Archive for the ‘Tattoo Designs’ Category

A Guide to Coming up With Tattoo Ideas

Monday, October 27th, 2008

It is not surprising that coming up with tattoo ideas can be hard. After all, a tattoo is permanently etched on your skin, so it is something that you will have to live with and look at for the rest of your life. This is why it is so imperative that you decide on a design that you are going to be completely happy with, and why you should never rush into getting a tattoo.

When it comes to the matter of coming up with your own tattoo ideas, you may be overwhelmed by the multitude of designs and options out there, but you should know that by taking a few simple steps you will be able to make the entire process a great deal easier on yourself.

Getting Started

The first thing that you should do if you are trying to come up with tattoo ideas is brainstorm. Get out a piece of paper and a pencil like you did in school and write down some jot notes, draw some pictures, whatever comes to mind and whatever you want to do.

Basically you just want to scribble out your thoughts as they come to you, and remember that you do not have to make anything look too good or finalize anything at this point, now is just the time to get the creative juices flowing.

Elaborating

Once you have finished a quick brainstorming session, then you want to take the tattoo ideas that you already have and elaborate on them. This means adding on to pictures you drew, or using the Internet or tattoo books to look up design ideas about tattoo ideas that you wrote down on your list.

This is one of the most important steps, and it is at this point that you could basically go one of two ways: create your own unique tattoo or use one that has already been drawn. Of course there is always the in between option of starting with a drawn tattoo and then adding your own designs into it, and this is a great idea because then it will be a design that you love but with your own creative and personal flair wrapped into it.

If you are not that great of drawer it is okay, because any good tattoo shop will make sure that the artist sits down with you for a consultation before you get the tattoo, so that the artist can work with you and decide on the perfect tattoo design.

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The Pagan Predilection For Tribal Tattoo Designs

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Pagans or believers of Earth-based faith systems are more open to the idea of getting tattoos than some other faith systems.  When they do get a tattoo, they often lean towards tribal tattoo designs — designs based on the traditional art of the Celts, the Native Americans and occasionally Vikings.  These peoples had a healthy respect for nature, which a modern Pagan hopes to live by, too.  Not only that, but tribal tattoo designs look really cool.  When David Letterman asked one of his staff to get a tattoo for a comedy skit, the staffer chose an Aztec sun, even though she herself was not Aztec and her faith system was uncertain.

What Is Old Is New Again

Tattoos were very popular in ancient cultures like the Celts, where they were taken very seriously.  The designs on their flesh (usually blue, from the ink of the woad plant) mimicked the designs prevalent in nearly all aspects of their lives — on their weapons, cooking utensils, sacred objects and even personal grooming equipment.  These tribal tattoo designs were considered powerful magic in and of themselves.  To have a tattoo of a sacred symbol was to take the symbol’s magic and put it permanently upon yourself.  Tattoos were not only on limbs, but placed all over the body, especially the head.

Pagans know the inherent magic in a tribal tattoo design isn’t in the tattoo itself, but what your personal association about that tattoo is.  The tribal tattoo design serves as a sigil — a  focus for certain thoughts.  For example, perhaps a Pagan has a tribal tattoo design of Celtic knots around the upper arm.  The wearer looks at the design and is reminded that his or her arm is blessed and will do good works.  The tattoo reinforces these positive thoughts and helps the wearer get done whatever needs to be done for the day.

Why Get A Tattoo

Some Pagans get a tribal design tattoo as a reminder and none-too-subtle display of their faith system.  Some get one to celebrate their personal ancestral heritage.  Some get it to celebrate recovering from a bad patch — the tattoo serves as a reminder that you can survive.  Some Pagans might have seen a specific design in their dreams or vision quests and this symbol has a deep personal meaning that they probably would rather not explain.  And some Pagans just like tribal tattoo designs just for the look of them.

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Meanings Of Tribal Dragon Tattoos

Monday, October 6th, 2008

We always see the image of a dragon and relate it to something that is very powerful even in the ancient world that emits fire and is considered to be humongous in size that only emanates strength, fierceness, and bravery.  That is why when it comes to different forms of art works, the dragon design is one of the most popular choices of subjects especially when it comes to the art of the human canvass or what we may call, tattooing.

Though having a dragon design for your tattoo is probably one of the most common works of art that you would normally see in people who have tattoos, there is a great way where you could make it a bit more unique and somehow personalized by incorporating other designs especially with tribal dragon tattoo.  Here are some of the meanings that may be representing the tribal dragon tattoo and great new ways where you could make it all your own that would truly represent your inner self and your deeper nature.

Why Dragons

We all know that one of the most common designs t hat may be involving dragons are what we may call the tribal dragon tattoo which may depict different kinds of meanings and representations.  And we may relate the tribal dragon tattoo to ancient mystical or mythological creatures that can be associated with the likes of mermaid tattoos, gryphon tattoos, and even fairy tattoos.

Since the beginning of time, the symbol of a tribal dragon tattoo or any kind of dragon tattoo represents creator, destroyer, and sustainer due to the fact that they are related to different kinds of legends from all over the world.  Aside from that, tribal dragon tattoos may also symbolize a sentinel or a protector especially in England where they are depicted as guards over the graves and in other western countries, the dragons were known to be protectors or defenders of treasures.

And when it comes to the spiritual aspect of a tribal dragon tattoo, they also represent the divine, spiritual, or creatures that were so mystical that dragons were feared by others, believing that they have something to do with the devil.  But on the other hand, when you come to eastern countries, they depict the dragons to be the benevolent son of heaven that also controls the important earth elements such as fire, water, and air that were believed to be the most essential factors that we need in order to survive.

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Choosing Tattoo Designs

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Tattoos have never been more popular than they are today, and there are actually few people in the world now that do not have at least one tattoo. If you are considering getting a tattoo, then it is imperative that you take your time and put some serious thought into the tattoo designs that you are thinking about before you go and have the tattoo done.

After all, a tattoo is permanent, and so you want to make sure that you choose tattoo designs that are going to look nice and suit you, but also which you are going to be satisfied with and not get bored of in the future.

Coming up With Ideas

There are many different options when it comes to tattoo designs, and you can either choose to go with one that has already been created, or you can literally start from scratch and design your own. Most tattoo studios will even let you come in and work one-on-one with the tattoo artist so you can tell them what types of tattoo designs you are interested in and they can work with you to create something perfect.

This is often the best way, because if the tattoo is personalized then it is more likely to end up having more significance and meaning more to you, and you are also going to be less likely to tire of it down the road.

If you are more interested in finding a design that has already been created, then you should know that there are a ton of different websites that you can go on and browse through the galleries until you find something that you like.

Tattoo Johnny is one great website in particular, and they offer some of the world’s best-selling and most inspiring designs. One of the best features of all to this site is that if you find tattoo designs that you like, you can actually pay for them and print them off full size, and then take the print out to the tattoo shop, where they can use that exact print to create your tattoo.

This means that you can get exactly what you want and know what it is going to look like before you even actually go into the tattoo shop.

The Bullseye Tattoo Company is another great option, and they are recognized for offering an incredibly large and varied selection of tattoo designs. Here you can browse through thousands of original tattoo designs from a compilation of different artists and then print off the ones that you like best.

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Tree Tattoos And Their Meaning All Over The World

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

If you are someone who enjoys being close to nature and could spend the time appreciating its beauty and wonders, there could be a great way where you can incorporate that with our inner desire to create artistic things or through having a creative output.  And one of the most popular ways where we could do that which could also depict different kinds of ancient beliefs is the designs of tree tattoos which were truly remarkable when you come to know its different kinds of meanings.

Here are some of the best meanings that could be derived from having a design of tree tattoo on your body which is rooted to the deep and rich history of symbols in many countries and cultures.  So whether your tree tattoo may represent variations of beliefs from other countries like in different continents of the world, we can be sure that the tree only represents what is known to be something that is very sacred and shows off the true good nature of every human being.

Trees All Over The World

When you go to Asia, a tree tattoo may often symbolize one’s quest in finding completion or being in a state of sacredness because one of the most popular characters that have something to do with trees in that region is Buddha.  It is with the tree that he has achieved what we may call, “nirvana” and enlightenment and that is why having the Bodhi tree as your tree tattoo not only generates the symbol of oneness with one’s self but also is a powerful symbolism of rejuvenation and regeneration that is associated with the cycle of life.

And when you come to European countries, the Norse tradition of representing the Sacred Tree is the Yggdrasil which is also a popular choice when it comes to choosing a design for a tree tattoo.  Because not only the Yggdrasil is representing a sacred tree, it also is considered to be the center of the Norse universe literally where its branches reach out to the Nine Worlds and its roots were believed to be from the world of men to reach the world of the gods.

Another great fact that is also mesmerizing about different tree tattoos and their meanings when we come to incorporate it with the Celtic tradition.  Trees were believed by the Celts to be mystical beings and keepers of the souls and they also represent the ancient wisdom that provided us with the alphabet, the calendar, and the entrance to the gates of the heavenly gods.

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