I know it’s not polite to stare. However, I could not help but notice it. I was sitting in a restaurant in the Robinson Town Centre area when I noticed two men seated nearby who were having their meal. 

It appeared to me that the elder of the two was enjoying a meal with his grown son. That’s just my observation. The reporter in me has a habit of being a bit nosey and watching the people around me.

That’s when I noticed it. The younger man had a very distinct tattoo on the top of his left hand. It appeared to be a portrait of the face of the crucified Jesus Christ. It truly caught my eye by its details. All I could imagine was how painful that design must have been to complete on the tender top of the hand. Almost as painful as being crucified. 

The men finished their meals and left before I had the gumption to approach the younger man about his tattoo. Since then, the experience has given me pause. I noticed that I am very much in the minority of people who do not have a tattoo. I just never had the desire to use ink in that way. I have been mostly dedicated to the kind of ink that rolls off the presses each day. 

Then I began noticing more and more people in my daily routines that have gone under the needle to express themselves through tattoos. I have friends who have gotten tattoos that permanently record something near and dear to their hearts. They have been quick to show me a flower or winged creature now adorning their skin.

There was a time when tattoos were something reserved for service members going off to war. That has certainly changed with the times. The popularity of tattoos exploded when high profile actors and music industry people unveiled their latest inks. 

Research has shown that the global tattoo industry (and it is an industry) will grow from $2.43 billion annually this year to $5.99 billion by 2034. That’s not to say that the art of tattooing hasn’t suffered its highs and lows, including during the pandemic.  

A company known as Black Hat claims the tattoo market has shifted in a very competitive market. That competition has resulted in an over saturation of artists and an unpredictable customer base.

Whether by machine or hand tattooing, the process still comes with pain. 

I recently asked a young lady working at a local grocery store if her arm-length tattoo experience was as painful as I had heard it could be. She immediately answered that the process was indeed painful, but was quick to say she was saving up to add more patterns to her body. 

When asked why I don’t venture into the world of tattooing, I simply say that I am a blood donor and getting a tattoo would preclude me from donating on a regular basis. And, I’m just too chicken … 

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.