Punctuated

“It’s not my grey hair that gives my age away, but it’s my use of punctuation!”, a comment that sums up my initial motivation for this collection. I had become increasingly frustrated with trying to comprehend texted messages which were almost completely devoid of punctation. I rather flippantly thought that if no one is going to use punctuation then one might as well wear it! However, I have since discovered that punctuation marks are used as tattoos and that in this context, they adopt very different meanings. This insight has given this collection a new perspective, one that lends itself to a very different and, often very personal, reason for wearing one of these brooches.

All these brooches are intended to be interactive, that they will initiate a conversation and it will be at the
wearers discretion how much or how little, amusing or serious their response will be.

Jewellery

EXCLAMATION MARK

Conventionally, it is used to indicate strong emotion or emphasis at the end of a sentence or phrase. And never use two or three exclamation marks in a row unless it is in an informal setting e.g. social media.
When used as a tattoo an exclamation mark can symbolise enthusiasm, passion and a desire to live life to the fullest.

SEMICOLON

Semicolons are used to join two closely related independent sentences that are not linked by a coordinating conjunction (like “and”, “but”, or “or”). However, when used as a tattoo, the semicolon becomes a symbol of hope and resilience. People with anxiety, depression or other mental health issues use this tattoo as a reminder that they’ve chosen to continue with their story despite the challenges they have faced.
Project Semicolon is a compassionate online community that centres around mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

FORWARD OR BACK SLASH

This brooch could be worn horizontally as a simple bar brooch, but in the context of this collection it could be worn as a “forward slash” to indicate options, alternatives or choices or as a “backslash” if you want to reference computer operating systems and want to indicate file paths.

THE @ SYMBOL

Once only used in trade and accounting, the “@” symbol is now indispensable in contemporary communications. You can’t send an email without using it!

QUESTION MARK

A question mark signals that the preceding sentence or phrase is a request for information and should be read with a rising intonation.
As a tattoo it is a very versatile symbol and may represent curiosity, embracing uncertainty, a thirst for knowledge or a questioning of the status quo. Its meaning will therefore be highly individual.

THE HASH SYMBOL

The hash symbol, also known as the number sign or the pound sign, has long been used in information technology. It was first suggested in 2007 as a means of tagging topics of interest on Twitter and has since gained widespread use on other social media platforms. In 2014, in recognition of its role in contemporary communications, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

QUOTATION MARKS

They are used in pairs, double or single, to indicate direct speech, quotations or words used in a special way. As a tattoo, empty quotation marks can signify that life is unscripted or that the wearer is taking control of their own narrative.

The full stop

As a tattoo the full stop is a powerful symbol, often chosen to represent the end of a difficult period in one’s life or a commitment to moving forward.

The comma

Commas are used to separate words or groups of words, so that the meaning of the sentence is clear. Commas aid clarity, prevent ambiguity, and indicate where you need to pause.
I can think of no other punctuation mark that can cause as much misunderstanding or confusion as the comma, should it be omitted or incorrectly placed in a sentence.
Think of the sentence “Please eat, grandmother.” Omit the comma and grandmother’s life is at risk!