I nearly got a tattoo yesterday

[Melody Pond]

Well since I turned 18 on Saturday I can now get a tattoo. I went shopping with my boyfriend and we ended up in a tattoo parlour. I had a nice long discussion with the tattoo artist but I backed out at the last minute. I didn't have the money on the anyway.

Also I am not 100% sure of my tattoo idea.

I want a tattoo for my Grandparents who are both seriously ill. My Nan's name means Peace and my Grandad's name means Graceful.

I have always wanted a dove to represent peace and grace. Dove tattoos are very common so I want something to make it stand out and make it a bit more unique.

I want it on my shoulder blade like this http://www.flowerpictures1.com/r-sho...attoo-1261.htm (just for placement not this tattoo)
Not too big and fairly simple. I want something that I could expand when I am older.

Anyone got any ideas of how to make a dove tattoo more unique, or any other tattoo ideas.

Both of my grandparents were born in November. The birthstone is Topaz, birth flower is Chrysanthemum and horoscope is Scorpio.
I wouldn't get a scorpion tattoo but something like this could be nice.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...1t:429,r:7,s:0

I won't get it until I am 100% sure it is what I want, I have a few basic ideas I just want to expand the basic plan a bit. The tattoo artist gave me a few ideas but nothing jumped out at me and most of his ideas where really big.

[*Rainbow*Rider*]

The common thing for a dove is it to be in flight with an olive branch in its mouth. Perhaps your dove could be trailing something like a ribbon or nothing at all in its mouth? Or have two doves?

[Melody Pond]

A dove with an olive branch is more of a religious thing too me and I am not religious and I am not getting this tattoo for any religious reason so I don't want it to have a olive branch.

I like the idea of the dove with the ribbon. I have found two.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...t:429,r:21,s:0
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...1t:429,r:5,s:0

I think I prefer the second one as the first one I think would be best across my back with 1 dove on each shoulder with the banner across and that is too big for what I want.

I would like the ribbon on the second one to be wider some wording on it but I am unsure what it would say. Their name seems the obvious thing to do but I don't really want there names on it. I know I am getting it for them but I want it to be very personal to me and not for everyone to know it is for them unless they ask.

I also like this one but with better looking doves
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...1t:429,r:0,s:0
I think I might leave the ribbon out and just have my grandparents initials inside the heart. I know that is fairly common but I like the idea. I think It would have to be a bit bigger than what I want though...

[AmazonQueen]

i suggest finding the flower for that month and like have the dove flying out of it
like the petals of the flower setting the dove free like hands

edit: the flower of april is a daisy...so you could even have the dove carrying a daisy in it's feet

[Melody Pond]

Originally Posted by JamieRage

i suggest finding the flower for that month and like have the dove flying out of it
like the petals of the flower setting the dove free like hands

edit: the flower of april is a daisy...so you could even have the dove carrying a daisy in it's feet

I have tried that, the flower for November is a Chrysanthemum
This is what they look like http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...t:429,r:10,s:0

And this is what they look like as tattoos http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...1t:429,r:4,s:0

They just don't look nice as tattoos and they have to be huge to get the detail in and then the dove would have to be bigger to carry it and look proportional. It would end up like the start of a full back piece.

[facade]

i think that the flower looks weird as a tattoo .-.

what about something similar to this?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...w=1280&bih=577

i'm pretty sure that if you brought in a few example of what you would like the tattoo to look like...
the tattoo artist can put something together.

[wonderbread]

You could incorprate something that was a passion to both of them into it. There are also many different things that can symbolize peace and grace and you can look those up.

[Melody Pond]

Originally Posted by wonderbread

You could incorprate something that was a passion to both of them into it. There are also many different things that can symbolize peace and grace and you can look those up.

They don't really have any common passions. My Grandad likes gardening and my Nan likes knitting, they won't really make great tattoos.

I like the dove symbol as it combines peace and grace, separate symbols means a bigger tattoo.

I am now definitely set on a dove, I have been for about 4 years now I am just kind of scared of the pain and keep convincing myself out of it.
I just need to figure out what writing I want on the ribbon of this tattoo and then I am going to get it.

I want this
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...1t:429,r:5,s:0
but with the dove simpler and more like an outline, like this
http://www.clker.com/clipart-3292.html

[*Rainbow*Rider*]

How about a word that sums up how they made you feel? Just simple, 'loved' 'beautiful' 'care' or something in the ribbon?