"The body is a sculpture, not a canvas." That is a quote from a very nice (not being sarcastic) professor of mine when consulted about a tatoo. To me, this was a very wierd thing he said, especially because he was such a nice person, and I would have expected him to answer something like "whatever makes you happy." To me, my view is whatever makes a person happy and does the most good for the most amount of people (utilitarianism). What do you guys think of what my professor said?
i don't even know what your professor means. lol you could make a sculpture a giant dick but it would still be a sculpture. i think he just wanted to sound deep. lol
I completely agree with you, OP. A person should do with their body whatever makes them happy. Personally, I don't have any tattoos and don't have plans to get any at this moment, but we'll see.. I can kinda see where he's coming from. Some people prefer the beauty of the human body unmarred by ink and such
He was just saying a sculpture is something pure & unblemished by foreign objects (such as needles), rather than a canvas - something designed to be altered. Tattoos are lovely, to an extent, but there comes a point where they go from works of art to marks of ink on the skin.
Yea, well, you know, that's just like, your opinion, man... Some people just don't like tattoos, which is fine. But tattoos are very personal, so another person's opinion shouldn't matter much. I think the best advice is just to be patient. Once I knew what I wanted, I still waited two years before finding the right artist and getting my first tattoo. I've been sitting on another idea for the last 3 years. You have a lifetime to get drilled, so take your time. But beyond that, I'd say the main thing to consider is employment, and whether or not the ink may cause any future issues. Personally, I don't like either statement. My body isn't just a sculpture or a canvas; it's much more than that.
Some people are sculptors, some are painters. Are either any less beautiful than the other? There is appreciation in both. Some people, like me, prefer to be painted.
He probably believes body modifications should be earned, not bought. Hard work in the gym and all that jazz. A sculpted body is the one thing in the world that money can't buy, just look at Oprah.
There are lots of reasons he could have said that. Remember, he's older than you and apparently not likely to be a dick. Maybe he has a tattoo he eventually came to dislike. Maybe he's witnessed many people growing to dislike their tattoos. Maybe he just thinks that the overall utility of not having a tattoo will be greater than short term happiness (for the 5 years you like it) followed by decades of disliking it, or any time spent profoundly depressed because of it. I'm not kidding. Go anywhere online that is frequented by people wanting removal and there will be people talking about being too depressed to do many things because of their tattoos. Not getting one is safer. A wise, cautious person concerned with OVERALL happiness will be aware of that. Your prof is just thinking of matters more generally than you are. The body as a 3d form, rather than 2d. Happiness over a lifetime, rather than simply what seems aesthetically pleasing to your very young and perhaps temporary viewpoint.
"Whatever makes you happy" is, in many ways, an incredibly shallow opinion regarding matters of permanence. The things that make us can so easily become the things that make us sad. Obviously, you could get into a debate with the prof. Maybe defining yourself as the type of person who gets tattoos regardless of the potential for regret will make you a more 'actualized' and happier person in the long run. But, yea, my suspicion is that by a certain age, most people have witnessed a lot of their tattoo-positive friends of youth get their tats removed or sour on them somewhat at least. Or there are the people who never mix with the tattooed crowd whether in youth, old, or middle age and consider themselves successful, so they assume that the tattooed people occupy the unsuccessful place. To be honest... I'm a tattooed person, who generally thinks people should do what they want, and tattoos are totally great and good. And yet, I think there is a minimal chance that the average tattoo will be enjoyed for the rest of the person's life. Even a really good tattoo in a hidden place can easily become a point of contention. Even if you cycle in and out of liking and disliking your tattoo, in many ways, it feels like a waste of emotional energy.
Ancient sculptures used to be painted with vibrant colors. Nearly all roman ones were. Scientist have found traces of the paints they used. Ignore the professor. If everyone was shaved down and naked everybody would be so similar it would be hard to tell us all apart.
Ancient sculptures used to be painted with vibrant colors. Nearly all roman ones were. Scientist have found traces of the paints they used. Ignore the professor. If everyone was shaved down and naked everybody would be so similar it would be hard to tell us all apart.
I don't have any tattoos (yet), but being an artist myself, primarily drawing- I've always liked the idea of the body as a canvas. I'm always especially flattered when someone wants me to design a tattoo for them, because I don't think an artist can get much higher praise than someone wanting to permanently inscribe your work into your flesh. Yes, you should think long and hard about whether a tattoo is what you really want, because they are permanent and you could come to regret it later, but that does not mean that there's anything inherently wrong with getting a tattoo. If after due consideration you come to the conclusion that it is what you really want and you think it will remain so- then by all means, go ahead and get one. Just don't stumble blindly into it and get something stupid. I'll eventually design my own tattoos, and I'll probably get a lot of them. The main reason I haven't yet is that I want to wait until I become an even better artist before I settle on something- I'm pretty damn good now, but I don't want to get something and then ten years later it will seem like shit compared to what I'll be able to do then. ...the other factor is cost, because tattoos, especially good ones tend to be fucking expensive as hell. No one I've designed them for has been able to get them yet, because a bunch of unemployed teenagers can't afford the exquisitely detailed full back and chest pieces I drew for them. probably a couple grand at least for one of those.
Very few people hate/discriminate against tattoos, and all the ones who do like to pretend they dont have a problem with them and just everyone around them does. "THE body" implies we share a body... YOUR body is whatever you want it to be if you have any shred of autonomy or self respect. There is a wide array of things we use the human body for... as a trash can, a punching bag, etc. Sometimes a canvas. Appreciate the malleability and diversity of what the human body is capable of being rather than just trying to assert your personal choice as some higher truth for all of us to be enlightened by.
Tattoos are awesome. They can be artwork, or like me, a permanent story of your life and being. I've got 12 right now including my hands and I don't regret a single one and never will. I work for myself, so yeah, I don't care what others think of my tattoos. I love them and love seeing them on others, but they are something you HAVE to be sure you want for life. Like with the tattoos on my hands. I came to the conclusion I wouldn't ever have a normal job because of them and I'm cool with that. To each his own, as long as the decisions are well thought out.