Alia Snyder
Art is a broad topic in the world. There is musical art, performance art, even literature is considered a form of art. But one form of art often ignored is in the form of tattoos.
For some, tattoos are just cool and seem like the popular thing to do, but many overlook the fact that tattoos were not always casual as they are today. Coming from the tahitian word “tatau” meaning to mark, tattoos can be traced as far back as 5000 years ago according to designboom.com. In the Middle East, body tattoos were a symbol of gratitude towards whatever deity they worshipped. Native American women tattooed their faces to depict marital status. 1846 is when the first tattoo shop was settled in New York City and from there the trend spread like disease.
The life commitment of the permanent ink seems to be a risk many are willing to take. The senior class of Germantown High is privy to the excitement tattoos can bring. According to a poll of 162 seniors, more than half of them either have or plan to get anywhere from one to five tattoos. Although the number is small, the pain can be a thousand times larger.
Tattoos are big in the media nowadays. Almost every celebrity, ranging from Lil’ Wayne to Carrie Underwood to Megan Fox, have tattoos. With most of teen idols having tattoos, it is no surprise that teenagers run to follow in their footsteps.
“I’d get a tattoo because it’s cool,” senior Cooper Terle said.
A large reason behind tattoos is the desire to properly express one’s self through art. Unlike most celebrities though, many Germantown students have special meanings behind their tattoos.
“Tattoos tell a story and can be a reminder of significant memories or thoughts,” said senior Skylar Jones.
The media does play a role in influencing teens to get tattoos, but another big inspiration would be the ones closest to the teens: family members. 48.1% of seniors on the same survey claimed that their family members have at least 1 to 5 tattoos.
Even though there are so many people who plan to get tattoos, 29.6 % of seniors don’t plan on getting tattoos, and some have pretty logical reasons.
“I change my mind too much to get a permanent tattoo,” senior Jahnavi Jagannath said.
Will the tattoo trend continue? It ultimately depends on how permanent people want their art.
Art is a broad topic in the world. There is musical art, performance art, even literature is considered a form of art. But one form of art often ignored is in the form of tattoos.
For some, tattoos are just cool and seem like the popular thing to do, but many overlook the fact that tattoos were not always casual as they are today. Coming from the tahitian word “tatau” meaning to mark, tattoos can be traced as far back as 5000 years ago according to designboom.com. In the Middle East, body tattoos were a symbol of gratitude towards whatever deity they worshipped. Native American women tattooed their faces to depict marital status. 1846 is when the first tattoo shop was settled in New York City and from there the trend spread like disease.
The life commitment of the permanent ink seems to be a risk many are willing to take. The senior class of Germantown High is privy to the excitement tattoos can bring. According to a poll of 162 seniors, more than half of them either have or plan to get anywhere from one to five tattoos. Although the number is small, the pain can be a thousand times larger.
Tattoos are big in the media nowadays. Almost every celebrity, ranging from Lil’ Wayne to Carrie Underwood to Megan Fox, have tattoos. With most of teen idols having tattoos, it is no surprise that teenagers run to follow in their footsteps.
“I’d get a tattoo because it’s cool,” senior Cooper Terle said.
A large reason behind tattoos is the desire to properly express one’s self through art. Unlike most celebrities though, many Germantown students have special meanings behind their tattoos.
“Tattoos tell a story and can be a reminder of significant memories or thoughts,” said senior Skylar Jones.
The media does play a role in influencing teens to get tattoos, but another big inspiration would be the ones closest to the teens: family members. 48.1% of seniors on the same survey claimed that their family members have at least 1 to 5 tattoos.
Even though there are so many people who plan to get tattoos, 29.6 % of seniors don’t plan on getting tattoos, and some have pretty logical reasons.
“I change my mind too much to get a permanent tattoo,” senior Jahnavi Jagannath said.
Will the tattoo trend continue? It ultimately depends on how permanent people want their art.