113 People Who Got A Lockdown-Related Tattoo So They Don't Forget All The Stories From The Lockdown
Inking your skin is just one last step in the journey of giving yourself a tattoo. In reality, it all starts from hours spent browsing tattoo ideas and annoying your friends with an endless stream of "what do you think?" images.
And our love for ink has never been so big. A recent study has shown that 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo, which is five times more than eight years ago.
But many people have found a source of inspiration in the recent pandemic. In fact, coronavirus-themed tattoos are becoming a quirky sub-genre which represents everything we’ve been living with in the past months. From tributes to front-line doctors to the holy symbol of pandemic chaos, a toilet paper roll, scroll down for the best ones as compiled by Bored Panda.
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Today I got this design tattooed, it is Banksy's tribute to Covid doctors - a child who chooses the doctor among the heroes to play with!
Just a quick little jammer about how we all feel about 2020
Bored Panda reached out to Josh Young, a professional tattoo artist and owner of Highwater Gallery, Swansea to find out more about the ink on skin industry in the times of the pandemic.
Josh said that even though he hasn’t seen a rise in coronavirus-inspired tattoos himself, he's witnessed a few tongue-in-cheek ones, like “‘I survived COVID 19’ in a banner, or a twist on the traditional woman by adding a nurse outfit and a mask.”
“There will probably be a lot more being done in the next few months, after things get back to some form of normality. It’s all quite fresh at the moment and no one really knows which way this pandemic will go.”
Tattoo for the doctor, inspired by the current situation in the world, based on a drawing by @engelhardt_art
Having said that, Josh stays skeptical as to whether the coronavirus is a good source of inspiration. “The fact is, people have passed away due to it and I don’t think it’s particularly nice to use it as inspiration for a tattoo idea, unless done in a positive way.” But the artist said it’s not up to him to tell people what to get.
On the other hand, Josh has seen good coming out of the crisis too. “I’ve seen a few tattooists who have offered discount tattoos to key workers during this whole pandemic, which is a positive thing to come out of it and a way of giving back to those who have been on the frontline.”
Let's be responsible in this situation. Take care of yourself and let us take care of the most vulnerable.
He wanted to surprise his wife with this tattoo that represents her for all the effort and sacrifice she has made and there is still to be done in this stage that we are all living. Thank you very much for the creative freedom and the good time!
Some people go home to their families. Some people´s pets are their only family.
Since during the lockdown, all tattoo shops were closed, many businesses have had no choice but to stand still. But now that many salons have reopened, Josh said “there has been a huge increase in bookings and work.”
Josh believes that the “lockdown gave people a lot of time to plan their tattoo, a lot of tattooists were in touch with their regular clients and could discuss potential ideas and concepts.”
He also said this may be due to the fact that people stayed inside and saved some money that they can now put towards getting some ink art done.
Last week's tattoo for an emergency nurse at Jove hospital. Thank you very much and thank you very much for the work you do.
The only kind of germs you DO want right now!
This depicts the spirit of nursing. but not the exhaustion, dispare and depression caused by Covid-19.
Okay... personally, I would have gone for something more symbolic rather than literal.
Note: this post originally had 113 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
!["Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her"](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/coworker-complains-to-hr-about-womans-body-revenge-latest.jpg "\"Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her\"")
Don't get me wrong. I like some of these designs, many of them are cool. Also, I understand why someone may want to have covid-theme tattoo (it's generation-defining situation, after all). Nonetheless, I find this post kinda funny, because it's like: "So, I have to stay home and avoid unnecessary social interactions...? LET'S MAKE A PROFESSIONAL TATTOO, 'CUZ WHY NOT!" Kinda hypocritical, especially when it comes to the ones made as tribute to healthcare professionals.
I know! More people are getting tats right now then I've ever seen!
Because if they do it after, it'll become oldfashioned.
Why not? You're living through a time that's going to be taught in history class at some point.
Monday, I'm not saying to not do do covid tattoos. But not right now. Not when we have to stay home. One can get one when it will be safe, not necessarily in this very moment, when they put their families and themselves in risk unnecessarily going outside. It's not like the tattoo cannot wait a few months until we'll have this pandemic more under control or even better, until it will be over.
I honestly think this is super dumb! Why would you want to permanently have something on you for life that will remind you of dealths, depression, isolation, lock downs, etc!! It doesn't make sense at all to me.
I have mixed feelings about this post, but I understand why someone may want to have COVID-themed tattoo. People tend to do tattoos which remind them about important moments in their lives. And not necessarily pleasant ones, since there are many tattoos made as tribute to deceased loved ones et caetera. So, since this pandemic IS an important and in some cases life-changing situation, some people want to have this kind of tattoos as some kind of memorabilia.
I’m a hospital social worker; I have sat with grieving families, lost coworkers and feared for my own safety. I would like to get one to remember this time, remember the people and remember what really matters.
Co-worker, bout 20years ago, broken heart in barbed wire, date beneath, "I survived" underneath the date. It was the day she was raped, and served as a reminder she could endure and survive anything
It also served to open up a conversation that NO ONE was having at the time. She helped me a lot, just because I asked about her tattoo
Tats are extremely personal and important to the owner. It’s living art that can help the owner manage, deal with some of the challenges of their lives, and successes. It’s a chance to memorialize a time, person or success that is very important to the owner. I can appreciate why people choose to wear their feelings. It can be a coping mechanism. Not for everyone, but, hey that’s why we are all different.
I was thinking the same. I want this to be over and push it out of my brain forever. BUT- if a loved one died, or I caught Corona and survived, I would want to commemorate it in some way.
Why not? You're living through a time that's going to be taught in history class at some point.
Don't most people get tattoos to remind them of an important something in their lives?
Most people just put the kids drawing on the fridge......
Rob Fraser Good response!
Don't get me wrong. I like some of these designs, many of them are cool. Also, I understand why someone may want to have covid-theme tattoo (it's generation-defining situation, after all). Nonetheless, I find this post kinda funny, because it's like: "So, I have to stay home and avoid unnecessary social interactions...? LET'S MAKE A PROFESSIONAL TATTOO, 'CUZ WHY NOT!" Kinda hypocritical, especially when it comes to the ones made as tribute to healthcare professionals.
I know! More people are getting tats right now then I've ever seen!
Because if they do it after, it'll become oldfashioned.
Why not? You're living through a time that's going to be taught in history class at some point.
Monday, I'm not saying to not do do covid tattoos. But not right now. Not when we have to stay home. One can get one when it will be safe, not necessarily in this very moment, when they put their families and themselves in risk unnecessarily going outside. It's not like the tattoo cannot wait a few months until we'll have this pandemic more under control or even better, until it will be over.
I honestly think this is super dumb! Why would you want to permanently have something on you for life that will remind you of dealths, depression, isolation, lock downs, etc!! It doesn't make sense at all to me.
I have mixed feelings about this post, but I understand why someone may want to have COVID-themed tattoo. People tend to do tattoos which remind them about important moments in their lives. And not necessarily pleasant ones, since there are many tattoos made as tribute to deceased loved ones et caetera. So, since this pandemic IS an important and in some cases life-changing situation, some people want to have this kind of tattoos as some kind of memorabilia.
I’m a hospital social worker; I have sat with grieving families, lost coworkers and feared for my own safety. I would like to get one to remember this time, remember the people and remember what really matters.
Co-worker, bout 20years ago, broken heart in barbed wire, date beneath, "I survived" underneath the date. It was the day she was raped, and served as a reminder she could endure and survive anything
It also served to open up a conversation that NO ONE was having at the time. She helped me a lot, just because I asked about her tattoo
Tats are extremely personal and important to the owner. It’s living art that can help the owner manage, deal with some of the challenges of their lives, and successes. It’s a chance to memorialize a time, person or success that is very important to the owner. I can appreciate why people choose to wear their feelings. It can be a coping mechanism. Not for everyone, but, hey that’s why we are all different.
I was thinking the same. I want this to be over and push it out of my brain forever. BUT- if a loved one died, or I caught Corona and survived, I would want to commemorate it in some way.
Why not? You're living through a time that's going to be taught in history class at some point.
Don't most people get tattoos to remind them of an important something in their lives?
Most people just put the kids drawing on the fridge......
Rob Fraser Good response!