Travis Lawson: Every tattoo tells a story

Travis Lawson, a 23-year-old South African, got his first tattoo at 17 and has since been somewhat addicted to being tattooed and tattoos in general.

In the six years since his first tattoo he has added another three. Four tattoos in six years is not a particularly large number but, taking into consideration the time, intricacy and price of each, it becomes clear that being tattooed is more than just a passing interest.

Shannen Johnson-Barker: What was the motivation behind your first tattoo?

Travis Lawson: It was for my gran, she died when I was 17. My brother and I got the same tattoo to commemorate her. So we got the meaning of her name and a cross that is the same as the cross necklaces she gave us when we turned 13.

S: Was your second tattoo as meaningful as your first one?

TL: Yes, it’s the meanings of my dad’s, my moms, and my brother’s names and our surname. My family means a lot to me, so this tattoo is kind of a symbol of my love.

S: How do you decide when you are ready to get your next tattoo?

TL: I think it depends on when you find something you want, I guess, or you have an idea for a tattoo. You think about it for a little while and then once you’ve made up your mind you just go for it. I don’t think there is like a specific time period or anything. It all depends on the person, I think.

S: What makes each tattoo worth the pain and expense?

TL: The feeling of being tattooed and sometimes the meaning behind the tattoo. Also it could be something you’ve loved for a long time, so you are eager to get it.

S: Which of your tattoos was the most expensive and how much did it cost?

TL: My geisha tattoo is definitely the most expensive. It’s not finished yet but it will probably have cost about $1,600 in total once I have paid for my last sitting.

S: Which, if any, of your tattoos is your favourite?

TL: I like all of them, but I guess the ones representing my family are my favourite.

S: Why?

TL: Because they are so meaningful to me. They each represent people who are very important to me, which I guess makes me feel even more connected to them.

S: How do you decide where your next tattoo will be situated?

TL: The best place that is relative to what you want and also taking into consideration the advice of the tattoo artist and what size would look best where. Tattoos artists generally will look at the tattoo, tell you where it’ll look best and then design it to suit that area.

S: Which of your tattoos was the most painful?

TL: My ribs probably. Certain places hurt more than others – where muscles joints are hurt the most like your feet, ribs and spine. Where the skin is more sensitive and it’s close to bones and tendons and stuff. My ribs hurt because it was right on the bone but there were also a few areas on my arm that hurt quite a lot.

S: How did you decide which tattoo artist to use for each of your tattoos?

TL: I looked at previous work the tattoo artist had done and the quality of it. It also depends on whether or not you get along with the person and if you feel comfortable with them. You are probably going to spend many hours sitting with them so if you don’t like the person it could be weird.

S: Once you have found a tattoo artist that you like do you just stick with them or do you try out a few different ones?

TL: Once you are really happy with one artist’s work then you stay with them. If you’ve had one really nice piece done, then you don’t really want to change. I would go back to the artist who did my geisha. I wasn’t too happy with my first two tattoo artists, which is why I tried different ones for my second two, but I’m really happy with the artist who is doing my geisha tattoo so I will probably go back to him for my next one.

S: Do you think it is possible to get addicted to being tattooed and if so would you consider yourself an addict?

TL: Yes, I think you can get addicted to it. I like the feeling but I wouldn’t go get my whole body covered. I know when to stop. Maybe some people with more addictive personalities become obsessed after being tattooed but I wouldn’t say I am anywhere near addicted. No matter how much I am tattooed I still put a lot of thought in to the tattoos before I get them. They are never an impulse.

S: What aspect of getting tattooed causes this addiction from your own personal experience?

TL: You are changing the way you look, so you have to be careful. It’s also painful, so you have to decide if it’s worth it. It’s probably the feeling that is addictive rather than changing your body image, though. But it could be the control you have to change your image and create a picture that is exactly what you want.

S: How many hours did it take to complete your biggest most intricate tattoo?

TL: It’s not finished but I think it’ll be about 20 hours in total once it is finished. Which is about four or five sittings. Overall, it has taken a year but that is because I have taken my time, I haven’t gone every two weeks which is the amount of time they make you wait between sittings. I probably only have about one more two hour sitting left.

S: Have you begun to feel the desire to get another tattoo yet?

TL: Yes, I definitely have. I want to get another one that is about the same size and has as much detail as my geisha one.

S: What about getting a tattoo or having a tattoo do you enjoy the most?

TL: I think that it’s permanent, it is one thing you take to the grave with you. Tattoos are a guaranteed constant in your life. No matter how much changes, they will always be there. Unless you have them removed, I guess.

S: Would you recommend getting tattooed to others?

TL: Yes I would, but not of stupid stuff. It mustn’t be a spur-of-the-moment thing though. I really enjoy being tattooed and like tattoos, so if people are like me or are interested in it, then I guess they could enjoy it as much as I do. But I would definitely tell them to get something small first, just in case.

S: What advice would you share with someone who is considering getting their first tattoo?

TL: Get a picture of what you want printed and put it somewhere where you will see it every day and many times in a day, and then after a couple of months of looking at it, if you still want to get it, then go for it. Also, don’t get a tattoo for attention or purely as a conversation starter. Those are the tattoos you will one day regret getting.

S: Do you have any regrets about any of your tattoos?

TL: Nope, I don’t. I still really like all of them. If anything, I wish I had gotten my first tattoos bigger than what they are. They seem kind of small now in comparison to my other tattoos.

S: What would be the worst tattoo a person could get? Not artistically speaking but rather the motivation behind the tattoo or the subject of the tattoo?

TL: I think not making your tattoo unique in some way is a big mistake. Not making it your own, even if its just changing one flower. I saw a picture of my geisha tattoo and then I changed it and made it my own. A spur-of-the-moment or drunken tattoo are also pretty terrible ones to get.

S: How do you feel having tattoos improves you?

TL: It makes you unique, I guess. You are making yourself exactly what you want to be and you have full control over what gets put on you. If you love your tattoos, they can make you more confident, and confidence is an improvement.

S: What do your last two tattoos symbolise?  

TL: I really liked the symbolic meaning behind the koi fish. It represents wealth and well-being in Japanese culture. It is a prestigious symbol as well, basically it’s a positive omen. I also chose a picture that wasn’t very traditional, which I really like. Most people either go with something very traditional with the scales and stuff or they do something more of comic book kind of picture. I got an actual photo of a koi in water and then the tattoo artist and I designed an image that would work best on my arm. I’ve never seen anyone with a koi that looks anything like mine, which is kind of the point of a tattoo, so that’s awesome.

I probably chose my geisha tattoo because of the artistic beauty of it. I really loved the detail and just the artwork in general. I saw it on the wall of a tattoo place and I really loved the picture. I did adjust it and change things so that it would be unique though.