Colleen Connolly (sophomore-art history) got her tattoo to remember a trip to Germany. Brittany Shumaker (sophomore-communication science and disorders) got hers on impulse when she turned 18.
With summer quickly approaching and the weather growing increasingly warmer, students find themselves showing more skin than during the winter months and showing off their tattoos.
For men and women alike, tattoos are becoming a growing and addicting trend, and many of the negative connotations that previously existed are no more.
"I think people look at some tattoos poorly, but others look at them as art," said Nicole Bertone (freshman-division of undergraduate studies).
Gin Swift, a tattoo artist at Art of the Ages, 103 S. Pugh St., said most of its business comes from college students, but during semester breaks and the summer semester, many more of the local residents appear.
"Most college students want a tattoo they can hide," Swift said. "A tattoo on the torso is the easiest to conceal."
Bertone said because her older sister is going to be an elementary school teacher, she had to get a tattoo in a location that was discreet, because "a teacher would not want to be showing a tattoo."
Art of the Ages charges by the amount of time the tattoo takes, instead of the actual tattoo. For women, the average is about 30 minutes, or about $100. For men, the average is about 45 minutes to one hour, or about $150 to $200. Most tattoos take less than an hour.
When getting a tattoo, one major decision is location on the body. Since tattoos last as long as the person does, many factors should be taken into consideration, according to pamphlets given out by Art of the Ages. Men have many more options when choosing the location of their tattoos, Swift said. Popular spots for men include arms and shoulder blades, the upper back, thighs, calves and ankles.
"Armbands are so popular. Everyone wants an armband," Swift said.
Women have fewer optimal options, Swift said. The most popular location is the lower back, but Swift advised against this because of the once-a-month water gain and weight gain and loss in general.
Shumaker said when deciding on where to get a tattoo, she wanted a place that was easy to hide -- especially from her parents.
"I wanted it somewhere I could hide, so I went with my hip," she said. "I wanted something that I could hide in a bathing suit."
Connolly said she did not want it to be noticeable that she has a tattoo.
Anything can distort the color and overall appearance of the tattoo. While it is healing, one should avoid chlorinated pools, because they have the potential to bleach the color of tattoos, and salt water. It is also not recommended to spend a great deal of time in the sun, unless one has applied sunscreen directly to the tattoo.
Paul Rupeka, of Ink Inc. Tattooing, 110 Hetzel St., said people see tattooing as a way of bringing something back from the past, or to show membership in an organization, such as fraternity letters or Penn State logos, or just to express their freedom to do what they want.
"Tattooing has its roots in very spiritual things, along with a freedom to alter yourself," Rupeka said.
Many people see tattooing as a way to express their individuality by designing the tattoo themselves and then actually getting the tattoo.
"Tattooing helps to signify a person's personality," said Marihelen Di Matteo (junior- crime, law and justice).
Rupeka has been in the State College area for the past 16 years and says the tattoos he's doing now for both students and the State College population are getting bigger and more intricate and that a standard has been set.
"A tattoo is one of the most dynamic symbols of self-expression ever created," he said. "People are getting nice, worthwhile tattoos."
Pennsylvania state law requires a potential client to bring driver's license or state issued identification card to prove he or she is 18 years of age. A parent must accompany anyone under the age of 18 and also must bring identification.
