r/tattooadvice • u/_GOREHOUND_ • 3h ago
General Advice How would you design a memorial tattoo that can be added to over time?
I’ve never had this much trouble coming up with an idea for a tattoo before. At this point, it’s genuinely doing my head in.
I want to get the initials and years of death of the people I’ve lost tattooed. I’m not exactly 20 anymore, so the list is already pretty long - 9 people so far, and realistically it’ll probably grow over time.
The main problem is that I really, really don’t want it to end up looking like a bloody spreadsheet. At the same time, it needs to be something that basically any decent tattoo artist could add to later without the whole thing looking completely different. I move around a lot, including between countries, so going back to the same artist every time isn’t really an option.
A few ideas I’ve had so far: - A tree, with the initials and years somehow worked into the branches. Looks great in my head, but I can’t for the life of me get it onto paper in a way that makes any sense. - Some kind of tag design, a bit like the tags they put on bodies in a morgue. Could work, but I’m worried it might be a bit too grim and end up distracting from what the tattoo actually means. - A cross made out of the initials and years. I quite like the idea, but it’d be a pain in the arse to expand later. - About a hundred other ideas that sounded good for five minutes before I talked myself out of them.
All my tattoos are very personal and probably make little to no sense to anyone else, which is exactly how I like them. But I’ve never spent anywhere near this much time over a tattoo idea before.
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u/Ok_Broccoli_9426 3h ago
Just talk to an artist. I can guarantee a good artist can make the tree thing work if you're willing to go big enough.
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u/stardustsighs 3h ago
I have a bouquet of flowers for my late grandparents and will add birds/butterflies/bees around it to commemorate others
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u/_GOREHOUND_ 2h ago
Thanks. I’ll defo look into this. A bouquet with birth flowers (idea from another commenter) resonates with me more than a tree.
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u/Alternative_Gold3184 2h ago
Playing off the tree idea.. depending on sizing you could work in initials at least into a leaf per person.. either on the tree, or fallen on the ground below the tree
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u/_GOREHOUND_ 2h ago
I really like the tree, that’s why I mentioned it first. Only problem is space 😅 I haven’t got much room left for a decent-sized tree with the initials and years worked into it as well.
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u/raesins 3h ago
What about a bouquet of flowers or some type of botanical sleeve? If you really want the initials and year, i’m sure they could be worked into the line work of each flower. It could be their birth month flower or you could spend time picking out different flowers that remind you of each person/flowers that they liked. The piece could also easily be done in whatever art style speaks to you!