So, You Want a Lower Back Turtle Tattoo?
You are in good company if you’re looking for a turtle tattoo or a lower back turtle tattoo; in Asia, the turtle is believed to have magical powers that help you to join heaven and earth together in your own life. Quite a feat! Many believe that turtles can awaken the senses. Whatever the truth, there are certainly a lot of turtle tattoo designs out there. Deciding to get a turtle tattoo is a smart move and is relatively easy to do, but there are a few things to consider.
Style
The style of your turtle tattoo is important to the overall look.
Tribal
This style is usually in black, with bold, stylized lines. A book of Celtic art would be a good place to find a tribal design of a turtle.
Cartoon
This style is for those who have a wacky sense of humor. You can find ideas for cartoon-like tattoos by watching kid’s shows, thumbing through the newspaper’s funny pages, or looking through coloring books.
Whimsical
If you loved Lisa Frank as a child, then this is probably the type of turtle tattoo you are looking for. In fact, you may want to Google “Lisa Frank” to get some ideas. This type of turtle tattoo demands a rainbow colored shell, ribbons of water cascading down around it, and perhaps even a heart or two.
The Meaning of Your Turtle
Your choice of turtle should reflect the style you chose as well as a meaning you would like to convey.
For example, you could pick a turtle that represents the huge sea turtle from the Japanese folktale ‘Uraschimataro and the Turtle,’ or maybe even a little box turtle to represent the turtle in ‘The Tortoise and the Hare.’
Sea turtles were thought by Mayans to be associated with music and thunder. This may be your way to show a love for music.
You could pick the snapping turtle tattoo to convey a sassy attitude.
Maybe you are patient and calm – look up “turtle totem” and get your inspiration from the turtles used for calming.
The colors you choose should also echo the meaning of your turtle. Blues and purples stand for royalty, but can also be very calming. as can light green and pink. Red and black are very bold and are used together when trying to evoke power and strength. Yellow often represents friendship and joy. Red alone sometimes stands for love. White is the best color for purity.
No matter what turtle tattoo you choose, make it your own and ensure that you wear it proudly.