A shape, a symbol, a message, a memory, a loved one. Tattoos all have various meaning, some more so than others. I suppose there are certain people who find tattoos vulgar, against nature or against their religion, or even ugly, but there are also quite a few others that find an inked, permanent work to be full of meaning, a visual expression of art and rembrance. Usually they are significant of a loved one, loved pet, or a special event in the wearer's life, but often they are for fun, an 18th birthday occasion. My brother is one such recipient, as his tattoos are more for cosmetic appeal, rather than a deeper meaning, and I believe this may be because he got them on a whim, eager to "look cooler." He has a couple skulls and markings on his biceps and right forearm, but regrets his just-eighteen-and-ready-to-get-inked mentality, and now says he wants to get them covered with grander, more elaborate tattoos. So I suppose critics of tattoos might say that to have something permanently etched into your skin (as a choice) may not always be beneficial to the "human canvas" we sometimes think we are. Often, a person might decide they no longer enjoy the tattoo, or it was a stupid decision, or they get drunk and get an "I heart Mom" tattoo, in a most inappropriate place, or even find that as they get older, the tattoo they found awesome a few years ago now isn't suited for the workplace, or something to that effect.
But yet the thing that intrigues so many to the art of tattooing is the beauty of having a story illustrated on one's body; a beautiful, picturesque view of their life, a dragon taking off into the sky, a mermaid splashing in a lagoon, brightly colored flowers surrounding a cross, always honoring.
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