Saturday, December 7, 2013

What is a good symbol for support?

phoenix tattoo design for girls on Tattoos Life Style: Tribal Phoenix Tattoo
phoenix tattoo design for girls image



Mike C


My sister asked me to get a tattoo with her, and I immediately jumped at the idea. She has been battling a serious eating disorder all of her life, and i wanted to show her that i support her in everything she does. I have a few ideas, but i would like some other ideas on what is a good symbol for support. Thanks guys!


Answer
Please don't get a Chinese symbol- that's just asking for trouble. One tiny mark out-of-place can change the entire meaning of the tattoo. Of course, if you actually are Chinese, or there is something significant about the culture/language that's a different story.

I've heard people associate butterflies with recovery from eating disorders- especially purple ones (lavender is the "awareness ribbon" color for eating disorders). Some people also get the National Eating Disorder Awareness logo. I also saw an episode of LA Ink where a girl got a tattoo symbolizing her recovery from an eating disorder (I'll add links below). Personally, I think that's something I would fit into a more personalized design.

I am designing a tattoo for myself to symbolize my struggle and recovery from depression. Over the past 8 to 12 years or so, I've struggled with bullying, verbal and emotional abuse/harassment (from peers and family), mild to severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and cutting. I've also had a lot of body image issues, and I've been painfully aware of how easy it would be for me to fall into the trap of an eating disorder (my problem is overeating, although there have been days when I hardly eat anything because I feel I'm too "fat").

For my tattoo, I'm looking at getting a feather pen because I have a life-long love of writing. The feather itself will be a multicolored peacock feather because the peacock represents beauty, resilience (peacocks can survive eating some types of poison), rebirth (like a phoenix), and being open. In the design, I'm going to include the awareness ribbon colors for eating disorders, self-injury, depression, mental health, suicide, bullying, and child abuse (as well as a couple other colors that I just like). I'm also adding my favorite scripture reference (Jeremiah 29:11-14), and I'm trying to figure out a good way to fit in a heart, cross, and sun to represent a quote that means a lot to me:

"I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining
I believe in love, even when I don't feel it.
And I believe in God, even when He is silent."

Maybe you can do something like that? I heard of someone wanting to get a tattoo of a bird flying out of a cage- which reminds me of the first stanza of an Emily Dickinson poem:

"Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul
and sings the tune-- without the words
and never stops at all."

It might be cool to do a bird flying out of an open cage or something as a design- with a lavender ribbon tied around the bird's neck or foot (so it's trailing behind), and add that poem in the design. I'm not sure how big you want to go for a design- this one might be a little much. There are also basic word tattoos you could do: strength, love, and live are a bit overdone (in my opinion). I've thought about getting "Captivating" tattooed to myself because it stems from a dream I have for myself- to be someone who is beautiful- and captivating- inside and out.

I'd pick something you and your sister have in common and tie it into something that you both feel is symbolic of her recovery. At the very least, adding in a lavender color will help (or you can tie in the NEDA logo). Just make it more personalized than just a logo, color, or some Chinese symbol.

Fitting in a broken mirror with a butterfly or bird would also be a cool idea.

Where should I get my tattoo?




erin


I'm getting a Phoenix tat either on my wrist or ankle. Which looks better and which hurts worse? Got any phoenix designs that look cool? Pics?


Answer
The ankle is a better placement for it, and the ankle is also far more uncomfortable of a place to get it. The closer to the bone at the bottom of the ankle it is, the more discomfort you're going to have. I would recommend the calf for that piece, your artist will have more room to work with, to make it look really good, and an inch up from the ankle bone, it's far less painful. The Phoenix looks good, rising from the ashes into flight, and you'll have the room there for him to spread his wings a bit. Ask your artist, if it's very painful for you, if he could power down a bit, as long as you're still taking ink. Pour on the charm, because such a request might piss him off a little if you don't. We're suckers for girls in distress anyway, so be nice about it. Flirt shamelessly if need be, you can give him the number to Wendy's when he asks for it. But he'll do a great job on your tattoo, and probably hurt you a lot less. =)




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