Tattoo Designs
The Simplicity And Expression Of Kanji Tattoos
An immensely popular style for writing tattoos, kanji is a variety of Japanese characters. Many people will get a simple Kanji symbol tattooed on their body to represent common English words such as: power, love, strength, peace and unity. Others will get the name of a loved one or child in Kanji. Die hard tattoo enthusiasts see Kanji tattoos as a permanent fad that doesn't seem to be letting up. In fact, Kanji tattoos enjoy the same popularity as Tribal tattoos. There are several reasons for this.
Instantly recognizable by their dramatic use of dark lines in jagged symmetrical shapes, tribal tattoos are by far one of the most sought after varieties of body art around the world. While these designs are typically done in stark black outlines, they can also be infused with color to brighten the overall outcome. Tribal tattoos are different from other tattoo styles in that generic body art usually represent a specific object whereas tribal art forms place a greater significance on the ‘feel’ of the tattoo rather than what it looks like.
Celtic Knots: Mystery
and Self Expression
One of
the oldest and still the most popular form of tattoos, Celtic
knot tattoos have highly convoluted designs comprising of a
series of lines, circles and spirals interwoven and interlocked
in myriad different combinations and permutations. The
complexity of the Celtic knot design was thought to reflect the
many complexities that exist in nature; the elaborate
interweaving that was used showed no beginning or no end,
representing the cycles of the seasons and of life.
Star Tattoos: More
Complex Than They Appear
A star is a star,
is a star… Or is it? Apparently, things are not so simple in
the tattoo world!
Have you ever seen a star tattoo and wondered why the wearer
chose that particular star? While stars seem deceptively simple
(and there are a few patterns that are just for fun), the
reality is that every Star tattoo is different and each one has
its own special meaning just like any other tattoo worn today.
Star tattoos represent many different things for those who wear
them and depending on the number of points, type and style of
star; they may represent goals, aspirations and specific roles
that the wearer has taken on. The star is actually one of the
oldest and most often misunderstood patterns used on the human
body.
Skull
Tattoos
These fearsome and ghoulish symbols
can be a tad gruesome for some but their meaning has long made
it popular among those who appreciated the many faces of death.
Skulls are one of the clearest physical representations of
human mortality; there is no other symbol that so clearly tells
us that the subject that will be shared is that of death
itself. However while for many death is shrouded in fear,
sorrow and darkness, it is also important to note that there is
also great humor, beauty and freedom associated with death as
well. This is why the skull is so important to human
expression, it helps us to express the many feelings that death
and life instill in us culturally, spiritually and personally
every day.
Cross Tattoos: History and
Faith
Rich in history and shrouded in mystery, the cross
has prevailed through the ages and remains one of the oldest
and most commonly used symbols by man. Although legend and
speculation abound as to its origins as well as its overriding
popularity, no one really knows for sure exactly how, when or
where the cross originated.
While Christianity and in turn Christian tattoo enthusiasts
have come to regard the cross as a symbol of religious faith
and the crucifixion, this isn’t always the case in the tattoo
world; the Christian cross is just one of several different
types used in designing cross tattoos. It is more likely
the mysterious aura of the symbol that acts as such a powerful
magnet to tattoo enthusiasts all over the world irrespective of
faith or religious beliefs.
Dragon Tattoos: Myth
and Magic
Dragons have been a major part of both eastern and
western culture for centuries. The dragon represents the
changeable qualities of nature and life itself, which are
neither good nor bad but neutral.
Snake Tattoos: Friend
and Foe
Snakes have been a large part of legend from even
before the written word and figure in many tales including the
legendary story of Adam and Eve. While in the legendary
Christian tale, the snake was a source for sin and evil he’s
just as often a source of good will in other cultures. The
snake is a being of duality; their traits find them as both,
agents of the underworld as well as agents of fertility or
life. They also represent wisdom and strength.
Crowning Achievement:
The Crown Tattoo
For most people, a crown
represents the leader’s right to reign supreme over his realm.
Many of us associate the crown with royalty and power but there
are many other meanings for the crown that are more personal.
For some, a crown tattoo represents the wearer’s right to rule
over their own feelings, actions and lives. It can also stand
for the person’s desire to have self-control or to express that
control in an open way. Authority is more than power and must
be wielded with justice, understanding and wisdom.
Crowning Achievement:
The Crown Tattoo
For most people, a crown
represents the leader’s right to reign supreme over his realm.
Many of us associate the crown with royalty and power but there
are many other meanings for the crown that are more personal.
For some, a crown tattoo represents the wearer’s right to rule
over their own feelings, actions and lives. It can also stand
for the person’s desire to have self-control or to express that
control in an open way. Authority is more than power and must
be wielded with justice, understanding and wisdom.
Taking Flight: Wing
Tattoos
I believe I can fly, I believe I
can touch the sky,
Think about it every night and day, Spread my wings and fly
away…
If you have dreams of soaring high in the skies, the wing
tattoo is for you. Wing tattoos can have a wide range of
meanings for those who wear them. Choosing to wear such a bold
and usually large tattoo often means that the wearer is marking
a moment of clear change in their lives and the moment at which
that change made them feel so strongly. Wing tattoos typically
stand for strength and freedom.