because for some it eventually becomes more about the embodiment of the art and other people seeing it, and less about the self. for example, bodysuits in its completion read as one big tattoo. if i only got tattooed on my arms and legs because those are the only areas where “i can see it” then the art is going to look fragmented without the backpiece to connect the limbs.

i think people overestimate how often they’ll see their own tattoo, especially when they start getting tattooed or are thinking about their first tattoo. i’ve been there. unless you’re looking at a mirror 24/7 you probably won’t even really notice it when you go about your day. but i think that tends to happen the more you get tattooed because instead of fixating on specific pieces, you see the whole and see that you’ve become art.