Either that or it was a crappy tattoo job. If you recently got it and it's already fading then the job was bad.

That's correct.

The one on my leg faded right away. I was POed. I went back to have it redone. They still did a crappy job. Didn't fix it at all.

I have to go somewhere else to get it touched up. Yet again!

I'm planing to go for my second tattoo tomorrow, but I'm having trouble finding the character I want. I want the chinese character of "to run", but can't find an image anywhere.
Anyone know a good website to find characters?

1) Be careful.
2) Be careful.

That's with reference to flash art (i.e. the stuff on the walls that you point to and say I'll take that one).

If you don't know what it really says then chances are the tattoo artist doesn't either. I heard one story about someone who understood Japanese saw a list of japanese characters (might've been kanji) each meaning different things. One of them read "I'm so stupid I don't know what this means" - although obviously the notice said it was something different! :) Apparently the tattoo artist said to the person he had already given that one to a bunch of people.

I do know a site where you can get some words translated for free by professional translators (so not altavista translate heh). I'll try and dig it out for you if you wish? Naturally we'd want to see pictures later.

Another option is going to say a chinese restaurant but you'd have to trust them! That option works better if you already have the design and want to double check it says what you think it does; that would be the safest way if you insisted on looking at a website that had lists of the characters.

So far this is the only character I've found, which I would post here but I can't figure out how...so here is the link. Any GCer read chinese
to run

Oooohh!! What site?? share please:)

I'll even post pics of my first tattoo if I can make sure my new one doesn't say something dirty

http://www.proz.com/?sp=k2

The good thing about it is you can explain the context in which you mean it, so the translators take that into account. Stops mistakes 'to run a business' versus 'to run a race' type thing. :)

eta: If I can be bothered (it'll be quite a bit of work) I can find the saved HTML file and upload it to a webserver (as I won't be able to find it on their site anymore, too long ago) of a question I asked a few years ago re a word for a tattoo - to give you an idea of what can be expected as a response.

eta2: Here you are. :-) http://tinyurl.com/36cl3
(don't quote)

DolphinChica, are you currently still at school and, if so, does your school have a Chinese Languages department? Maybe you could talk to a professor or a TA and they could help you.

I have 2 butterflies on my lower back. I also have a belly ring and I used to have my tongue pierced in college but took it out because it didn't seem professional anymore, especially in my field (social work) when my male clients were like "why is your tongue pierced" with a smile.

*bump*

I'm thinking about getting something like this:

http://a1259.g.akamai.net/f/1259/558...0/10078888.jpg

Since I allready have a multitude of piercings (including my lobes stretched nice and big to 4 ga. ...translation, you can read things through my earlobes), I'm ready for ink. These are the plans

1) Either a keystone (i have a drawing/idea of what I want) or the outline of PA with a heart where Pittsburgh is
2) on my upper back, I want a sacred heart with a phoenix coming out of the flames and writing above/below with Psalm 51:10 written out (See signature!). The sacred heart will be a copy of a holy card that belonged to my grandmother, and the phoenix will represent my rising above issues in my life, and the quote is a homage to straightedge (still thinking of working three X's in there for straightedge, perhaps in the thorns on the heart) .

http://www.picdump.org/albums/tattoos/picture9.jpg
http://www.picdump.org/albums/tattoos/Picture_6.jpg

and.. I dont have the nipples pierced anymore- but for anyone familiar with Hy-Vee:

http://www.picdump.org/albums/tattoos/Picture_159.jpg

I like tattoos. I always have. I have one. I don't care to have them all over my body, but I want to and plan to add on to the one I already have since it is sort of small.
As far as tattoos that are sorority related, I see nothing wrong with it. I have some sisters with our tattoos of our letters or of lions. I think they're fine as long as they are put in appropriate places.

I love my tattoo: it's a small green and yellow butterfly on my lower back. I designed it, and the artist who did it was phenomenal! :) It's only faded a little bit, and I've had it for a year and a half now.

I've considered getting another one, but I don't know where I would put it.

~ShyViolet

I have my badge on left calf, want the OM symbol on that ankle, or the OM MANI PADME HUM written as a band around that ankle and put a zen symbol on my other one. Also, will get the Dharma Wheel or 8 Fold Path symbol on my left bicep, so that that when i move my arm up and down, it will move, but keep the same shape, and look like it did before, no matter which angle my arm is at.

I completely forgot I was supposed to post pics of my newer tattoo!!!
If anyone is still interested: My Second Tattoo

Its not terribly exciting, just on my foot. Don't mind the ugly runner feet (complete with surgery scars and blisters) just be happy I didn't have a black tonail that day.

My first one is a celtic cross. Not terribly exciting, but its in an area which is hard to photograph (its right below my pelvic bone, on the uppermost part of my thigh.) Maybe one day during the summer I'll get someone to take a pic. Right now, I'm a bit too pale:p