Showing posts with label Tattoo Designs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tattoo Designs. Show all posts
Friday, July 2, 2010
Celtic Butterfly Tattoos
History or Celtic symbolism
Celtic tattoos adorn many bodies, even if most of them don't know the history of how Celtic designs came about, tattoos in the Celtic style are extremely popular and becoming more so each year. There is not a lot of written documentation about the Celts, their beliefs and symbols, what is known are mostly orally handed down as the ancient Celts had no written language. For this reason symbols were used to communicate the way they perceived, worshipped and gave thanks to the Gods, the world and the things around them. Celtic symbols today, as then, are still used to communicate emotion and symbolic meaning.
It wasn't really until their conversion to Christianity that the beauty of their symbols was used by Christian monks to illustrate books and scriptures of the day.
It is not certain whether or not the ancient Celts used their designs as tattoos. Today it is suggested that before adorning your body with an ancient Celtic symbol you try to find a tattoo artist who has at least some understanding of Celtic history.
The symbol of the butterfly
Apart from beautiful knot work which symbolize the cycles of life and death, love, friendship, family or spirituality, the Celts took animal symbolism very seriously and used these symbolic images in a host of creative ways either in carvings, jewelry or tattooed onto their bodies.
One symbol that speaks out from days gone by and lives only because of folklore handed down over time is the butterfly. Transformation, rebirth and inspiration are incorporated in the Celtic butterfly meaning. The concept of rebirth for the Celts was very important as it spoke of the recycling of life, spiritually and physically.
Celtic butterflies also speak of transition. The Celts, especially the women understood that transition is common in nature and used the butterfly symbol to adorn items relating to childbirth as a way of welcoming new babies into the clan or tribe. The Celts admired the energy of the transition this small creature had to go through to get from 'conception' to 'birth', and that also ties into perhaps the most powerful connotation attached to the butterfly and which we know of today thanks to myth and folk lore which is transformation. The Celts honored the butterfly because of the impressive process of metamorphosis it had to go through from egg to larvae to pupa and from the pupa or cocoon emerged the butterfly, breathtakingly beautify, in all its glory. Without this transformation, the butterfly would not exist.
Butterflies not only signify transition, rebirth and recycling but also resurrection, celebration, lightness, time and soul. True Celtic symbolism of this beautiful and dainty creature is the deep lesson it speaks of, the butterfly asks us to accept change while unquestioningly embracing the changes in her environment as well as in her body.
The butterfly asks that we accept metamorphosis as a symbol of faith, in other words, we need to keep our faith when we undergo transitions, she asks that we not fret and show anger at what is really a useless quest against the turning tides of nature and for this reason the Celts also associated the butterfly with their soul as we are all on a long journey of the soul, along the way we encounter turns and unpleasant conditions that cause us to 'morph' into ever better beings. At end of a soul journey, we are always changed and are not the same as we were before we started on the path.
The Celtic butterfly in the 21st century
Today, just as any century that has passed before offers its own trials and tests that require that we accept, change and transform and many look back at their personal soul journey with pride. Many people want to commemorate them and what better way to do this than with a tattoo.
A Celtic butterfly tattoo is possibly one of the most versatile, colorful and attractive tattoos that can easily stand alone while conveying its message or it can be incorporated in a larger tattoo that tells a longer story about the wearer. There are many designs available and while today the butterfly is revered as Celtic tattoo art for its beauty and diversity, the intricate design of a butterfly is what makes them so popular today.
Celtic tattoos designs
Celtic tattoos designs have been influenced by the long, complex history and culture of the people themselves. They are a spiritual people, with one foot in this world and one in the spiritual world. The modern designs have been influenced both by their earlier pagan religious practices, which were nature based, and their now long practiced Christianity.Most of their designs have reference to a deeper meaning. Their folklore is full of stories of the other world. Their art and symbols are heavily influenced by their pre-Christian pagan religions in which they worshipped nature. The sun, moon, stars and the earth were sacred to them, as were animals and the seasons. Later, after they were introduced to Christianity, their art included the cross, in various forms, but their earlier traditions were well established by then. This mixture is seen in their work today.
Celtic Cross Tattoos
This is the predominant symbol of Christianity but the Celts have given it their own unique design with the ringed cross. The cross, of course, represents the Christian belief itself while the circle can represent eternity or God's eternal love or the continuing act of salvation brought by Christ's death and resurrection.The symbol of the cross predates Christianity and can be found in ancient civilizations. Both the cross and the circle are found in a number of cultures. They have been found on rock carvings several thousand years old. The circle can represent the sun. Those not drawn to Christianity can find other spiritual meaning in the symbols.
Celtic Knot Tattoos
The Celts have made knot work their own but it has elements that evolved from earlier cultures and civilizations. The intricate criss-crossing and inter-weaving designs of their knot work is said to represent life itself. Life is a maze, complex, with each life interwoven with another's. The lines of the drawings are never-ending, representing the continuity of the natural cycle of death and rebirth. It can also represent the crossing over of the physical and spiritual world. It can represent eternity and the boundlessness of God's bounty and goodness. Animal forms are often intertwined, reflecting the people's earlier connection to nature and the animal world. The images of horses, dogs, birds and other animals can be found skillfully woven into the lines of artwork so that they become an integral part of the whole. Animal images were used in many cultures, often in the hope the wearer might take on some of that animal's skills or characteristics or simply link them spiritually to the animal.All these elements can be found in illuminated documents, such as the Book of Kells, which have heavily influenced modern Celtic tattoo designs.Celtic Spiral Tattoos
The spiral has fascinated humans from earliest times. It appears on early rock carvings and in most cultures. It appears in nature in the horns of animals, in snail and seashells and in the galaxy. It has been studied by scientists and mathematicians and pondered on by philosophers. The spiral most associated with Celtic design is the triple spiral or triskele. The design is found around the world because the Celts made inroads into so many cultures. In earlier times it represented the sun but later came to be used in Christianity to explain the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Some see it as representing our spiritual journey to God - an ever-unfolding mystery. Others see in it our journey through life. It is a tattoo symbol full of mystery and can remind us of our own spiritual and emotional journey.
Maori Tattoos Designs
For centuries, Maori women have been tattooed on the lips, chin, neck, or back. Maori men have been tattooed on the buttocks, face, and legs. Throughout history, Maori tattoos have been part of a long-standing ritual. Tattooing would usually begin around adolescence and it was used to highlight important events. It is believed that those without tribal Maori tattoos were worthless and without status.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Designs With Tribal Tattoo Flash
You've always wanted to get a tribal tattoo because you saw a couple of your friends with several of them on their biceps, backs and legs. You wonder how to get those unique designs and you wanted more than just the ones available on internet tattoo galleries. Well, it is a good idea to find unique designs via tribal tattoo flash so you won't be the only one in your group who is not yet inked.
One of the common concerns of people who want to have tattoos is that there will always be someone who will have the same design as theirs. Unless he lives in a different continent, that would be fine. But if not, it is a good thing to at least find something unique that will not be available for others to see. By searching for unique tribal tattoo flash instead of searching just via search engine namely Google and Yahoo, among others, you can be in luck that only a few people are looking at the designs.
High quality tribal tattoo flash may not be as easy to find. Tat artists usually keep their best-selling designs off the net because they need to protect it so others won't steal them. What you will often find on the net are flash designs that are low in quality and quite generic in many ways. So it's best to stay away from those as possible.
Some tips to get the best tribal tattoo flash designs
Finding unique tribal designs may be done in several ways. One is to ask a local artist to draw a design based on your specifications. If you can make a rough draft on your own then show it to the artist, at least he or she will have a concrete basis of what you want. Make sure that you communicate everything to the artist because you need to be precise with your specifications while still on paper. Remember that it is your skin that will be inked, and there's no turning back.
Provide a list of descriptions, things, texts or messages that you want incorporated with your tattoo. Make sure the spellings are correct and double-checked. The design should speak about you and what you truly have in mind, so don't hesitate to tell him or her if there are elements on sketch that you do not want.
Another way to get the best designs is to get the design that appeals to you the most from a tribal tattoo flash and tell the artist to modify it a bit to suit your preference. This is way better that just telling the artist what you want since you have a visual aid on hand.
High quality designs often come with a price, so prepare to pay some good amount of money for it. For tattoo flash, it is always a great option since you can access a large collection of high quality and unique designs from various partner artists. Take this advice and surely you won't regret finding what you truly like once you gain access.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tattoo Designs - Symbols of Strength
While you can choose a tattoo design that literally means "strength", as in Kanji, the important thing is to have a design that gives you strength. You can choose from a number of designs as long as the one you choose has a special meaning and significance to you. It may remind you of someone close to you or someone who supported you in troubled times. Maybe someone who was there for you when you were young and from whom you gained strength.Animal Tattoo Designs
A number of cultures used animal images to give them strength. The animals in their worlds they most admired would be a source of strength, endurance, and courage. By tattooing the animal images on their bodies they hoped to become more like them. Thus the image of a bear or lion or wolf would help the tattoo owners to become more courageous or stronger.
This might apply to you - the person who gives you strength could be represented by an image of a powerful animal, one renowned for its strength and courage.
Tribal Tattoo Designs
Tribal tattoos can evoke images in the mind of tribal battles for leadership, fighting for survival or dominance, hunting wild animals, braving the elements. They can take us back to primitive man when life itself was a gamble and only the strong survived. Whether the tattoos were done as part of a rite of passage, or to denote a position in the tribe or as an animal totem, they were all done crudely which inflicted pain. Just having the tattoo said the wearer was a person of courage because of the pain endured. Indeed, some tattoos were done simply to test a person's ability to endure pain - a test of courage.
Angel or Wing Tattoo Designs
People in the West are a familiar with Guardian Angels and as special messengers from God. Angels are also part of Jewish and Islamic faiths as well as a number of other religions and cultures going back to ancient times. They are usually represented as creatures with wings. An angel tattoo can remind us of strength as we are protected or inspired by these spiritual creatures. Wing tattoos can also act in the same way. Wings can give us a sense of protection, a sense of freedom - as in flight. How many oppressed people or prisoners or those who have lost freedom have dreamed of flying to freedom. Songs have been written about it.
Maybe there is someone in your life you see as your guardian angel, someone who inspires you, lifts you up. Perhaps it is an event - something you saw or did that makes your spirit take flight. A tattoo design of an angel or a set of wings could bring this to mind, to give you strength.
Cross Tattoos Designs
The cross is an enduring symbol of faith, hope and love. It can be used to remind you to have faith when things turn against you. It can be used to sustain you through tough times. It can be used to remember loved ones and to connect to them in spirit to give you strength.
There are other tattoo designs that can give you strength: the crown, a symbol of authority and leadership; the dragon, with its strength and magical powers; texts that are inspirational in themselves or favorite quotes of someone you love or admire. The tattoo design you choose to give you strength may be on public display but the feelings it evokes in you are uniquely yours. This is one tattoo that should be done just for you.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
dragonfly tattoo pictures
Kind of a tribal dragonfly tattoo
Beautiful Dragonfly Tattoos
Rose Tattoo & Dragonfly Tattoo
dragonflies and frog tattoo
Beautiful Dragonfly Tattoos
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)