lpolliard

I am thinking of getting a tattoo on the back of my left calf, see attached. This will be my first tattoo @ age 48. I recently found out from a documentary on military tattoos this type of of tattoo is known as a 'Moto' (motivational) tattoo. It is my desire to stay continually active in this sport for many years to come. I have been on and off again for many years. If I ever stop riding again my hope is that seeing this painted on my shrinking calf will get me back out and doing what I have forgotten I love to do. I pulled this design off of the internet and have gone as far as applying a water transfer decal on my calf. I have settled on one that is 4 inches across and want it shaded in teals to bring some depth and speed to the graphic. I also want a splash of bright lime green on the helmet and jersey areas.

Should the cyclist be facing left to the outside or right to the inside?
What do you think of my choice? Color scheme?
Care to share your cycling tattoos?

mattm

Don't do it - as tatts get more and more popular, those of us without them will actually be the rebels.

99% of tatts are crap art, permanent crap at that.

hammy56

...Obviously an expert on the subject.

To the OP. Just do your homework and find a reputable studio. But it is common practice for it to be facing toward the right, on the back of your right calf.
I like the design, ive done a few very similar, as well as a handful of Ironman, tri specific designs. Most recently my client, who has become a friend, is a professor at a local college as well as a triathlete. And i belive he is 60.

jzsoup

I second that. Don't do it. I've got an old volleyball teammate with a volleyball and flames tatoo'd on his calf. We both still play, but it looks stupid. I predict the same for your tat. Even though it's a cool design.

botto 

the OPs design falls safely within that 99%.

NickDavid

Agreed to above. Don't do it!

robncircus

Matt you disappoint me. This comment is so far off base it's not even funny.

OP - you are brave to post this here. My suggestion would be to find a good tattooist in your area that is also a cyclist. Talk to them about what you want. Personally, I think you should get something custom and not off the internet. Just my $.02. FWIW, I have a lot of tattoos

Cheers

rob

botto 

lpolliard

Hey Rob, I have just started the process and have requested an original design as well. I like the internet graphic but would appreciate a custom design if my artist comes up with one that I like.

Yah...I knew I would catch some flack over this one.

mattm

I have friends with tatts... one even runs a tattoo shop. And in the area of Seattle I live in even the babies have tatts. So I'm exposed to them all the time.

So maybe 99% was harsh. How about 95%?

I mean think of all the dragons out there, lying on hairy backs waiting to scorch the souls of the weak.. or the flaming skulls. Shall I go on?

No offense to those with tatts, but around here they're straight up generic, I think. I will say that a sleeve of tatts looks better than a one-off tatt, but still.

In the end, your body art should be about what you think.. not about what I think. Have fun with it, OP.

TestyEPOCERA

What's the difference between a good tattoo and bad tattoo?

I'd get a tattoo, but then I'd have to buy tattoo clothing, get pierced, avoid getting any real career, date tattoo chicks, buy a fixed gear, etc.

too much work.

I always wanted this:



(I know, I thought he was dead too)

Hayden06F4i

WOW, lots of tattoo hatred here.....

OP i would say facing out on the right leg....don't know about the color though, and the more "custom" the artist can make it, the better....let him draw it up for you with his and your ideas together, and see....

clausen

Put allot of thought into it and then sit on it a bit more. Definitely get custom and don't settle on a design.

ridethecliche

I've thought about getting tattoo's, and I might at some point.

That being said, you can do a lot better than that for a bike tattoo...

robncircus

Botto

This is me at M240 Bravo machine gun school this summer. I'm the one witht he gun. Do I look emo to you?




I was merely trying to point out that while there are many hack tattoo shops/artists, to say 99% of tattoos are bad is ridiculous. If anything, tattooing has become better therefore creating a higher demand due to the quality of work. For MattM, who lives in Seatlle which I imagine to be a very liberal part of the country, to provide a post with no substantiation, is silly.

Cheers!

clausen

You would be very surprised with amount of people with real careers that have tattoos. There just out of sight.

botto 

Bah Humbug

Wait, botto just got served with a picture? That's amusing.

botto 

with those sleeves, hell yes.

hammy56

Ha! Friggin Neil. Man i miss that show!

robncircus

You're ruthless. FWIW, I read the book and bought the wheels.

DataJunkie

mattm is my hero.
Don't even get me started on attractive women and tats.

ridethecliche

There are some badass ones on here.

So much better than the one you linked to. Like I said, you can do better.

https://cyclingtattoogallery.blogspot.com/

JonnyUtah75

I think it would be pretty cool, and I'm way too conservative to ever get a tattoo. Although I agree with previous posters that it's a sweet design, you may want to have a custom job based on that design.

My friend got a tattoo some years back and thought he had gotten original artwork from the artist. A few years ago we saw that exact same design on a business card posted on a corkboard in a bagel shop. I laughed my ass off.

Of course, please post pics once you get it.

mercator

I think you should ask the experts.