Tattoo Designs - Celtic Strength Tattoos


Tattoo Designs - Celtic Strength Tattoos

People of strength

The Celts were warriors, feared for their fighting skills and ruthlessness. They were a tall, muscular people who dyed their hair blond and painted their faces blue and appeared naked in battle. They stuck the severed heads of their defeated foes over the outside of the doorways of their houses. They were said to go to battle for the love of it, which made them sought after as mercenaries. The Romans and the Greeks called them barbarians. They were a tough, strong people.

Yet, with all this, they were also known for their chivalry and their courage. They built a reputation as fierce warriors but, at the same time, they were artists, poets and musicians. They were skilled artisans as seen in their metal and artwork. They developed an intricate knot work form of art that is uniquely theirs. Wearing a Celtic tattoo connects you to this unique heritage.

Your strength tattoo

Wearing a Celtic knot work tattoo can be a symbol of strength. It can be a strong declaration to the world that you are proud of your Celtic or your Christian heritage - a symbol from which you can take strength. It can simply be that you gain strength by connecting to a people with a history of bold deeds, great accomplishments and a rich mythology.

Where would you find your strength? Maybe you strength comes from nature or one of its creatures. Then your tattoo can have your favourite animal image interwoven in the knot work or, if are more drawn to the Celtic Otherworld, you may choose a mythical creature from their folklore. The cross and circle found in the Celtic cross predate Christianity and have their roots in nature worship - the sun, the moon. Maybe you can gain strength from wearing those ancient symbols and thus connecting to the Universe

Tattoo Designs - Lotus Flowers and What They Symbolize


Tattoo Designs - Lotus Flowers and What They Symbolize

The lotus flower is to the East what the rose is to the West. In fact, these are the two most popular flower tattoos.

Beauty and Detachment
The lotus flow has a story to tell - a flower that grows in mud and emerges pristine and pure, to bloom in perfect beauty, floating sublimely on the surface of the water. Because of this, it is seen as a symbol of detachment - being in the world, not of the world. Each night it closes its petals, each morning it opens to the sunshine and the world, closely resembling the human activity of sleeping and waking. It is not hard to understand its appeal.

It has been a source of wonder and inspiration for thousands of years. When people have searched for a description of perfect beauty, many have used the lotus flower as the epitome.

Mystic Qualities
It is strongly associated with Hinduism and Buddhism - both religions use the flower as a symbol of perfection, a symbol of the divine, giving it a mystic quality like no other flower. In some cultures the color of the lotus flower has different meanings - white for purity, blue for goodness and red for enlightenment. The ancient Egyptians regarded the blue lotus as sacred and a sign of purity as dirt did not cling to its petals.

Hope and Endurance
It has extraordinary hardiness. Its seeds can lie dormant for two hundred years and then bloom with the first rains. Its stalk is tough and not easily broken. The Chinese saw this as a symbol of fidelity

Tattoo Designs - Kanji Symbols and What They Mean


Japanese Kanji symbols are very popular as tattoos as they are unique and they can convey a very personal and meaningful message in an artistic and exotic way.

Complex language

Kanji is one of three different types of alphabet character symbols used in a complex system of writing. The other two are Hiragana and Katakana. All three are used in different ways. Kanji conveys ideas in picture form, which may not always convey the exact meaning. Hiragana is sometimes used with the Kanji to modify or clarify the meaning.

Hiragana is used more for everyday use while Katakana is used mainly when dealing with foreign names.

The Japanese language contains literally thousands of characters. These were adopted from the Chinese, which have anywhere between 50,000 and 100,000 characters. Scholars disagree on the number but, as you can see, it is a lot. In everyday use in Japan there are around 2000 - 3000 characters.

Multiple meanings

One of the major pitfalls in choosing a Kanji tattoo is the actual meaning of the symbol. The meaning can depend on the context and can have up to ten different meanings. It is essential to do some research before having a permanent symbol on your body. Make sure you get an accurate translation or, better still, use an artist who understands Japanese. Some artists are reluctant to do Kanji because they are not sure of the meanings.

There can be good reasons for getting a Kanji tattoo - with one symbol you can express a thought or an idea or a philosophy and you can do it in an artistic and different way. However, Kanji is limited, as its symbol will express a simple picture or expression. It does not lend itself to more involved quotes or phrases. One of the other scripts may have to be used with Kanji to express your words. This is where an artist's knowledge of Japanese can become important.

Artistic expression

Japanese calligraphy is an art form. In fact, one artist believes the meaning of the symbol is unimportant as it is more about the look and flow of the script - more about the artistic expression. This would not suit everyone, as most people like to use a tattoo to convey a message to themselves or others. However, for those who do want to express themselves artistically, the opportunity is there.

Kanji tattoos can be attractive, artistic and meaningful, but they can be a trap for the unwary. Do your homework and make sure your tattoo means what you want it to mean.


By Wlliam Burnell

Choosing a Zodiac Symbol Tattoo


Astrology is fun and has been popular for hundreds of years. Almost every major newspaper and magazine has a horoscope section. Now that tattoos are more popular and socially accepted than ever before in history, zodiac symbol tattoos are a fun design choice that will never go out of style.

Getting a tattoo of your zodiac sign is a smart choice, no matter if it is your first or your hundredth. One of the best aspects about using your zodiac sign, is that your birthday never changes. This means that your new tattoo will stay relevant no matter what else changes in your life. Body art of your zodiac sign is a personal and timeless symbol of who you are.

Getting a tattoo is a major life decision that shouldn't be taken lightly. They last for the rest of your life, so you want to make sure you choose a design that will never go out of style and that you will still love 10, 20, 30 or more years from now. You want to make sure that you choose a zodiac symbol tattoo design that you will personally love for the rest of your life. There are certain things you can do to make sure that your design is a work of art that will bring you years of enjoyment.

Shop Around

Don't just rush out to the nearest tattoo shop and pick a design off the wall that is only sort of like what you really want. Remember that your new zodiac symbol tattoo is going to be on your body forever, you want a design that you won't regret later. Take your time and shop around. There are a lot of great free tattoo gallery sites where you can see lots of different kinds of zodiac sign designs, to get an idea what style and type of tattoo you want. Free tattoo sites are great place to start getting ideas, but if you want body art that is really special and one of a kind, then I highly recommend getting a membership with one of the low cost membership only tattoo sites.

Why get a Membership?

The free tattoo sites are great for getting ideas, but most of these sites only show designs that thousands of people already have, so if you don't want the same tattoo as everyone else then a membership site is the way to go. Plus the tattoos on most of the free sites print out blurry, which makes it hard for the artist to transfer that design to you.

There are some fantastic membership sites out there, that cost only a few dollars to join and can save you a lifetime of heartache later. Joining an excellent tattoo site is kind of like hiring a professional to remodel your house, sure you could just wing it and hope for the best by doing it yourself, but it sure looks better in the long run if you hire the right person to do the job.

My personal favorite of the on line membership sites is Tattoo Me Now. This is one of the newer sites out there and they have definitely learned from other sites mistakes. They have a gigantic gallery of designs to choose from, a design gallery where you can combine multiple tattoos into one or create your own design, a members gallery where you can find inspiration from other members tats, a studio directory where you can find tattoo artists and shops in your area and see how they were rated by other members , a members forum and much more. A membership site is a great place to get all the info you need to make sure you get a zodiac symbol design that you will love forever.

Choosing the Right Tattoo Artist & Shop

To make sure you get body art that you will love, take your time and find the right artist and the right shop for your new zodiac symbol tattoo. Shop around and find an artist that has a personal style that matches the style of tattoo you want. Every legitimate body artist has a portfolio of photos of tattoos they have done in the past. Ask potential artists to show you their portfolio. If that artist specializes in a different tattoo style than what you are looking for, ask them to recommend a artist that specializes in the style you want. Most artists want you to have a tattoo you will love and don't mind referring you to a fellow artist.

Only get a tattoo at a shop that is licensed and clean. Make sure that the shop you choose follows safety and sanitary procedures.

A zodiac tattoo can be a work of body art that will bring you years of enjoyment. Take your time and find a design that is perfect for you, then you will love your new body art forever.



By Bambi Watson
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