(from cuddlebuggery.com
by Kat Kennedy)

For those of you following on twitter, I finally got my first tattoo this week and it was a pretty awesome experience. It was, of course, inspired by a bookish theme. But I’m already planning my next one and I almost certainly think it should be a YA inspired one. I’ve thought of a few series you could easily tattoo from. Let’s all share and care to help inspire each other!

Things to consider/I’ve learned from my tattoo experience:

1) Size of your ink

Since lines blur and fade over time, you want something that’s not going to become a hot mess in a few years. If you’re getting a small tattoo, keep it simple and not too detailed.

Also, if it’s your first tattoo, maybe do what I did and go with something small and quick to get.

2) Consider future ink

This was some great advice I got online. Remember, each tattoo you get might be awesome, but how are they going to look all together? Is there a common theme? Colour scheme? Make sure you’re not a clashing mess.

3) Style of ink

Think critically about the style of tattoo you’re getting. Water colour and white tattoos are very popular at the moment and look amazing – for now. But water colour tattoos age badly and white tattoos are very prone to accidents like blue ink leaking into the white ink. Remember, a tattoo isn’t just for now, you have to think about how it’s going to look five or ten and even more years from now.

With that said, here’s some YA tattoo inspiration I could find!

4) Ageing of your ink

Your ink will age. Really quickly in some cases. Artists post new ink to advertise, and sometimes you see amazing things done. But the unfortunate facts are that many of those tattoos are going to age badly, sometimes within a few months. Your skin stretches with age. The lines thicken and detail blurs. Small, detailed tattoos can quickly become a hot mess. Water colour tattoos without strong lines fade and become difficult to distinguish unless you get regular touch ups. Just try to think of the future with your ink.

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Kitsune Tattoo

“As was custom among all the great bloodlines of Shima, he had been adorned with beautiful tattoos on his thirteenth birthday.”

“Each man… displaying a myriad of irezumi-tattoos-in all colours of therainbow.”

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Peregrine’s Tattoo

When he’d turned his back, she’d seen another design on his skin, some sort of hawk with wings spanning shoulder to shoulder. -PG 110, Under the Never Skyby Veronica Rossi

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Kaoru’s Hamsas

Rather, she held up her hands in front of her face, palms out. In the centre of each was an eye inked in deepest indigo, in effect turning her hands into hamsas, those ancient symbols of warding against the evil eye. – pg. 14, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Tris’ Dauntless Tattoo

First, she gets the Dauntless seal tattoo with Christina. As Tris notes, tattoos “are a part of life here” with the Dauntless—and here is where she lives (19.29). Let’s also throw in the fact that she gets this tattoo with Christina, which is sort of the classic friendship bonding experience (at least, if you were in the army or navy in the 1950s). SOURCE

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

So, so many.

Harry Potter has a lightning scar on his forehead, you could get that. Or you could get one of the hundreds of other Harry Potter inspired tattoos.

The Hunger Games

Mockingjay Symbol

The pin originally belonged to Madge Undersee’s aunt, Maysilee Donner, a tribute who died in the 50th Hunger Games. When Katniss first saw Madge wearing the pin, she thought that it could keep a family fed with bread for months due to the fact that it is made of finely crafted gold.^[1] When Madge came to bid Katniss farewell she offered it to her as a symbol of District 12 and made her promise to wear it in the arena. SOURCE

Basically, make good life choices, people. I can’t imagine how a book themed tattoo wouldn’t be one of them. Well, unless of course you’re under 18. In which case, homework is equally as fun as tattoos. Do your homework instead.

Kat Kennedy

Co-blogger at Cuddlebuggery

Kat Kennedy is a book reviewer and aspiring author in the Young Adult genre. She reviews critically but humorously and get super excited about great books. Find her onGoodReads.

*Blogger's Note: This is kind of cool. I have 6 tattoos but none of them have to do with books, for as much as I love them. I certainly would not get a YA one because that genre is going to die down and you are going to be stuck with it. I have really nice ones and only one I regret but I would have to be in my underwear before you see it. If I got a book one it would be a book! Or maybe an author name, MAYBE. Ant that would be my own design. It is okay to get a symbol I guess from your favorite book but no faces and don't do your whole arm. Especially if you are young. I know people take it more lightly these days but a lot of people still think it is unprofessional for a tattoo to be showing.

One thing I would like to mention adding to the list above is check your tattoo parlor's reputation. Shop around. I am never afraid to go up to someone with a tattoo I like and ask them where they got it. You want to make sure they have a sterilizer and just are a clean place in general. Also how they treat you is very important. And your satisfaction. Ask to see it as they are going along so they can fix something before it is all done and you cannot do a thing about it.

Also realize this is a life long investment. You have to touch up the colors at least every 7-8 years. Especially if they are someplace where light shows like your arm or your neck. Also remember that what is popular now will not be in 10 years. I have a lot of friends who got movie images, band names and are sorry.

As for me I am getting my 7th soon. What will it be?