The acquisition of knowledge is what makes life well worth it. Even the tiniest pebble can embody a vast world of concepts; if you don’t believe it, ask a geologist, who will surely give you a wide explanation about the origin of every type of rock and its time on earth.
If a rock can hold that much information, imagine the knowledge hidden in all living creatures. What is the mystery behind the striped skin of a zebra? Each of them has a unique pattern; every single line has a particular order, thickness, length, and separation. A zebra’s skin is unique and this resembles the life experiences of a person who decides to get a tattoo to commemorate it.
Each person has a story to share: life is about accumulating experiences and learning about the world and ourselves. Knowledge shapes our personality and the dreams and aspirations we all uphold.
Unlike zebras, we don’t have visible stripes that identify us. But we have experiences that define and shape us; these can be shown in beautifully artistic ways through tattoos. These prints in our skin are a reminder of everything we’ve overcome to be who we are now.
Maybe while looking through the catalog of a tattoo artist you’ll fall in love with one design, but do you really want that to permanently adorn your body? Most of the images that appear in these catalogs are photographs of people with those tattoos, so, in a way, getting the same design could be seen as an appropriation of someone else’s history.
The ideal thing is to find a design you identify with, an image only you will possess and, more importantly, that represents that memory you want to have for the rest of your life.
Your ideal tattoo doesn’t have to be gigantic and complex. It could be a simple shape –like a flower or a skull– represented in a creative and different way. Yes, maybe flowers and skulls are the most common tattoos, but if you add a phrase or a new style, you can make original designs out of them.
What if you get a monkey skull instead of a human one?
Remember life is about experimenting, but that doesn’t mean you should get tattooed the first idea that comes to your mind. Think about the design you want to have in your body. It doesn’t matter if it’s a name, an animal, someone’s face, or even your favorite cartoon character. What really matters is that you identify with it.
Bear in mind that a tattoo will always stay with you. Whenever you look at that pigmented part of your body, you won’t be seeing just a piece of art, but a part of your past. There’s a reason why you want to mark on your skin a moment of your life. That’s why it must be one that brings you happiness or one that evokes how you overcame a big obstacle.
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Most of the tattoos in this article come from L’Encrerie. If you want to know more about the work of the artists working in this studio, you can visit their Official Instagram Profile.
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
