Getting a Tattoo

[jonnychgo]

I can't believe I am considering this, but lately I have seen a lot of (albeit young gay men) with a pine tree/forest tattoo. I LOVE it. Tonight I had the wild idea of possibly getting it done when safe to do so. Note, I am 61. Am I too old to get my first tattoo?

[orville]

Yes, you are too old. Don't do it

[marylander1940]

I can't believe I am considering this, but lately I have seen a lot of (albeit young gay men) with a pine tree/forest tattoo. I LOVE it. Tonight I had the wild idea of possibly getting it done when safe to do so. Note, I am 61. Am I too old to get my first tattoo?

 

Yes, you are too old. Don't do it

 

if not now at 50... when?

[Guest]

Do it if you like it and have NO reservation. I’m about your age, but would never get a tattoo...for me, I’d feel I was trying to mimic a youth I don’t have.

[orville]

if not now at 50... when?

He's not 50. He's 61. It's a very bad idea, for so many reasons.

[marylander1940]

He's not 50. He's 61. It's a very bad idea, for so many reasons.

 

@jonnychgo your profile says 50... are you 50 or 61? May 20, 1970 (Age: 50)...

[Guest]

@jonnychgo your profile says 50... are you 50 or 61? May 20, 1970 (Age: 50)...

... Note, I am 61. Am I too old to get my first tattoo?

Ahem...

[EastbayMike]

In the 90s I spent a lot of time in the gym and developed a pair of decent triceps/biceps. The popular tattoo trend among the gay men at the time was some variation of a bicep band such as a barbed wire pattern. I considered for about a day then thought better of it. Thank goddess! I can't imagine walking around now with a dumb 90's trend permanently on my now much smaller arms. Don't do it.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I suggest ink if it's a design that truly means something to you: Enough that you'd want it on your body permanently.

 

Just copying what someone else has, out of lust or social emulation, seems a little silly to me.

 

Bottom line, you do you. Don't let people age-shame you on this. If it makes you happy, that's all that matters.

[KrisParr]

I found an excellent temporary tattoo that I “wore” a few years ago. It looked amazingly real, but over the 10 days or so that it lasted, I was glad it came off. I was 46 at the time. Nothing ages a man more than attempting to align with the younger crowd.

[spider]

He's not 50. He's 61. It's a very bad idea, for so many reasons.

Please list those many reasons.

[orville]

... seems a little silly to me.

Yeah, for 61.

[orville]

I suggest ink if (...) you'd want it on your body permanently.

Bottom line, you do you. (...) If it makes you happy, that's all that matters.

Benjamin, always creative and insightful!

Dear @jonnychgo why don't you try some temporary method?

And after having your tattoo for some time, you decide if you want to make it permanent or not.

The video below provides different perspectives of Temporary vs. Permanent, without talking about age.

However, tattoos look good thanks to the muscle, fat, and collagen that one loses at an older age.

Whenever I've considered having one done, I asked myself: Will this look good on me when my skin looks like wrinkled paper?

My answer so far has always been: No.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jk9iShGULA:71

Edited August 25, 2020 by orville

[orville]

Please list those many reasons.

Why would I, if you can google it. ?

[+ poolboy48220]

I suggest ink if it's a design that truly means something to you: Enough that you'd want it on your body permanently.

 

Just copying what someone else has, out of lust or social emulation, seems a little silly to me.

 

Bottom line, you do you. Don't let people age-shame you on this. If it makes you happy, that's all that matters.

This is the best advice so far. Age is irrelevant. I waited for years before my first, in my early 40's, and 2nd in my early 50's. Both make me feel good. The Starfleet shield on my shoulder sparked a wonderful conversation with a new friend at the dog park.

[Guest]

It's a tough call, I always say do what makes you happy, it's your body, as long as the art is good and has meaning for you. But I too love the pine tree tats around today, especially on the forearms or calves. But I think at my age it wouldn't fit well especially in a professional setting and visible. I got my first at 32 and it was a tribal band, lol. Then I got a griffin on my opposite shoulder but they were so small they looked silly as I beefed up in my 30s. After the ex left me I had them both enlarged into some great personal art. I basically had the tattoo artist design it based on a general concept and I absolutely love them both. Unfortunately since I love to be in the sun they've both faded somewhat. My all time favorite is the winged wolf angel I have on my calf. And the best part was the artist, a shaggy scruffy furry 20 something (he did all of them) was using his furry ripped abs to hold my foot in place while he shaded it in. And yes I was turned on despite him grinding a needle into the side of my calf......

 

............ What were we talking about? ?

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

My recommendation is that if the tattoo has personal meaning, age should not be a factor. For example, I have a former co-worker who had first tattoo in his late 50s - - it was the name of his grandson placed over his heart.

[Rudynate]

I can't believe I am considering this, but lately I have seen a lot of (albeit young gay men) with a pine tree/forest tattoo. I LOVE it. Tonight I had the wild idea of possibly getting it done when safe to do so. Note, I am 61. Am I too old to get my first tattoo?

 

 

I got my first tattoo probably in my early 60s. I've been fascinated by them most of my life and finally decided there was no reason not to get a tattoo if I want one. I haven't been sorry - i love my tats. People will say condescending stuff about mid-life crises and such as though you're incapable of knowing your own mind. If you're SURE you want one, get one. Choose your artist carefully - there are a lot of bad ones out there. Many will congratulate you for doing something you really wanted to do. Some will not say a word about it. Some will be curious about what it "means."

[orville]

My recommendation is that if the tattoo has personal meaning, age should not be a factor. For example, I have a former co-worker who had first tattoo in his late 50s - - it was the name of his grandson placed over his heart.

That makes more sense. And of course, I would assume that is small and not visible unless topless, hence discreet given its personal connotation. A visible tattoo that one wants to show off just to follow a fashion trend, I'm not sure.

Edited August 25, 2020 by orville

[marylander1940]

I got my first tattoo probably in my early 60s. I've been fascinated by them most of my life and finally decided there was no reason not to get a tattoo if I want one. I haven't been sorry - i love my tats. People will say condescending stuff about mid-life crises and such as though you're incapable of knowing your own mind. If you're SURE you want one, get one. Choose your artist carefully - there are a lot of bad ones out there. Many will congratulate you for doing something you really wanted to do. Some will not say a word about it. Some will be curious about what it "means."

 

I hope you're not talking about a mid-life crisis at 60? and yes people could be judgmental and such but by 60 we shouldn't care.

[Rudynate]

I suggest ink if it's a design that truly means something to you: Enough that you'd want it on your body permanently.

 

Just copying what someone else has, out of lust or social emulation, seems a little silly to me.

 

Bottom line, you do you. Don't let people age-shame you on this. If it makes you happy, that's all that matters.

 

 

Important. When I got my first one, I went into a studio and made an appointment somewhat on impulse. I then realized I had no idea what sort of image I wanted, but I knew that I didn't want to choose one out of a book. I cancelled and told him I would re-schedule when I had thought more about the image. When I thought of one that I would like - I went back and had the guy draw it. I loved what he drew and said let's do it.

[Rudynate]

In the 90s I spent a lot of time in the gym and developed a pair of decent triceps/biceps. The popular tattoo trend among the gay men at the time was some variation of a bicep band such as a barbed wire pattern. I considered for about a day then thought better of it. Thank goddess! I can't imagine walking around now with a dumb 90's trend permanently on my now much smaller arms. Don't do it.

 

 

Yes, you might have been sorry for having mindlessly followed the trend. OTOH, if you had thought about it and gotten an image that you liked, you might still look at it and take satisfaction in it.

[Rudynate]

Yeah, for 61.

 

 

What is so special about his age? Why should that be a reason not to get a tattoo? Most of the reasons you're going to give revolve around what other people think. Anybody who has been a little bit thoughtful about getting tattooed has thought of what others would think and realized that they don't care.

[Guest]

Important. When I got my first one, I went into a studio and made an appointment somewhat on impulse. I then realized I had no idea what sort of image I wanted, but I knew that I didn't want to choose one out of a book. I cancelled and told him I would re-schedule when I had thought more about the image. When I thought of one that I would like - I went back and had the guy draw it. I loved what he drew and said let's do it.

 

Great advice and first hand experience. I tell people all the time, pick a good artist that has the same style that you want in a tattoo. There are very different styles and if you want a grey shaded style don't go to an artist that specializes in color, that may not be your thing. I was lucky in that I found a studio with a wide range of artist styles and chose my artist after looking through his books highlighting his work. These are not for you to choose from only to show you what the artists style and skills are like. I came into the studio and asked to see the work of all the artists then narrowed it down to Adam. Then we scheduled a second meeting where I could sit one on one with him and tell him what I was looking for. We then met a third time for him to present his drawings for what he had in mind. And they blew me away and were much better than anything I could come up with! Then we scheduled the first session, four hours of line work. Then I came back a few weeks later to do another 4 hours of shading and fill. That was my first shoulder piece. The second took three longer sessions including a six hour. Luckily the one on my calf was 3-4 in one session but it was pretty straight forward.

 

Key take away, a good tattoo is not something you walk into a shop while on vacation in Florida and pick a design off the wall.

[orville]

What is so special about his age? Why should that be a reason not to get a tattoo? Most of the reasons you're going to give revolve around what other people think. Anybody who has been a little bit thoughtful about getting tattooed has thought of what others would think and realized that they don't care.

I think it refers to the contrast between a fashion trend and vintage skin.

If it's just fashion it would look and feel odd.

If it's personal, no matter what others think, you know its meaning and you own it.

Edited August 25, 2020 by orville