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This is a fun book to look through. It's like sitting at a bar and having a stream of people tell you their tattoo stories. Not all of these stories are deep and emotional. The stories range from heartfelt to just silly fun (the tattoo of "pizza party" across the toes because the person really loves pizza). I suddenly feel compelled to get a tattoo of "ramen" across my chest.
There isn't a lot of reading - you can blow through this book easily in an hour. The pictures are just illustrations, not photos. It would be nice to see the real thing since drawings are always the idealized version of the tattoo. Part of the fun for some people (me) is seeing how it doesn't always look as expected in person. Also, there's only a front view of the tattoos. In instances where the tattoo might wrap around a body part or there is more to look at from other angles, you are only given an arrow pointing to the area saying there's more tattoo there, but can't see it.
It's not a book to really appreciate the art of a tattoo, just the bar stories behind them.
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This book sounded interesting on paper but when I met it in the flesh I found it wanting. Pictures of tattoos and the story behind the tattoos was the concept. Tattoos are supposed to be symbols of individuality and personal freedom; but nowadays everyone has them.
Of all the stories in the book, one is just about the most preposterous of them all: a woman and her partner were breaking up, and wanted to get twin tattoos that would remind them why they broke up and why they shouldn't be together. And that is not even the preposterous part. The part that I take issue with is that the tattoo "artist" refused to do "couples" tattoos because they always regret them later. Since when does a tattoo artist have scruples or worry about remorse or regrets? They'd all be out of business. Finally, why have drawings instead of photographs? While some subjects may have been camera shy, if it was a really good tattoo, we should see it, and if bad, then all the more reason to see just how bad.
3 stars but I'm leaving a space for a fourth star in case I have reviewer remorse.
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While not a fan of tattoos, I am amazed – in both good and bad ways – at some of the artwork I see and have often wondered what motivated the person to make the choice they did. After all, this isn’t a decision that can easily be changed. In Pen & Ink, the authors asked the question ‘why’ to a range of mostly ordinary people (there were a few rock stars and porn stars in the mix), and received a fascinating array of answers.
While the stories are often serious, the book is presented in a whimsical fashion with the tattoos drawn in 4-color illustrations rather than photographs, and the essays are printed using a handwriting-style font. At first glance it resembles a graphic novel.
The stories range from only a few words, to long, full-page explanations. Some were done on a whim, others for love and still others as a tribute to a loved one or even a beloved pet. All were emotional and revealing – and a few were scary as people described giving themselves the tattoo!
An interesting look at pop culture and a revealing book for anyone who has ever wondered ‘why?’.
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This is a pretty cool book. I picked it up yesterday, intending to read just the first few pages, then pick it up later, and ended up sitting down and reading it in its entirety. As someone with tattoos and wishing to be inked more, I find tattoos very intriguing. I always wonder about some of the stories behind interesting and unique ones. Sometimes I ask and am told of people's journeys of life and love, their triumphs and tragedies.
Having these stories told by people of a variety of ages, and having lived very broad spectrum of lifestyles, different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities...makes these stories so fascinating - even the simplest of them. They're very genuine as well, ranging from funny to touching to downright heartrending.
I liked the art work, but I think my personal preference would have been to see photographs of the tattoos. That's the only reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5. I think it would have made the stories behind the tattoos come to life even that much more for the reader - to actually see the real tattoo emblazoned on the body instead of a drawing of it. But I get it. Having an artist draw them ( a very talented one, I'll add) is a novel idea that probably has not been done.
If you like tattoos, are interested in the whys behind them, I would recommend this book. It would be a nice addition to your bookshelf or coffee table.
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This is an interesting book. I have no tattoos of my own but I have often wondered about the tattoos of others. This book contains hand drawn pictures of tattoos. It has the name and occupation of the bearer and the story behind the tattoo. Some of the stories are simple and amusing but most are deep and heartbreaking... All are interesting!
It must be mentioned again so that you know what you are purchasing ...This book contains no photos of the tattoos but hand drawn renderings of the tattoos. Admittedly I was at first disappointed by the lack of actual photos but then I got it! Tattoos are hand drawn onto the body and this book is drawings of tattoos. The combination of simple drawings, handwriting font and deeply personal stories makes for an amazing book.
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This item: Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them
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