Photo By Staff Sgt. John Suleski | Cpl. Corey M. Adams, Marine Medium TIltrotor Squadron 263 avionics technician gets a...... read more read more
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WILMINGTON, N.C. -- From World War II era pinup girls to painted rocks formed into a squadron’s logo, art has many forms in the military.
Another form of art and expression popular in the Marine Corps is tattooing. With a tool puncturing several layers of skin and depositing permanent ink, artists can create detailed images on a Marine’s skin.
“There are many reasons Marines get tattoos,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Dibble, Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training instructor. “Tattoos about deployments are pretty common. It’s a significant part of their lives.”
While tattoos may have significant meaning to the wearer, much thought should be put into the design beforehand due to the permanence of the medium.
The 2012 Cape Fear Tattoo and Arts Expo gave Marines a chance to find artists and ideas at the Wilmington Convention Center, April 27-29.
With dozens of artists from across the country featuring different tattooing styles from old school hearts with name banners to eerily life-like portraits, the expo provided many opportunities for people to get tattoos and ideas for tattoos.
Many Marines at the expo got tattoos of compasses, mermaids, and an assortment of motivational designs to commemorate their time in the Corps popularly known as “moto-tats.”
The expo also featured a seminar on choosing a tattoo the canvas won’t regret later.
Marines should adhere to tattoo regulations and not get any artwork that may lead to paperwork. According to Marine Corps Order P1020.34G, Marines may not have head, neck or sleeve tattoos that are visible in a physical training uniform.
Large tattoos or a collection of smaller designs covering a large portion of limbs are considered sleeve tattoos. Also, offensive designs including nudity and anti-American sentiment are not allowed.
Marines must be careful not to get ink that might hinder their future careers.
“A large part of tattoos is commitment,” said tattoo artist Kris Richter. “There are people who come into the shop who have no tattoos and want neck tattoos or hand tattoos. What are you going to do for the rest of your life? What are you going to do for a living?”
Choosing an artist is also important, said Richter. Unless laser removal or cover-up ink is successful, tattoos are permanent work that should be done right the first time. Customers should only hire artists that have the necessary skill for the project.
When the right combination of skill, thought and responsibility go into a design, the result can be a great way to put art on a human canvas.
| Date Taken: | 04.29.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2012 11:03 |
| Story ID: | 88398 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 167 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Thinking before inking makes great tattoos, by SSgt John Suleski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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