I thought I would never get a quote for a tattoo, but I was watching XBOX ONE video that I had saved, and finally watched.


"I am the captain of my soul"


That's some deep stuff right there. I sit here and think about it, and it's true. I mean, all of my tattoos have a meaning or a story behind them, and are custom ( except for the Naruto theme one. However, I know it's not as popular as others. It's the one with the biggest meaning to me ) 

So I am trying to figure out how I should get it done. I could get it across my shoulder blades, but that would affect the other tattoo I am planning on right now. I could get it on my lower arm. Or, I could get it up on my upper arm, however, I plan on getting a tribal quarter to half sleeve once I learn more about my Native American heritage and their symbols and signs. 

So... what would you guys suggest? 

Brigand : I think I summoned you right. I looked up my old tattoo thread from like.. a year and a half ago, and you were a big discussion contributor in that thread, so I thought I would summon you here to help me with my dilemma. 

Native American stuff sounds better than "tribal" as in "tribal tattoos".

The thing about using text I think these days is quite difficult. I frown upon people having these lame life affirmin quotes on their arms done all neat like. What you are thinking sounds pretty cool but I was thinking, maybe on a half-circle, in big letters on the chest maybe? No suggestion for the font.

Brigand : So maybe around the bottom of my neck, but low enough to where it could be covered up by a shirt? Think there would be enough room for the text to be big enough? 

Ehh A tattoo huh? That's cool! I am planning on getting a tattoo in the future some time. Brigand has somewhat of a point... I mean on the arms I wouldn't ever do that myself with a quote. If you don't have any on your upper back that would be the perfect place to put it in my opinion. You could also do like Brigand said and put it on your chest .. thats a good place but if I were you I would make sure it was low enough to be covered up by your shirt.

Bintsy : My back is going to be used for a different tattoo. Refer to my other tattoo thread that I recently made for more information on that one. 

As long as you don't get it tatted on your face, lol. No, seriously there are wackos that tat stuff on their face.

I seriously can't give advice though since I've spent a lot of hours and money removing all of my tats (well most of them). And the laser removal is a lot more painful, btw.

thing1 : i would recomend upper arm because lower arm will restrict job oprotunitys and maybe somthing like this with the quot above it 

thing1 :

I would think so. I have two pretty big tattoos on my left and right chest and I think I would have still room left to the classic "cut here" (in Finnish) tattoo that could be covered at least by a t-shirt. And still some room left between the existing tattoos and the nipples. Just consult your tattoo artist. If he or she says "does it matter" when you want it lower, then change a tattoo artist. It is your skin and you deserve to get where you want it.

Brigand : I am thinking of changing the words up to " I am the keeper of my soul. " I think that sounds a bit better for a tattoo. What do you think? 

The wording sounds "profound" so I like it.

Now, do you want people to easily see it? If so put it on a forearm; otherwise put it on a shoulder or somewhere that's usually "hidden".

Okay, I'm no master of tattoo placement. I have none, and while I would like to get one one day, just saying right now, I AM NO MASTER so take what I say with a grain of salt.

But I am an artist, and the first thing that came to mind when I saw the quote (and then the modified one a few posts down) was 'why not at your collarbones'?  Centered between them, actually, since the quote is small. That would allow for being covered by a shirt for work, but it's in a meaningful place (close to your heart) and with the proper font to follow the curvature of your muscles and bone structure, would look really good, I think. At least from an artist's perspective. I have no idea how hard or painful it is to tattoo there, so again, take my opinion with a grain of salt. I don't know much. 

And yes, I like the "I am the keeper of my soul" better. 

Yunimori : I would, but I feel that that is a big " thuggish ",and that's not the style I am going for. Every one of my tattoos has a story behind them. 

I went to the tattoo artist down the street from me, and they have some real nice work. They suggested doing either a quarter sleeve with it, or having a band using my Naruto tattoo. ( I have the Village Hidden In The Leaves symbol on my upper left arm out the outside ) I could do something on the top and on the bottom of it, facing outward instead of going entirely around my arm. 

And if you are an artist... check out my other tattoo thread. I need some concept drawings for an idea I have.


janus : That's probably what I will end up doing. Read what I told Yunimori above. 

Bro, why do you even have to ask for advise on tat? Get the tat done. But don't get it done if you don't want it: I have gone under treatment to remove those tats (which costs a lot more money).


Of course you can still get prison tats at half price.

tRIUNE : prison? What the... XD 

Naw... I just always thought the neck text was very unprofessional and gang'ish or thug'ish. 

I'd get it on my back, but I'm saving up for a giant back piece right now, so I can't put any text there. 

thing1 : Oh, I didn't mean on your neck! I meant just under your clavicles (aka collarbones), on the area just at the top of your pecs or the top of your sternum, depending on how big you want the text. That area, not on your neck! Sorry for the confusion.

I may check out your other thread though, yes. To see what is up. *nodnod*

Well then, get it in big letters from under your armpit down to the waist.

Our get it on your bicep, tricep, forearm, or since you don't want it on your neck then maybe your leg or maybe your forehead. lol

tRIUNE : Well, I was thinking about getting it in a band around my Naruto tattoo. But I may just get it on my lower forearm, and stack the lettering. I don't know. I'm probably going to get it done when I get off of work tonight, after I get my guinea pigs. 

thing1 : I just noticed your first reply to tRIUNE...I am also trying to save up for an eventual giant back piece. I planning on getting a giant husky/wolf head. And like Yunimori, I'm not sure about tattoo placement either because I also do not have one ( yet ). However, maybe you could get something like an indian chief head with a "I am the keeper of my soul" ribbon wrapped around it or something.

I also saw one of my customers that had some Native American background, and he had a tattoo around his ear. It was just a couple feathers that looked attached to his ear to make it look like an earring, but it was a tattoo. I thought that looked pretty cool. And for the record, I could find a picture that looked like it.

thing1 :
I have to say I like it.

MattyIce : I know I want something to show my heritage for my Cherokee and Black Foot background. That's actually not a bad idea... I may have to use that.