“Remember Me” A Memorial Tattoo Project

Loss visits each of us at some point, often without warning and discrimination. Death is certain and tattoo artists will be forever intertwined with this process. After 11 years of tattooing, I couldn’t say for sure how many memorial tattoos I’ve done (we’ll say “an abundance”). Memorial tattoos are so common and widely accepted that their true significance is often overlooked. What can a visual representation of a lost loved one do for those who are left behind? I feel this is a topic worth exploring.

I’m interested in doing a “write up” of sorts to highlight the many facets of memorial tattoos. If you’ve had a tattoo done in memory of a lost friend, family member, etc., I’d love to hear about your experience. Here are some questions that I’m looking to explore:

• Why did you decide to get a memorial tattoo?
• What inspired your design?
• How did you feel before the tattoo and how did you feel after? Did the tattoo aid in the grieving process?
• How long did you wait to get the tattoo? (Shortly after the death or a longer period of time)
• How do you think your loved one would feel about your tattoo (honored, amused, embarrassed, flattered, annoyed, etc.)?
• How long have you had the tattoo and how does it make you feel now? Looking back, would you have done anything differently?
• Would you recommend getting a memorial tattoo to others that have experienced loss?
• Any other thoughts about the experience that you find significant or meaningful 

I’d like to stress that these don’t have to be tattoos done by me. I’m hoping to capture the bigger picture, so please feel free to share this post as I’d like to collect many different experiences. I would also like to keep all the responses that are shared anonymous, so I won’t be publishing any names, dates or other identifying details. Please email your responses to [email protected] and with the subject line “remember me project” so that these messages don’t get confused with actual memorial tattoo inquiries. I know that this is a very sensitive subject, so I appreciate any and all participation. 









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