Orchid Tattoos and You - Perfect Flower Tattoo?

Orchid tattoos can be a great choice of tattoo for both females and males. Dependant on the orchid you get and the meaning you are after, this flower tattoo can be either end of the spectrum, highly masculine in nature or very feminine. A popular favourite flower for corsages and bouquets it is no wonder it is also finding popularity in the inked world. So what exactly can the orchid tattoo stand for?

On the masculine side of meanings it is all very sexual in nature, representing various parts of the male anatomy. In classic Chinese meaning it is often associated with the perfect man. On the other end of the spectrum are the more feminine meanings of beauty, charm and refinement. It is often seen as being a beautiful flower representative of all things feminine. It is also commonly referred to as the flower of magnificence. The feminine form of the orchid is also symbolic of perfection, love and family. Or in Asian cultures it is also seen as a symbol of something rare and precious. No matter why you seek this tattoo the origins and meanings are limitless and you can find one that suits your intended desire.

Due to it being a flower tattoo the varieties are endless and the uniqueness factor can be very high. It can easily be adjusted to fit pretty much every part of the body and work with the bodies natural shape. It can be given any colouration to provide the bearer with the perfect colour for them and their skin tone. The orchid itself has hundreds of different varieties of flower so you can be sure that one of the many types will suit your personal style and taste.

The orchid flower in tattoos is often seen as a symbol of sexuality or of luxury. Both of which may be the meaning you want for your flower tattoo. It is often also found in association with other Hawaiian flower tattoos to create the perfect piece of artwork on the canvas of your skin.

Angel Tattoos For Real Men

Real men like angel tattoos also. They can have a different significance for women and men. You can find a wide variety of angel tattoos so you have to figure out what your angel tattoo should symbolize.

Angel tattoos can stand for protection, purity, morality, strength, beauty, or a combination thereof. Angel tattoos on men usually signify strength, bravery and courage. To express the timeless struggle between good and evil, some people may ink one of the archangels, Michael, Gabriel, or Raphael in a struggle with the famous fallen angel, Satan. Tattoos of fallen angels, the darker side, are more popular with men.

Angel tattoos are a way for men to get a very intricate and colorful but strong tattoo. Placement of the tattoo is also important. Many full back tattoos are of angel wings spread wide. You can also place a guardian angel on your shoulder or neck. Angel tattoos on men might also be placed on a thigh or arm.

Talk to your artist and make sure that the two of you have the same idea of what your angel tattoo should look like. In order to have a quality angel tattoo, you need quality artwork. You might find a lot of good pictures of designs on the web, but many aren't meant to be translated to a tattoo. You need to find great quality tattoo designs that can reproduce quality artwork on your body. You might spend days looking all over the internet for a design, only to be disappointed by sub standard artwork that can't be used for your tattoo. Go where you know you'll find updated, quality angel tattoo designs. You want your angel tattoo to be the best, you'll have a long time to show it off.

Tattoo Art - Does Your Tattoo Have a Hidden Meaning Which Can Trip You Up?

A tattoo is a tattoo is a tattoo, right? Not true if your tattoo art is based on some kind of symbol. For example, you may think that a double lightning bolt looks pretty cool. So do I, actually. But in some places, this double lightning bolt is the symbol for white supremacists. This is one tattoo you do not want to show off in a black ghetto. Another example would be the swastika. Before Adolf Hitler and his Nazis stole it, the swastika actually meant good things to Native Americans (or Red Indians to people of my generation). In the East, the swastika is actually the symbol of Buddhism, one of the most peaceful religions on this planet.

So, how do you find out if your tattoo has some kind of hidden meaning? First, you need to classify your tattoo design:

• Flower
• Zodiac
• Celtic
• Animal, Bird, Fish, etc
• Nautical
• Tribal
• Chinese/Japanese words
• Others

After that, just look up an appropriate reference book in your local library or on the internet. For example, if you type in "meaning of flowers" into Google, you can get references to what flowers normally mean. One of these websites says that marigold means "cruelty, grief or jealousy". Probably not a tattoo you want to get to celebrate your new girlfriend or marriage.

Of course, Chinese and Japanese words are not so easily researched. Unless you know a native Chinese or Japanese speaker, you should give these a miss. For example, there are 2 forms of Chinese words, old Chinese and new Chinese. Old Chinese is still used in Taiwan, and by many overseas Chinese. New Chinese is used in China, and is increasingly superseding old Chinese in Singapore and Hong Kong. Additionally, old Chinese words have slightly different meanings depending on which dialect of Chinese you are speaking. Beyond the basic meanings, the same word in the mainstream Mandarin dialect (used as the standard dialect in China) could have additional meanings in Cantonese (the original main dialect in Hong Kong), or Hokkien, or Hakka (other dialects used by overseas Chinese).

Animal and bird symbols are considered significant by both psychoanalysts and astrologists/fortune-tellers. When I typed "animal symbols in dreams", I found over 800,000 references. Among the more fascinating things I found out:

• Gold koi fish represents wealth
• White and red koi fish represents love
• Tiger represents power and energy
• Coyote represents ingenuity and resourcefulness as well as playfulness

If your tattoo design is more abstract, you could look up the Anti-Defamation League's website. They have a pretty comprehensive list of hate symbols used by extremist groups. I found the swastika and double lightning bolt on their website. If you think the viewpoint of the Anti-Defamation League is too Jewish, you can also google for "racist symbols". But I have to warn you that their website is well-regarded, and appears on the first page of search results.

Some of you may prefer a printed reference, with all the information you want in one place. Terisa Green's "The Tattoo Encyclopedia : A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo" (ISBN-13: 978-0743223294) is a good and cheap reference book. She organizes the most common tattoo symbols into alphabetical order, and has 800 tattoo images in her book. I found the paperback version of her book on Amazon for only $12.

Wheel with Wings Tattoo

Wheel with Wings Tattoo

Rose Flower Tattoo Designs

Rose Flower Tattoo Designs

Balinese Carving Tattoo Design

Balinese Carving Tattoo Design

Green Ant Tattoo Art

Green Ant Tattoo Art

Colorful Dragon Tattoo Designs

Colorful Dragon Tattoo Designs

Arm Tattoo - Red Fish Designs

Arm Tattoo - Red Fish Designs

Arm Tattoo - Fish Design Before Colored

Arm Tattoo - Fish Design Before Colored

Tattoo Ideas - Want to Have a Better Idea About Your Tattoo?

A tattoo reflects the inner meaning of your personality. The splendor of your tattoo design increases when you know the deeper meaning of it. The main categories of tattoo symbols can be broadly classified into the following; cultural symbols, famous symbols, Celtic designs, rainbow tattoos, tribal tattoos, Chinese and Japanese tattoo symbols. These can be further classified into smaller tattoos. The meanings and the tattoo symbols are listed below:

1. Anchor - Salvation, Hope and safety.
2. Angel - Guardians, Protection, and keepers of dreams
3. Bat - happiness, Longevity and mystery
4. Bear - brings good luck, Good nature and also ignorance.
5. Bird - Freedom, Birth and intuition.
6. Bull - Fertility, power and strength.
7. Butterfly - Spiritual immortality and temporary element of life.
8. Cat - Sign of bad omens and Magic.
9. Centaur - Spirit of womanhood and Knowledge about nature.
10. Chain - If broken then freedom. If the chain is intact then slavery.
11. Clover - Good luck.
12. Clown - Uncertainties, laughter and tears.
13. Crescent Moon - Feminine power, Transformation and rebirth.
14. Cross - Love, Sacrifice, and salvation.
15. Crow - Gods messenger.
16. Devil - Mischievous, urgent desire for sex.
17. Dog - Faithful and loyalty
18. Dolphin - Benefactor and an emblem of a savior.
19. Dove - Peace.
20. Dragon - Strength and power.
21. Dragonfly - Spiritual Affinity.
22. Eagle - King of the birds and also Mighty.
23. Eye - Self protection.
24. Fairy - Supernatural powers of Good or evil.
25. Feather - Spiritual elevation, Creativity and rebirth.
26. Fish - Spiritual peace.
27. Frog - Symbol of pregnancy.
28. Hawk - Self discipline.
29. Heart - Love.
30. Horse - Friend to man and shows kingship.
31. Leaf - Joy and rebirth
32. Lion - Might, brave, immortality and awareness.
33. Lizard - The soul searching for light.
34. Lotus - If open represents the sun, if closed then the moon.
35. Mermaid - Temptation, materialism, and seduction.
36. Monkey - Good knowledge, Wisdom, or evil powers.
37. Moon - Varied rhythms of life.
38. Phoenix - Rebirth
39. Reaper - Death
40. Rose - Fertility.
41. Scarab - Strength and rebirth.
42. Skull - Courage and Death.

With the above list, you can choose your tattoo that best suits you.

Dragon Tattoo Designs a Rage Among Tattoos

Mankind has always had a fascination with dragons. These mythological creations have fired up the imagination for generations. Even in ancient caves, archeologists have discovered drawings of dragons. This attraction for the dragon has carried on till the present day making dragon tattoo designs, by far the most requested tattoo design. So if you are planning to get a dragon tattoo, you will have to do more research into getting a design which is not mediocre or common. But dragon tattoos can be easily customized by using different colors, shapes and numbers, so if you go to a good tattoo artist, he can take a regular dragon tattoo and create something unique.

Dragon tattoos have different meanings throughout the world and the way they are drawn is also different in different parts of the world. So before you pick a dragon tattoo design be sure to find out what it represents and if that representation is in line with what you would like it to epitomize in your life. Dragons are most commonly used to exemplify a powerful and commanding beast which has supremacy over all other creatures. But in countries such as China and Japan, dragons represent something benign and friendly but still powerful none the less. The Japanese have used dragons to represent their emperors for several generations. In Chinese culture dragons are considered to bring in good luck and fortune, so they are depicted as happy and cheerful. On the other hand, in the west dragons have always been associated with negative energy; they are portrayed as something fuming and atrocious. Here they are sketched as huge, winged, fire breathing creatures. But most often people getting a dragon tattoo want to depict the powerful, majestic nature of the dragon rather than the evil, blood sucking, beast eating one.

Also while considering the best dragon tattoo art you would also need to think about what part of your body, you are planning to get it inked on and the size of the tattoo. Dragon tattoos look really sexy and hot if done on the entire back. Getting a huge dragon tattooed on your entire back may also increase your self image. Normally dragons look good if they are medium to large sized, if you want to get a small tattoo, then you might not want to consider this design rather you can consider small delicate designs such as butterfly, floral, fairy, fish, etc. Other really nice locations for the dragon tattoo can be the upper arm with the head of the dragon on the chest or the shoulder blade, especially if you have big arms you can beautify them with having large dragon tattoos inked on them.

Keep in mind because of the immense popularity of the dragon tattoo, on the internet you will find a lot of cookie cutter tattoo designs. It is best not to use one of these designs but to get a custom design from a membership based tattoo gallery. Also it is important to use the services of an excellent tattoo artist for the dragon tattoo as it is a very difficult tattoo to ink. A good tattoo artist will be able to get the best out of the design by paying attention to details and colors.

Dinosaur Tattoo Designs

Devil Wings Tattoo

Chinese Emperor Tattoo Designs

Ongkara Symbol Tattoo & Tribal Design

Do Dragon Tattoos Fly in Your Celtic Heritage?

If you're looking for a tattoo design that breathes fire, while depicting mystical strength and benevolence, the ancient dragon tattoo is the one for you. Dragons have been capturing the minds and hearts of people for centuries and still are, if the current popularity of dragon tattoos are any indicator of that continuing fascination.

The myths and legends around this flying creature can be found in many fairy tales and are part of the folklore of most ancient cultures. Usually, dragons are thought of as belonging to Asia, but the are part of the beliefs and mythology of cultures all over the world.

Dragons in Eastern cultures are associated with good luck, kindness, fertility and are considered protectors of the villages they fly over. The Western dragon is not so benevolent and is most often depicted as an evil destroyer of villages and a fire-snorting guardian of chests full of treasure hidden in deep caves on a mountaintop.

One of the more spiritual legends about dragons and their powers comes from the beliefs and superstitions of the ancient Celtic chiefs of Ireland. In their beliefs, dragons were symbols of power held by the Celtic tribal ruler. The title, "Pendragon," is the Celtic word for "Chief."

Though the Celts were one of the fiercest groups populating Europe in ancient times, they were spiritual in their relationship with the land around them. That spirituality carried over to Celtic dragons who were believed to influence the land and sites identified as dragon haunts were believed to possess special powers.

The ancient Druids, the priests of the ancient Celtic societies, thought the Earth resembled the body of a dragon, and that dragons were our spiritual connection with Earth's magnetism and healing waters. Some historians say they built their sacred stone circles where they believed the power nodes of the dragon's body existed.

The term "dragon" comes from the Greek word that translates to "to see clearly," which indicates the benevolent nature the Celts believed their dragons possessed, the gift of vision, wisdom and the ability to prophesize.

If you decide to decorate your body with a dragon tattoo, and your ancestry is Irish, stemming from the ancient Celtic tribes, you would be continuing the myths that survived a thousand years of wonderment and the magical powers of dragons. If you select the circular Celtic dragon swallowing its tail, your tattoo would symbolize eternal life.

Tattoo artists the world over are famous for beautiful dragon tattoos of all sizes and colors. Whether your choice of a dragon tattoo is one of the fire-snorting creatures that caste fear on the villagers or one that protected the land and promised eternal life, your body art is sure to be admired by all who see it.

Tattoo Dragons

Of all the subjects for tattoos, dragons are the most enduring and distinctive.

While women tend to like baby (smaller) dragons on their shoulder or foot, men prefer larger, fiercer dragons to be tattooed on their arms, shoulder, backs or legs. They are one of the few popular tattoo subjects which can extend up an arm or down a leg without looking distorted or contrived. The dragon design can also be used for armbands. At the end of this article you will find all the recommended web sites for the latest tattoo dragon designs.

The popularity of dragon tattoos is partly due to the number of fresh and exciting designs now available, but also due to the sharp, projecting elements of the dragon’s fangs, wings and claws which modern tattoo artists can now produce successfully, to give clean and striking definition to the tattoo image. When Kwai Chang Caine picked up the red hot dragon bowl in 'Kung Fu' using his forearms, thus imprinting himself with the dragon and tiger brand of the Shaolin Temple, he could not have received a dragon symbol half as sharp and striking as anyone can receive nowadays in a modern tattoo parlor, and without the pain.

So why would anyone want to have a tattoo dragon? Isn’t the dragon a mythical creature, created by the writers of legends and drawn from the minds of unreliable artists over the ages? Surely modern men and women are far beyond belief in such animals, unlike the medieval cartographers who lettered 'Here be Dragons' on the vague outlines of the unknown lands on the edges of their maps and charts, as a warning to the unwary.

It’s not enough just to assume that modern tattoo subjects think that a dragon has a ‘cool shape’. So do giraffes, humming birds and stick insects, but you don’t see many of those when the shirts come off at summer parties.

Dragons have a place in both eastern and western history and culture which gives a clue to their popularity. Dragons are always large, powerful and dangerous, and people who have dragon tattoos likely feel that yes, they are a bit like that too. In stories dragons are often imbued with some magical or supernatural power, far beyond that of ordinary animals. They can also talk in riddles, they can fly, and they are usually almost invulnerable, qualities which any human would be happy to acquire.

Dragons also have hoards of money and jewels, again an attractive characteristic which any modern urbanite would love to imitate.

People born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon (every twelve years, the next being in 2012) are considered to be brave, energetic and trustworthy. In western culture, from 'The Hobbit' by J. R. R. Tolkein to 'Earthsea' by Ursula K. Le Guin to the 'Shrek' movies, dragons are powerful, greedy and fascinating. They are tremendous as friends and fearful as enemies.

It is well known that from prehistoric times right through to relatively modern tribal societies that people would adopt a creature as theirs, the symbol of their clan, and so hope to acquire some of its power. The tattoo dragons that modern people love to have on their bodies are simply a manifestation of the urge to be bigger, better and stronger than the rest.

Text As Images in Tattoo Design

Recently I was approached by someone asking for assistance in designing a pair of tattoos; one of them and one for their partner. They were concerned about using text rather than images. Initially they wanted to simply get a tattoo of each other's names, but through the course of discussion, they began to think about accompanying images that were meaningful to them in various ways. Effectively, they became confused and overwhelmed making their decision. The idea of text compared to images needed to be explained and explored.

Text is imagery. Font, point size, kerning, and script all come into play when considering text for a tattoo. The main difference, and even then only in part, is the semantic association with the chosen text. Initially, the couple mentioned above had disassociated the imagery of the text itself with the semantic meaning. Once the elements of the text as art became clear, they needed advice. What style should they get? How large should the text be? How far apart should the letters be spaced? Should the words the wanted tattooed be in their first language or in another?

Using one's first language for text tattoos has immediate meaning and most likely meaning for those most often admiring their artwork. Using another language could make the meaning of the text or characters more personal, almost secretive, in the same way that some religious text is "hidden" from public knowledge. Some Buddhist texts, for instance, are written in scripts only taught to monks such that mostly only those who study the text can gather the semantic meaning behind the text. Choosing to use the Chinese character for love would only mean love to those who can read the character unless explained, otherwise it would be a beautiful array of stokes and lines rather than an idea. Pierician semiotics discusses this very concept and that is beyond the scope of this article. What should be addressed is the level of exposure of the meaning behind the text tattooed: will most admirers understand the artwork or is something more private preferred?

Placing the text also comes into play. The length and shape of the artwork may be determined by the kerning of the characters and the style of font used. This will interact dialectically with the canvas provided by the receiver's body. What space on the skin that is available and desirable will in part determine the size and shape of the text.

Text need not be isolated, either. Surrounding or integrating text and characters with non-semantic artwork can provide a combination of meanings and increase the shapes and styles to be thematically presented through tattooing. Related non-semantic artwork to semantic text is a perfectly acceptable parallel presentation, as is creating a collage of meaningful images and words to form a more complicated and in depth personalized tattoo.

Semiotic discussions may well be too complicated of a concept when thinking about creating a personalized tattoo, but it is important to remember the concept that text is artwork in and of itself when choosing to incorporate semantic meaning into tattoo design. Enlisting the assistance of an online tattoo design service can be very helpful to ensure the beauty and clarity of a text oriented design. Read some reviews of services and select the service that is best for you. Some services are even text specific, such as Chinese language tattoo design sites, and these services will always have experienced artists available to help you make informed decisions when creating your custom text oriented tattoo designs.

Everything You Need To Know About Chinese Symbol Tattoos

Chinese symbol tattoos are very popular today because they are really beautiful. And because most of us in the Western people cannot read Chinese symbol, Chinese symbol tattoos become an exotic form of expression.

My Name is Yingying and I am a Chinese Tattoo Artist. I have been providing custom Chinese tattoo translation and design service during the past three years.
Western people sometimes ask me some questions when they are planning to get Chinese symbols tattoos.

I have listed some of the most FAQs as below. you may find the answers are very useful information if you are planning to get one soon.

Can anything be translated and written in Chinese symbols?

Yes, anything can be translated and written in Chinese symbols. Chinese has more than 4000 years history. The most ancient Chinese symbols called oracle were written on animal bones. Chinese is a fully developed writing system with over 70,000 symbols (characters), capable of recording all nuances of contemporary language.

What are the differences between kanji and Chinese symbols?

Kanji is the term for Chinese symbols that are used in the Japanese language. Kanji in Japanese are typically characters from the Chinese language that have been adapted to mean Japanese words. The meanings in Chinese and Japanese can be the same but pronounced differently, or they may have entirely different meanings.

Why do I need the custom designs for a Chinese tattoo?

Your tattooist needs the design as a clear reference while inking. If you get free translation from web or somewhere else, it is usually a small and blur image which can not be used for inking purpose. If the tattooist does use it for inking, then your Chinese tattoo is worse than do not have one at all. (You may find some vivid samples of both bad and good Chinese tattoos on my website). Comparing the free crap, the custom tattoo design is large clear image come with stencil outline which your tattooist will use it to ink a high quality Chinese symbol tattoo on your body.

Can one English word be translated into either one symbol or two symbols?

The answer is it depends on the English word to be translated. Some English words can be translated into either one symbol or two symbols. For example, beauty can be translated into either one or two symbols, and the meaning is the same. Whereas, some words must be translated into two symbols, hope is an example, there is no single Chinese symbol which can be express the meaning of hope.

Having your body inked can be a very rewarding experience which can last for the rest of your life. Many people who have Chinese symbol tattoos feel that they are very much symbolic representations of their inner feelings and personality. That is the power of choosing a Chinese symbol tattoo that represents your true self, so it is of the up most importance to select the Chinese Symbols perfect match the meanings you want to express through your tattoos.

How To Get The Perfect Kanji Tattoo You Truly Deserve

Kanji was originated from Chinese Characters.

Kanji is the term for Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese language. There are two different types of characters that are used in written Japanese: kana, which includes the types of writing known as hiragana and katakana, and kanji. All written Japanese evolved from written Chinese, and were modified to create the different sounds of the Japanese language. Kanji in Japanese are typically characters from the Chinese language that have been adapted to mean Japanese words. The meanings in Chinese and Japanese can be the same but pronounced differently, or they may have entirely different meanings. Some kanji were developed in Japan and are not seen in the Chinese language at all. Still other kanji are written in different forms but have the same meaning.

Japanese Kanji Tattoos VS Chinese Symbol Tattoos.

The Kanji Tattoos you have seen in the tattoo parlor or anywhere else are actually Chinese Symbol Tattoos, when you are planning to get a Kanji Tattoo, Choosing Chinese Symbol Tattoos instead of Japanese Kanji Tattoos, Why? Japanese Kanji only have hundreds of writing symbols which evolved from written Chinese Symbols, You can not get whatever you want to express by using Japanese Kanji. Whereas, Chinese Symbols have about 4000 year history and there are 47,035 Chinese symbols in Chinese Kangxi Dictionary. Put it simple, You can get whatever you want to express in Chinese symbols.

How to Get a perfect Kanji Tattoo you truly deserve

My Name is Yingying, I am a Chinese tattoo artist, and have been helping the western people get their Kanji tattoos for three years. Kanji have a complex beauty as well as individual meanings. People who get Kanji tattoos are often drawn to this. Unfortunately, the flip-side is that there are a lot of Kanji tattoo Mistakes. I have personally seen such elementary mistakes as Kanji being tattooed backward and meant something else other than intended. My goal is to help people explore the beauty and complexity of Kanji safe in the knowledge that they are dealing with the professional. Why many western people make mistakes with their kanji tattoos, the main reason is because they made no preparation before inking and just walked into a tattoo parlor without knowing what they would get. And then their Chinese tattoos became the permanent source to embarrass them. Yes, they can get their tattoo removed, but removing unwanted tattoos is a very expensive, lengthy and painful ordeal! You are wise to research your best possible options before going through with it.

First: you need to find a pro to do the translation, instead of anyone who speaks Chinese. The Chinese symbol (Kanji) has a time span of 4000 years and a geography span across countries like China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. It simply takes knowledge and expertise to do the translation well.

Second: the Chinese Symbols need to be custom designed by writing them into Chinese calligraphy. Your body deserves Chinese calligraphy art, NOT kanji writing! Chinese calligraphy is not just Chinese kanji writing, neither just writing well. It is an art that can display spirits. People can feel the mood, feeling, thought from the calligraphy. Having a Chinese calligraphy tattoo is a love and a respect of yourself. Moreover, Custom designed kanji Tattoos also include stencil outline. Most people don't realize that every tattoo design has a matching stencil. To apply tattoos on the skin, the tattoo artist needs both a good clear reference of the actual design, and well drawn stencils (line drawings) as the "blueprint" for the actual tattoo. When inking, your tattoo artist will use stencil outlines to trace the artwork onto your body. Stencil outlines are vital for inking kanji as it can prevent tattooists from making mistakes while inking.