Tribal Tattoos Tribal tattoos might be the most popular
tattoo designs form of tattoos in the world right now. Originally
referred to as any tattoo style done outside of the Western World, it
has now come to be known as a style indicative of the tattoos created
for thousands of years in the Pacific Islands and Africa.
Tribal tattoos are instantly recognizable with their
dramatic use of aggressive dark lines in jagged symmetrical shapes
spread throughout the skin. Tribal tats are most often done in simple
black and skin tones but they can also be infused with color to brighten
the overall look. Whereas other tattoo styles attempt to represent a
specific object, tribal tattoos seem far more concerned with the 'feel'
rather than what it specifically looks like.
The most popular tribal designs are Maori, Haida and
Polynesian designs. There is also great interest in Native American
tattoo designs. The term "tribal" of course covers an astonishing array
of tattoo design possibilities, from the traditional tribal tattoos of
indigenous and aboriginal cultures, to the latest in graphic design for
the body.
Stars Tattoo Designs. One of the most popular versions
start tattoo designs are nautical stars. Nautical stars have a long
history in the world of tattoo designs dating all the way back to the
early sailors, specifically Sailor Jerry, and his many tattoo designs.
Typically the sailors use the North Star to help them
navigate the waters of the open ocean. Over time the North Star became a
symbol for good luck in a safe passage back to land.
Over time this led many sailors were very superstitious
lot of folk to start getting Star tattoos and more specifically nautical
star tattoos to provide them with enough luck complete a safe journey.
Originally they were different colors of nautical star tattoos and each
color would represent have a different symbolic meaning. For example a
red nautical star tattoo might mean that the bearer assailed across the
Pacific Ocean successfully three times. Most of this history in early
symbolism in terms of color has been lost for what survives today is the
deep history and rich symbolic meaning of the nautical star tattoo. Not
only is it a symbol of good lock it is also a simple for helping find
one's own path in life and it is seen as a guiding symbol.
Butterfly Tattoo Designs The butterfly tattoo is by far
the most used artistic subject matter of all insects, especially in the
tattoo industry. Butterflies became a fad years ago by being the theme
of many pieces of jewelry, t-shirts, scarves, paintings, and tattoos.
Artists have a real freedom of creativity when they are creating
butterfly tattoos because the designs are not rigid. They can be changed
in color, size, shape, and other details without looking distorted.
The butterfly has many different meanings. In our
society, its symbol has been commonly known as freedom, change, and
growth. A generally feminine tattoo design choice and a perennial
favorite.
Fairy Tattoo Designs The Fairy as a tattoo design can be
as simple as a take-off on the often overpowering presence of corporate
America in pop-culture, think Tinkerbell and Disney creatures, or it
goes back to a rich history of story, myth and folklore. Fairies in
literature are often the personification of human wishes and desire in
the form of little people with magical powers. As a tattoo design they
can be symbols of youthful innocence and a desire to retain a child-like
imagination, wonder and awe.
The very word fairy, derived from the Latin "fata", or
fate underlies the use of fairies in literature and myth to explain the
workings of destiny, with it's often unpredictable nature of gifts and
disappointments. The use of supernatural beings, who often meddle in
human affairs in fairy tales, has created a genre of story-telling that
is rich in symbolism and that lays bare the psychological and social
challenges as we pass through the stages of childhood to adulthood. The
presence of magic makes fairies a favorite of children and as a tattoo
design they are a potent symbol of our youth.
Dragon tattoo designs The dragon is definitely hands
down one of the most beautiful and powerful of all the mythic beasts.
The sheer beauty and power of these mythical beasts alone warrant there
attention as tattoo designs. Then being combined with a long and rich
history of tattooing as an art form such as in the Japanese culture and
you have a winning combination.
Typically dragon tattoo are not seen as the cunning and
evil creature that they are represented as in Western culture. Instead
in most Asian cultures Dragons do not breathe fire typically and are
seen as more benevolent creatures. They are seen as very powerful and
are definitely a symbol of strength and power. However, they also
represent a perfect balance of yin and yang forces and are therefore
believed to represent a reconciliation of balancing of power. They
therefore more typically represent a combination of power with wisdom.
Celtic tattoo designs are primarily a genre of complex
interwoven lines representing knots, mazes, spirals and other figures.
Celtic animal figures are zoomorphic or stylized renderings of animals
that were used for carvings, in jewelry and wood, stonework and
manuscript illustrations. Many images used by tattoo artists today are
derived from the famous Irish Book of Kells.
The famous Book of Kells is an ornately illustrated
manuscript, produced by Irish Monks around AD 800. It is one of the most
lavishly illuminated manuscripts to survive from that period. The name
"Book of Kells" is derived from the Abbey of Kells, located in Kells,
County Meath in Ireland, where it was kept for much of the medieval
period.
There are strong Norse design influences in Celtic knot
work, and there is some debate as to the exact origin. Clearly there
were exchanges between cultures through both trade and conquest. The
complexity of Celtic design is thought to mimic or echo the complexity
of nature, the use of Celtic knots in spirals and mazes, the intricate
interweaving showing no beginning and no end, reflective of the cycles
of the seasons and of life.
