A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

The Art of War

Sueanne sent in this shot of a matching she tattoo she has with her friend Taylor..

Taylor and I have been in many fights together; we’re ride or die bitches and best friends. Since I’m heading back up to Northern Nevada for college, we decided to get matching tattoos to symbolize our summer: Crazy days, wild drunken nights & picking fights with the wrong people. It’s from the Art of War by Sun Tzu:

In the practical art of war, to shatter and destroy is not so good. To fight and conquer in all battles is not supreme excellence. Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.

We kind of pulled from two different parts of the book, but it fits! Oh, Taylor’s on the right.

By Brett, Pair-A-Dice Tattoo, Las Vegas, NV.

See more in Lettering Tattoos (Tattoos)

Comments

196 responses to “The Art of War”

  1. UglyBug Avatar

    I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a tattoo with a close friend and large blocks of text can work (as I think this one does) when they accentuate and flow with the body lines.
    I’m confused though as to why they’ve chosen a piece of text espousing the virtue of not physically fighting but using your troops tactically to symbolise “Crazy days, wild drunken nights & picking fights with the wrong people”. I’d be really interested to hear from them why they chose this text.
    Maybe like 13. says it’s something they’re working towards.

  2. UglyBug Avatar

    I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a tattoo with a close friend and large blocks of text can work (as I think this one does) when they accentuate and flow with the body lines.
    I’m confused though as to why they’ve chosen a piece of text espousing the virtue of not physically fighting but using your troops tactically to symbolise “Crazy days, wild drunken nights & picking fights with the wrong people”. I’d be really interested to hear from them why they chose this text.
    Maybe like 13. says it’s something they’re working towards.

  3. UglyBug Avatar

    I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a tattoo with a close friend and large blocks of text can work (as I think this one does) when they accentuate and flow with the body lines.
    I’m confused though as to why they’ve chosen a piece of text espousing the virtue of not physically fighting but using your troops tactically to symbolise “Crazy days, wild drunken nights & picking fights with the wrong people”. I’d be really interested to hear from them why they chose this text.
    Maybe like 13. says it’s something they’re working towards.

  4. UglyBug Avatar

    I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a tattoo with a close friend and large blocks of text can work (as I think this one does) when they accentuate and flow with the body lines.
    I’m confused though as to why they’ve chosen a piece of text espousing the virtue of not physically fighting but using your troops tactically to symbolise “Crazy days, wild drunken nights & picking fights with the wrong people”. I’d be really interested to hear from them why they chose this text.
    Maybe like 13. says it’s something they’re working towards.

  5. Matt Avatar

    I’m really undecided about this one. Aesthetically it looks pretty cool and I’m not against the idea of matching tattoos but I think it’s a bit ridiculous that they pulled from two different parts of the book.

    Also I’m not totally sure that the text really fits the sentiment intended.

  6. Matt Avatar

    I’m really undecided about this one. Aesthetically it looks pretty cool and I’m not against the idea of matching tattoos but I think it’s a bit ridiculous that they pulled from two different parts of the book.

    Also I’m not totally sure that the text really fits the sentiment intended.

  7. Matt Avatar

    I’m really undecided about this one. Aesthetically it looks pretty cool and I’m not against the idea of matching tattoos but I think it’s a bit ridiculous that they pulled from two different parts of the book.

    Also I’m not totally sure that the text really fits the sentiment intended.

  8. Matt Avatar

    I’m really undecided about this one. Aesthetically it looks pretty cool and I’m not against the idea of matching tattoos but I think it’s a bit ridiculous that they pulled from two different parts of the book.

    Also I’m not totally sure that the text really fits the sentiment intended.

  9. fireship Avatar
    fireship

    hahahahahaha

  10. fireship Avatar
    fireship

    hahahahahaha

  11. fireship Avatar
    fireship

    hahahahahaha

  12. fireship Avatar
    fireship

    hahahahahaha

  13. brittasc Avatar
    brittasc

    spring break 2004 lmfaolollolocost.

  14. brittasc Avatar
    brittasc

    spring break 2004 lmfaolollolocost.

  15. brittasc Avatar
    brittasc

    spring break 2004 lmfaolollolocost.

  16. brittasc Avatar
    brittasc

    spring break 2004 lmfaolollolocost.

  17. normalperson Avatar
    normalperson

    your queer weirdos don’t like their tats because these chicks are clearly hot (not something I can say about most pics on here)

  18. normalperson Avatar
    normalperson

    your queer weirdos don’t like their tats because these chicks are clearly hot (not something I can say about most pics on here)

  19. normalperson Avatar
    normalperson

    your queer weirdos don’t like their tats because these chicks are clearly hot (not something I can say about most pics on here)

  20. normalperson Avatar
    normalperson

    your queer weirdos don’t like their tats because these chicks are clearly hot (not something I can say about most pics on here)

  21. Jake Avatar
    Jake

    yeah…
    no.

  22. Jake Avatar
    Jake

    yeah…
    no.

  23. Jake Avatar
    Jake

    yeah…
    no.

  24. Jake Avatar
    Jake

    yeah…
    no.

  25. Telyn Avatar

    Hey, getting drunk and picking fights can be fun for all ages! But I only wonder why ‘without fighting’ is so emphasised.

  26. Telyn Avatar

    Hey, getting drunk and picking fights can be fun for all ages! But I only wonder why ‘without fighting’ is so emphasised.

  27. Telyn Avatar

    Hey, getting drunk and picking fights can be fun for all ages! But I only wonder why ‘without fighting’ is so emphasised.

  28. Telyn Avatar

    Hey, getting drunk and picking fights can be fun for all ages! But I only wonder why ‘without fighting’ is so emphasised.

  29. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    All I can think of is Firefly: “Sadistic crap legitimized by florid prose. Tell me you’re not a fan.”

    The reasoning doesn’t make sense to me, and I may be judgmental, but seeing the french tips makes me think these two are less about military tactical manuals and more about, well, “wild drunken nights”.

    Otherwise, I like the choice for the red text, but it seems unbalanced with the six lines of black above it. My two cents.

  30. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    All I can think of is Firefly: “Sadistic crap legitimized by florid prose. Tell me you’re not a fan.”

    The reasoning doesn’t make sense to me, and I may be judgmental, but seeing the french tips makes me think these two are less about military tactical manuals and more about, well, “wild drunken nights”.

    Otherwise, I like the choice for the red text, but it seems unbalanced with the six lines of black above it. My two cents.

  31. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    All I can think of is Firefly: “Sadistic crap legitimized by florid prose. Tell me you’re not a fan.”

    The reasoning doesn’t make sense to me, and I may be judgmental, but seeing the french tips makes me think these two are less about military tactical manuals and more about, well, “wild drunken nights”.

    Otherwise, I like the choice for the red text, but it seems unbalanced with the six lines of black above it. My two cents.

  32. Rebecca Avatar
    Rebecca

    All I can think of is Firefly: “Sadistic crap legitimized by florid prose. Tell me you’re not a fan.”

    The reasoning doesn’t make sense to me, and I may be judgmental, but seeing the french tips makes me think these two are less about military tactical manuals and more about, well, “wild drunken nights”.

    Otherwise, I like the choice for the red text, but it seems unbalanced with the six lines of black above it. My two cents.

  33. ash Avatar

    i’m not a big fan of the tattoos… because of the contradiction, as other have pointed out.
    however, i find it striking the way the girls’ bodies fit together. i think that’s pretty.

  34. ash Avatar

    i’m not a big fan of the tattoos… because of the contradiction, as other have pointed out.
    however, i find it striking the way the girls’ bodies fit together. i think that’s pretty.

  35. ash Avatar

    i’m not a big fan of the tattoos… because of the contradiction, as other have pointed out.
    however, i find it striking the way the girls’ bodies fit together. i think that’s pretty.

  36. ash Avatar

    i’m not a big fan of the tattoos… because of the contradiction, as other have pointed out.
    however, i find it striking the way the girls’ bodies fit together. i think that’s pretty.

  37. Phro Avatar

    Hmmm…While it’s a neat idea, I have to agree with the people questioning the sincerity of the concepts espoused. Sun Tzu was a clever fellow…and extremely harsh. (When training the emperors concubines to be bodyguards, he killed the leader to get the rest to pay attetion. It worked, but…damn.) Though I suppose a different time and place redefines “harsh”. But…really, this kind of screams “poser”. Perhaps the main point they were reaching for was the total domination of an enemy by little more than intimidation. But the fact that these are little girls we’re talking about who probably have little concept of “the wrong people” or what it means to fight (and, I’d like to point out, I fall into the same category as them), the intimidation thing is hard to swallow.

    Maybe they’ll scratch our eyes out with their pretty manicures?

  38. Phro Avatar

    Hmmm…While it’s a neat idea, I have to agree with the people questioning the sincerity of the concepts espoused. Sun Tzu was a clever fellow…and extremely harsh. (When training the emperors concubines to be bodyguards, he killed the leader to get the rest to pay attetion. It worked, but…damn.) Though I suppose a different time and place redefines “harsh”. But…really, this kind of screams “poser”. Perhaps the main point they were reaching for was the total domination of an enemy by little more than intimidation. But the fact that these are little girls we’re talking about who probably have little concept of “the wrong people” or what it means to fight (and, I’d like to point out, I fall into the same category as them), the intimidation thing is hard to swallow.

    Maybe they’ll scratch our eyes out with their pretty manicures?

  39. Phro Avatar

    Hmmm…While it’s a neat idea, I have to agree with the people questioning the sincerity of the concepts espoused. Sun Tzu was a clever fellow…and extremely harsh. (When training the emperors concubines to be bodyguards, he killed the leader to get the rest to pay attetion. It worked, but…damn.) Though I suppose a different time and place redefines “harsh”. But…really, this kind of screams “poser”. Perhaps the main point they were reaching for was the total domination of an enemy by little more than intimidation. But the fact that these are little girls we’re talking about who probably have little concept of “the wrong people” or what it means to fight (and, I’d like to point out, I fall into the same category as them), the intimidation thing is hard to swallow.

    Maybe they’ll scratch our eyes out with their pretty manicures?

  40. Phro Avatar

    Hmmm…While it’s a neat idea, I have to agree with the people questioning the sincerity of the concepts espoused. Sun Tzu was a clever fellow…and extremely harsh. (When training the emperors concubines to be bodyguards, he killed the leader to get the rest to pay attetion. It worked, but…damn.) Though I suppose a different time and place redefines “harsh”. But…really, this kind of screams “poser”. Perhaps the main point they were reaching for was the total domination of an enemy by little more than intimidation. But the fact that these are little girls we’re talking about who probably have little concept of “the wrong people” or what it means to fight (and, I’d like to point out, I fall into the same category as them), the intimidation thing is hard to swallow.

    Maybe they’ll scratch our eyes out with their pretty manicures?

  41. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    Besides, if they “pick” fights enough, they’re bound to run into some bad motherfucker who’s going to hurt them with reality. Getting shanked, shot, or having their nice tan fucked up with a box-cutter is going to spoil their party, believe me.
    Not to mention ruin a manicure.

  42. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    Besides, if they “pick” fights enough, they’re bound to run into some bad motherfucker who’s going to hurt them with reality. Getting shanked, shot, or having their nice tan fucked up with a box-cutter is going to spoil their party, believe me.
    Not to mention ruin a manicure.

  43. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    Besides, if they “pick” fights enough, they’re bound to run into some bad motherfucker who’s going to hurt them with reality. Getting shanked, shot, or having their nice tan fucked up with a box-cutter is going to spoil their party, believe me.
    Not to mention ruin a manicure.

  44. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    Besides, if they “pick” fights enough, they’re bound to run into some bad motherfucker who’s going to hurt them with reality. Getting shanked, shot, or having their nice tan fucked up with a box-cutter is going to spoil their party, believe me.
    Not to mention ruin a manicure.

  45. mung Avatar

    lmfao @ all of ya’ll. fucken funny shit

  46. mung Avatar

    lmfao @ all of ya’ll. fucken funny shit

  47. mung Avatar

    lmfao @ all of ya’ll. fucken funny shit

  48. mung Avatar

    lmfao @ all of ya’ll. fucken funny shit

  49. old man on hill Avatar
    old man on hill

    Don’t even joke about fuckin’ up a good manicure.

  50. old man on hill Avatar
    old man on hill

    Don’t even joke about fuckin’ up a good manicure.

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