8 ms·

I'm torn. On one hand, this invention will keep a lot of people from making the very common mistake of getting ink they don't like and can't remove. On the oth

I'm torn. On one hand, this invention will keep a lot of people from making the very common mistake of getting ink they don't like and can't remove. On the other hand, a beautiful part of this art form is that it is basically permanent. To my mind, a tattoo loses a lot of its value of it's only temporary.

geoelectric 10y ago
Henna tattoos are a thing, though, too. Ephemeral (small-e) tattoos aren't a new thing, only this particular type.
jbpetersen 10y ago
As an outsider, my expectations are that a lot of current tattoo culture will migrate to other/newer forms of body modification.
- danieltillett 10y ago
  Yep they will become a marker of your generation. I am hoping that by the time my kids grow up that tattoos will be seen by them as those blobby blue things that old people have on them.
niccaluim 10y ago
Yeah, I had the same reaction. I've got quite a bit of ink and the permanence is a huge part of what makes it meaningful to me. They aren't just pretty pictures; they tell a story.
- StavrosK 10y ago
  So? Get permanent tattoos. I don't want anything permanent on me, but I'd consider a non-permanent solution, so this is perfect for me.
  - niccaluim 10y ago
    "So" it's a fundamental change to a thousands-of-years-old art form.
    - wpietri 10y ago
      ... he types into an edit box, eschewing millennia of literary tradition.
- vacri 10y ago
  It's just another option for people. I like permanent tattoos as well, and I love checking out a person's tattoo's (though I'm not fond of 'full sleeves' and similar, where it's hard to pick out the individual tatts). The 'story' point reminded me of my response to people who say "Yeah, but what will your tatts look like when you're 80? They'll look terrible": "What, you mean at the end of my time, after I've enjoyed them all my life?"
  - 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
    > Yeah, but what will your tatts look like when you're 80? Which is a good point. Current tattoos are also limited in life span. Even before a person dies, the tattoo will start to blur. So really these guys are just lowering the life span of a tattoo to something within a persons life. Which is already a thing since you can get tattoos removed by laser. So all they have done, should they succeed is make things more convenient.
gjolund 10y ago
I agree, all of my tattoo's were carefully planned, expensive, and constant reminders of some very good memories. If it is temporary how is it any different than a hair cut?
- tracker1 10y ago
  There are a lot of people that will change their haircut, color and style a few times a year... why not tattoos as well.. though I'm not sure how much I'd be into that, but can see a market.
- CitizenKane 10y ago
  This is the very approach that I use. I suppose in some ways it's like a "written" history for me. A reminder of the evolution of myself.
- biot 10y ago
  A temporary tattoo is like dating somebody. A permanent tattoo is like marrying somebody. To me it's completely logical that you might want to try a tattoo on for a while and, if you like it enough, you can commit for life and make it permanent. Otherwise, if you jump straight into tattoo marriage and you don't like it, you're looking at a laser divorce.
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  I am pretty sure quite a lot of tattoos are just fashion accessories like the lower back tattoo, white guys with tribal tattoos, tattoos of chinese characters. I live in Sydney and I've also noticed other sub-genres: - Middle class women with tattoos of silouettes of a flock of birds in flight. - Women who dress in 30s fashion with tattoos of swallows usually around their collar bones. I have not spotted any in the last few years. - Asian girls of the Lotita sub-culture with tattoos of antique cutlery.
otoburb 10y ago
How are ephemeral tattoos any different than today's temporary stick-on tattoos or (as a sibling comment points out below) henna designs? I'm not seeing how the art form or value will be impacted as tattoos would, for the most part, still be permanent for those that are serious about their ink. It would be strange if the value of tattoos is in large part due to many people walking around with tats they don't want.
- CitizenKane 10y ago
  It's all about how temporary it is. A few days to a few weeks is definitely different then having something that sticks with you for at least a year. I'm sure the designs will change, as will the motivations for getting them. Beyond that, this technology would be difficult to differentiate from a traditional tattoo whereas henna and temporary tattoos are visibly different.
davidmr 10y ago
I realize that every person is different, but I can't imagine going through the pain and expense of getting tattooed and only having it for a year. The permanence is what gives me enough perspective during the sessions to know that, yes it's hurting a lot and costing a fortune, but at least I get to keep it forever.
dave2000 10y ago
Surely for the duration it exists it has identical value, assuming it looks identical? What could be the difference, I wonder?
- tomc1985 10y ago
  The story? It's in many ways an irrevocable decision that technologists seem poised to render moot. Shame that the meaning of that is disregarded so... PS... how convenient, they own the ink and the way to remove it. SV... sigh
harel 10y ago
I'm with you but I'm not torn. A temporary tattoo to me is like a kid's sticker tattoo. Tattoo's magic, as you said is from being a permanent work of art on your skin. Making you a canvas for life. Without that aspect one might as well use a ballpoint pen to draw something on oneself.
jjp 10y ago
> On one hand, this invention will keep a lot of people from making the very common mistake of getting ink they don't like and can't remove. Not sure that it will change an often spur of the moment, possibly rebellious or first love, decision. When asked the question do you want it in permanent ink I still think the answer will be mostly yes.

geoelectric 10y ago

Henna tattoos are a thing, though, too. Ephemeral (small-e) tattoos aren't a new thing, only this particular type.

jbpetersen 10y ago

As an outsider, my expectations are that a lot of current tattoo culture will migrate to other/newer forms of body modification.

danieltillett 10y ago
Yep they will become a marker of your generation. I am hoping that by the time my kids grow up that tattoos will be seen by them as those blobby blue things that old people have on them.

niccaluim 10y ago

Yeah, I had the same reaction. I've got quite a bit of ink and the permanence is a huge part of what makes it meaningful to me. They aren't just pretty pictures; they tell a story.

StavrosK 10y ago
So? Get permanent tattoos. I don't want anything permanent on me, but I'd consider a non-permanent solution, so this is perfect for me.
- niccaluim 10y ago
  "So" it's a fundamental change to a thousands-of-years-old art form.
  - wpietri 10y ago
    ... he types into an edit box, eschewing millennia of literary tradition.
vacri 10y ago
It's just another option for people. I like permanent tattoos as well, and I love checking out a person's tattoo's (though I'm not fond of 'full sleeves' and similar, where it's hard to pick out the individual tatts). The 'story' point reminded me of my response to people who say "Yeah, but what will your tatts look like when you're 80? They'll look terrible": "What, you mean at the end of my time, after I've enjoyed them all my life?"
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  > Yeah, but what will your tatts look like when you're 80? Which is a good point. Current tattoos are also limited in life span. Even before a person dies, the tattoo will start to blur. So really these guys are just lowering the life span of a tattoo to something within a persons life. Which is already a thing since you can get tattoos removed by laser. So all they have done, should they succeed is make things more convenient.

gjolund 10y ago

I agree, all of my tattoo's were carefully planned, expensive, and constant reminders of some very good memories. If it is temporary how is it any different than a hair cut?

tracker1 10y ago
There are a lot of people that will change their haircut, color and style a few times a year... why not tattoos as well.. though I'm not sure how much I'd be into that, but can see a market.
CitizenKane 10y ago
This is the very approach that I use. I suppose in some ways it's like a "written" history for me. A reminder of the evolution of myself.
biot 10y ago
A temporary tattoo is like dating somebody. A permanent tattoo is like marrying somebody. To me it's completely logical that you might want to try a tattoo on for a while and, if you like it enough, you can commit for life and make it permanent. Otherwise, if you jump straight into tattoo marriage and you don't like it, you're looking at a laser divorce.
2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
I am pretty sure quite a lot of tattoos are just fashion accessories like the lower back tattoo, white guys with tribal tattoos, tattoos of chinese characters. I live in Sydney and I've also noticed other sub-genres: - Middle class women with tattoos of silouettes of a flock of birds in flight. - Women who dress in 30s fashion with tattoos of swallows usually around their collar bones. I have not spotted any in the last few years. - Asian girls of the Lotita sub-culture with tattoos of antique cutlery.

otoburb 10y ago

How are ephemeral tattoos any different than today's temporary stick-on tattoos or (as a sibling comment points out below) henna designs? I'm not seeing how the art form or value will be impacted as tattoos would, for the most part, still be permanent for those that are serious about their ink. It would be strange if the value of tattoos is in large part due to many people walking around with tats they don't want.

CitizenKane 10y ago
It's all about how temporary it is. A few days to a few weeks is definitely different then having something that sticks with you for at least a year. I'm sure the designs will change, as will the motivations for getting them. Beyond that, this technology would be difficult to differentiate from a traditional tattoo whereas henna and temporary tattoos are visibly different.

davidmr 10y ago

I realize that every person is different, but I can't imagine going through the pain and expense of getting tattooed and only having it for a year. The permanence is what gives me enough perspective during the sessions to know that, yes it's hurting a lot and costing a fortune, but at least I get to keep it forever.

dave2000 10y ago

Surely for the duration it exists it has identical value, assuming it looks identical? What could be the difference, I wonder?

tomc1985 10y ago
The story? It's in many ways an irrevocable decision that technologists seem poised to render moot. Shame that the meaning of that is disregarded so... PS... how convenient, they own the ink and the way to remove it. SV... sigh

harel 10y ago

I'm with you but I'm not torn. A temporary tattoo to me is like a kid's sticker tattoo. Tattoo's magic, as you said is from being a permanent work of art on your skin. Making you a canvas for life. Without that aspect one might as well use a ballpoint pen to draw something on oneself.

jjp 10y ago

> On one hand, this invention will keep a lot of people from making the very common mistake of getting ink they don't like and can't remove. Not sure that it will change an often spur of the moment, possibly rebellious or first love, decision. When asked the question do you want it in permanent ink I still think the answer will be mostly yes.