So I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I want for my next tattoo. A lot of ideas have crossed my mind but none have really stuck except for one. I think I have the jist of what I want next. It’ll be somewhat of a memorial piece for my late uncle but not as obvious as my “grandpa” tattoo you all have seen. So my original idea is as follows: I thought about a clock with the hands turned to his time of death. Around it instead of flowers I want leaves in the Autumn colors to represent his and my favorite time of year.
After talking to one of my coworkers today about this idea, she remembered just how into trains my uncle was. My uncle had a whole shed dedicated to his train sets. He painted the walls of the shed to portray landscapes. He had people and bridges and little buildings and everything. She thought instead of just a simple clock to do a pocket watch instead and have the chain included somewhere in the piece itself. Now after telling my fiancé about it tonight he asked me, “Do you really need another memorial piece? Are you going to get a memorial done whenever someone dies?” Well, that got me thinking maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I have no idea where I would even put this tattoo in terms of placement. Do I wait until I know exactly what I want or do you all think this is a decent idea to memorialize my uncle in a way that is not so obvious? With what my fiancé said about it I’m definitely thinking maybe I shouldn’t but I’m not sure. Glad I’m not getting anything new anytime soon since I just can’t decide.
Here are a few pictures of his train sets:
@jerryatrophy 137421 wrote:
Have a pocket watch opened but instead of a clock face have a train and scenery.
That sounds cool
Haha, cool trains! I like jerrys idea.
But I do kind of agree with your fiance. Think about all the people around you – how many of them would you get a memorial tattoo for?
I had this issue some years back; My first tattoo was for my grandma. But then my other grandma died, and I realized I wanted one for her as well, and my cousin who died when I was 14. I quickly saw it became too much. What I ended up with, is the Dias de los muerto tattoo on my back – As a tribute to all my female relatives. Dead and alive. Not saying that’s what you should do, but maybe think of a way you could create a tribute for the people in your life who really mean a lot to you, without them necessarily being individual tattoos? 🙂 Hell, it could be a big tattoo with a train and scenery to represent all those who stopped in your life but have moved on.
@jerryatrophy 137421 wrote:
Instead of a memorial….think of it as a tribute.
I say combine your ideas. Have a pocket watch opened but instead of a clock face have a train and scenery.
Ooo I do like that idea!
@poxphobia 137435 wrote:
Haha, cool trains! I like jerrys idea.
But I do kind of agree with your fiance. Think about all the people around you – how many of them would you get a memorial tattoo for?
I had this issue some years back; My first tattoo was for my grandma. But then my other grandma died, and I realized I wanted one for her as well, and my cousin who died when I was 14. I quickly saw it became too much. What I ended up with, is the Dias de los muerto tattoo on my back – As a tribute to all my female relatives. Dead and alive. Not saying that’s what you should do, but maybe think of a way you could create a tribute for the people in your life who really mean a lot to you, without them necessarily being individual tattoos? 🙂 Hell, it could be a big tattoo with a train and scenery to represent all those who stopped in your life but have moved on.
Pox, I agree with what he’s saying as well. Glad I’m not the only one who has had this sort of problem but I do like how you did something for everyone. I made a train photo manipulation after his passing that does include a train. When I posted it on facebook my aunt actually mentioned how it would make a pretty tattoo but I don’t think that’s what I want to represent everybody even though it is a good idea. Like I said in my original post, glad I’m not getting anything any time soon since I just can’t decide
@peterpoose 137441 wrote:
Nice train sets he had!
Maybe a watch but inside the watch have a whole scene of the train sets. Or the pocket watch with the chain coming off of it and turning the chain into a train?
I talked with my artist about it and he thinks it’ll be nice with the pocket watch opened with the time and the chain with leaves and other foliage around it and then he suggested a few things train related like a conductors hat or a piece of a train or a train track etc. So what we’ve decided thus far (unless I think of something else) is the pocket watch with the time and the chain, leaves in fall colors and other foliage sitting on part of a train track. I can picture it in my head, not sure if that’s how it’ll end up looking but that is what we’ve kind of got going on so far. I still don’t know where I’m going to put it on my body yet nor do I know when I’m going to get it but you guys get the idea.
M.O.P.
All my life I’ve been involved in railroading.
What really tickled his fancy? There is one thing more than any others that would make him drool. Any idea what it may have been?
When I had my train “layout” I loved working on track. All my track was hand laid with real wooden ties, spikes, and all the proper attachments.
Feel free to call me Missy, it’s easier lol
In all honestly, I have no idea what really stuck out to him when it came to trains. All I truly know is that he enjoyed the hobby, he even created a name for that little train set up he had going on. I never truly had the the chance to get to know that side. He also got into RC planes there at the end, they dedicated the airfield where he and so many others would come with their little RC planes and fly in his name after he passed. Quite a few years before he got into RC planes, he built his own, working plane that he actually took to the airport to fly himself as a pilot. Of course it was nothing fancy but he enjoyed it. He and my dad and cousin all drove out to Philadelphia one summer to pick up a GTO he had bought that he ended up rebuilding. He worked as a prison guard for many years and was also into motorcycles as he and my aunt were apart of the Colorado ABATE group. I’m not sure why trains stuck out so much to me over time even with so many hobbies. I’ll tell you now he used to wear a conductor’s style hat, the ones you can look up that are a light blue color with faint stripes. He always had one on no matter the day or time.
I was talking about this with a friend of mine and how my fiance and a few people here as well say I shouldn’t do another memorial piece but there again, she kind of helped me by saying that he had obviously made a big impact in my life. He was like a second father to me rather than my uncle. It brings tears to my eyes as I type this to think about it but she is right. I don’t plan on getting something done for every single member of my family, if I do it’ll be like what Pox said, do something to include everybody in some way..maybe. I almost wish now I had waited to get the “memorial” so to speak for my grandpa. I mean of course he made an impact on my life as well, he was one of the people who helped create the family I have now. Hell, I wouldn’t be here.
I’m still undecided about this idea yet but at least I have a design in mind if I decide to go with this. Like I said before, I want something that is somewhat of a memorial but not so direct as say a portrait or something along those lines. Anyway, enough with my little spiel even though it was nice to be able to talk about my uncle, really go back and think of him and his hobbies. Here is a picture of the airfield sign that was dedicated to him.
@Sam-I-Am 137456 wrote:
Missy,
He must have been one really vibrant person. I’m at a loss for a suggestion.
I’ll get back to you.
Sam
He really was, it sucks we lost such a special person in our family. Even 7 months later it still hurts
I got a freebee when I worked for Conrail. It was a watch that had a little train run around the dial.
I like Peter’s idea of the watch chain turning into a train.
There’s always a train ticket. These used to be stamped with the date. You could have both his dates stamped.
Going back over the photos you posted I noticed that he had a particular interest in steam railroading. There are many steam engine tattoos out there and I don’t suggest you get one. However there are a few items identified with steam engines. Whistle, Bell, Pressure gauges, long neck oil can, etc.
I’ll keep on it.
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