made it their own :)
A dragon is sometimes called a wyrm, and it's my impression that Vikings most often drew dragons as a form of serpentine creature.
One deep fried chicken to go, 700 yen!
That'd make a great tattoo :)
So, thanks man!
That sounds like a sweet idea!
That's beautiful. . .I love knotwork art like that. It fits you well.
That "Ball" Guy
www.thatballguy.com
Thanks very much!
Looks very good.
Congrats.
Thanks mate!
Sweet. That tattoo looks badass as to many people have tats that look really plain and yours is clearly something with a deeper meaning. In my opinion the best tats are always the unique ones that have a deep personal meaning to the person who has it done.
Take care dude.
Thanks man!
Lokks very very good !!!!!!
Thank you!
I'm a little late posting this, but that is one awesome tattoo. Really looks good on you too... Do you have a link to the original photo of where you got that design from? I'd like to see the original design as well. Good job man.
-Ardroth
Thanks a lot man, good to hear from you!
Here's a couple of pictures from the church:
that's really well done. the execution is exquisite. saw the pics you posted of the inspiration- I spent a month and a half in Ireland and Scotland and didn't see any carvings even close to as well preserved as those. Guess I've been visiting the wrong countries. ;)
I'm a big fan of celtic(ish) knotwork and would probably have some sort of knotwork tattoo by now if I could settle on a design (I'm one of those people who changes their computer's desktop background once a week/day/hour- don't think I could ever finalize it).
good taste, man! :)
-sectari
Thanks man! Yeah, I would love to visit the church itself, but I'm not sure where it's located precisely, and Norway is a bit expensive to go on vacation in.
I've been in Norway tons of times, but never outside of Oslo.