Well, I have an odd issue. I have a large upper back tattoo. That is purple. With lyrics of a girly song on it(Natasha Beddingfields "Unwritten"). That is a book, being torn apart on one side, and written in brand new on the other. That has "Today is where my book begins. The rest is still unwritten" on scrolly ribbon.

Without destroying the amazing custom made artwork on my body, how can I hope to make that pass at the beach once I can go topless?!

*sidenote* I was already considering doing an entire back piece to help hide the lower back tattoo(of my baby girls feet), starting with her baby brothers feet right above that.

I just need ideas to bring to my tattoo artist(who is aware of my trans* status.

Quote from: Adrian_Michael on November 26, 2012, 12:38:24 AM
Well, I have an odd issue. I have a large upper back tattoo. That is purple. With lyrics of a girly song on it(Natasha Beddingfields "Unwritten"). That is a book, being torn apart on one side, and written in brand new on the other. That has "Today is where my book begins. The rest is still unwritten" on scrolly ribbon.

I REALLY like that saying and if you wouldn't have said where it was from I wouldn't have guessed. Since it is in purple you could get it redone in black (for added masculine effect). Maybe add a feathered quill to it with the tip breaking off into black birds flying off (see photo). The saying totally relates to transition, imo.

Quote from: Simon on November 26, 2012, 01:10:11 AM
I REALLY like that saying and if you wouldn't have said where it was from I wouldn't have guessed. Since it is in purple you could get it redone in black (for added masculine effect). Maybe add a feathered quill to it with the tip breaking off into black birds flying off (see photo). The saying totally relates to transition, imo.

I like the feather, but here's the tattoo:




It's not really modifiable to black....

On the bright side it's not a giant butterfly, lol.

I don't think it's completely femme and I doubt anyone at the beach one day is going to be all up on you looking at it. If it is a big deal I'd suggest a cover up but it's not bad.

On my left inside forearm I've got a naked lady on a crescent moon I'm thinking about covering up with a sleeve. You could always do a large cover up if it bothers you that much.

Quote from: Simon on November 26, 2012, 08:24:25 AM
On the bright side it's not a giant butterfly, lol.

I don't think it's completely femme and I doubt anyone at the beach one day is going to be all up on you looking at it. If it is a big deal I'd suggest a cover up but it's not bad.

On my left inside forearm I've got a naked lady on a crescent moon I'm thinking about covering up with a sleeve. You could always do a large cover up if it bothers you that much.

You really think it's not too femme? I plan on adding quite a bit to my back(have 4 tattoos already set up, another set of feet for my son, adding names and birth dates, a pagan motif, and at least one that everyone told me was too "guy" to be put on my "female" body). The saying means so much to me, as a person in transition, and I really do love purple, LOL. I guess I'm just trying to..I dunno, make myself more stereotypical?

Quote from: Adrian_Michael on November 26, 2012, 08:35:42 AMThe saying means so much to me, as a person in transition, and I really do love purple, LOL. I guess I'm just trying to..I dunno, make myself more stereotypical?

Listen, if you like it then that is what matters. Trust me if you're passing in every other way nobody is going to be guessing your gender identity.

...but to answer your question, no I don't think it's too femme.

I don't think it's that femme either, but that could be because it reminds me of the nights watch oath from a song of ice and fire (game of thrones) and that's just completely bad ass. I would just keep it.

I don't find the tat that feminine, but if you do want to masculinize it or get rid of it you can always get a cover. If you want a good one you'll have to do some research to find someone renown for their quality covers and be willing to invest some $$$ and most probably travel a bit though, not every tattoo artist can pull them off successfully.

Here's an example of a good cover (I've seen even better but can't remember by whom) :



And here's a bad one (what is that!?) :



Also, I don't want to hurt your feelings as this tattoo probably means a lot to you but... don't go back to the guy who did it. Not for the cover-up and not for any other tattoos, even if he's your friend or the closest from home or the cheapest around. Technique-wise it is really poorly done.

Quote from: Sia on November 26, 2012, 02:24:30 PM
Also, I don't want to hurt your feelings as this tattoo probably means a lot to you but... don't go back to the guy who did it. Not for the cover-up and not for any other tattoos, even if he's your friend or the closest from home or the cheapest around. Technique-wise it is really poorly done.

May I ask why you say that? Because I will say any bad lines/uneven lines and shading are my fault( I move and twitch and can't keep still and, in regards to the shading, I had the same problem with my lower back tattoo, I can't sit still and handle the pain long enough to get a solid shading).

She does amazing work: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.163165387637.120525.511492637&type=3

ETA: The lower tattoo was not even her work, it was someone else, and I twitched and moved so bad there are stray tattoo dots on my hips from my throwing myself sideways when he went near my spine.

Quote from: Adrian_Michael on November 26, 2012, 03:17:47 PM
May I ask why you say that? Because I will say any bad lines/uneven lines and shading are my fault( I move and twitch and can't keep still and, in regards to the shading, I had the same problem with my lower back tattoo, I can't sit still and handle the pain long enough to get a solid shading).

She does amazing work: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.163165387637.120525.511492637&type=3

ETA: The lower tattoo was not even her work, it was someone else, and I twitched and moved so bad there are stray tattoo dots on my hips from my throwing myself sideways when he went near my spine.

Yeah, the lines are wobbly and uneven, and the shading really isn't great as well as the underlying drawing - the book isn't symmetrical, and if you trace its contours under the ribbons it ends up with some weird angles and perspective/continuity errors.

The link you provided doesn't work for me but I googled her and found her MySpace account - a few of her works are indeed better, but overall I've seen the same shortcomings in pretty much every picture. Most people can't stay perfectly still under the dermograph for very long, and working on a living canvas is something all tattoo artists learn to do, so that's not entirely your fault.
I can see how her work looks amazing to someone who isn't pursuing a carreer in drawing/visual arts or isn't a hardcore tattoo enthusiast, but compared to other professionals she's barely around average ; at the same level than many of the tattooers you can find in every town, good enough to make a living out of it but not to establish their name in the scene and get people to travel and save big bucks for it, like they do for this or this or this or this.

Again I'm not trashing her or you as persons, just talking about her technique - and mastery of a craft requires not just talent but lots and lots of practice.

A guy in our group had a rainbow. They turned it into this big colorful snake. Awesome.

--Jay J

I don't think it's too femme. I don't think that's something that would be very easy to cover up. If you want to make it more masculine, you could just get the lines darkened and maybe add some navy blue to the purple.

Hmmmm since you're wanting to add to it anyway, an idea could be to add some abstract-y scriptlike writing behind the original to make it stand out a bit less (maybe in black with subtler purple or blue..it wouldn't be actual words, just fluid lines that looked like script), and would flow out and span your shoulders (could make them appear broader too!) and possibly connect the other tattoos and make them work together.  I like designing tattoos 

I don't think it's very femme. I think some guys stay away from purples because it's been identified with the gay movement, but I don't think anyone's going to think much of it, especially if you're not really presenting yourself as a straight man. (And hell, if straight guys are wearing pink now, I think purple tattoos are fine). And, if you're getting more tats it won't draw much attention, especially if all your other tats are very masculine.

I do agree with MangoSlayer, I think darker lines will makes it seem more masculine.

 Yes, it's feminine but nothing anyone would really think about unless they were a lover staring at your back or something. Not enough to out you or anything. If you looked like a guy otherwise, I might just say, 'oh philosophical' 

@Sia, I think that first one you posted...they seemed to also change the color of the person's skin.

Quote from: Nygeel on November 29, 2012, 12:06:55 AM
@Sia, I think that first one you posted...they seemed to also change the color of the person's skin.

Cause tans don't fade right?

Quote from: wheat thins are delicious on November 29, 2012, 12:33:29 AM
Cause tans don't fade right?

They don't fade that much.

Quote from: Nygeel on November 29, 2012, 12:06:55 AM
@Sia, I think that first one you posted...they seemed to also change the color of the person's skin.

Maybe its redness after getting it done or his tan.

And no offence, but a lot of her work lacks in the anatomy department.

Quote from: Nygeel on November 29, 2012, 10:14:51 AM
They don't fade that much.

I'd have to disagree with Nygeel here.


And to the OP, my main concern is more of how long ago did you get this tattoo and how important to you was it at the time? I only ask because getting a tattoo is usually seen as a fairly permanent decision and is something people usually get to represent onself since if they don't want to they don't even have to display it to the world - did you once comfortably identify as femme, is the tattoo part of a prior facade, or do you not see the tattoo as femme at all & just are afraid others might think that?
In life, just remember you should keep dear to you things that remain important to you, not things that are only important to others.