Have you considered talking to an artist to create something for you? I do agree that the Coexist thing is a little played out but there's no reason you can't make it your own.

I've done a few tatoo designs. I do one the way they asked and one the way I would do it. The one thing that all the people have in common is they like my designs better than their ideas.

You're going to have this forever so spend a few extra dollars and have a pro give you something amazing.

Either way, good luck and I hope you enjoy it. :-)
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Of course I'm going to an artist to get their sketches done, I thought that was a given =P. I'm just here for some feedback, criticisms, and critiques before I go anywhere. I'm planning on going some time early next week to talk to the artist.

As for the coexist thing being played out, I rarely see it and there isn't really a better clear cut message like that. It's not like I've seen this on anyone else before, unlike a simple cross or a nautical star, not trying to hate on them or anything... It is my own really, took a few parts here and there from different designs, and I'm trying to get another symbol added to it.
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My wife wants to know if your mom knows about this? :-)
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nope ahahah!!!!!!
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Here's a couple sketchs I did for some friends tatoos.

The first was a snake wrapped around a dagger. Nice, but changing the dagger to a sword and adding a backround I think makes a better statement.

The second was a simple lions head. How may of those have you seen? But by changing the mane to flames it adds a personal touch.

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Hit up a local artistor maybe your tatoo guy and let him see what they can do for you.
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I thought your design was the one you were taking to the artist to have done. Not letting the artist design it.

My mistake then. I've seen too many crap jobs because someone thought something looked good and they go to the guy and tell him to ink it.
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ahaha yea I hear ya Bax, thanks for your concern, but I've had many years of thought and planning and I'm not going to waste it upon my crappy artistic talent that I did in like a minute. I'm not creative enough so I'll be definitely taking it to the artist, that's more of a base outline of what I made to make it easier
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I'm thinking softer tones on the leaves, and darker on the ring - so the aum can replace the male/female symbol.

I like the idea, but I would want to test-run it.....
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That's exactly what I was thinking Loose on the aum, I'm writing everything down to take to the artist so the final product should be better
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Doh! I meant subjective.
Sounds like you have a good plan.
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i wouldn't do it..
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I see them on Prius' out here in CA. Good for now, but who knows what the future will bring. :-)
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Start smaller. Honestly, getting something to cover your entire shoulder area is a hell of a leap into tattoos. If you are happy with your tattoo, don't worry about what other people think. I realize you want something that means something to you, but start it a little smaller :-)
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Sorry, but I'm not a big fan of the design, especially since you are planning to make it so big. It reminds me of some of the tattoos I’ve seen on my parents’ hippie friends from CA. I’m sure they were cool back then, but now… not so much.
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I highly recommend doing what I have been doing lately. For years I've wanted more work done, but couldn't really settle on design, themes, and placement.

I had my girlfriend take some photos of me without my shirt from different angles. I then took my designs on Photoshop and essentially tattooed them on me. You can try aviary.com if you don't have Photoshop. Aviary even has a great tutorial on the subject.

Most of the time I would see that the size, placement, or design didn't look right immediately. Others I would come back to every few days and eventually think no way or yep, I'm gonna get this one. Heck, send me a pic of bare skin where you want it and I'll give you a quick sample. Keep in mind today was day 3 of a 9 day work stretch so I can't guarantee a quick turn around.

You are obviously passionate about the design and meaning so I say go for it. I know you don't see it often, but here in the panhandle I see it multiple times a week. Granted I'm no idiot so I immediately picked up "coexist" the first second I saw it. I really don't know how anyone other than an imbecile would have to ask what the design meant. Just my 2 cents.
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Thank you for calling me an idiot and an imbecule.
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LOL Ferdinand.

Well I've done placement stuff already and I enjoy it where it is, just size is going to be what I'm working on. Like I said I'm going to be going to the shop and talking to the artists early this week to talk about design placement and such, it's all just a base outline.

As for something smaller, I have many other things I want to get, I haven't had the time to plan it out. I really am not worried about regretting it later. Past, present, future, it's always going to be relevant. Thanks for all the concern and feedback, how about we start to have a little more critiques on the actual design since I'm pretty set on getting it =)

Sure it might be a hippie thing, but I don't understand how it doesn't mean anything today. I don't understand when you say it's not cool today. How is coexisting not cool? Maybe I am a pacifist or something beats me, is the message really that outdated? I highly doubt that it's going to be irrelevant any time soon, you don't see any 1 religion or something taking over, there is still fighting going on, more so than ever so if anything it's even more relevant today as it was say in the 50's, 60's, 70's.
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Ok if you want feedback on the design I think you definitely need to come up with something to make it more your own. Take the basic idea but do something different. I too see the coexist thing all over the the place and it looks so similar to what you have. If I saw that I would be like "oh there is that coexist thing again" but if you could get really creative people would be like "sweet, look how he did that". Unfortunately I am not very creative and cant help you there, which is why I don't have any tattoos myself.

So basically I say you need to come up with something more original that has the same meaning. Just mt two cents.
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I'm gonna call you 'hippie' during the East Coast trip and E.L.V.I.S. all the time :-)
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Sadly I'm probably one of the least hippies you'll know...well for the most part.

As for the design being similar, indeed it is similar to the ones that are out there. However, it's only only my design and I have yet taken it to a professional. Once I do get it sketched I'll repost what they have done for me.
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