TOP OF TATTOOS

Samoan tattoo patterns are highly meaningful to those of that culture, and that is something we can grasp just be looking at a Samoan tattoo, even without knowing what its precise meaning is. The tattoo patterns and symbols are complex and abstract, consisting of a lot of interlocked, interwoven shapes and patterns. As mentioned before, they are also remarkable because of the sheer expanse of skin that they occupy – and especially when the tattooing is done using the traditional methods, this is a real endurance test for the person being tattooed. Inst ead of needles, the skin is punctured using a pig’s tooth or shark’s tooth . Not finishing a tattoo once it is started is a source of shame. Though few of us would be willing to undergo the discomfort necessary to get real Polynesian tattoos , incorporating some of the symbols and patterns into a modern tattoo is a different matter. Polynesian tattoos certainly have a striking, timeless appeal.

Here are some of the reasons the Polynesian people had tattoos: The tattoos were a symbol of courage . The tattoo process was very painful and a lot of perseverance was needed to endure the long tattoo sessions. Getting the first tattoo marks the transition between childhood and adulthood. It is a rite of passage . Tattoos added to the sexual attractiveness of a man. Tattoos offered protection, they were a talisman . Polynesian tattoos read like a book. By looking at a tattoo, insiders get to know the social status and rank of the tattooed person.

Polynesian tattoos are an ancient art that has been receiving a lot of attention in modern times. Though few of us who are not from the Polynesian islands would be willing to undergo the painful and lengthy procedure that real Polynesian tattoos necessitate, we might well be attracted to elements of the traditional tribal designs and wish to incorporate them into our own tattoos – using modern methods (most of us anyway). The people of the Polynesian islands have evolved their own distinct culture over hundreds, even thousands of years. Though there are many islands in this area, the people all came from a common homeland – though no one is exactly sure where this might have been, or when they came or how. Polynesia is a group of islands spread over the Pacific Ocean (over 1000; Polynesia is the Greek word for many islands ). The Marquesa islands are probably where the Polynesian people came to first and they later spread to: New Zealand : Aotearoa (Maori for NZ) is where ...

Tribal tattoos have been in vogue for quite a while now (since the early 1990s) and it’s easy to see why, they just look good. Advantages of getting a tribal tattoo: The tattoos of an older Indian woman There's a lot of black ink in tribal tattoos, which has the advantage that it holds up very well, black tattoo ink doesn't fade as fast as other colors. Tribal tattoo designs are very popular , so as long as you don't want a specific or traditional tribal, you shouldn't have a hard time finding a good tattoo artist that can design your custom tattoo. It's easier to design your own tattoo or at least a mockup of your own tribal than it is with other tattoo designs. Tribal tattoos have a bold visual appeal : their thick, black curving lines and interlocking patterns lend themselves well to many of the standard tattoo locations, such as the upper arm (in the form of a tribal armband for example) , the back or the lower back . Disadvantages of tribal tat...

Foot tattoos can look very striking – for one thing, the foot provides a nice flat place for the tattoo to lie, and for another thing, foot tattoos are rather rare and therefore sort of exotic (this was true at the time of writing, but foot tattoos are becoming rather popular nowadays, especially amongst woman). There’s no question that a foot tattoo peaking out of a sexy shoe can be very attractive. The most popular foot tattoo designs are flower tattoos , letter tattoos and the star foot tattoo . Sun and Moon Foot Tattoo There are some good reasons why foot tattoos are rarer than other tattoos, though. In fact, there are some tattoo artists who won’t even undertake them (just like hand and face tattoos). For a start, tattoos on the foot and hand ten d to be more painful than other tattoos. The general rule is this: if a tattoo is right over bone , it will hurt more. If it’s on a fleshy part of your body, it’ll hurt a lot less. That’s why a shoulder or upper arm might b...

Here's a list of celebrities that have a butterfly tattoo: Drew Barrymore : has one on her abdomen, right under her belly button. Maria Carey : has a lower back butterfly tattoo (fake or not?). Paris Hilton : has a small butterfly tattoo on her back (could be temporary). Kelis : has a butterfly on her stomach. Dolly Parton : country star with a flutterby on her chest. Julia Roberts : has a lower back butterfly. Britney Spears : has a butterfly tattoo on her left foot. To sum it up: butterfly tattoos are among the most versatile tattoo images, which helps explain their popularity with women. They are inherently feminine, but not necessarily ‘girly’ and you can make either a bold or subtle statement with butterfly tattoo art. All of this means that we are likely to see even more butterfly tattoos in the years to come.

Celtic knots (aka mystic knot, endless knot) work really well as a tattoo design or part of a tattoo. The symbolic meaning of Celtic knots is not really clear, although some people attribute magical powers to the knots. For me, Celtic knot tattoos symbolize eternity because the lines of the knotwork form an endless loop, without a beginning or an end. The Celtic trinity knot is a very simple, but powerful symbol and very suitable for a tattoo. It is a triangle knot, the 3 corners have various meanings: Celtic Trinity Knot Tattoo Christian : Father, Son and Holy Spirit Pagan : Mother, Crone and Maiden New age : Mind, body and spirit

Celtic butterfly tattoos are quite popular nowadays as well. Butterflies have a similar symbolic meaning in many cultures: The butterfly is a symbol for rebirth and transformation. Just like a beautiful butterfly comes out of his cocoon, the person who wears a butterfly tattoo has gone through some difficult times and is ready to face the world again. In some cultures the butterfly is the personification of someone's soul . The Celtic butterfly tattoo is often quite small and feminine looking, making it appropriate for the ankle or shoulder. The butterfly is also often seen as a lower back tattoo , adorned with Celtic swirls.

The Celtic cross (aka Irish cross) is the standard Christian cross, but with a circle around the intersection. Intricate knotwork adorns the cross, making it both simple (in its overall design) and complex at the same time. The legend goes that the Celtic cross was "designed" by Saint Patrick who was trying to convert the pagan Irish people. The Celtic cross is a combination of the Christian cross and the sun, which was worshipped by the druids. The Celtic cross is also used by neo-fascist movements, albeit in a very simple design and without ornamentations. The meaning of Celtic crosses is not really clear and varies a lot: For Catholic people the circle is a symbol of eternity, for them the Celtic cross symbolizes the infinity of God's love . In the ancient world of the druids, the Celtic cross was a phallic symbol. For neo pagans the Celtic cross is the symbol for the sun . A Celtic cross is a popular choice for the upper arm – a great spot in genera...

Lower back butterfly tattoos are usually larger, more stylized butterfly images that stretch across the lower back, one of the most popular places to get a tattoo nowadays (but also known as a tramp stamp). Actually, butterfly tattoos lend themselves very well to this location. The butterfly image is very symmetrical , so the middle can easily be lined up with the spine, the wings extending on either side. This makes the butterfly wings longer and more stretched out than they would be in nature, but the image can be very attractive.

Butterfly tattoos are primarily female tattoos and they come in a great variety of shapes and sizes. Insects are not the most popular tattoo design, except for butterflies and dragonflies . Butterfly tattoos are the 4th most popular tattoo design, after tribal , star and cross tattoos and they are probably the most popular feminine design . The butterfly tattoo is pretty and feminine without being overly flowery or sentimental. Butterflies have always been an inspiration for visual arts , such as the hieroglyphics of Ancient Egypt a couple of thousand years ago. Butterfly tattoos are a good choice for a first tattoo because the design doesn't need to be big to be striking . A small butterfly tattoo (life sized or smaller) on an ankle or shoulder can be a pretty and graceful accent to your natural beauty. Butterfly tattoos can have a lot of meanings , depending on the person or culture. Here's an overview: Often a butterfly tattoo is a symbol of rebirth and transf...

Female tattoos – or tattoos that are feminine in design, and are usually favored by women or girls – are becoming more and more common. For the first fifty or sixty years after tattooing became commonplace and even mainstream in modern society, few women got tattoos – in fact, those that did were the exception and usually a touch eccentric or rebellious. All that changed about twenty years ago when tattooing became more socially acceptable, largely due to the many celebrities who publicly sported tattoos. Some of these were women, and so the female tattoo became more common and acceptable. Nowadays most people find female tat toos sexy and attractive, they certainly aren't offensive anymore. That having been said it’s still true that more men than women get tattoos and it’s even true that there is a little element of social rebellion inherent in a woman’s decision to get a tattoo, although this is less and less the case, ta ttoos are more like a fashion item these days. However...