Cool WoW ink!
by Krystalle Voecks 
May 17th 2007 at 10:30AM
While floating through the blogosphere looking for WoW tidbits the other day, I stumbled across a blurb featuring the picture on the above right. It didn't say too much about it, beyond that the girl who had the tattoo played a Tauren Warrior, and that she and her other half had matching tribal Horde symbols done. Now, I should preface this with the fact that I'm no stranger to body art either, having 7 tattoos myself. (all of which are easily hidden -- hooray corporate America) It simply got me wondering just how much WoW ink was out there and what kind of designs people were getting.
Armed with Google, search terms, and rampant curiosity, I set off in the search of World of Warcraft ink and the people behind it.
The first picture I ran across was the image at the top left above. This piece belongs to a lovely young lady who plays an undead frost mage named Dryope on the EU servers. She calls the photos of her tattoo "Forsaken Loyalty." Curious, I managed to get a hold of her, and she gave me a bit of insight into her choice:
I decided to get the Forsaken emblem because as silly as it sounds, I fell in love with the Forsaken as soon as I began playing. It wasn't just the fact I play that race, but I immediately became interested in the backstory, and the way that the characters are because of what happened to them. My love for the undead has become so bad that I cannot, under any circumstances, play Alliance. Not for one second. Ever.
WoW is not only a fun game but I adore the lore too, and the fact that pretty much everything and everyone you come across in the game has a backstory. I wanted a tattoo for a while and as soon as I saw that emblem, decided that it was perfect. So I have it for a couple of reasons, actually. There is nobody more loyal than me!
I'm really impressed with the detail involved as well as the backstory! The Forsaken symbol makes a pretty wicked looking tattoo design. Somehow I suspect the Lady Sylvanas would approve. (For those wanting to see more detailed pictures, links to the larger images are at the bottom.)
From there I found many more World of Warcraft tattoos. Some good, and some...not so good. Some are featured on personal sites, some on tattooing sites, which meant I couldn't copy them and use them here. (Sorry, copyright issues.) I was also surprised to see that there are a few that have been posted over on Allakhazam! They include what appears to be an Alliance Paladin or Warrior and another backpiece -- this time featuring the Troll symbol. I even stumbled across more pictures of the girl with a murloc tattoo. Mrgggrl!
After checking out the various designs that people have come up with, I must admit that I'm considering getting a bit of WoW themed ink myself. There are enough symbols in the game and in related lore that I'm certain any fantasy fan could find an endless array of things to get. But I'm curious; are there any readers out there who already have a WoW tattoo? Anyone thinking about getting some WoW ink? If you have other tattoos, would you ever consider getting a WoW tattoo, or is it something that's cool on other folks? (Would you like to show off your ink? If so, drop me a line!)
I wouldn't mind a WoW symbol tattoo, since WoW Insider has brought me even more in touch with the game than I was before. But I think I'll have to pass on getting a murloc tattoo. I don't think I'm quite that brave. Not to mention *ow* tender place!
[images with permission of FutureJourno and I Am Adam]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Skibba May 17th 2007 10:53AM
I dont have any WoW themed tattoo work, although im totally up for getting one if I see a design I liked enough.
I love everything fantasy though, especially dragons. I have a small collection of dragon statues in my house and I got this dragon tattoo done about a year ago.
http://www.thailandtattoocenter.com/gallery/KANTHIMAS-ARTWORK/DRAGON_SLEEVE_KANTHIMA
Had it done over 3 days, took 16 hours in total. I was a bit sore on the 3rd and final day when this photo was taken so excuse the redness and the blood.
Aurendar May 17th 2007 10:56AM
I want a Murloc tatt!!
Strongmark on Arthas May 17th 2007 11:01AM
Disgusting. Never would I do that. Not for WoW, not for anything, not for anyone. But especially not for WoW.
Knottop May 17th 2007 11:04AM
I have the symbol from the pic on the top right inked on my upper arm a bit larger than that, with my clan tag underneath.
Had it done a few weeks back, meant to submit a pic to insider but I never got round to it at the time.
Mad Cow May 17th 2007 11:05AM
lol i feel sorry for those tards ... no, wait, i don't ... thanks for making me feel better about myself.
Knottop May 17th 2007 11:07AM
3.
Bear in mind some people may just liek the symbol design rather than doing it purely cos its 'wow related'
I personally just wanted my clan tag buit it looked too little so i stuck the horde symbol on. Not to expressivly make it a wow tatt but just because I liked the symbol and I have a few other celtic pieces so it fits fairly well with what I have.
Dont judge books by covers, and orange juice may tatse like the gods nectar to one man and dog piss to another. ;)
Pingmeister May 17th 2007 11:20AM
I am afraid that tattooing is a subculture I could never quite figure out.
I can't imagine ANY picture, word or symbol that I will look at in 20 years and not think I was a complete dipwad for getting.
Corrodias May 17th 2007 11:22AM
@ 5
Wait, you feel better about yourself because of what, exactly? I can think of a few possibilities. Stop me when i hit on something.
1) you think other people are foolish for getting images they like put on themselves when they want to, and seeing through this shows how smart you are
2) you don't want a tattoo, think people are being forced to get tattoos, and are congratulating yourself for somehow escaping the tattoo squads
3) you have some kind of religious hangup about putting an image on yourself and are extending that to other people
4) you have low self-esteem and can only respect yourself by lashing out at other people for no reason
5) you want a tattoo like this but cannot stand the pain, cannot afford it, are not allowed by your parents, or cannot get it for some other reason, so you get jealous and claim it to be sour grapes (a metaphor i see used incorrectly quite often, by the way -- read the fable some time)
Am i getting close?
Strongmark on Arthas May 17th 2007 11:28AM
@6 Knottop Look at 5 Mad Cow, thats passing judgement.
no judgement being passed from me here. I think it would be disgusting on me. I don't care what others do to their bodies, I just dont want permanent ink injected into me. My own feelings about that. Perhaps what 8 Corrodias in his number 5 point, where somone may be scared, yeah, im a baby, im scared... but I also dont want something permanently on me. I already got a birthmark that i hate... lol
Brian May 17th 2007 11:31AM
Here is your murloc tattoo
Murloc Tattoo
Brian May 17th 2007 11:31AM
crap. http://crystaltips.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/murloctat.jpg
Oldbear May 17th 2007 11:33AM
I have tattoos, and I believe that if you like what art you have on you then thats good enough. I can understand that people don't like body art - but don't start making fun of someone because they like it. That said, tattoos are forever (can be removed with much $$$ and pain) - I thought and planned my first ink for over four years; now I have more, but I've planned each - and, so you know, I will not be getting a WOW tattoo - just like I don't have any car/bike/beer/etc. brands on me - I'm not a billboard...
Yowza May 17th 2007 11:36AM
Sexiest Murloc I've ever seen
Knottop May 17th 2007 11:36AM
@strongmark
Yeah I posted before I saw number 5.. Theres always one ;-)
I agree, there not for everyone and for the reasons you mention thats fair enough not to get one. I assumed you meant disgusting full stop :-) Bad assumption on my part..
@5. If you need this to feel better about yourself then you just showed yourself up to be a bigger tard than the people your ripping on. ;-)
James May 17th 2007 11:38AM
@8
Yeah, I'll go with #1. When that tat has faded and you're 50 years old and wondering what the hell you were thinking doing something like that. Those tattoos will live on long after WoW has faded, even if WoW goes on for another decade or more. At some point, it'll just be sad.
Its...shortsighted. Getting tattoos is one thing. A design or symbol that really means something or says something about you. Pop culture references are likely to be just silly in a few years time. Getting something like WoW is not unlike getting your current girlfriend's name tattooed on your arm; at some point she could be your ex-girlfriend, and you have something permanent that you'll regret. Or you can have it rubbed out and it'll look all weird. I mean, I love playing my Horde rogue, but 20 years from now I'd like to think I will have moved on to something, anything else. Having a tattoo showing my undying loyalty to the Horde would be foolish looking in 20 years, if not sooner.
Rainwizard May 17th 2007 11:44AM
Tattoo...a Polynesian word if I'm not mistaken. A place where tattoos are as cultural as biscuits and gravy here in the south (USA). In an age of globalization, you'd think such things as disease, hunger, and other such catastrophes would be of greater concern. But no...we're still stuck on body art...sheesh...
If it means something to you, symbolizes a potent event/feeling/belief, edifies you, or helps remind you who you are, go for it!
FOR THE HORDE!
I personally wouldn't get that tattoo...but what do I care if someone else does? Not my body. I have no qualms about tattoos...but I think stories are in order. Tell me why you got it, and what it means. It's there for you and others to see, right?
In defense of close-minded bigots everywhere, I will add this: Choose carefully. Our beliefs while young are like shifting sands changed by the tides...so make sure it's a core concept you're putting there. It's an indelible fixture, it's not going anywhere (unless you're wealthy). Just think long and hard.
I think those tats are really nicely done, BTW. Very nice.
My 2 coppers.
Strongmark on Arthas May 17th 2007 11:45AM
Hehe, tats just aren't for me. But STICKERS! It would be so cool if Blizzard was able to have a chracter sticker generator based on the armory. Hell, with that, you could have designs for the tats. If you loved your character that much that is.
Nyx May 17th 2007 11:58AM
You know, I've seen a lot of old people with tattoos, and you know what they think when they're 80 years old and tattooed?
"I had an interesting life, and all you did was grow old on Cheetos."
There you go. Please, save your pity for someone else - just because you can't stand pain, or needles, or whatever your rationalization is doesn't mean that the people with tattoos feel the same way about them eventually. We're good, thanks. And I feel an enormous amount of pity for people who think this way about their lives, because they'll never do anything interesting with them at all.
Anyway, I've been considering a faerie dragon [as seen in Samwise's original art, http://www.sonsofthestorm.com/viewer_samwise.php?cat=warcraft&art=58&sub=34 ] for a while now, because it's just gorgeous art, and one of my best memories in WoW was when a level 50 helped me out in the Sprite Darter quest in the Hinterlands. :D
The Cannabis Connoisseur May 17th 2007 12:00PM
lol dumb tatts. I'm all for tattoos but the last thing I wanna see on my arm in 30 years is a picture of my dwarf hunter...
Krystalle Voecks May 17th 2007 11:59AM
@ Rainwizard - I completely agree. Body art has different connotations for everyone. While I don't want a murloc, other people do, and they've undoubtedly got their own stories. (Maybe they met their now Significant Other killing murlocs!)
For me, WoW themed ink would be representative of my life right here, and right now -- the guild full of dear friends I've gained (many of whom are flying in from all over the USA over Memorial Day for a huge RL party! woohoo!) and also for having the good fortune to be a writer here. These are two wonderful things in my life that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the game. So if I get WoW ink, it will be to commemorate these two important (to me) things occuring in my life.
Sure, in 50 years, nobody will know or care what WoW was. But the pieces I have (and will get) are really for me anyway. (Thus why they're all in largely hidden spots. hehe)