Help with tattoo idea (Acacia Strain content)

dukeisdog · #1 06-10-2011, 01:25 AM

Hey guys, to start off, I'm 17 years old, turning 18 in August. I will legally be able to have a tattoo without parents consent at 18, and am hoping to get my first tattoo the year I'm able to. I'm really not in any rush to get anything done, and I'd like some help on some ideas from some folks who have tats, or even listen to the band. I don't want to hear anybody bashing the band, or the idea in general, as I like it, and that's all that matters to me.

I really wanna get the album cover from the album Continent, either on my forearm or bicep. I want the piece to come out as a half sleeve, and then hopefully turn it into a full sleeve. The artist that did the artwork for Continent (and all of the bands other albums) is Paul Romano. He's worked with a lot of other bands, and I've really come to appreciate all of his art. You can view his artwork for The Acacia Strain here:
http://www.workhardened.com/work/1/1...cacia%20Strain

With all of their album covers and art inside the booklets being so different, how could I incorporate the Continent artwork with pieces from their other albums?

It's a late night, and I've been thinking about this for years. I'd like to get some opinions from other people, and try to figure out exactly what I want. Yes, I am aware of some issues I may have finding a job with a sleeve, so you don't need to tell me that, I've heard enough of that from my parents. I see no issue with body modifications, I'd just like some opinions on this matter.

Thanks guys!

tastybasslines · #2 06-10-2011, 01:44 AM

Listen to your parents. A sleeve is a big mistake. I don't care that you mentioned it.

I hope your band makes it, etc...but when real life kicks in, you'll be down and out. You'll get some muff from it while you are younger, but then what?

dukeisdog · #3 06-10-2011, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Listen to your parents. A sleeve is a big mistake. I don't care that you mentioned it.

I hope your band makes it, etc...but when real life kicks in, you'll be down and out. You'll get some muff from it while you are younger, but then what?

Not looking for some muff out of it. Ive been with my girlfriend for over a year now, I'm content with staying with her. This is kind of the reason why I was thinking of getting a half sleeve on the upper part of my arm, which would make it covered by a t-shirt. Then when I get older and more financially stable I could decide to add to it or not. Anyone else?

It's kinda interesting though, because my father works for a printing company out here, and has been considering getting a half sleeve on his upper arm for a while.

sonic assassin · #4 06-10-2011, 03:30 AM

wait til you're famous to get tattoos you cant hide. im 22 and love tattoos. you wont see mine unless i show them to you. when ive got a few million sitting in a bank account, then maybe ill go big.

TOOL460002 · #5 06-10-2011, 04:18 AM

If you do decide to get a tattoo of whatever, and im saying you should or shouldn't (plenty of that above), I would advise going with black ink only. Solid black lines ideally, but black shading is probably okay. I say this out of my personal taste, because im sure plenty of folks here have elaborate colorful stuff, and im sure some of them look cool.

My reasoning for this is that color will fade. You could probably get them touched up every now and again, but solid black wont blur, and it'll look the same years later. That's important to me. Also, I pulled out a cookie sheet from the oven and had a small but pretty bad burn. Ir just blurred a couple lines. That's an easy fix. If you scratch up something intricate, that's no good. Its not going away, so you want it to look great. For decades to come.

And make sure the artist is good enough to tell you what is too small and will eventually blur. My first one has two small sets of roman numerals and one set is pretty blurry 8 or 9 years later. I would also not want some cd cover or logo that someone else created and is marketing. Get an original design.

tom once dead · #6 06-10-2011, 04:32 AM

I've always thought about how cool the continent album art would be as a half sleeve. I've always been a bit undecided when it comes to getting an album cover as a tattoo, I'd dig it if I saw someone else with Continent on their arm but I don't think Id get it myself.

edit: Here is the album cover in question

dukeisdog · #7 06-10-2011, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

I've always thought about how cool the continent album art would be as a half sleeve. I've always been a bit undecided when it comes to getting an album cover as a tattoo, I'd dig it if I saw someone else with Continent on their arm but I don't think Id get it myself.

I love it. It looks really good in this picture: http://www.myspace.com/theacaciastra...%3A42212510%7D

Of course I would make it my own, im not sure how I would, but I wouldn't want the exact same this as someone else. But I think it's really colorful and looks great.

hover · #8 06-10-2011, 04:39 AM

Wow. Personally I see that ^^^ as really poor quality school notebook art. The execution is terrible. Not profound looking at all.

dukeisdog · #9 06-10-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hover

Wow. Personally I see that ^^^ as really poor quality school notebook art. The execution is terrible. Not profound looking at all.

Well the album theme is the world coming to an end. You should check out the link I posted in my original post and look through some of his other artwork. I personally think it's all really nice and original, but everyone will have their own opinions.

Edit: and that picture of the album art isn't of the greatest quality. I think it looks way better when the photo is of better quality.

tom once dead · #10 06-10-2011, 04:44 AM

Looking at actual tattoos of it, Im not really a fan anymore to be honest.
And yeah, the pic I posted of the album is just a low quality version so everyone can get the gist of the picture.

dukeisdog · #11 06-10-2011, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

Looking at actual tattoos of it, Im not really a fan anymore to be honest.

Could you be a little more specific? What don't you like about it? I think it could look really nice if I found a good artist that could do it really well.

tom once dead · #12 06-10-2011, 04:49 AM

I think to make it look really good you would need it to be huge so you could fit in all the little details, so maybe if you had overly large sized arms.

dukeisdog · #13 06-10-2011, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

I think to make it look really good you would need it to be huge so you could fit in all the little details, so maybe if you had overly large sized arms.

I definitely dont have big arms, I'm pretty tall and skinny. Im still set on the artwork, I really love this album and listen to it everyday. Maybe I need to find a better place that I could put it. Then I wouldn't have to worry about the consequences of getting a big piece that I can't hide.

tom once dead · #14 06-10-2011, 05:01 AM

The only place you could really fit it would be a chest piece or on your back. But I don't think it would look as good there.

jabsys · #15 06-10-2011, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukeisdog

I love it. It looks really good in this picture: Danny of FROM A LACERATED SKY Photos from THE ACACIA STRAIN (THE ACACIA STRAIN) on Myspace

That looks much better as a sleeve than I thought it would, I'd rather have something original but at least without the band name it's not obvious that it's an album cover.

We don't have hot enough weather here to make hiding a full sleeve an issue, as long as it don't go too low it's easily hidden with a long sleeve shirt for work.

dukeisdog · #16 06-10-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabsys

That looks much better as a sleeve than I thought it would, I'd rather have something original but at least without the band name it's not obvious that it's an album cover.

We don't have hot enough weather here to make hiding a full sleeve an issue, as long as it don't go too low it's easily hidden with a long sleeve shirt for work.

Yeah, I also like the way it looks as a sleeve, but I'm now taking into consideration the size of my arms. I'm about 5'10" and about 130lbs. My arms are pretty tiny, and I'd be really disappointed if I got something that big and colorful if it would just turn out looking sloppy and un-professional.

tom once dead · #17 06-10-2011, 05:14 AM

I'm currently trying to build up my arms for the same reason

not that I can think about being able to afford a tattoo yet. Maybe if you got it on your calf it would look pretty good.

dukeisdog · #18 06-10-2011, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

I'm currently trying to build up my arms for the same reason

not that I can think about being able to afford a tattoo yet. Maybe if you got it on your calf it would look pretty good.

I'm not too sure why, but leg tattoos have never really appealed to me. I think the only way I would ever get a leg tattoo would be if I ran out of space on the rest of my body.

And I'm not in a position right now to drop a bunch of money on a huge colored tattoo, but I figure that I might as well get some ideas in my head as its going to be a big decision for me.

Maybe while I'm working on getting funds for this tattoo (which will come after I get a new drumset and some Zildjian A customs) I should be building my arms up too.

tom once dead · #19 06-10-2011, 05:24 AM

Definitely sit on the idea for a while once you turn 18 as well. Your mind might change on the idea. If you really want the tattoo after a year or so than I'd say go for it. I've got a couple of tattoos planned and I'm pretty keen on both of the idea's. I figure it won't hurt to wait a bit. One of my housemates got a pretty decent sized chest piece the other day which doesn't help my tattoo GAS.

dukeisdog · #20 06-10-2011, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

Definitely sit on the idea for a while once you turn 18 as well. Your mind might change on the idea. If you really want the tattoo after a year or so than I'd say go for it. I've got a couple of tattoos planned and I'm pretty keen on both of the idea's. I figure it won't hurt to wait a bit. One of my housemates got a pretty decent sized chest piece the other day which doesn't help my tattoo GAS.

Im for sure gonna wait until I know exactly what I want. I've had a few other ideas also, but I've been listening to this album everyday for basically the past year and a half, but maybe waiting longer wouldn't be a bad idea.

And I know exactly what you mean. My brother has 5 now. But he's also 21, so he's quite a bit older then me.