# Spanish Views On Body Art



## JeanP (Sep 11, 2010)

Hello all.

So I was just wondering what Spains views on tattoos are. I have a couple tattoos, which one covers my entire arm and a few others on my chest and back. 

Reason I ask this is because South Africans tend to frown upon it, I get the strangest of looks when walking through a shopping centre. My time I spent in Spain I did not seem to get any strange looks or questions but then again I was in holiday mode so did not really pay much attention to on lookers.

Your thoughts?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

There are people with tattoos and a fair few tattooists around. I'm not a fan, but I dont think its an issue. I guess if you're covered in alot of weird and wonderful "works of art" then you'll probably get more than a glance by passers by, so its probably the same in Spain as anywhere else?!?

Jo xxx


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

i agree with Jo, i dont think spain is different to anywhere. I have one covering the top section of my arm and its usually mostly covered with t shirt or shirt but on the odd occasion it is out nobody seems bothered, people who i talk to sometimes comment, but then again, if we didnt want people to look we wouldnt have them!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

JeanP said:


> Hello all.
> 
> So I was just wondering what Spains views on tattoos are. I have a couple tattoos, which one covers my entire arm and a few others on my chest and back.
> 
> ...


I would imagine it would depend on the who what where why factor. Where you are in Spain will probably effect the amount of looks you get. Salamanca or Santander, is not the same as Malaga or Murcia. 
Who you are dealing with, hanging around with is another factor. A lot of Brits of all ages have tattoos. In Spain it's mainly the younger crowd - so you may stand out or not. The south of Spain has more British tourism so they may be more used to seeing tattooed people. 
IMO you'll get stared at where ever you go in Spain 'cos it's a national pastime. It's just culturally more acceptable to stare. At least you'll know that you're tattoos are getting attention, and that's probably what you wanted anyway


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I would imagine it would depend on the who what where why factor. Where you are in Spain will probably effect the amount of looks you get. Salamanca or Santander, is not the same as Malaga or Murcia.
> Who you are dealing with, hanging around with is another factor. A lot of Brits of all ages have tattoos. In Spain it's mainly the younger crowd - so you may stand out or not. The south of Spain has more British tourism so they may be more used to seeing tattooed people.
> IMO you'll get stared at where ever you go in Spain 'cos it's a national pastime. It's just culturally more acceptable to stare. At least you'll know that you're tattoos are getting attention, and that's probably what you wanted anyway


change ofsubject, sorry

whats IMO???


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> change ofsubject, sorry
> 
> whats IMO???


Sorry, 
IMO In my opinion
IMHO in my humble opinion
IIRC If I recall correctly
WTF what the + "the f word" (which would get starred out anyway)
BTW By the way
etc, etc, all learnt off this forum which is the only one I participate in !!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Sorry,
> IMO In my opinion
> IMHO in my humble opinion
> IIRC If I recall correctly
> ...


Thank you pesky most helpful!

:focus:


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## JeanP (Sep 11, 2010)

Thanks for the info. I do enjoy getting artwork done on myself and intend to get some more until my vision is complete.

Pesky, I have noticed the Spanish do enjoy a good stare down, something that I can not do at all...feels to intrusive unless of course it is someone worth staring at lol.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

JeanP said:


> Pesky, I have noticed the Spanish do enjoy a good stare down, something that I can not do at all...feels to intrusive unless of course it is someone worth staring at lol.


Staring is like swearing in a foreign language, the foreigners can never quite get it right!!


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## Cees (Sep 15, 2010)

Those abbreviations are handy!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Here's a few more.

Dictionary - NetLingo The Internet Dictionary: Online Jargon, Acronyms, and Text Message Shorthand

Make sure you learn them all - there will be a test tomorrow.:confused2:


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I have the impression tattoos are more common here than in many other European countries. One of the first things I noticed when arriving here was how common tattoos are. Also on very visable places such as the neck, the underarm ... Here in Barcelona it is sometimes more common to see tattooed people than those without a tattoo, certainly nobody has a negative image of it. Maybe because this is a cosmopolitan city with all sorts of people and cultures and subcultures represented. I can imagine in a small countryside town you may get more odd looks. But that is not just Spain, that's everywhere.


PS: thinking about getting a tattoo done myself, but I heard the prices tend to be on the high side in Catalunya...


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## JeanP (Sep 11, 2010)

Thanks very much for the responses.
Tattoo's are kind of growing in South Africa but still very young, you get the odd looks of disgust pretty often. 
Gerrit, unfortunately tats are pretty expensive, I am currently designing my new one which has a faceless man looking at the world (globe) and have been quoted almost 600euros.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

JeanP said:


> Thanks very much for the responses.
> Tattoo's are kind of growing in South Africa but still very young, you get the odd looks of disgust pretty often.
> Gerrit, unfortunately tats are pretty expensive, I am currently designing my new one which has a faceless man looking at the world (globe) and have been quoted almost 600euros.


SIX HUNDRED EUROS??? It'd be cheaper to just get a felt pen and draw it on!! However "pretty" tattoos may/or may not be when they're first done, I've yet to see one that looks like anything other than a blue/green blob on someones body after a few years. They dont seem to wear well and seem a bit of a pointless exercise to me - especially at that price!!!

Jo xx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> SIX HUNDRED EUROS??? It'd be cheaper to just get a felt pen and draw it on!! However "pretty" tattoos may/or may not be when they're first done, I've yet to see one that looks like anything other than a blue/green blob on someones body after a few years. They dont seem to wear well and seem a bit of a pointless exercise to me - especially at that price!!!
> 
> Jo xx


I still want one though - just a little one


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I'd like a small one as well.  But the price should have only 2 digits. I mean, 200 euro or so?! 

A friend of mine has a very beautiful new tattoo on his arm. When I asked him how much it cost the answer was "nothing". His best friend has a tattoo shop and did the favor for free. Unfortunately it's no use to ask my friend to introduce me to his friend, because that friend lives in Palma de Mallorca. So even if the tattoo itself is free, getting to Palma and back would cost as much as visiting a tattoo shop in my own barrio.


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## JeanP (Sep 11, 2010)

jojo said:


> SIX HUNDRED EUROS??? It'd be cheaper to just get a felt pen and draw it on!! However "pretty" tattoos may/or may not be when they're first done, I've yet to see one that looks like anything other than a blue/green blob on someones body after a few years. They dont seem to wear well and seem a bit of a pointless exercise to me - especially at that price!!!
> 
> Jo xx


LOL a felt pen, good one Jo.
I see what you mean by after a few years tattoos start looking like blobs, faded etc...but what a lot of people think is once they get inked thats it. Unfortunately this is not the case and it has to be maintained.
To many it is a pointless exercise as you say, but once you hooked you hooked, I got my first when I was 16, needless to say though my mother was furious but eventually she liked it.

Gerrit, finding a tattoo artist is the hardest part, I do a lot of research finding tat artists, bad ones can really mess things up, make the experience to painful etc... My new is that pricey because of the size and its in color, but looks great, Ill be sure to post a pic once done for you guys


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