Tinkerbell Tattoos

June 5, 2010

My daughter just loves Tinkerbell. She's two, and already loves to dress up like a princess or a fairy. I never considered getting a Tinkerbell tattoo myself, but I looked into them nonetheless. :) Most of the ones I found were standard Tinkerbell poses, but there are some creative ones out there. Here's a standard Tinkerbell pose, but this one is much larger than normal. Then tend to be small -- maybe 3 inches tall at most -- and the most common locations are hips and shoulders.

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Image credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27087317@N07/2530141470/

Technorati Tags: tattoo, tattoo finder, tinkerbell

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Lower Back Tattoo Designs: Here’s a Feminine One

May 29, 2010

Affectionately called "tramp stamps," they are actually pretty versatile for those who are willing to be creative. The vast majority of lower back tattoo designs are sported by women, but my friend reports that the occasional customer is male. Here's a very feminine lower back tattoo design.

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Image via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidans-world/777032812/

Technorati Tags: lower back, Pictures of Tattoos, tattoo, tattoo finder

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Chopper Tattoo Review

March 26, 2010

Chopper Tattoo is the most popular tattoo finder on the web, but it's not the best.

While it has many strengths, there are aspects of the service that are misleading. In the end, its breadth of tattoo designs shines.

Read on to learn how you can get the most from this service for the least amount of money. You'll also see the good and bad about this popular service to determine if it is the right tattoo finder for you.

Package Contents

Membership to the Chopper Tattoo web site
Free music downloads (bonus)
Inked magazine subscription (bonus)
Tattoo Parlor directory

Before you get too excited about these bonuses, I'd like to point out a few things:

Free music is provided via mp3suite.com. MP3Suite is a bit misleading in that it is a piece of software that you can use to access file sharing sites. That is, it provides organized access to music downloads that are already free. This is not explicitly stated anywhere on the site. Beware: just because you can freely download songs doesn't mean that it is legal to do so!
The Inked magazine subscription is for the online edition only. When you click the link in the members area, you're taken to one electronic issue. To access the other issues, click the "Archives" icon to view other issues that are available for viewing.
The tattoo parlor directory is nothing more than Yahoo's yellow pages .

Detailed Review

Chopper Tattoo is the oldest and most popular tattoo finder on the web, and it's not hard to see why when you begin looking through their designs. There are nearly 4,000 tattoo designs available for download, and hundreds of high-quality pictures that can be used for tattoo design inspiration.

A great feature about the Chopper service is that they actively encourage and reward tattoo artists for submitting quality designs. That means that their design collection will constantly be growing, and will constantly attract more artists and more talented artists.

You can browse tattoo designs by category, and download, use, and print out as many as you like during your membership period. Browsing is straightforward: each category consists of one long page with all of the tattoo designs for that category. This is both good and bad. If you have a fast internet connection, it works wonderfully, as you can just click the link and keep scrolling through all of the designs quickly. Talk about saving time. If, however, you have a slow connection, you could find yourself clicking on a link to a large category, only to wait for a few minutes while the page loads. Personally, I thought navigation was very fast using this method. TattooMeNow requires you to flip through individual pages, which made me click-weary after a while (see the full TattooMeNow review for details).

There are over 45 categories of tattoos, and most categories are well represented, having between fifty and one hundred designs in each category on average. Some categories, like tribal tattoo designs, dragons, and Chines tattoos have several hundred designs, while others (like lizards, fairies, and Harleys) have only 20 to 30 tattoo designs.

There are three membership options available as of this writing: 30 days access for $19.95, 60 days access for $24.95, and lifetime access for under $35. For most people, the sweet spot will be in the 60-day range. You'll have this tattoo for a lifetime, so take your time when making a decision! There is also a $4.95 tattoo lettering add-on option -- do not get this! On this blog (another post), I show you how you can access and use these same fonts to create your own tattoo lettering style for free. No sense paying $4.95 for it.

Pros:

Active tattoo artist incentives should continue to drive the growth of Chopper's available designs.
There are a lot of really good tattoo designs available for printing and download.
You can download, save, modify, etc. an unlimited number of tattoos.
The one-month membership has a very attractive $19.95 price point.
Each tattoo category is relatively well represented, offering a good number of choices in many different styles.
If you have a fast internet connection, scrolling through each design category is very fast.
Chopper is the most popular tattoo finder on the web.

Cons:

The search function is weak.
The tattoo parlor directory is weak.
The $4.95 tattoo lettering option is deceptive.
There are advertisements in the membership site. Some people don't mind these, but I find them tacky.
Chopper sometimes advertises a "$500 tattoo credit." This is not a bonus -- it's one of those deals where you have to sign up with 8 other services for at least two months in order to get the card. It's dubious at best (although I did get a free iPod a few years ago doing an offer similar to this ).

Based on all of the above factors and the relative scarcity of quality tattoo finders, I've given Chopper Tattoo an overall rating of four stars out of five. While there are some aspects of the service that I find tacky or misleading, I can't argue with the number and quality of designs that they have here. And it looks like that number will continue to grow, thanks to their tattoo artist program. With that said, even though the tattoo selection is great, the negatives of the service lead me to rank Chopper Tattoo as the runner-up among the tattoo finders.

Chopper Tattoo Official Web Site

Video Review

Customer Feedback

"You can download every single design, print it out and take it to your favourite tattoo studio. . . With a Chopper Tattoo Design you always have at least an idea to start from ([even] if you do not want to use the original design)."

~ comment from tattoosforgirls.net

"Most people. . . only pick a design when they are in a tattoo shop. Tattoo shops only have limited designs. . .Chopper Tattoo is by far the most popular tattoo resource in the world."

~ comment from a Squidoo lens

"Some fantastic art work! My son has found a very satisfactory tattoo which will be used to cover an existing one. Many thanks!"

~ Chopper Tattoo customer Jean Underwood

"Chopper Tattoo has all that they promised. . . mind blowing tattoos. Clients keep coming to my shop because of the quality designs I have for them."

~ Chopper Tattoo customer and freestyle artist Hon

Product Details

Author: N/A

Package: access to Chopper Tattoo's tattoo finder and design gallery, free online edition of Inked magazine, free download software from MP3suite.com. I didn't list the other bonuses as they are of dubious value.

Price: $19.95 for one month access, $24.95 for two months, $34.44 for lifetime access.

Return Policy: 60 days, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

Chopper Tattoo Official Web Site

Technorati Tags: chopper designs, Chopper Tattoo, chopper tattoo review, chopper tattoos, choppers tattoo, pictures of tattoos, tattoo finder

Filed Under Product Reviews · 2 Comments

Tattoo Lettering Styles

March 5, 2010

I've been doing a lot of digging for different tattoo lettering styles for my sleeve. I want the sleeve to be themed, but I also want to mix in pieces of my life that are important to me. Maybe a quote that I live by, and definitely my kids' names and possible birthdates. My son just turned three and my daughter is one, and I really want them to be represented on this sleeve somewhere.

Probably the most traditional style of tattoo lettering is pictured below. It's a standard tattoo font and resembles calligraphy. The forearms, upper chest, and abdomen are the most popular places for this type of tattoo lettering. I can't say that I'm too fond of this style.

Traditional Tattoo Lettering

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leleleoni57/2931533281/

Technorati Tags: Tattoo Designs, tattoo finder, Tattoo Lettering

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Tattoo Finder: Why it’s the Best Way to Go

November 6, 2009

For one very important reason, anyone considering a new tattoo should look for a qualified tattoo finder to help make that decision. That one important reason is to ensure that you get a tattoo that doesn't suck. It's harder than you might expect.

Look at the typical scenario. In fact, look at my scenario when I got my first tattoo 18 years ago.

I walked into the only nearby tattoo parlor that I knew of. This one happened to be attached to a head shop. I was oblivious of the danger at the time, but yikes. Anyway, I paged through the few books they had there, but while I was doing that, I felt people staring at me. This was a small shop, and I was taking up room that could be filled by another paying customer. I didn't really know what I wanted, I couldn't find anything that really appealed to me, and I was getting tense because I thought I was taking too long to make a decision. And I got . . . a Tasmanian devil. I kid you not. It has since been covered up, but that choice haunts me to this day.

Fast forward a year, and now I'm in a clean, competent, highly regarded parlor. Same situation: I'm thumbing through books, looking for a good design, but can't quite find one I like. I wanted an arm band, and 17 years ago, there was a very limited selection of arm band tattoos. I think there were literally 10 designs to choose from. Anyway, I had no other alternatives for a parlor, so I chose one of those stock bands. And to this day, I hate that tattoo.

A tattoo finder could have helped me in both those situations.

A tattoo finder enables you to look through a large amount of designs in a short period of time, exposing you to many more tattoos than you would otherwise be able to see. You can also see tattoos from many different styles, not just the ones that were created by the artists from that parlor. Perhaps best of all is that you can take your time. Look a little now, a little tomorrow, etc. You can sleep on it, draw temporary designs to make sure you like them. You can use transfer paper to temporarily put the full design on your body for a few days (see this post to learn how). In short, you are able to spend as much time as you want to view and try on as many designs as you like before you step foot in a parlor.

The price to access a tattoo finder is minuscule in comparison to the cost of the actual tattoo, not to mention the headaches it could save you.

So why use a tattoo finder:

You are able to look through many more designs.
It's easier to look through designs more quickly.
You can find a perfect design from the comfort of your home.
You can look through the top designs from a broad range of artists around the country.
It helps ensure that you get a tattoo that you like for years to come.
You don't have to worry about feeling pressured to choose a design quickly, like you do when you're in the parlor.
To find a killer design that you'll love for years to come.

The top two tattoo finders available are Chopper and TattooMeNow. To see which is best for you, check out our Chopper Tattoo Review and our TattooMeNow Review.

Technorati Tags: designs for tattoos, Pictures of Tattoos, Tattoo Designs, tattoo finder

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TattooMeNow Review

January 25, 2009

TattooMeNow snagged our top tattoo finder honors after just a few short months in operation.

While it doesn't have the breadth of designs that competitor Chopper Tattoo has, it is aggressively adding new designs, features attractively priced membership plans, includes many bonuses of legitimate value, and is more professional in appearance.

Due to the lack of breadth, this service isn't for everyone. Keep reading for details on the hits and misses of this service, and to determine if TattooMeNow is the best tattoo finder choice for you.

Package Contents

Membership to the TattooMeNow web site
Access to the private members forum
Access to the members gallery of tattoo photos
Tattoo Parlor directory
Tattoo bonus videos (Caring for a tattoo, getting a tattoo, aftercare, etc.)
3300 Chines Signs e-book
You and Your Tattoo e-book and MP3
Got Ink? e-book
Learn How to Tattoo in 12 Easy Steps e-book
Infection Prevention e-book
Getting Inked e-book
Xtasys Tattoo Designs e-book
Assorted fitness, weight loss, and muscle building e-books

The amount of bonuses available is impressive, and they have actual value. The members gallery features over 1,600 tattoo photos, and more than 30,000 users post to the private discussion forum. The Got Ink? and You and Your Tattoo e-books contain good information for those who are new to tattoos.

Detailed Review

TattooMeNow is much newer than Chopper Tattoos, but it is quickly gaining ground. Now featuring more than 3,500 designs and more than 1,600 tattoo pictures, TattooMeNow is as large in scale as Chopper Tattoo. See our full Chopper Tattoo review here.

The most readily apparent thing about TattooMeNow is the sense of community at the membership site. Members actively submit their tattoo photos, and contribute to the discussion forums. You'll find newbies, knowledgeable pros, and professional tattoo artists on the message boards.

The fact that TattooMeNow has cultivated a community bodes well for their future prospects. Not only do they continue to upgrade and expand their design inventory, but they also ask for input from community members on what types of designs should be added. This focus on the member and on attracting high-quality tattoo artists is an appealing characteristic.

You can browse tattoo designs by category, and download, use, and print out as many as you like during your membership period. Browsing is straightforward: click on a category to view tattoos within that category. Tattoos are separated into pages, so if you have a slow internet connection, you won't have to wait for hundreds of pictures to load before you start viewing designs. However, with all of the paging, you might become a bit click-weary after a while.

There are over 40 categories of tattoos, but many categories are under-represented at present. For example, the fantasy tattoo category only contains 25 designs. However, if you are a fan of tribal tattoo designs, you'll find more than 1,600 tribal tattoo designs alone. TattooMeNow's blog states that they are continuing to add to each of these under-represented categories.

There are two membership options available as of this writing: one year access for $27, and lifetime access for $37. The lengthy membership length is a good sign. When you want to pick out the best possible design, you shouldn't be in a rush. TattooMeNow's membership options provide plenty of time for you to find the perfect tattoo.

Pros:

Active tattoo artist incentives should continue to drive the growth of TattooMeNow's available designs.
The community is consulted to determine which new designs to add.
There are over 3,500 tattoo designs and that number continues to increase.
There are more than 1,600 high-quality member photos to view for inspiration.
You can download, save, modify, etc. an unlimited number of tattoos.
The introductory membership option is very attractive at one year for $27.
You can both browse and search for tattoo designs.
The community at TattooMeNow really sets them apart from the other tattoo finders.
The bonuses have legitimate value.

Cons:

Some design categories are under-represented
It's easy to become click-weary while browsing through designs

Based on all of the above factors, TattooMeNow gets our top recommendation ranking. While they lack breadth of tattoos in some categories, the focus on the customer, the friendly and interactive community, the large number of current designs, and the prospects for growth are enough for TattooMeNow to pull ahead of Chopper Tattoo for top honors.

TattooMeNow Official Web Site

Video Review

Customer Feedback

"Offers the best bang for your buck when compared to the other most popular tattoo design sites. With its combination of 3500+ designs, an active forum, videos, and other interactive features, a membership to Tattoo Me Now is a great investment."

~ comment from tattoo review site

"High quality tattoo membership site . . . one of the most affordable ways to find unique designs for yourself."

~ comment from an EzineArticles article

"One of the best features we found with Tattoo Me Now is the active and helpful community. . . the discussion forum is a great place to meet other people and get answers to your most pressing questions from professional tattoo artists or from the other members."

~ Comment from tattoo review site

"Excellent tattoo design gallery filled with thousands of top designs."

~ Comment from tattoo review site

Product Details

Author: N/A

Package: access to TattooMeNow's tattoo finder, design gallery, member's photo gallery, private members forum; bonus tattoo videos; tattooing e-books including 3300 Chinese Signs, You and Your Tattoo, Got Ink?, Learn How to Tattoo in 12 Easy Steps, Infection Prevention, Getting Inked, Xtasys Tattoo Designs; and assorted fitness, weight loss, and muscle building e-books.

Price: $27 for two month access, $37 for lifetime access.

Return Policy: 60 days, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

TattooMeNow Official Web Site

Technorati Tags: pictures of tattoos, Tattoo Designs, tattoo finder, tattoo me now, tattoomenow, tattoomenow review, tattoomenow.com

Filed Under Product Reviews · 2 Comments

Tinkerbell Tattoos: Goth Tinkerbell

December 18, 2008

This one takes some guts to pull off. It's still a simple tattoo, but I find it very creative.

Goth Tinkerbell Tattoo

Technorati Tags: goth, tattoo design, tattoo finder, tinkerbell, Tinkerbell Tattoos

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Tinkerbell Tattoos: Tink and Mickey

December 15, 2008

This is one of my favorite ones: Mickey Mouse holding Tinkerbell in his hand. Really nice work, too.

Tinkerbell and Mickey

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/evillittleblue/2228746297/

Technorati Tags: mickey mouse, Tattoo Designs, tattoo finder, tinkerbell, Tinkerbell Tattoos

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My Favorite Tattoo Lettering Font

November 23, 2008

This is the tattoo lettering style that I'm leaning towards. It has a traditional script feel, but at the same time it incorporates a very up-to-date and current font trend. I have to rummage through thousands of fonts in my day job designing game screens, so I've seen a lot! This style is bold, crisp, and current.