Isn't it about time to change our attitude towards tattoos?

Total Tattoo Magazine article written & shot by Tina Korhonen / Image shot by Marie GC / Bonkers Entertainment Shoot by Marie GC with my radio co-host Chevy B
Upon reading Simon Doonan’s article on slate.com this week, where he described tattoos as a “sick, and twisted cult,” and “an unstoppable pandemic,” I decided to write my own perception on this popular form of body modification

Being a women, and tattooed myself, I find the tattoo arguments particularly irritating. Tattooing has been in practice for centuries in many different cultures, such as; Asia, Japan, New Zealand, and spreading across tribes throughout the world, yet people still come back to the subject of ‘prison tattoos’ stating that tattooed persons appear thuggish, and of little class

In modern culture, there is a huge divide between tattooists, and professional tattoo artists. The majority of shops in the UK push the standard tribal, celtic, and flash tattoos, which are usually just picked off a wall, and tattooed on as they are, meaning that you could be one of hundreds to adorn that very same design. If you take a trip down to Brighton beach during summer, you’ll see exactly what I mean ;)

I’ve not been known to be a huge fan of the flash process, as many tattooists print the stencils off online, rather than drawing them themselves. Some, don’t even bother to research properly, hence why there are so many people with chinese symbols meaning ‘supermarket’ or ‘kitchen’ instead of that meaningful dedication


Celebrity Tattoos: Cheryl Cole / Hayden Panettiere / Megan Fox

On the contrary, you have artists who spend hours drawing their flash work, sometimes working with a client for several weeks before the tattoo is applied, changing it to suit their requirements. My personal tattoos have all been my own ideas, of which an artist has adapted, and transformed into a reality, exploring my love of Tim Burton-esque fantastical characters

Yes these tattoos can be expensive, but you are left with something personal, and of a high quality, which will last for as long as you do providing it’s looked after properly, the days of black tattoos turning into identifiable blobs are long gone. Upon speaking to Jim4 (ex-Blood Brothers) about tattooing large pieces, he said “tattooing the skin, is like drawing on tracing paper with a fountain pen, it takes a lot of skill, and extreme concentration” hence the cost

The one comment I always receive is “Are you not going to regret them when you get older?” I wouldn’t have spent months researching, and designing my tattoos with my artists to ensure they are exactly what I want if I was going to regret them, I also wouldn’t have spent thousands of pounds, and sat through hours of pain at a time, if I didn’t want them. I am going to get older, grey, and wrinkly just like everybody else in the world, 40% of my generation have tattoos, so I won’t be the only one. Think I’ve ruined my body? At least I will have something interesting to look at, remember, and talk about as I get older

Despite tattoos becoming more popular nowadays, there are still some who view females with tattoos as part of an ‘alternative’ lifestyle, you don’t have to be into metal, or punk to have them, they should be an expression of interests, and memories, not fashion

Be smart with your ink, go to a reputable artist with a selection of ideas, and work together on your design. It may be tempting to get a tattoo before the legal age of 18, but in my experience, it’s better to wait. I got three tattoos at 17 years old, all three have now been covered, your tastes change as you get older. Boring, I know ;)

Here is a small selection of my favourite artists to check out in London for if you're considering going under the needle:Baron Tattoo @ A True Lovehttp://atruelovetattoo.com/ 

Steve Richardson @ Skunx Tattoohttp://skunxtattoo.com/ 

Wez4 @ Triple4 Tattoowww.facebook.com/Triple4Tattoo