Column - by Dirk-Boris Rödel
I have an opinion on many topics, certainly not on all of them, but you don't have to have an opinion on everything.
But as far as tattoos are concerned, I naturally have an opinion on many aspects and I believe, for example, that tattoos almost inevitably always have a communicative aspect. You inevitably communicate something about yourself to the outside world through the image you wear on your skin; for example, a Metallica tattoo shows that you like Metallica or the logo of a soccer club reveals that you are a fan of that club. And until now, I've always thought that tattoos are a great way to strike up a conversation with people. If you compliment someone on their tattoo or ask which tattoo artist did it, everyone is happy about that, right?
I'm not quite so sure anymore, because the other day a friend of mine wore a T-shirt with the inscription "My tattoos are not an invitation to chat me up".
That's when I realized that I might have been a bit too naive about the whole thing, because as a man you don't get chatted up by strangers all the time without being asked, but as a woman you might. And when people you don't really want to have anything to do with use a woman's tattoos as an alibi and a hook for sleazy contact and boring pick-up lines... then my previous view that tattoos can be great conversation starters is at least worth revising.
I don't want to move away from it completely, because I think a woman can also tell the difference between "that neotraditional tattoo is really great, which studio did you have it done in?" and "Hey baby, where else are you tattooed?" I'm sure no woman attaches any great importance to such overbearing pick-up lines - but even honestly interested questions about a beautiful tattoo may not always be something the wearer wants to hear.
I think it certainly also depends on the framework conditions, the situation; at a tattoo convention, questions or comments about a tattoo are probably more obvious and more acceptable among visitors interested in tattoos than on the subway at night when there are only two people in the compartment. And ultimately, of course, not only tattoos but also other topics can be used or abused as conversation openers or chat-up alibis. I think it all depends on how you call into the forest and the person you're talking to will probably have an antenna for whether interest, acceptable curiosity or crude chat-up lines are the motivation for making contact.
But these are just some of the ideas I have on the subject and I'm not a dog and pony.
What do you think about it, what positive or stupid experiences have you had with tattoos as conversation starters? Are you happy to be approached about your tattoos or is it rather annoying? Or what factors determine whether you think it's good or bad?
Incidentally, my friend had only moderate success with her T-shirt - just to finish off. She told me that she was actually asked less about her tattoos when she wore the shirt - but she was constantly being asked about the T-shirt.
Text: Dirk-Boris Rödel - Graphics: Jonas Bachmann (Studio Marco)
Column - by Dirk-Boris Rödel
I have an opinion on many topics, certainly not on all of them, but you don't have to have an opinion on everything.
But as far as tattoos are concerned, I naturally have an opinion on many aspects and I believe, for example, that tattoos almost inevitably always have a communicative aspect. You inevitably communicate something about yourself to the outside world through the image you wear on your skin; for example, a Metallica tattoo shows that you like Metallica or the logo of a soccer club reveals that you are a fan of that club. And until now, I've always thought that tattoos are a great way to strike up a conversation with people. If you compliment someone on their tattoo or ask which tattoo artist did it, everyone is happy about that, right?
I'm not quite so sure anymore, because the other day a friend of mine wore a T-shirt with the inscription "My tattoos are not an invitation to chat me up".
That's when I realized that I might have been a bit too naive about the whole thing, because as a man you don't get chatted up by strangers all the time without being asked, but as a woman you might. And when people you don't really want to have anything to do with use a woman's tattoos as an alibi and a hook for sleazy contact and boring pick-up lines... then my previous view that tattoos can be great conversation starters is at least worth revising.
I don't want to move away from it completely, because I think a woman can also tell the difference between "that neotraditional tattoo is really great, which studio did you have it done in?" and "Hey baby, where else are you tattooed?" I'm sure no woman attaches any great importance to such overbearing pick-up lines - but even honestly interested questions about a beautiful tattoo may not always be something the wearer wants to hear.
I think it certainly also depends on the framework conditions, the situation; at a tattoo convention, questions or comments about a tattoo are probably more obvious and more acceptable among visitors interested in tattoos than on the subway at night when there are only two people in the compartment. And ultimately, of course, not only tattoos but also other topics can be used or abused as conversation openers or chat-up alibis. I think it all depends on how you call into the forest and the person you're talking to will probably have an antenna for whether interest, acceptable curiosity or crude chat-up lines are the motivation for making contact.
But these are just some of the ideas I have on the subject and I'm not a dog and pony.
What do you think about it, what positive or stupid experiences have you had with tattoos as conversation starters? Are you happy to be approached about your tattoos or is it rather annoying? Or what factors determine whether you think it's good or bad?
Incidentally, my friend had only moderate success with her T-shirt - just to finish off. She told me that she was actually asked less about her tattoos when she wore the shirt - but she was constantly being asked about the T-shirt.
Text: Dirk-Boris Rödel - Graphics: Jonas Bachmann (Studio Marco)
30.06.-02.07. Summer Tattoo Festival No.8
05.08.-06.08. Garda Tattoo Event
18.08.-20.08. Tunjo Tattoo Fest
15.09.-17.09. Millennium Tattoo Show No.6
15.09.-17.09. Cagliari Tattoo Convention No.13
22.09.-24-09. Bergamo Tattoo Expo
22.09.-24-09. Torino Tattoo Convention No.12
29.09.- 01.10. Urban Land Tattoo Expo Roma
29.09.-01.10. Mima Tattoo Convention No.5
13.10.-15.10. Genova Tattoo Convention No.16
14.10.-15.10. Roma Tattoo Expo No.23
20.10.-22-10. Ferrara Tattoo Convention No.5
27.10.-29.10. Passion Art Tattoo Convention Bolzano No.16
04.11.-05.11. Chiuduno Tattoo Weekend
10.11.-12.11. Ancona Tattoo Expo No.2
10.11.-12.11. Palermo Tattoo Convention No.9
11.11.-12.11. Trieste International Tattoo Expo No.14
11.11.-12.11. Catania Tattoo Convention No.5
01.12.-03.12. Florence Tattoo Convention No.13
08.12.-10.12. East Coast Tattoo Convention No.17
16.06.-18.06. Anime Tattoo Expo, Fire de Barcelona
30.06.-02.07.23 Asturias Tattoo Expo No.8
08.09.-10.09. Ibiza Tattoo Convention No.4
15.09.-17.09. Gaia Tattoo Expo No.3
06.10.-08.10. Barcelona Tattoo Expo No.26
27.10.-29.10. Alicante Tattoo Convention No.5
03.11.-05.11. Pamplona Tattoo Expo No.5
08.07.-09.07 . Bristol Tattoo Convention
22.07.-23.07 . Ink And Oil Tattoo Convention
29.07.-30.07. Great Western Tattoo Show
19.08.-20.08. Cornwall’s Tattoo Convention
19.08.-20.08. Tatcon Blackpool
26.08.-27.08. Big London Tattoo Show
16.09.-17.09. Buckley Ink Tattoo Convention
23.09.-24.09. Sheffield Tattoo Festival
30.09.-01.10. Tattoo Trojans Doncaster Tattoo Convention
07.10.-08.10. Locked up Tattoo Convention
14.10.-15.10. Halloween Tattoo Bash
11.11.-12.11. Wrexham Tattoo Show
02.09.-03.09. Tattoonika
14.10.-15.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Kapfenburg
21.10.-22.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Linz
28.10.-29.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Salzburg
01.09.-03.09. Lugano TI – Tattoo Convention No.24
16.06.-18.06. Epinal Tattoo Show
17.06.-18.06. Asian Festival Tattoo Show
01.07.-02.07. Caen Tattoo Show
08.07.-09.07. Rock Tattoo Spirit
15.07.-16.07. Sermaize Tattoo Convention
19.08.-20.08. Deauvile Tattoo Festival
01.09.-03.09. Montauban Tattoo Show
01.09.-03.09. Ink’n’Roll Chateauroux Tattoo Festival
02.09.-03.09. The 70’s Tattoo Show
09.09.-10.09. Jura Ink Park
09.09.-10.09. Dentelle Ink Alençon
09.09.-10.09. Champagne Tattoo Event
09.09.-10.09. Limoges Tattoo Show
15.09.-17.09. Univers Tattoo Convention
16.09.-17.09. Circus Tattoo Show
16.09.-17.09. Kustom Festival & Tattoo
16.09.-17.09. Perpignan Tattoo Convention
22.09.-24.09. Nantes Tattoo Convention
23.09.-24.09. Isere Tattoo Show
23.09.-24.09. Girl Ink Tattoo Show
30.09.-01.10. Perigueux Tattoo Expo
30.09.-01.10. La Maison d’Encre
07.10.-08.10. Convention Tatouage de Bourges
14.10.-15.10. Poitiers Tattoo Convention
13.10.-15.10. Chalons en Champagne Tattoo Show
20.10.-22.10. Evian Tattoo Show
21.10.-22.10. Biarritz Tattoo Fest
21.10.-22.10. Fabulous Tiki Weekend
21.10.-22.10. Bourg-en-Bresse Tattoo Convention
21.10.-22.10. The Team Miss P’ink Tattoo
28.10.-29.10. Cahors Tattoo & Geek
03.11.-05.11. Sugar Ink Tattoo Convention
11.11.-12.11. Love Tattoo Festival
18.11.-20.11. Potopistons Tattoo Convention
18.11.-19.11. Salon du Tatouage Clermont
25.11.-26.11. Troyes Tattoo Convention
01.12.-03.12. Merry Christmas Tattoo Show
02.12.-03.12. Nohell Tattoo Show
02.12.-03.12. Tarn Tattoo Convention
22.09.-24.09. Hans Christian Andersen Tattoo Convention No.6
27.10.-29.10. Nordic Ink Festival No.12
16.09.-17.09. Bulgaria Tattoo Expo VIII
25.08.-27-08. INKJUNX
02.09.-03.09. Craboutcha Tattoo Festival
02.09.-03.09. Tox Cit’Ink No.10
23.09.-24.09. Brügge Tattoo Convention No.2
07.10.-08.10. Skin Art Expo No.14
14.10.-15-10. Mons Tattoo Convention No.5
28.10.-29.10. Hasselt Tattoo Convention No.2
28.10.-29.10. Kempen Tattoo Convention No.3
10.11.-12.11. Brüssel Tattoo Convention No.13
16.09.-17.09. Haná Tattoo Expo No.5
18.11. Pardubice Tattoo Event No.8
28.07.-30.07. Maiden City Tattoo Convention No.11
29.09.-01.10. Dublin Tattoo Convention No.22
21.10.-22-10. Wild Atlantic Tattoo Show
25.08.-27.08. Baltic Tattoo Convention No.5 ^
21.10.-23.10. Vianden Tattoo Convention No.23
15.07.-16.07. Ink Panthers Tattoo Convention No.2
15.09.-17.09. Amsterdam Tattoo Convention No.17
23.09.-24.09. Ink and Cutz Tattoo Convention No.6
01.07.-02.07. Warsaw Tattoo Convention No.10
02.09.-03.09. Katowice Tattoo Konwent
16.09.-17.09. Opole Tattoo Expo No.5
14.10.-15.10. Hagen Tattoo Convention
25.11.-26.11. Lodz Tattoo Konwent
05.10.-08.10. Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest No.16
01.09.-03.09. Constanta Tattoo Convention
20.10.-22-10. Bucharest Tattoo Convention No.11
06.08.-13.08. Ink Needle Tattoo Convention
25.08.-26.08. Minicon
01.09.-03.09. Stockholm Ink Bash Tattoo Convention No.26
