Tattoo You - Jay's Tattoo Samples

Jesus Malverde - She Takes Him With Her Wherever She Goes

The first week of the semester  I ask my students to share their tattoos – or images of tattoos they would be interested in writing about. Call this a warm-up for a visual analysis assignment later in the year. I’m hoping that thir writing will penetrate the surface. Students will be asked about purpose. What type of message is being conveyed? Who is the message for? How did this tattoo catch their attention? 

Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down

My hope is for my students to penetrate the surface of their ideas in writing about their tattoos. "Guest Student" Pilar Carrazco pays tribute to Margaret Atwood. 

Express Yourself - Amy Winehouse and Kobe Bryant

Tattoos are visual arguments, personal statements.  They tell us where a person stands. Here, students have been asked to develop a critical analysis of a tattoo of their choosing.  Like in all of their writing, they will consider context.  What do they know of the design?  How does the tattoo impact the perception of the person wearing it?  How does the tattoo connect with the person’s life?  Who is the target audience?   In answering these questions, writers will pay close attention to shapes, colors, and details.  What are the first visual elements to catch the eye?  What is the relationship between the image and any text that might accompany it?

Most of my students argue tattoos are an important form of self-expression.  OK.  What is the wearer of the tattoo trying to say?   I know very little about tattoos, but I searched out the tattoos of two of my favorite artists to make this post:  

Tattoo Out of My Past

Before I create these assignments, I try to practice - I imagine what it would be like for myself to be sitting in Mr. Lewenstein's class reading the instructions on his Tattoo You Introductory Assignment.   I would probably get nervous.  I mean, I never had a tattoo.  I never thought of getting one. But, I'm not going to freak out either.  I've seen a lot of them. It's a good thing we did a Freewrite.  It got me thinking.  Here is one that provides me with great meaning: