Question:
i've been into piercing for about 6 years or so. last year, i got my
first tattoo. it took about 3 years before i got it done, because i
believe in waiting and making sure i'm still going to like it after
some time. there's another tattoo that i've wanted to get for the
past 5 years. i decided on a design 3 years ago, so i'm not worried
about changing my mind about it. my plan is to get it on my right
shoulder blade within the next year.
herein lies the problem.
i had seen a tattoo on a movie and thought it was an amazing idea. i
loved it. it's folded angel wings, which would be placed on the back,
one on each side of the spine. i saw it on "the crow: city of
angels". very unique and nice. problem is, if i get this tattoo, i
can't get the dragon on the shoulder blade, since it would look
cluttered, in my opinion. plus, i'm really unsure about copying a
tattoo i saw in a movie. how many other people have this type of
tattoo fashioned after the same movie? i prefer to be unique and i'd
like to try something that hasn't been done before.
so... any opinions out there?
Answer:
- Dragons can be adapted to most any region. But I'm not sure how a set of
wings on your arm would fly.
So don't copy it. I assume you like the concept, so go with that.
You'd probably get much more satisfaction if you found your own point of
reference. Or worked with an artist to get what you desire. Find an
artist whos style you like and can relate to and go from there.
- Just to be pedantic, Elayne got this tattoo in 1988. I have
a picture of her in my tattoo photo album from the 1987 NTA
convention, with hair, and sans wings. I also have a
couple of shots of her mermaid scales. She will not normally
allow them to be photographed, largely due to the number of
copies of her wings she has seen.
That said, she told me that she got the idea for the wings
tattoo from a restaurant called "Angeli"
on Melrose Ave.
Their logo was a pair of disembodied angel wings. She took
it to Bob Roberts, and the rest is history.
- This tattoo design was probally copied by the movie people from a photo
of Elayne Angel (formerly Binnie). She has this tattoo for at least 12
years, there is a photo of it in Modern Primitives. So the tattoo had
been done and copied many times.
- Actually, backpiece wings seem fairly common - as a matter of fact, there
was a woman who apparently attended a convention or two who was featured
in and on the cover of a few of the tattoo mags this past summer. And I've
seen others as well.
But if that's the tattoo you want, get it. Wings can be made to look as
like or as different from the movie version as you want. Your tattooist
can draw you up something that will fit your bone and muscle, and the
colors can be your own choice, etc.
- ok I won't go into the standard rant here, I have already written an art theory
paper on the subject, but let the truth of the following statement (cliche?)
sink in....
There is nothing new under the sun.
As for that particular tattoo, Elayne has been mentioned and she is not even
the first, wings on one's back is one of hose designs whose origins is
probably older than we can know - though Elayne's are singularly impressive.
I have seen many variations (bloodied, gargoyle, scaled, etc) and all were
very impressive for the most part. If you like this design then get it and
wear it with pride and worry less about uniqueness. Being unique just isnt
all that impressive since its a quality everyone has as a distinct individual
person (some just get more PR for it). Besides, how could getting a tattoo be
unique - its 6000 plus years old.
- I have seen various wings on various people in various tattoo
magazines. The idea of angel wings has been done before but there are
many ways to make yours uniquely your own - different colors, types of
feathes, placement etc.
Regarding the dragon - you could compromise and get dragon wings
tattooed on your back!
- Actually, the design is smaller and red... more representational than
realistic. Since they are painted on they used no outlines, so the red is nice
and striking. They are also only on the shoulderblades, if memory serves, and
don't go down the back very far.