Japanese Tattoo Designs

When a country has conjured-up one of the most amazing styles of body art around, how on earth can it be so idiotic as to ban it? This is a question that tattoo enthusiasts have been deliberating over for a number of decades now, but luckily for us, this style has broken out of the Far East and has made it to our shores.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

Japanese tattoo designs really do make for some of the most impressive pieces of body art you are ever likely to see; Fact! The use of color and black and grey shading will grab anyone's attention and as this style is so versatile, it will look great when applied to any part of the body.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

One of the main central themes is dragons. These legendary beasts always include very detailed work: literally down to the last scale on the dragon's body. The dragons will often be colored with very vibrant shades which will then be surrounded by plenty of panelling or swirls. A black background helps to make the central feature stand out.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

Other popular features include Geisha girls and coy fish. Coy fish look especially great as a forearm piece and are even more effective when surrounded by Japanese wave patterns. Include some water lilies within this design and you will have a fashionable and awesome Japanese piece to treasure.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

Traditionally, before the style of tattooing was banned in Japan, body art was often taken to the extreme of a complete body suit. As it is becoming more and more acceptable to get heavily tattooed today, many people turn to these styles for extensive work.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

Japanese designs are very masculine in appearance and usually make for the best larger pieces. They can be found as smaller designs and always look better on men. If you are looking for a feminine piece, it is usually a good idea to dispense with the extensive background panelling.

Chinese Tattoos

The first thing to do here is to clarify what we mean by Chinese tattoos; we do not mean a tattoo of a map of china or pictures of Chinese people, what we are referring to is of course the tattoo writing of Chinese symbols and using this to express a sentiment or a motivational saying.

Many sports personalities have adopted the practice of having some motivational saying in Chinese tattooed to their body as their mantra and to help them focus in a very competitive environment.

Chinese Tattoos

Celebrities from the world of film and music have adopted Chinese tattoos for a very long time now and have done this as a motivational saying, or showing the place of their greatest triumph or declaring their love for another and even the names of their children.

Chinese Tattoos

It may come as a surprise to know that tattoos were not at all popular in China itself and in fact were seen as the mark of gangsters and criminals who used tattoos to show their loyalty to a particular criminal gang or to show their rank and perhaps specialty in the criminal underworld. Tattoos were therefore not worn by ordinary people or celebrities in Chinese culture.

Chinese Tattoos

Why have sportsmen and celebrities adapted them here in western culture, this is very difficult to say for sure as no one can really speak to the motivation of another. However in western culture the key to being a successful sports person or celebrity is to be original and or trendy. Only the very top tier of celebrities can be original if they do something it is sure to be followed but minor celebrities could fall on their face and look silly if it the trend they tried to set was seen as silly and not trendy.

Most celebrities have now got tattoos and what was once seen as a military/sailor tradition is now widespread and seen as very trendy.

Who should get Chinese Tattoos well this is very easy to answer, anyone and everyone who wants one, we are living in the age of choice and it is up to us to make the decision. You do not need to be in the Chinese criminal underworld, nor be a sportsperson or celebrity and you certainly no longer need to join the military, all you need to do is select your tattoo and go ahead and get it.

Chinese Tattoos

Small word of caution, the Chinese symbols are complex and cannot be slightly altered or adapted to suit, this changes the meaning, so please make sure you get a proper translation of what it is you want to say and not end up having nonsense tattooed.

Chinese Tattoos

Olivia Curtis loves tattoos and has become a big fan of Writing Tattoos with a pet hate for those that get the writing wrong ending up with a nonsense statement instead of a dedication to loved ones or an inspirational quote.

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Japanese Tattoo Style

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Free Tattoo Design

Tattoo Dragons

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.



By Scott Kintraw

Celtic Tattoo Designs

It probably won't come as any surprise to you that Celtic tattoo designs have been popular for thousands of years. In fact, it is no secret that when the Vikings invaded the British Isles, they were heavily adorned with body ink from this same genre. The art of tattooing has been popular in Scandinavia and Northern Europe throughout the centuries and even though other western countries are now starting to catch up with their love of the art, they have a long way to go to beat countries like Sweden, Denmark and even The UK.

Celtic Tattoo Designs

These designs follow a pattern that is very intricate and often takes on the appearance of multiple knots. The best tattooed pieces would always require the skills of an adept artist and you should never get a new Celtic tattoo from an artist that cannot prove their previous experience to you.

Celtic Tattoo Designs

For the most part, Celtic tattoos have quite a masculine appearance about them. This is probably because they rely on either black or grey shading. But having said that, Celtic tattoos can take on other shapes and forms: crosses and armbands are a very popular choice here and this can convert really well to become a more feminine piece for a lady wearer.

Celtic Tattoo Designs

Celtic designs came back in absolute force back in the 1990's. At one point, this style of tattooing seemed to be the one that everyone was going for. Today, however, this style is nothing like as popular as it was then and this is down to the fact that tribal designs have undergone a huge tattoo revolution.

Celtic Tattoo Designs

The versatility of this style would allow you to place a piece on any part of your body you choose. They do make for perfect armbands around the bicep and even around the wrist or ankle. They also look great as a chest plate; as larger piece on the bicep and running in a linear pattern along the bottom of the back area.

Floral Tattoo Designs

As the popularity of tattoos has spread to include the female members of society, you can bet your bottom dollar that floral designs have always been one of the most popular choices for them. The reasons for this are absolutely obvious: floral designs are pretty; they can rely on the use of plenty of colors and they can add a tasteful and elegant definition for any woman.

Floral Tattoo Designs

The most popular species of flowers that are used in tattoo designs include the rose, orchids, lilies and daisies. These will always be able to represent a piece that is dainty and feminine and this is what definitely seems to appeal to many women.

Floral Tattoo Designs

There are definite trends wherein women seem to favor having their pieces placed. These choices allow the wearer to expose the piece when she wants to, but be able to cover it at all other times. The shoulder and lower back area are probably the most popular locations nowadays; but the underside of the wrist, lower ankle and even the foot itself are also fashionable. A quick word of warning here though, if you are looking for a tattoo to be done on the foot itself - this can be a notoriously painful location as there are a lot of small bones in this region.

Floral Tattoo Designs

It is funny to see how fashions change and adapt as far as tattoos go, as around twenty or thirty years ago, floral tattoo designs were quite restricted for men. Of course, you had the ever popular and 'old school' choice of a rose with the name of a loved one associated with it, but today floral tattoos are becoming increasingly popular among the guys.

Floral Tattoo Designs

In fact, men think nothing of opting for quite feminine-looking designs and will even go as far as full sleeves worth of this body art. The youngest generation to come onto the tattoo scene are especially keen on this style.

Floral Tattoo Designs

Floral designs can come in any form you choose. In fact, they can even be a part of a very masculine piece if the surrounding artwork is able to tone the flower's beauty right down. A good example of what I mean here would be Japanese water flowers that are incorporated into awesome large pieces that scream masculinity, but include these flowers amazingly well.

Eagle Tattoo Designs

Many people may be under the impression that eagle tattoo designs fall under the category of 'old school' body art. This is probably down to the fact that these types of designs have been popular for many decades. Actually, in all honesty, eagles can appeal to a whole plethora of avid ink fans. These designs are always versatile and can be made to adapt well to any part of the body that they are placed.

Eagle Tattoo Designs

To be fair, they tend to appeal more to men. After all, this is a bird that exudes masculinity and powerful prowess, therefore, unless it is toned right down and a part of a more feminine overall design, it may not be quite so suitable for the ladies.

Eagle Tattoo Designs

Eagles almost always encourage gasps of admiration from people when they check out the piece. This magnificent and formidable bird of prey could not translate any better than when it has been strategically placed onto the body. The bird's talons and intricately patterned wings will give the overall impression of a truly magnificent tattoo.

Eagle Tattoo Designs

Some of the most favored places for positioning eagle tattoo designs are on the biceps of the arm; on the back; and even across the chest. The wings of the eagle look very effective as they cover the whole of the side of the arm and if you are after larger tattoos for your next piece, amazing designs can be adapted to fit the most expansive parts of the body.

Eagle Tattoo Designs

The other great thing about eagle tattoos is that they can look equally effective when done with color or in a plain black and grey shading. The silhouette of the eagle is always highly recognisable and this means that eagle tattoo designs will even work well as a tribal piece.

Chest Tattoos For Women

Chest tattoos for women on the other hand are bent more on girly designs with symbolical meanings and feminine styles. Some examples of pretty designs are:

• flowers and vines
• stars and heart
• fairies and angels
• butterflies and dragonfly
• lettering and script designs

Flowery Full Back Tattoo

American Traditional Tattoos

Lots of colorful flowers are a big part of this full back tattoo that also includes twin five pointed stars.

Japanese Tattoo Arm

Japanese Tattoo Arm

Wedding Ring Tattoos: The Ultimate Symbols of Love

Tattoos. In days gone by only the rebels, the punks, rock stars and sailors would be brave enough to undergo the needle. Fast-forward to present day and a tattoo is as common as a soccer mom in a Chevrolet Suburban. (In fact, most soccer moms these days have at least one tattoo.) We all know the permanency of a tattoo, so doesn't it make sense that when you're ready to make a lifetime commitment of love, you'd tattoo your ring?

 

 Wedding Ring Tattoos

I think I hear a collective "Whoa, not so fast there, crazy lady. I love her/him, and plan to be with her/him forever. But isn't a platinum or gold band enough?" Sure, the traditional band of precious metal is a perfect symbol to exchange at the moment you say I do. And you needn't stick with just the tried-and-true metals, as you can select a band in cobalt, stainless steel, palladium, Tungsten or titanium, or of course platinum, white gold or yellow gold. And my guess is 98.5% of the female population wouldn't give up the diamond engagement ring or a matching diamond eternity band. But what if couples who were determined to not fall into the 50%+ divorce statistic and really intended to stay married for a lifetime took the wedding ring a step further?

 Wedding Ring Tattoos

A tattooed wedding ring can be a beautiful design inspired by your culture, religion or a favorite piece of art. The tattoo could simply be your names tattooed on each others' left fingers. It could be a meaningful verse from scripture (Song of Solomon from the Old Testament is filled with verses about love.) The tattoo could be I Love You in bold block letters that wrap around your finger. It could be a Celtic design or a band of your favorite colors, flowers or musical notes.

 Wedding Ring Tattoos

If you're a soon-to-be bride or groom and think a tattoo might be the way to go, check out Kat Von D 's shop in L.A. Or you could always go for less painful yet ultra cool Scott Kay wedding rings at Robbins Brothers. Very hip designs but not as permanent.

 Wedding Ring Tattoos

Before you chicken and out and take the path of least resistance with your future spouse, close your eyes and imagine the look on your conservative sister's face when you post your matching tattooed wedding rings on Facebook, for all of her snooty country club friends to see. Now that's priceless, and worth an hour or so of the poking of a needle, don't you think?