A tattoo can be a great way of showing civic pride. When designing your hometown tattoo, consider the things commonly associated with your city or state. Things such as state birds, sports teams, local music style and landmarks are a great starting point for your tattoo design. You can also incorporate the area code and an outline of your state surrounding the design or within the tattoo itself. Consider your state's flag or any colors that may be associated with the city or its sports teams when deciding on ink colors.
If you have a personal mantra that guides your life, this can be a good starting point for a tattoo. You can get the quote itself done as a tattoo in a stylized font or you can choose something that is symbolic of the sentiment. When using symbols, you can be as abstract as you would like, as it can become a conversation piece.
Recreational activities or job interests are another good place to search when considering tattoo ideas. If you are an avid cyclist or surfer or if you work in film and are dedicated to the profession, you may want to consider these items as a basis for your new ink. A tribal band composed of film instead of barbed wire or a bicycle chain can be clever ways of letting others know your interests.
A lot of people have a historical figure they particularly identify with or a pop-culture icon that they idolize. This can provide a good basis for a tattoo. Remember to have fun with their image though, and incorporate a little bit of yourself into the design. A postmodern slant can add artistic credence to this idea. For instance, you could get a tattoo of Abraham Lincoln watching his iPod or of James Dean with an electronic cigarette in his mouth.