Archive for the ‘Animal Tattoo’ Category

Understanding the Dove Tattoo

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008

The dove has taken on a significantly unique symbolism over the centuries and much of it has to do with the presence of the dove in the Old Testament. In the bible, when Noah and his ark had been adrift on the endless sea it was a dove that delivered a branch to Noah showing him that land was very close. As such, the dove has become a universal symbol of hope and, later, a symbol of peace. This imagery has been embedded in the minds of people for many hundreds of years and this is why the image of the dove has been often tapped to express certain sentiments associated with peace and calm. In today’s modern age, tattoos are often employed as a means of expressing popular opinion and sentiment and it is no surprise that the dove tattoo has been utilized often as a statement. To a certain degree, this changes many of the common stereotypes that are often associated with body art. No, this does not mean that the introduction of the dove tattoo will changed the stereotyped opinions of all those who have made up their (closed) mind as to the positives and negatives of body art, it can somewhat change the dimension of what was previously considered the purpose of body art.
Stereotypes of Body Art and the Relation to the Dove Tattoo

The traditional stereotype about body art and tattoos is that it is a symbol of anti-social behavior and a means of separating oneself from the rest of society. While some of this may be true in certain segments of the origin of body art, it is not even close to being true of the entirety of the reasoning for body art. (The mere presence of a dove tattoo would indicate the opposite of anti-social behavior unless, of course, it was being employed for ironic purposes) Of course, the great expansion of the popularity of tattoos has allowed for a “big tent” encompassment of a great variety of individuals and this allows for many different personalities to have their say, so to speak, in regards to the statement that they wish to make. Hence there is the benign inclusion of symbolism along the lines of the dove tattoo.

To make blanket statements about anything is ignorant and foolish, but when people feel they have what is commonly called the moral high ground they may feel more emboldened to make such statements. Hopefully, the benign symbolism of the dove tattoo could change certain opinions on the subject.

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Finding Butterfly Tattoo Designs

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

There are so many tattoo designs that you can choose from, literally hundreds of thousands, but when it comes to the most popular, butterfly tattoo designs definitely always rank up at the very top. Especially among women, the butterfly tattoo designs always come across well, and are definitely a fan favorite.

If you are interested in getting butterfly tattoo designs, then you should take a bit of time and either browse the Internet or look through some tattoo design books in person, so that you can check out a few different designs and see if you can find something that you like. After all you are going to have to have some sort of basis to show the tattoo artist so they will have something to work with.

Your Options

If you are looking for galleries of butterfly tattoo designs, and you have access to a computer and the Internet, then there are a few websites in particular you are really going to want to check out. The first is Tattoo Joy, and they are a great online company that not only offers an incredibly large selection of butterfly tattoo designs but as well many others.

Just a few of their many offered categories are: cats, chickens, deer, dogs, dolphins, eagles, elephants, frogs, goats, horses, leopards, lions, lizards, birds, bugs, ants, bats, bees and wasps, bulls and cows, bunnies, dragonflies, mantises, whales, wolves, turtles, snakes, spiders, tigers, sharks, snails, and pumas.

Another great option is the Tattoo Finder website, which understands that butterflies are a very popular tattoo design, especially a butterfly that is made as a butterfly tribal tattoo or butterfly Celtic tattoo.

They offer a butterfly tattoo gallery which features designs of butterflies combined with various other design elements, including roses, daisies, lilies, vines, hearts, skulls, suns, moons, stars, and much more.

They also feature their butterfly tattoo designs in an array of different styles, such as new school, old school, and in different colors, everything from orange, blue, green, purple, black, and white. If you are looking for butterfly tattoo designs then they are definitely a site you are going to want to check out because you are sure to find something absolutely perfect that you love here.

Just make sure that you are absolutely certain on the tattoo that you choose because it is going to be permanent and so you definitely do not want to get something that you are only going to regret or get bored with a few years down the road.

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The Symbolism Behind A Pirate Jack Sparrow Tattoo

Friday, February 15th, 2008

So, you’ve been to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movie and enjoyed it! Maybe you’ve also noticed how many people are getting sparrow tattoos inked. Don’t be misled, though, as it’s not because our anti-hero Jack Sparrow just happens to have one. No, sparrow tattoos are quite old and have been around for ages – way before the pirate Jack Sparrow tattoo. Sparrow tattoos are very specific and have a definite symbolism. many folks think of them as visual poems for the skin! Maybe it’s our unconscious that responds to the image, almost like we respond to images in dreams.

True Love

Sparrows are thought to mate for life, although some recent scientific studies have thrown this old chestnut into doubt.  However true the notion may be, it is ingrained in most societies that sparrows mate for life.  This is admired by those who’ve had to suffer monogamy and find the sparrow a great comfort and inspiration.  When used in this way, the sparrow tattoo often features two sparrows instead of just one.

Protection For Sailors

In the old days, sailors got a sparrow tattoo for every 50,000 miles they traveled by sea.  This was a permanent resume if there ever was one!  There was also a legend – and this one has some scientific backing – that sparrows will always know the way home.  So, no matter how far a sparrow tattoo wearer may roam, he or she will always somehow find a way to return to the ones they love.  There is also another notion that sparrows are just fond of sailors.  When a sailor saw a swallow flying over the waters, that was a telltale sign that they were near land.

Freedom

An ex-prisoner or a survivor of abuse may choose to get a sparrow tattoo, to remind them that they survived their time of imprisonment but are now free.  Sparrows, as well as birds in general, can also symbolize the souls’ freedom from the body.  In Ancient Egypt, it was thought that sparrows acted like a psychopomp, bringing the souls of the dead to rest among the stars.  Some might get a sparrow tattoo as a poetic reminder and tribute to all of their beloved dead.

Sadly, in modern times, many sparrow species are in danger. In England, the once common house sparrow is under threat of extinction. If you work to maintain the environment, a sparrow tattoo can be a reminder to keep on fighting.

So, You Want a Lower Back Turtle Tattoo?

Friday, February 1st, 2008

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.

A Swallow Tattoo Gallery for Heroism

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Having a tattoo on your body makes a statement – it tells the world something about yourself.  Some people have many designs each with different symbolic meanings and associations with different people in their life.  A swallow tattoo is one such design, albeit often controversial in nature.

The swallow tattoo is often creates controversy and confusion, especially for those people who have them as their tattoo design but do not truly understand the true meaning of it.  To shed light on why this should be so, here are some of the known facts about the swallow tattoo and why its history makes it so remarkable.

The Symbolism of the Swallow Tattoo Gallery

1. The swallow tattoo was originally favoured by sailors who travelled the seven seas, often suffering great hardship in their journeys.  It represents their experience in nautical skills.

2. The swallow tattoo represents the image of the bluebird or what we may call the “swallow” that were usually placed on the chest of the sailors and (according to one legend), a sailor with one swallow on his chest represents the five thousand miles that he has travelled.  A sailor with two bluebirds has journeyed across the sea for ten thousand miles.  Since travelling these great distances was very challenging and dangerous during those early times, one or more swallow tattoos automatically represents a sailor that is very experienced when it comes to sailing or anything to do with nautical skills.

3.  Why choose the bluebird and their swallow tattoo?  Well, legend has it that these birds would carry these sailors’ souls to heaven should they drown.  They are a symbol of hope and freedom.

4. The swallow also represents friendship, affection for friends and family, love and care.

5. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the swallow represents loyalty, the loyalty of a person returning to them no matter what obstacles might be placed in their path.