Hand tattoos

Hand Tattoos

Hand tattoos are more common in certain circles than others. Many people choose to commemorate loved ones by placing the birth and death dates on the tops of their hands – an ever-present reminder of the loss, and in some cases, perhaps a reminder to be a better person for having lost them. Many different cultures and societal sub cultures employ hand tattoos as a part of their culture. For instance, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand, Australia and Polynesia often use facial tattooing and hand tattoos to signify station, class and which family or tribe they belong to. Another culture that uses hand tattoos is Arabic society. The use of Henna hand tattoos is often a beautification process employed by many women in the middle east. The final example of hand tattoos employed by a culture, or actually a sub culture, is in prison. Incarcerated men and women who get prison tattoos will often get a hand or wrist tattoo to denote a connection to a specific gang or clique within the system. Often a small set of three dots in a triangular formation on the top of the hand between the thumb and index finger is a symbol that one has been "jumped in" or become part of a gang.

Hand Tattoos

Hand tattoos can be visually stunning and impressive. But, before one gets a hand tattoo a couple of things need to be taken into consideration. The first thing to remember is that the back of the hand can be a painful place to get a tattoo. Not only are there blood vessels and nerves close to the skin but there are also very little meat over the bony structure of the hand. And the general rule of thumb is, tattoos over bone hurt more then over fatty tissues. Another thing to bear in mind before getting a hand tattoo is your future employment. Even though tattooing is enjoying unprecedented popularity nowadays, there will always be certain groups where hand tattoos are looked down upon. And since hand tattoos are next to impossible to hide, this could affect your job prospects. The last thing to consider is that because of the aforementioned problems there are a lot of tattoo artist who are unwilling to do these tattoo. But, if you think about all the negative aspects and find an artist willing to do the work then a hand tattoo can be as beautiful as any other piece of body art. Just remember to think it through first.

Bird tattoos

Bird Tattoo

Bird tattoos are designs that can be fit into any bodies personal style of body ink. Whether your young or old, skinny or fat, male or female there is a bird tattoo that fits your personality. But, what a lot of people don’t realize is that bird tattoos have varying meanings depending on the type of bird represented in the design. Let’s take a look at a couple of the most common. The first one I’d like to talk about is the Albatross. The albatross is a bird that can be a harbinger of doom or stand for something weighing heavilly on the wearer shoulders. The next bird is the robin. The robin can be a sign of spring or youth, new life or life eternal. Next let’s move on to the common owl. The owl symbolizes wisdom and highly developed sight, whether it be physical or spiritual. The last bird is represented in the tattoo in the picture. It’s of a sparrow. The sparrow is a favorite among sea faring peoples and sailors. It symbolizes a safe journey home and good luck. Now that you a know a few of the meanings behind common birds then you can choose a design based upon more then just size, shape and color.

Bird Tattoo

Now this bird tattoo looks pretty interesting, can you see how small the beak is versus the fat little body. It does make for a cute bird. This is a tattoo a lot of women would get because most women just love the little birdies. This is done with mainly dark inks, I would have rather had some blues and reds in this to really make it come alive. To each their own I guess. Most people will go with a bird tattoo if they are into some kind of flying or they feel it conveys the message as free as a bird. I don’t think I have seen a guy with a bird tattoo, unless it was an eagle, hawk or a falcon.

I saw one guys tattoo that was so cool, he had a big vulture on his back with the name of his wife written below it. When I saw that I couldn’t stop laughing, he said they had been married for 35 years and he still felt her looking down on him waiting for him to die so she could feed on the leftovers. Now that’s what I call true love my friends. When it comes to tattoos, meanings are endless.

Shoulder Tattoos

Shoulder Tattoos

When choosing a shoulder tattoo you have an infinite amount of options available to you. You can choose to get something that’s abstract, naturalistic or symbolic. An abstract tattoo is meant to be something, but is usually hard to make out. Sometimes it is only meant to make sense to the person who created it or who bears it. A naturalistic shoulder tattoo is an actual representation of an animal. It’s the wolf that actually looks like a wolf or a pig that looks like a pig. The last category of shoulder tattoos is symbolic. These can be anything from religious symbols to designs that have personal meaning to the bearer. The tattoos depicted in the photo are great examples of what can be done with a symbolic tattoo. The top most one is of a tribal eagle and the tattoo below it is of a tribal armband. Actually, the armband tattoo is really an arm tattoo and not a shoulder tattoo. But, it’s still a wonderful example of how tattoos can be blended together to make a broader theme. With a little fore knowledge and research you too can have something incredible designed. Why not give it a go today?

Shoulder Tattoos

This is a very nice shoulder tattoo. It looks like a beautiful design but it appears that it has been exposed to a little sunlight. I say that because it seems as if the color has faded a little bit. It just doesn’t seem as bright as it should be. But, then again maybe it’s the camera. This is the type of tattoo that is starting to get a lot of attention. Shoulder tattoos are popular among both men and women. While not an extremely visible spot as tattoo canvas goes, shoulders are exposed often enough in summer and other conditions that many people choose to adorn them. Tattoos that are placed in this area can range from very small in size to quite large, and back pieces may even extend onto the area. Many choose to get tattoos in the shoulder area as a place of prominence above other areas, analogous to the chest in the front. If you already have a back piece done, you could choose to get a smaller, related tattoo completed on your shoulder. Women seem to like this area for a tattoo because it adds a bit of spice to a sexy area, but is not visible from the front or on most occasions.

KOI FISH TATTOO

KOI FISH TATTOO

The Koi fish tattoo is the main staple of the Japanese tradition. The Koi,also known as the Japanese Carp is a bright golden, orange and white fish, sometimes depicted with red overtones. The Koi have glided among the still waters of ornamental ponds for over two thousand years. That’s generally how we view them, as the brightly colored fish swimming in public ponds. Because of their tenacity, the Koi fish tattoo represents perseverance in the face of adversity and strength of character or singleness of purpose. The Koi can also represents wisdom, knowledge, longevity, and loyalty. In Japan and China the Koi has long been a symbol of masculinity and strength. Legends tell of it leaping up the falls at Dragon Gate on the Yellow River in China. In the process it transformed into a dragon, proof of its successful struggle against the long odds. If caught, the koi is said to await the cutting knife without a quiver, in the manner of the Samurai warrior facing the sword. Therefore it is considered in Asian traditions as being the embodiment of honor. In Japan, the koi would appear on a young man’s forearm or leg. As he continued his life’s journey he might eventually earn a dragon for his final back piece, echoing the legend of the leaping koi transforming into a dragon at Dragon Gate. In Western cultures the Koi Fish tattoo is often used as a chest or back piece.

FREE TATTOO DESIGNS

FREE TATTOO DESIGNS

Finding a superb free tattoo design is not as easy as you might think, and sorting through endless free web sites can waste a lot of time and effort as many of the free sites have exactly the same designs. Now, you don’t want to get a design that everyone else has do you? A tattoo should be something that is special to the bearer. If a million and a half people are sporting the same free tattoo design then it’s not all that unique now is it? You shouldn’t look at a free tattoo design and think that it’s good enough. Don’t settle for mediocrity, go for that special unique look. Otherwise you’ll simply end up getting something that you will get bored with or even come to hate a little while down the road. And you don’t want that now do you? Rather than searching the world wide web, why not try to find alternative places to get your next free tattoo design. If you look you’ll notice that great tattoo designs are all around. It could be the archway to your favorite park, the gargoyle on the building where you work or even the picture of a favorite pet. If you take a look at some of the common free tattoo design elements and then look at ordinary daily objects then most likely you will get a flash of inspiration that will help you find the tattoo design that’s right for you. Give it a try and see how it works out for you.

FREE TATTOO DESIGNS

Finding a great free tattoo design may be quite a daunting task especially if you lack the knowledge on how and where to look for it. True enough, there are several styles to choose from and all that you must do is to religiously scout for every single resource that you can think of. There are several free tattoo design libraries online which you may check out plus the wide array of choices in the catalogues that come under the care of the tattoo artists. Whether you prefer the tribal concept, as in the picture or something a little more daring, the very first thing which you must do is to think of the design that you wish to get inked on your skin. Try to search for an amazing drawing with distinguished lines and contours that will best let the artistic and creative idea come out. It is also important that you negotiate with no one but a reputable artist who knows how to turn his craft into a worthy artwork. It may seem like a lot of work to do to obtain a great free tattoo design but it’s worth it. Just think about the alternatives. You don’t want to end up stuck with a design your not happy with for the rest of your life do you?

Pisces Tattoos

Pisces Tattoos

Pisces tattoo designs are quite flexible in that the universal symbol of this sun sign is two fish. These fish, called Ichtyes by the Greeks, are commonly represented in a yin yang style – each fish head followed by the other’s tail forming a circular shape. Besides fish, there are numerous other sea creatures that can be incorporated into Pisces tattoos to create a more personalized design: twin dolphins, whales, sharks, sea horses or mermaids for example. Pisces tattoos commonly include this zodiac’s glyph symbol. Mirroring the double fish pattern, the Pisces glyph has an "H" shape in which the two vertical lines bend toward each other in the middle while bowing out at the tops and bottoms. The simplicity of this symbol lends itself to limitless design possibilities. For example, women seeking more feminine Pisces tattoos may choose designs featuring roses intertwined with the glyph while men may prefer snakes slithering up the glyph. The Pisces zodiac is a water sign that reveals a dreamy, gentle, affectionate, compassionate and deep nature. However, Pisces individuals are noted as having dual, or split, personalities: silent then highly talkative, happy then very unhappy, lazy then highly motivated. If this sounds like you then go ahead and get the design inked.

Pisces Tattoos

Here’s some rather decent nice looking samples of pisces tattoos with a couple of nearly identical little fish who are swimming in a circle as if chasing each others tales. As in the never ending cycle of life and death which is what they represent of course. They also say that a person who is born under the pisces sign is imaginative and sensitive. Compassionate and kind. Selfless and unworldly and intuitive and sympathetic. Wow that’s a mouthful. And it seems to be a whole of things at once for any one person.

So if you are a pisces and you are interested in possibly getting your astrological sign as a tattoo there are many, many tattoos one can choose from. Some are exact representations of the whatever the sign is and some are simply artistic take offs on what they are suppose to be. In other words, ones drawn that may look different but mean the very same thing. So you see, not all pisces tattoos are created equal. They all do not have to be fish even though that is the first thing someone thinks of. A good artist will have two other objects acting exactly like the fish.

Heart Tattoo

Heart Tattoo

The heart tattoo is the classic tattoo design standard. Heart tattoos have been popular for well over a century. Heart tattoos with banners were very popular with servicemen in WWII. They were tokens of their loved ones that accompanied them on perilous journeys to far-off theatres of conflict and a constant reminder of what and whom they were fighting for. The heart is often symbolic of love and devotion among several different cultures. The pictured design combines this traditional symbolism inside the context of a cross design. The vertical and horizontal lines of the cross represent Father and Mother Nature, respectively. The point of intersection of those two lines or the point of synthesis is represented of those mystical and spiritual concepts that embraced the meeting of the material and the spiritual in human existence. The four corners also symbolize the major elements which are water, earth, air and fire. Symbols like the cross go back long before the written word. One of the oldest crosses was placed within a circle. These solar or wheel crosses appeared in Neolithic Europe, often as art or rock carvings. They are also found in Asia, America, and India, as representations of the rising and setting of the sun, the seasons, and the union of the polarities. So, the addition of the heart tattoo in a cross pattern was a very symbolic choice for the bearer.

Heart Tattoo

Here is a heart tattoo that bears taking a look at. One that appears that it had been torn in half and now has been mended, at least partially, by having been sewn back together. Quite possibly by the hand of another person. No matter how you look at it this tattoo represents absolute heartbreak. But it also represents a persons ability to come back from that absolute heartbreak, repair the damage and start anew. Someone with the inner strength and fortitude that it takes to get over such a terrible thing and come out of it even stronger than before. That is something that speaks to the very condition of man kind and his ability to overcome adversity.
We have all had a broken heart in our lives. There are no exceptions. Some are worse than others and certainly some hurt more than others. But to the person it is happening to, when it is happening, there can be nothing worse. And that is why a heart tattoo like this one will always be around. A broken heart is not something easily forgotten and the getting over the broken heart is something well worth remembering. It may prevent it from happening again.