Johnny Depp’s literary inspired tattoo

Johnny Depp has a great relatively new tattoo “Silence Exile Cunning” which is a quote from the book “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by James Joyce. The tattoo comes from a quote near the end of the book by the main character Stephen: “I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use – silence, exile, and cunning.”

It is on the inside of his left arm and is a great quote and an awesome tattoo. If you want to see a picture of it – just google it – it is everywhere – no need for me to recycle the same old photos!

We also know that Johnny Depp has a multitude of other tattoos – around 14 known tattoos, including:

• American Cherokee Head- reflecting his great-great-grandmother’s cherokee heritage
• Brave Symbol – on his inside right arm from his movie The Brave
• Lily-Rose -  the name of his first-born child is tattoed near his heart
• Heart with Betty Sue – on his left upper arm is his mother’s name
• Inverted Triangle – is above the Betty Sue tattoo and is often used as an expression of romantic love
• Jack – his son’s name
• Wino Forever – on his right bicep is his notorious Winona Forever tattoo which he had changed after his breakup with Winona Ryder
• Three small rectangles on his right index finger – he has described these as a “permanent phone doodle”
• the number 3 – on his left hand between his thumb and index finger is said to be a mystical, magical number
• Flying Bird – on his right forearm and is from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie – but he turned the tattoo around so that it flies towards him – his son Jack’s name is tattoed below
• Skull and Crossbones – on his outside lower right leg with the phrase “Death is Certain” below it
• Question mark ? – on his right inside leg over his ankle

Most of Johnny’s tattoos have been done by New York tattooist Jonathan Shaw.

He is a true tattoo aficianado and every tattoo means something to him and marks a specific time in his life. I have several tattoos myself and each one means something special to me – I think this is one of the best ways to approach getting a tattoo – linking your tattoo to something that means something special to you.

As Johnny Depp says tattoos are milestones to remember life’s journey by.

Tattoo My Brain Review

I do not belong to this site but it rates a mention – even if only for the fact that it gives away the most unrelated bonuses for a tattoo website!

With membership you get the following bonuses:

• Quit Smoking Today! ebook – $39.95
• So You Wanna Buy A Car? ebook – $29.95
• 101 Money Leaks ebook – $29.95
• Online Dating The Easy Way ebook – $39.95
• Your Dreams Revealed ebook – $29.95

I am sorry – but what on earth do these bonuses have to do with tattoos? I am not a big fan of sites that give away totally unrelated bonuses – it insults the intelligence of anyone considering membership to this site.

But apart from the bonuses, the site gives you the opportunity to sign up for a free 5 day tattoo mini course – I have signed up for this and it is average – it tells you a little bit about the history of tattoos, and selecting a tattoo, etc.

Like most tattoo sites it allows you to browse through categories to find the tattoos you are interested in and there are over 6,000 designs on offer. I am not sure of the quality of the designs – so you would have to make up your own mind on this one.

The membership price is $35.95 – a one time fee.

Check it out here if you are interested!

Would love to hear from anybody who has actually joined this site!

Celebrities and Their Tattoos

When deciding on whether or not to get a tattoo, the first thing to think about is how the tattoo will be a permanent mark on the body.  The next thing to consider is what the preferred style might be.  Most tattoo parlors have samples of previous designs that can be altered to suit the customer.  But what many people enjoy is sampling and mimicking what many of those whom we idolize might have already had created.

Today, celebrities influence much of what is done in society.  Clothing styles, hair dos, things to eat, places to hang out and, yes, even tattoos are often influenced by many celebrities.  There are more famous people that have tattoos than what has been originally thought.  Some may be quite surprising.

As many people know, Angelina Jolie is one of the most popular tattooed actresses today.  She flaunts over a dozen tattoos, each with their own meaning. Angelina Jolie is such a fan of tattoos that there are always plans for more in the future.  In fact, she’s made the tribal dragon tattoo the most popular among women.

When it comes to tattoos and famous actresses, it’s certain that Pamela Anderson’s name will be brought up.  The arm band was made popular almost entirely due to Pamela Anderson.  She also put an emphasis on the barbed wire tattoo as it’s one of her most well known marks.

Mike Tyson sports a facial tattoo that is of Maori influence.  While the tattoo didn’t exactly cause a boom in applied facial tattoos, it does prove interesting among tattoo enthusiasts.

Johnny Depp is one highly acknowledge actor for having tattoos.  He’s decorated with over twelve known tattoos all with stories behind them.  Depp’s tattoo on his right bicep is the most well known.  When Johnny Depp and Wynona Ryder were together, he had “Wynona Forever” tattooed on his arm.  When the relationship ended, it was modified to say “Wino Forever.”  A good example of why tattoos should be thought through before taking the leap.

A group tattoo was made for those actors in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Each actor received a tattoo of the word “nine” written in Elvish script.  Tattooed on different areas of the body, and a first tattoo for some, each member now has a permanent mark commemorating the making of the movies.

Other movie celebrities where we will find many tattoos to admire or copy include Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, Gillian Anderson, Alyssa Milano, and Christina Ricci.  We can also find tattoos in music artists such as Billy Idol, Eminem, Henry Rollins and Brittany Spears.  Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Anna Kournikova, and Stone Cold Steve Austin make up just a few of the sports models that flaunt their own ink.

This is just a sampling of a few of the tattoos that are likely to be found among celebrities.  These people are acknowledged and admired for their style and personalities.  Many of them have caused booms in the tattoo trends throughout the years with special emphasis on designs that closely resemble their own.  It’s not unusual or unheard of by tattoo artists to receive requests for a tattoo that looks just like one sported by the hip celebrity of the times.

Celebrities Love Tattoos

It is not really surprising to learn that many celebrities love tattoos, nor is it surprising that those who are in the public eye and in the media have quite a significant influence on the American population’s fascination with tattoos.  The stars have tattoos, so all of their fans want tattoos also.  For celebrities, age is not a factor;  older stars as well as the younger ones have them.  We know all of these people–  but how much do we know about what unique styles of artwork they have?

One of America’s most longtime popular movie stars, Robert DeNiro, has appeared in movies sporting numerous tattoos.  Whether or not his fans realize that they are only accessories for his films, the fact is in real life Robert DeNiro has only one tattoo, that of a black panther.  Another actor who shows off many tattoos in his movies is Johnny Depp;  all of his, however, are real.  Bruce Willis also has a few tattoos;  most notably the symbol of his movie “Die Hard.”

Tattoos have long been in style with musicians.  Former teen idol Justin Timberlake has a guardian angel, amongst others.  Rapper Eminem has more tattoos than can be counted, including his daughter’s name and his own.  The wording on Keith Urban’s wrist, “Omni Vincit Amor” is Latin for ‘Love Conquers All;’  he also has an eagle on one arm.

Some sports celebrities also go for tattoos.  Michael Jordan has his fraternity symbol tattooed above his heart, while Dennis Rodman is a virtual canvas of artwork.

Not to be outdone, many female stars also show various degrees of artwork.  Young actress Drew Barrymore is essentially a canvas full of tattoos;  it is said that she created most of the designs herself.  Reese Witherspoon is more subtle, wearing only one small star tattoo which is rarely visible.  Pamela Anderson has a variety of tattoos also, the most notable being the word ‘Mommy’ on one finger, which reportedly used to read ‘Tommy.’  Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has five stars to represent each member of her family, her husband’s initials, and the traditional Jewish phrase ‘I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.’

Some of today’s supermodels also sport tattoos.  Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, and Stephanie Seymour all have these permanent forms of fashion accessories.  Most supermodels who opt for tattoos show fewer and smaller designs than celebrities in other fields.

While many celebrities have had tattoos for a very long time, the popularity of tattoos amongst stars has been increasing, both in the number of celebrities who have them and the number of tattoos that they have.  A very few have only one tattoo;  more and more are taking on a large number of tattoos as well as more and more visible tattoos, using skin as a canvas for nearly unlimited varieties of permanent artwork.

As celebrities show off their tattoos, and this is picked up by the media, it presents an ever-increasing influence for their fans, especially amongst the younger generation, to want to do likewise.  As with anything else that stars do in the public eye, their influence with tattoos helps this form of artwork become more widespread, more popular, and more acceptable to most of the American population in general.

How to Find a Good Tattoo Artist

Okay – you have considered all the effects of having a tattoo and know that it will be a lifelong commitment. You also know what type of design you want and exactly where on your body you want it imprinted. Now, the hard part – you need to find a good place to get your tattoo done.

The first thing to do is some research.  Ask friends and family members who currently have tattoos where they got theirs done.  Find out what their experiences were like.  Ask if it was a clean environment, if it was comfortable and if the designs turned out to their satisfaction.  Many times, tattoo parlors will be able to refer names of customers who can recommend their services.

While word of mouth is typically the best advertisement, you can also simply try opening the phone book.  Locate local tattoo parlors and give them a call.  They should be more than willing to answer any questions you might have.  At best they should allow you to come and visit the facility to become comfortable with the surroundings prior to committing to becoming tattooed.

During a tattoo parlor visit, first determine the cleanliness of the facility.  Make sure tools are sterilized between each customer and disposable and single use needles are indeed disposed of after each use.  General cleanliness is just as important; if care isn’t taken with building upkeep, then it can be believed that care won’t be taken elsewhere in the business.

Chat with the tattoo artists and the staff members.  If you don’t feel comfortable asking any questions or expressing concerns with them, chances are you won’t feel comfortable having them put a permanent mark on your body.  You should feel completely at ease as it’s possible that a large amount of time may be spent with them.

Check the designs of particular tattoo parlors.  One very helpful tip is to compare art with an actual tattoo to compare how closely the tattoo resembles the tattoo itself.  It’s wise to inspect what kind of design range the tattoo artist is capable of.  One might have a hundred different photos of skulls and crosses but it can be very different than having a butterfly, rose or a name tattooed on.  Be sure the artist is very flexible.

The Internet can be a very useful too when it comes to business searching.  Simply type in “tattoos” and the name of your geographical location into any search engine and you should be given a list of choices for places to check out.  The Internet can also prove helpful to get opinions on certain tattoo parlors through blogs, forums and chat rooms.  Information obtained from the Internet should always be double checked and checked again for confirmation as opinions will widely vary.

When finding a tattoo artist in your area, it’s important to always be comfortable with your decision.  While it is understood that the tattoo will be a permanent mark on the body and great thought should be put into the design and the location on the body in which it will be placed, it is also imperative to be sure you are completely comfortable with the tattoo artist.  After all, you’ll want to be positive that this lifelong design will be done accurately and correctly.

Why Do People Get Tattoos?

There are nearly as many reasons for getting a tattoo as there are people who have them.  Each person has his or her own particular reason;  it may be a common reason or it may be unique, but it is nonetheless individual.

People who get a tattoo on impulse or a dare, while intoxicated, or to please someone else, are the ones who are usually less satisfied with the results.  Even while holding it out as a spur-of-the-moment mistake, a person who acquires a tattoo under these circumstances are rarely happy with having it on a longterm basis.  Unfortunately, these types of situations do comprise a fair percentage of the number of people who get tattoos–  and later regret it.  Most people who get tattoos primarily  as a means of rebellion are also dissatisfied in the long-run;  as they grow out of feeling the need to rebel, they grow out of enjoying the symbols of it.

For those who make an informed decision about getting a tattoo, whether they acknowledge it or not they are usually in either of two categories:  those who are identifying with a group, or those who are identifying themselves as individuals.  Both are using tattoos as a means of self-expression.  On the extreme end of the spectrum are inmates who belong to such groups as “the Aryan Brotherhood.”  A tattoo shows both members and non-members alike what group the inmate belongs to.  These tattoo designs are of various codes and other oddities which they assume people who are not likewise affiliated will not understand.  Most inner-city gangs also have coded tattoo designs for the same reason.  In these types of instances, tattoos serve a dual-purpose:  they are a means of bonding a person to a particular group, and they are a means of separating oneself from those who are outside of that group.

Some people get a tattoo simply because they want to have one.  Other than not putting much careful thought into its longterm implications, nor being very selective about what particular design they want, this is not necessarily negative.  For many, simply liking artwork on one’s skin is reason enough to visit a local tattoo studio, hand over a relatively-large sum of money, and have something etched into one’s skin that is intended to remain there for the rest of one’s life.  The most intricate design or the most plain one can be a matter of speaking to the entire world, or something which one chooses to keep solely to oneself.

Others use this form of self-expression in a manner similar to what generations past used to do with t-shirts:  to show the world what they wish to say.  They choose wording, or designs which symbolize something that is meaningful to them.  You can see everything from American flags and crosses to the names of who they love, and, occasionally, wording which pushes the limits of the First Amendment.  In the past, people wore what they believed, stood for, and cared about on their shirts;  these days tattoos often serve the same purpose.

Many people use tattoos as memorials.  Tattoos can be designed for remembrance of a deceased loved one, of course, but they can also be designed for the purpose of keeping in mind other places or situations which a person does not wish to forget.  When there is someone or something that you wish to hold close to your heart, a tattoo can be a beautiful way of doing it. Photographs and other souvenirs are not permanent–  tattoos are.

Why do people get tattoos?  The reasons are as varied as there are individuals.  Whether you yourself have a tattoo or not, if you know someone who does, it is important to realize that you do not know what that person’s reasons are, unless he or she decides to tell you.

Sanskrit Tattoos

If you devour everything newsworthy about tattoos then you would know that the singer Rihanna has a misspelled Sanskrit tattoo!

For those of you who don’t know what Sanskrit tattoos are – they are tattoos written in Devanagari for the ancient language Sanskrit – which is an historical Indo-Aryan language. It is a dead language, which means it is no longer learned as a native language – and as such it does not change over time – which means the meaning of the words do NOT change – so you can be certain that there is only one meaning for your Sanskrit tattoo and it will never change its meaning like so many modern words.

Celebrities love these Sanskrit tattoos, and some of the celebrities who have Sanskrit tattoos are:

• Jessica Alba from Sin City – has “lotus flower” in Sanskrit on her right inner wrist
• Gillian Anderson from X-Files – has “every day” in Sanskrit on her right wrist
• David Beckham – has the misspelled “Vihctoria” tattooed on his left forearm
• Rihanna – has a sanskrit prayer reading “forgiveness, honesty, suppression and control” on her right hip which is supposedly misspelt

Sanskrit is incredibly beautiful to look at but if you are looking at getting a tattoo in this language be sure to get more than one translation done – just to be sure you are getting the meaning you want to. We have all heard the stories of someone getting a tattoo in another language thinking it means one thing and finding out it means something totally different – like the guy in America who thought his Chinese character tattoo meant “Love honor and obey” only to find out it meant “This boy is ugly”.

Because of the popularity of Sanskrit tattoos Hindus are now urging all tattoo artists to undertake basic training in the ancient Sanskrit language so there are no more embarassing misspelled tattoos – especially on celebrities!

Ink History

The word “tattoo” is derived from the Polynesian word “tatao” which means “to tap”, in reference to traditional methods of inserting ink manually using traditional tools to tap the ink into the skin.

Tattoos have a rich history of tradition, dating back thousands and thousands of years. Throughout the course of time, there has always been an important role of tradition and ritual behind tattoos. In the past, women in Borneo used tattoos as a way to mark their skills. Tattoos were also used in the past as a way to ward away illnesses and disease by placing the tattoo around the fingers and on the wrist. Throughout history, tattoos have also been used to symbolize a clan or society as well.

The purpose of tattoos has differed from culture to culture throughout the course of time. Research has shown that the earliest tattoos come from Egypt during the time of the pyramids, although most believe they started much earlier. Egyptians at this time were believed to use tattoos as a way to mark the slaves and the peasants. Around 2,000 BC, tattoos spread to China and then on to Greece, where the Greeks used tattoos as a way to communicate among spies.

Along the way, Japan also incorporated the use of tattoos as well. The Japanese people used tattoos for religious and ceremonial rites. During this era, Borneo women were the artists. They produced the designs that indicated the individuals point in life and the tribe that he was affiliated with. Tattoos were very popular during these days, although infections were quite common. Tattoos were a long way from being perfected – which showed in the way they were done.

Tattoos were shown in the western regions as well, although they weren’t well accepted at first. William Dampher, who was once an explorer, was the man who re-introduced tattoos to the western areas. During the year 1961, he brought a heavily tattooed Prince to the area, showing off his tattoos with exhibitions. He made quite a bit of money with these attractions, which in turn made tattoos very popular and well desired throughout London and surrounding areas. Before then, it was nearly 600 years since tattoos had been witnessed in the area.

Chatham Square, which is located in New York City, was the first place to feature American styled tattoos. During the turn of the century, Chatham Square attracted people from all over the United States, especially those with money. A man by the name of Samuel O-Reily set up shop in Chatham Square, becoming the first man to use an electric tattoo gun. In the beginning, the now popular tattoo gun was based on Thomas Edison’s electric pin that used a needle point to puncture paper.

The electric tattoo gun features moving coils, a needle bar and tube, which are common components of today’s guns. The electric gun was very popular, allowing those who wanted a tattoo to get one at a great price. These guns helped to revolutionize tattoos and allowed the tattoo artists to give tattoos fairly fast as well. People took to this new technology in flocks, making it by far the best and most efficient ways to get tattoos.

During the late 1960s, tattoos really began to take off. They were featured in magazines, television, and talked about everywhere. These days, tattoos are very common, with nearly ½ of the population in the United States having at least one tattoo. They are still common with bikers and clans, symbolizing that one is a member. There are millions of designs out there for tattoos – including different color combinations that have helped to make tattoos the phenomenon they are today.

Tattoo Me Now Review

I have paid membership to this site – I really like it. There are two membership options – the first is $27 for a 1-year membership or $37 for a lifetime membership. Obviously the lifetime membership is the best deal and that is what I have. It means you can log in whenever you want and browse around looking for inspiration or even find that perfect tattoo ready to go!

It currently has over 3,500 tattoo designs and some great features such as:

• Design Gallery – displays a list of categories to choose from ranging from Abstract Tattoos, Patriotic Tattoos, Maori Tattoos, even Insect Tattoos and Zodiac Tattoos (The biggest range is of Tribal Tattoos with over 1500 images to choose from!)
• Members Gallery – displays actual photos of members and their tattoos (I simply LOVE this section – you can leave comments and ratings too!)
• Studio Directory – displays a listing of tattoo studios all across the world
• Forum – a general tattoo forum for members to discuss anything about tattoos
• Videos – a collection of tattoo videos where members can upload videos or add video links
• Events – a list of events held world wide – members can submit new events for this listing
• Tattoo News – links to Google News links on tattoos
• Blog – a general blog detailing what is happening on the site for members information

Your membership also entitles you to 3300+ Chinese names and words and also some bonus tattoo ebooks:

• You and Your Tattoo – ebook and audio
• Got Ink?
• Learn How to Tattoo in 12 Easy Steps
• Infection Prevention
• Getting Inked
• Xtasys Tattoo Designs Ebook

These are pretty good – have gotten a couple of them elsewhere but always good to have a variety of ebooks to read and get knowledge and/or inspiration.

They also offer more ebooks which are totally irrelevant to a tattoo website:

• Amazing Weight Loss & Health Tips
• 97 Ways to Get Fit and Stay Fit
• 15 Muscle Building Rules for Skinny Guys and Gals
• Smoothies for Athletes
• Tasty Fat Loss and Muscle Gaining Recipes
• 404 Self Improvement Tips
• The 30 Second Secret to Blasting your Energy Levels through the Roof in the Morning

They have some so-so designs but a lot of their newer designs (especially their Maori designs which are pretty awesome) are quite good and gives you quite a selection to choose from or to give you an idea of what you might like to design for yourself. A lot of the tattoo designs are of a really good size – so not like some sites that have really tiny images that are impossible to enlarge for a decent size tattoo.

Overall it is a great site if you are interested in tribal tattoos because as I mentioned there are over 1500 tribal tattoo designs to choose from – hard to believe you wouldn’t find one you loved! There is also a really nice selection of flower tattoos and the only thing I don’t like is that they have NO frangipani tattoo images – sorry but I have been looking for a good one everywhere for my next tattoo and I am still looking. I also quite liked a couple of the lower back tattoos as well. But I have managed to download several for my shortlist for my next tattoo – so wish me luck!

My only real negative on the site is that their search capability for the gallery area is a little too basic as their naming conventions are rather broad for each tattoo design (for example “lower back”) – but then again I find it fun to click through all the tattoo designs in each gallery section – so it might not be a problem for you either.

Take note this site DOES NOT include stencils – you simply download the image you like and print it out.

Check it out here if you are interested!

Chopper Tattoo Review

I have paid membership to this site and there are three membership types:

• Lifetime Unlimited Tattoo Gallery Access – $34.44 + bonus
• 60 Day Tattoo Gallery Access – $24.95 + bonus
• 30 Day Tattoo Gallery Access – $19.95

The bonuses include access to a free music download site – MP3Suite – where you can download legal MP3 files. This is not my type of thing – so have not used it – but it may be to your liking.

It also quite bizarrely links to some free online games – not sure why anybody would want this bonus when looking for a tattoo design – but it is there if you feel the urge to play games online whilst browsing for a tattoo design.

One of my favourite bonuses is the link for fonts to be used for a lettered tattoo – has some awesome fonts to download – really worth it.

It claims to have a link to Tattoo Parlors but it is really only a link to the Yellow Pages which allows you to search for parlors in the United States and Canada – not very useful to me as I live in Australia – and a bit of a lazy link I think.

It lets you search for tattoo designs in an easy to use Category format and has nearly 4,000 tattoo designs. Some of the tattoos are a little small for my liking  but there are plenty to choose from – it gives you a wide range to view and get ideas and perhaps design a tattoo for yourself.

It has some interesting categories, such as:

• Monster Tattoos – have to be seen to be believed some of them!
• Monkey Tattoos – amusing to me as I cannot imagine wanting a monkey tattoo – but I am sure there are fans out there!
• Cat Tattoos – I am a cat person so particularly like this category – there is one in particular that I am considering for my next tattoo with a little tweak to make it more personal!
• Harley Tattoos – well it is called Chopper Tattoos – so has a nice selection of Harley Davidson tattoos and biker tattoos.

Take note this site DOES NOT include stencils – you simply download the image you like and print it out.

Please note that there is a similar site – www.ChopperTattoo.com – this is purely a site that links to other sites – including the real www.Chopper-Tattoo.com site.

Check it out here if you are interested!

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