japanese tattoo: haha or okaasan?

[ichig0babe]

Originally Posted by cranks

お母さん is mom. 母 is mother. 母 looks less bad to me. Sorry to hear your mom is sick.

But don't go for either unless you plan to never meet Japanese or Chinese people. 母 tattoo would look a lot worse to Japanese and Chinese people than mom tattoo would to English speakers.

why would it look silly? if it is the correct character for "mom" what is wrong with it than? I am dutch, so I'll not meet many japanese or english ppl in my everyday life, maybe on holidays or so..

[m4x30000]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

why would it look silly? if it is the correct character for "mom" what is wrong with it than? I am dutch, so I'll not meet many japanese or english ppl in my everyday life, maybe on holidays or so..

If you need it that bad take 母, for sure. It's not like you are writing a full sentence or anything; basically the meaning of this kanji is mother, which is what you want.

Now please be creative and dont have this kanji tattooed black in a red dot.

[MissMisa]

I dislike tattoos in general, but please don't get one in a language you don't speak. You will probably regret it, if your interest in Japan ever fades you'll be stuck with it forever, and it will look silly to Japanese people/Japanese speakers.

If you love Japan, then don't you intend to go there? Wouldn't you rather not look silly to the people you meet?

[PockyMePink]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

yeah but I want to combine two things I rly love: my mom and japan.. it doesn't have to symbolize her.. did I make it sound like it had?

If you don't want it to symbolize her, then get a tattoo for Japan. It sounds like you really just want a Japanese tattoo rather than one for your mother.

[cranks]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

why would it look silly? if it is the correct character for "mom" what is wrong with it than? I am dutch, so I'll not meet many japanese or english ppl in my everyday life, maybe on holidays or so..

It's hard to explain. Probably because the word is too ordinary for us and so it looks cheap. Kanji is kinda cool in the states because it's something arcane, but to us it's a word that is very very basic, it'll look like tattooing "woman" in lame block letters, or worse. If you have to do it, find a good 草書 (cursive). for example,
孝経１２幅対（その３）----自然の形 - 中林梧竹の書
number 1 here may be passable to my eyes if done correctly.

I'm against Kanji tattoos because 99% of them are pretty bad, some even to the point Japanese people have to suppress laughing when they see them.

[ichig0babe]

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

If you don't want it to symbolize her, then get a tattoo for Japan. It sounds like you really just want a Japanese tattoo rather than one for your mother.

I just want something that looks nice and reminds me of her, so everytime I look at it I'll think of her.. I like the way japanese looks, and not everybody needs to know what it means at first sight in my opinion, its something personal.

[ichig0babe]

Originally Posted by cranks

If you have to do it, find a good 草書 (cursive). for example,
孝経１２幅対（その３）----自然の形 - 中林梧竹の書
number 1 here may be passable to my eyes if done correctly.

what do you mean with this part? is it about how the characters look and stuff?

[cranks]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

what do you mean with this part? is it about how the characters look and stuff?

Well, it's hard to explain again, and it's a combination of everything, but Japan and China have a long history, over a thousand years, of calligraphy which is perceived "artistic".

You don't want to tattoo yourself with childish handwriting right? It's kind of like the difference between handwriting of a 10 year old and a set of good looking artistic font. Tiny details matter to native users of a language.

[edelweiss]

Originally Posted by ichig0babe

what do you mean with this part? is it about how the characters look and stuff?

I think that is what cranks means. Think about it in terms of type-face. If you want to be taken seriously in your font choice you use something clear and standard like Helvetica and not Comic Sans. The way a thing is written can convey just as much as what is written. I think he is suggesting a more artistic approach to how it is written to perhaps elevate the look of this common word. The choice of written appearance will hopefully convey something more meaningful and will look slightly less like a foreigner with a random word slapped on their wrist.

Agreeing with this being a generally poorly thought out tattoo. It has nothing to do with your mother and everything to do with you and your interest in Japan. It seems like a selfish tattoo IMHO. If I wanted to commemorate my mother in ink, especially if she were to pass away, I would think about her favorite flowers, favorite birds/animals, colors, something related to her birth-date or birthplace and make it personal. The tattoo about your mom should be separate from your tattoo reflecting an interest in Japan unless your mother holds the exact same interest. And later on when you get a tattoo about your love of all things Japanese, use images and not text.

If you won't listen to anyone else about this at least try to find someone of Japanese descent or training to do your inkwork. Be selective.

[ichig0babe]

Originally Posted by cranks

Well, it's hard to explain again, and it's a combination of everything, but Japan and China have a long history, over a thousand years, of calligraphy which is perceived "artistic".

You don't want to tattoo yourself with childish handwriting right? It's kind of like the difference between handwriting of a 10 year old and a set of good looking artistic font. Tiny details matter to native users of a language.

ahh ok that way, I'll just go to a rly good tattoo artist and I'll print some examples from nice looking fonts for him. ty for the info mate=D