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Ageing Tattoo

  • 28-04-2015 8:44pm
    #1
    nervous_twitch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 850 ✭✭✭


    I got a tattoo done when I was 19 and I still love it now as much as I did then - only seven years, mind you - but I wouldn't change it for a second. How and ever, I recently came across an old photo of it (taken in the month or two after it was done) and I was actually somewhat shocked at how different it looked back then.

    It is a polynesian design of a shark that goes across my lower torso and on to my ribcage. I believe the tattoo was a quality job. Great artist. Reputable studio. Careful work. One of the problems, though, is that like any tribal work some of the detail was quite fine.. over time, the negative space between some of the shapes has gotten smaller, the crisper/finer detail diminished and it just looks slightly blurrier. This has been progressive I think.

    Funnily enough, I was (only slightly) bigger at the time of getting it done and have kept fairly in shape since. Naturally our bodies change over time, and being subject to constant movement in its position, it's only to be expected I guess, but I have always been careful in terms of sunlight, moisturising etc.

    So I was thinking recently that maybe it's time for a touch-up. I thought I'd drop in here first though because I'm starting to wonder if that's even possible; maybe pics would explain better, but there is no way to get back the negative space once it has started to blur I imagine? As in, I could probably crisp up the outline a bit, but where there has been a softening internally I think I might just need to accept.

    Any advice? Also, more generally, do you maintain your tattoos in any particular way on a day-to-day basis? Should I just accept that tattoos degrade with the passage of time? Thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    raze_them_all_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,776 ✭✭✭raze_them_all_


    tattoo's degrade eventually it's a fact, and no bar lasering there will be no way to get back the negative space that I am aware of. It's the problem with small intricate pieces I'm afraid!


  • #3
    nervous_twitch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 850 ✭✭✭nervous_twitch


    raze_them_all_ wrote: »
    tattoo's degrade eventually it's a fact, and no bar lasering there will be no way to get back the negative space that I am aware of. It's the problem with small intricate pieces I'm afraid!

    I thought as much. It's not a total disaster, thankfully, I just worry when I'm like 40 it will be one monochrome shape. As long as it's not mistaken for a whale I'm doing OK right :D


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