5th project

I feel like I'm working on my 5th project all the time. Everywhere I go I look for people with tattoos, and I become that crazy person who asks strangers personal questions ("Hey, can I take a picture of your tat?").

Aside from that, I'm trying to figure out a better way to format my pictures. Sandy suggested using something like Flickr, so I'm going to try that and see how it works. Sandy also suggested that I create a map that shows where participants are from, which would be an interesting aspect of this project. This might not work though since a lot of my project came from people I know, and even more from my hometown. Anyway, after I make everything look pretty, I'll link it to my blog.

Blogs.

Blogging is important because it's an easy way to learn the public's opinions. I don't read blogs unless I'm curious about public opinion. Any company can learn what people think about something by simply posting a prompt on a blog. People are more excited about blogs because everyone is blogging in some form. Almost everyone has a Facebook or Myspace. In a way, these accounts are people blogging about themselves.

5th project?

I have no ideas for the fifth project. All of the examples in class require a lot of time and again, collaboration from others. My collaborative means were exhausted on the 4th project when I was able to ask lots of people for pictures of their tattoos. There's not really enough time to figure out how to do something with people I don't know. The PacManhattan games and similar examples are all great ideas, but I would have no idea how to set that up. Also, the weather is cold now and not many people would like to do that.

more thoughts about project 4

I've started my project and I'm still working on it. I'm waiting on some more people that I know to send me descriptions or pictures, but it would be nice if more people that I don't know would submit something. I've posted that people can comment on my blog or e mail me.
I'm thinking about creating a list of links to each description and/or picture so you won't really know what to expect. I'd need more people to submit something though.

PROJECT 4: show me your tat

My fourth project is about tattoos. I chose this topic because people get tattoos for a variety of reasons, from the personal to the estranged. I e mailed, facebooked, and blogged people to send me pictures and/or descriptions of their tattoos. Their descriptions could be as simple or complicated as they want. Some people only told me what their tattoo looks like and some people gave additional information of when they got it, what it means to them, and why they chose that part of the body to be tattooed. I found that many people get tattoos because of family tradition or pride, and few get tattoos for no reason.

The difference between the way people write on their bodies and the way they write online is interesting. Writing on the body is permanent, so most people wanted to write something on their bodies that they would be proud of or would reflect a certain critical point in their life. However, people write on a wide variety of topics online, from sports to who slept with who. Isn't the Internet permanent? I guess not, since the creator of a webpage can delete the page and bloggers can even delete their own posts. On the other hand, online writing can be seen by so many more people than body writing. So which is more personal? This project attempts to combine the permanent and the personal of an every day thing: tattoos.

On a technical note, I had some issues with the blogspot. I wanted to keep the pictures and descriptions almost exactly how they were sent or said, but blogger would not let me. Apparently, blogger knows what spacing amount, font type, and font size is best for me. I even had to delete some pictures. So, there are some inconsistencies with the format, but each entry is numbered. I know most of these people, but some I don't know. I wish I could have received more anonymous entries, but not everyone wants to participate.

#1
I got a tattoo of barbwire around my arm when I was 18 to piss my parents off. And I just wanted a tattoo.

#2
I've got a yankees interlocking NY on my shoulder and instead of being filled in it has 6 pinstripes going through it....outline is in blue.

#3
My tattoo is gonna be a 3 demensional cross sorta deal embedded in a tribal design or a thorn bush. In the top area of the cross is my dad's initials. In the left, my brothers, and in the right, my mom's. In the bottom part is gonna be my birthday. Centered in the middle of the cross is gonna be a four leaf clover. Written in a belt along the bottom of the cross below the thorn bush/design is going to be the phrase "In Nomeni Patri, Et Fili, et Spiritus Sancti." which is Latin for "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." It's gonna be a symbolism of faith, family values and Irish heritage.

#4
My last name is tattooed on my back because I'm proud of my family heritage. Then, I got a tribal around my name for the protection of my family. And it looks cool.

#5
I don't have a tattoo, but my friend Pete got one on his butt. He was drunk, and he requested a "bass on my ass."

#6
I have an American flag waving behind a cross on my right arm because I'm proud to be an American and fight for our country's freedom. The cross is for all the guys that have died. I fight for them.

#7
My first tattoo is near my hip bone/bikini line -- it's a fairy. Dumb. I got it somewhere in Delaware?


#8
My 2nd one is a heart with wings & a halo & also the initials of my grandfathers--I plan to get each of my grandmothers initials also. It is really low on my back..and I got it done at Thinkin Ink in Morgantown.

#9
I have one on the back of my neck that say "Gemini" that is for the month i was born, and also another for my papaw where he passed away on my birthday.

#10
I have a Meso-American tribal bird on my lower left back ( I love birds).

#11
I have a parrot on my upper right thigh (Birds are the most free animals in my opinion).

#12
My tattoo is Psalm 118:8 and squiggly lines around my ankle. I got it because its my favorite bible verse and its my birthday 1-18-88 minus one 8 lol they all have bright colors they all mean a lot to me.

#13


















W for Woodrum.

#14





















I got this tattoo at ancient art. The f stands for faith & Felicia & the way it's made, it's 2 j's that meet in the middle, standing for my mom's name, joyce. the seaparate heart is for michael hall & it's located on my shoulder meaning I'll alway have my angels on my shoulder.

#15

Got these fuckers on both my shoulder, nick at ancient art in Kanawha does all my tats!
Greatest band on the earth!

#16

3 stars for the 3 people that i've been close to that have passed away.. got it done in august 07 in ancient art in Kanawha City.

# 17

The tat is on my right shoulder blade. It is the Irish Wedding Band that means "Friendship, Love, and Loyalty* The rose making the heart bleed shows that there is pain in life, but you have friends and love through it all. I got it in September 2008 at Tat Nice in Downtown Huntington. I am going to add more to it later in life. I am going to put the wedding anniversary of my grandparents in the heart and the dates of their deaths above each hand, and from the blood two four leaf clovers will fall down my back, one with my dad’s initials and one with mine. Because I get the Irish from them and they are the biggest influence and support in my life.

#18

My newest tattoo.

#19

New Tattoo, dont tell mom.

#20















This was my second tattoo. I got it so that I can always take things in life "one step at a time".. Enjoy what happens while it's happening and don't rush your life. :o)

#21

This was my first tattoo. I believe there are angels to watch over each and every one of us and this is my constant reminder.

#22

My tattoo on my right leg. It says, "Bishop" and its for my papaw bishop that passed away on my birthday.

#23

It's a peace sign done in white ink. I got it done at Ancient Art in Kanawha City.

#24

I got this one Spring 2008. It was partly because of my love of music as well as the lyrics from Let It Be. To me it means that there are reasons for the good and bad things that happen around us and we don't have the answers...we just have to let it be.

#25

I got this because of my love for history and especially exploration. The meaning it has is that it is a Sailor Jerry Original tattoo. Sailors use to get it when they came back from WWII. It symbolizes them leaving the Pacific Realm of the War...hence the red sunset in the background.

#26

Tattoo I got when I was 18 for a friend who was killed in a gun accident, and this was one of the best ways I knew how to honor his life.. Got it at Harry's Tattoo Shop in Danville, VA.

#27

This is my tattoo. I got it at Skin Deep in Winfield. I got it after making through a very rough period in my life. The two things that got me through were my faith in God and music was my release, the way I let it all out.

#28

This is my Japanese family crest, the orange blossom

#29

I thought the skull looked cool. It did say Lucky 13, but I changed it to High Risk because it better suits me.

#30

This is my virgo tattoo

#31

This tattoo is "horoku", the Japanese symbol for pride.

#32

My tattoo is the Japanese symbol meiyo, or honor.

#33















My family is really proud of our heritage, so most of the guys in my family get our family crest tattooed on their arm. Since our family crest contains dragons and swords, I decided to get this more girly tattoo with my last name. I love the colors and I feel like it adequately shows my family pride. My dad paid for this tattoo as a present for my 18th birthday. We didn't tell my mom, so when I was late for the birthday party with my mom's family, I had to lie to her. She didn't find out what my dad and I were really doing until I'd already left for college a few months later. I was home one weekend, and while I was dressing, my mom walked in my room and saw my tattoo. She was mad at me and my dad, but there was nothing she could do at that point.


#34

This is of a fallen angel. I got it because it help remind me of the bad times in my life, and helps me avoid going back to those places in my head

#35

My tattoo is a dove with an olive branch in its mouth. It is a symbol of hope and my faith.

#36

My tattoo was done on 4th Ave. in huntington, but i don't remember the name of the shop. I got to remind myself of how i want to live my life. I want to always live life to the fullest, laugh as much as possible, and love with all my heart!

DO YOU HAVE A TATTOO?

For my 4th project, I'm asking people to send me a picture and/or description of their tattoo. If any of you guys have a tattoo, it would really help me out if you sent me either or both. The description can be as simple or involved as you want, by simply saying what your tattoo is or going on to say what your tattoo means to you or others.

My e mail is jdempse2@mix.wvu.edu or you can comment on my blog.