Font Tattoos Gallery

Font Tattoo

It of course has multiple meanings for me, which may or may not be obvious from the font choices. The obvious one, of course, is that it's a perfectly good tattoo from perfectly good tattoo ink. Secondly is that I set myself on the whole career change from software engineering to public policy because I saw myself as a writer, and I felt I needed a reminder.

Font Tattoo

And, of course, the person most responsible for both my interest in economics, politics, and libertarianism is Milton Friedman. Specifically when I read Capitalism and Freedom after college (which I brought with me when I got the tattoo -- interestingly enough, the gal who checked me in at Sacred Rose said she'd read it). Indeed, the phrase originates from that snarky Friedman quote, “Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless.” The tattoo, in contrast, is not public ink on public paper, but private ink on a private person. And it's value to me is priceless.

Font Tattoo

As for the fonts, "Perfectly" is in the font used on the dollar bill as a reference to Friedman's quote. "Good" is in a typewriterish font, with a lot of organic-like irregularities to symbolize ideas early in the writing process. "Ink" is in an Old Englishy font seen very commonly in tattoos in general (thus a reference to the obvious meaning), and is also a font used by newspapers, and thus symbolizes a more finalized published output.

Font Tattoo

The drops into the puddle are drops into a puddle. I'd originally wanted the tattoo in red, but Giotto told me it would fade faster and might not read as well, so the drops and puddle help underscore the blood-like quality of ink and the written word. I actually like it a lot in black, and some comic books do use black for blood instead of red. Plus the whole thing looked top heavy with just the text.

message Tattoo

So how's that for overexplaining something?

And you know? I hadn't realized how goddamned hard it is to photograph one's own shoulder until now। I'll get somebody to take some better photos of it soon.

Inked by Giotto at Sacred Rose Tattoo in Berkeley