As a tattoo enthusiast and video game junkie, I always had the urge to get a video game tattoo. It’s an urge that I haven’t followed through on yet – I haven’t yet gotten a “perfect” idea on what to put on my body for the rest of my life (although I do have an idea for my foot, which for me, I think is a good spot for something whimsical like a video game tattoo). At the same time, I like to browse through tattoo pictures to see what kind of ideas others have come up with. One of my favourite sites to do this is BMEink, a site where anyone can submit their tattoo photos for all to see. Right now there are over 240,000 tattoo images to look at.
I thought it would be fun to post some of the more interesting video game tattoos here at HCW. I am not going to just post the “best” or the “worst”, because really, that is up to the owner to decide. Besides, any good artist can do a good job of replicating a Mario from a box cover, or a pixelated mushroom (and thousands have). Some tattoos stand out though, because they are either really good, or really really bad, or just totally unique video game tattoos. All pictures can be enlarged:
Kirby’s Dreamland Sleeve
by Matt Ahlsen - Hallowed Ground Bodyart Studio - Portland, ME
First up is this cute Kirby sleeve, which is a good example of a video game theme that works well with the existing new-school style. Very feminine, and pretty well done!
The Good Mario Sleeve
Jeff Mansolf - Transcend Tattoo - Branford, CT
Super Mario sleeves (and Nintendo tattoos in general) are totally common, but this sleeve stands out because it is an interpretation of Mario’s world, rather than a simple cut-and-paste copy of existing art. At least it’s nothing that I’m familiar with.
The Scratcher Who Should Be Kept Away From Tattoo Machines
by "Twiggy" in Sweden - assuming he did it on himself (otherwise it wouldn't be upside-down)
What happens when you want a tattoo really bad, but can’t afford to pay someone the $60-100 per hour it takes to do it properly? Easy! Go buy a “Beginner’s Tattoo Kit” on Ebay, and go crazy on yourself! Here’s the Video Game version of a shitty scratcher tattoo. Not only is it god awful, but it’s upside-down (and someone should teach this guy some personal hygiene habits)
The Art Brut Mario Tattoo
by Marc - Swastika Freakshop - Radolfzell/Germany
I’m seeing more and more of this abstract art brut tatoo style, mostly from shops in Europe. I can’t say I’d get one myself, but it is quite interesting and aesthetically pleasing in a way. Usually the designs are so abstract that you wonder what the reasoning behind the work is. But I guess that’s what makes this style so artistic in the first place. These people truly are giving their bodies up as canvases to the artist. Anyway, there aren’t too many examples of art brut video game tattoos, but here’s one from Germany.
The “Someone Did a Sims Tattoo” Tattoo
by No Regrets - Memphis, TN
So what do you do when you want a video game tattoo really bad, and your favourite game happens to be The Sims? You get a “Sims Plum-bob” tattoo! If it’s not familiar to you, the green crystal plum-bob is used to show the currently selected Sims character. Green means that the Sim is happy. I guess she’s happy all the time now. Or maybe it has nothing to do with The Sims, and she’s actually a bricklayer.
The “I Forgot Tattoos Were Permanent” Tattoo
by Steve - Twisted Visions - New Jersey
By the looks of this picture, several things are going on.
- It appears to be Halloween
- It looks like the girl is drinking liqueur
- The tattoo artist was probably drinking too
The Guitar Hero Tattoo
by Poncho - Southern Steel Tattoos - Pikeville, KY
Well… It’s a Guitar Hero tattoo! I honestly don’t know what else to say.
This Guy Probably Commented On Our XBOX 360 vs PS3 Posts
by Brian Kirby - Soul Stained - Glascow, KY
I’ve seen a lot of NES controller tattoos, SNES controllers, and Atari controllers. But not too many people decided to label themselves as an XBOX 360 fanboy for life. I wonder when he’ll get his Project Natal tattoo?
Princess Peach Pinup Girl Tattoo
by Meghan Patrick - 12oz Studios - Brooklawn, NJ
Now here’s an interesting idea – take a traditional tattoo art style – in this case, the iconic American pinup girl riding a missile – and blend it with pure geeky video game goodness.
The Yoshi & Dry-Bones Zombie Tattoo
by Anthony - Yankee Tattoo - Burlington, VT
Personally, I am a huge fan of zombies, and zombie tattoos. That’s why this one stood out to me. Zombie Yoshi – cool! But isn’t it kind of redundant to turn Dry Bones into a zombie?
Did You Know Master Chief Was a Girl?
by Gavin - Th-inker - Melbourne, FL
Okay, we saw a Princess Peach pinup, so why not have a Master Chief pinup? Well not exactly, but he is done in this unique, cute style.
The Piranha Plant Chest Piece
by Elize Casarjian - The Painted Bird Tattoo - Somerville, MA
I am a huge fan of chest piece tattoos on women, so this one stood out to me. You can tell that the leaves are a cover-up job, that’s why they are so dark (and you can see something underneath slightly).
Photos used under permission by BMEink.com.
