Samoan Tattoo Designs

The art of tattooing is an ancient practice. In fact, uncovered mummies show that it has been in practice for thousands of years already. So while the modern designs are also cool, it might be a good idea to revisit the old traditions to rediscover great body art ideas. One great find from the past are Samoan tattoo designs.
And when these ancient designs are combined with the modern equipments of today, and influenced by some modernization, the result can be a breathtaking tattoo design. And to help you understand better why Samoan tattoo designs are epic, here is a close look at its origin:
A Brief History
Samoan tattoo designs are believed to have been developed around 2,000 years ago in the lands of Polynesia. In the country, there resides an ancient ethnic group called Samoans which are known for their lust for tattooing. And for some reason, their heritage in body art survived until today.
According to the legend of the Samoan tribe, the art of tattooing was introduced to them by two women named Teama and Tilafaiga. And since then, it had flourished and became part of their culture and tradition. In the tribe, both men and women get the tattoo.

A Symbol Of Status
Along the history of the Samoans, the art introduced by Taema and Tilafaiga became a way to show an individual's status in society. Generally, the larger and the more elaborate the design, the higher is the status of the person wearing it. But gender-wise, men always seem to have bigger tattoos than women.
Also, the art of tattooing became almost a necessity among the males of the ethnic group. It is said that as soon as the boy's body is assumed to have stopped growing, the tattooing ceremony would begin. Later in Samoan history however, this privilege became secluded to the royalty.
A Rich Variety
Alright, so what makes Samoan tattoo designs attractive to the modern tattoo enthusiast? First of all, the striking variety in designs is stunning. There are so many patterns to choose from and each one of them is elaborate and beautiful.
Also, one feature of the Samoan tattoo design is that it covers a large portion of the body. It can run across the back and down to the knee and also around the arms. Although of course, the extent of the tattoo is subject to the person's taste and choice.
So if you are looking for a great new idea in body art and tattooing, you know that Samoan tattoo designs will make a sophisticated and unique choice. It may be old and ancient, but its long life is only a testimony of its success and its patronage by many people.

Chinese Tattoo Meanings

People are fascinated with Chinese designs because of their tattoo meanings. They use online dictionary, free download, or semi-experienced translators for Asian words. However, did you know that these are not reliable? It can turn your meanings to nonsense, hocus-pocus or a joke. Suppose you pick some cool looking Chinese symbols from a tattoo parlor, and assume that they mean 'loyalty'. However, you can't be sure if those symbols have the right meaning. Perhaps, they mean the 'heart' without the loyalty component. I am sure you don't want that. Chinese Tattoo Meanings have become very self expressive. Unfortunately, they are not all accurate. Mistakes galore. For the best results, you should hire a Chinese expert.

1. Weird Meaning - Britney Spears' Tattoo - Britney Spears a flower with the Chinese character tattooed near her navel. She thought this symbol means 'mysterious'. Upon a close look, it is found that the actual meaning is 'weird'. Instead of being the mysterious charmer, the pop queen puzzles everyone as to why she wants to be 'weird'.
2. Wrong Meanings - A Woman's Tattoo Tragedy - A woman got a Chinese tattoo with the meaning 'freedom'. She wants to show everyone her belief. Later she discovered that her Chinese characters actually mean 'free of charge'. What an embarrassment! Also, there are people who like to create their own Chinese tattoos. They combine the Chinese symbols 'power' and 'love' to create the phrase 'powerful love'. The result is not creative expression but ambiguity or wrong meaning. Why not consult an expert to get the right design?
3. Great Meaning - Megan Fox, Chinese Symbol - Your Chinese tattoos should convey what is of value you. Some entertainment stars have chosen tattoos with great meanings. For instance, celebrity Megan Fox, Hollywood's hottest diva, has a Chinese symbol 'strength' tattooed on her neck. This meaning is very appropriate for her rising stardom. Megan Fox needs both the mental and physical strength to stay on top of Tinseltown.
4. Philosophical Meaning - David Beckham, Chinese Saying - Great tattoo meanings are those with special Chinese sayings. I notice that people really like quotes or phrases that reveal truth. As Chinese tattoos become the cult, people are turning to Chinese experts for great quotes and ancient wisdom. Celebrity David Beckham has a tattoo with a great philosophical meaning. It is a Chinese proverb that reads "Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend on heaven." Media attention has been rampant. He is praised for being clever with ink designs.
5. Best Meanings - Custom Tattoo by Chinese Expert - You can get the best tattoo meanings from a Chinese expert or professional. Get someone who is proficient at English Chinese translation. An expert is indispensable if you want tattoos with special phrases, custom sayings or cultural idioms. Did you know that many people are crazy for meaningful tattoos? Don't try to be the expert yourself. Stay away from free downloads and online dictionary. Avoid weird, wrong and funny tattoo meanings. Hire a professional.

Kanji Tattoo Designs

Kanji was originally invented by the Chinese and introduced to Japan. The Chinese character and Japanese character might look very similar, but they are NOT the same.

This ancient style of writing practiced mostly by Japanese people. It has become a popular form of tattoo with people seeking Japanese style tattoo designs. Those who choose to display a Kanji design are attracted to its complex beauty as well as individual meanings. Look of Kanji is very artistic and expressive.

The tattoos are ideographic characters, which means that each character represents a whole object, idea, or meaning they can tell a whole story instead of just representing a letter sound like the Western alphabet. Kanji's are a popular choice among anyone seeking Japanese style tattoo designs, in fact 1 in every 5 tattoos are of a Kanji style. With their style of characters, you can easily create and express nearly any meaning you want.

This traditional writing is very difficult to learn, due to the fact that there are over a thousand symbols in everyday writing, plus another thousand or so that are used just occasionally. Also the pronunciation of a symbol can change depending on the context in which it is presented. It is worthwhile and highly recommended to do research and educate you on the different forms of Japanese writing. Don't be fooled into thinking you can just look up a word in a kanji dictionary and expect it to translate accurately.

Be sure what you are getting means EXACTLY what you think it does!
Consult with an expert Japanese translator to translate and design the Japanese Kanji symbols for you. Because of the complexity of Kanji and also the fact the one word can mean two completely different things it is important that the Japanese translator understands the word you want translated. The Chinese symbol 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 and with precise accuracy.

Ensure that you seek a professional tattoo artist that has a clear referenced of the actual design and a line drawing 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 as it can prevent tattooists from making mistakes while working.

Japanese Tattoo Designs For Guys

Japanese Tattoo Designs For Guys

A lot of men are looking for some unique tattoo designs. They often get flames, skulls, daggers, and pinup models as tattoos. However, Japanese sleeve tattoos have recently emerged into the industry, and many men and women both all around the world have taken an interest. Men in particular appreciate sleeve Japanese tattoo designs. They are cool and look great on arms. Here are some ideas to help you choose the right full sleeve design.

Dragon designs

Of course, dragons are always popular in every culture. However, Japanese dragons have a distinct appearance and look unique as tattoos. A fierce black or red dragon is the ideal tattoo for guys, especially if it looks like it's getting ready to breathe fire down on a person! This creature is very mystical that has a lot of lore surrounding it. The symbolism is strength, might, and power.

The koi fish

These are popular Japanese tattoo designs that men and women both can appreciate. This fish is extremely popular and highly respected. It can be painted in a beautiful bright orange color with bright blue waves in the background. This design is very popular for sleeve tattoos. You can have the fish wrapped around your arm for a dimensional look.

So, what does the koi fish represent? It represents strength, independence, and the struggle to make something of oneself. This fish, according to myths, always tries to swim upstream. Only a few of them ever make it to the top, but those that do are rewarded and made into dragons, at which point they will fly away and never look back. This is a cool idea for a tattoo if you want others to think you are thoughtful and emotional. Everybody will be impressed when you explain the deep symbolism behind koi fish Japanese tattoo designs.

The Samurai

When most guys think of Japanese tradition and culture, the Samurai is one of the first things to come to mind. As such, it's not surprising that they are often depicted in tattoo art. Some of the designs show the Samurai fighting off evil spirits. Some simply depict a Samurai in armor, holding his sword and looking fierce. Either way, the tattoo design will look cool on you.

Samurais are such popular elements in Japanese tattoo designs because the warrior is seen to represent everything that is important to Japanese men. This warrior is very strong and fierce and carries the culture proudly. He follows the bushido codes and will do whatever it takes to fight and die proudly.

Hannya masks

The Hannya masks are frightening, tragic, and mysterious all at once. This symbol was once used in Kabuki plays. It was seen as being so haunting that it became a standalone work of art. Some people even believe that they can be used to protect a home or person from evil spirits. The Hannya mask is that of a scorned woman who has become overcome by so much rage that she has turned into a fierce, frightening demon. Some people finding the images to be creepy or even disturbing; nevertheless, the Hannya mask is very popular when it comes to Japanese tattoo designs. It can be made into a full sleeve tattoo when combined with other designs and symbols.

Japanese Sleeve Tattoo Designs

Beautiful and striking are probably the most descriptive words to use when looking at a Japanese sleeve tattoo design. They are more commonplace in today's more liberal society. Should you get one?

What do you know about this type of tattoo? Do you know what "sleeve" means? Are you aware of what designs would make up a Japanese sleeve?

A sleeve tattoo is a term describing a design that completely covers the skin of the chosen area. Common body placement for sleeves is on the arms, and that is where we get the name. The tattoo looks like where the sleeve of your shirt should be.

Sleeve tattoos come in different lengths. These are:

1. Full Sleeve. Runs from the shoulder-blade all the way to the wrist.

2. Three quarter sleeve. Runs from shoulder-blade to middle/upper part of forearm.

3. Half Sleeve. Runs from the shoulder to the elbow.

4. Quarter Sleeve. Runs from the elbow to wrist.

As you can see there are many variations, and sleeves are not limited to the arms. Many people have taken the concept onto the lower limbs as well.

There is also the possibility of adding further work to the sleeve in the form of a "chest plate", which is basically covering the whole of the pectoral area leading off from the arm.

Sleeves can incorporate many styles of design, so long as the entire skin area is covered. However it is the Japanese sleeve which appears to be most popular.

Common themes in Japanese sleeve tattoo designs are dragons, koi carp, samurai warriors, geisha girls, cherry blossoms, water falls and hanya masks (a legendary Japanese demon).

The sleeve will often incorporate many if not all of these themes in one flowing design of intricate detail and vivid colour.

Full Sleeves are bold and in your face. Everyone will know that you are tattooed! However, if you are looking for some discretion but still favour this kind of tattoo, then a half sleeve could be a compromise. The sleeve can start on the shoulder and be cut short just above the elbow, enabling the tattoo to be hidden from view with a short-sleeved shirt.

Japanese Sleeve Tattoo Designs

Express Feelings Of Love tattoo

To express feelings of love, Love Tattoos were one of the means to do so. They are quite famous which many couples sport to express one's love or affection to the other. These tattoos are unrestricted and used by by not only couples but also others like mother-daughter, father-son, etc.

Today, tattoos are not limited to tough youths in swarm as they are very famous that it could often end up in fight searching for new angles as long as background and positioning are concerned. Tattoos are type of skill to certain people but a disgrace to people at other extremes.

One out of every four persons would invariably be found sporting tattoos and some with more than one as they are assumed to be forming a live form on the skin and to ensure their freshness and brightness; it requires to be maintained regularly. Tattoos protected from solar rays, rightly applied and healed can ensure to be long lived for years.

Love has been the most emotional feeling human beings have resorted to express in a way of tattoos patterns that many couples still maintain the love symbols in tattoos as a striking appearance of love. There are numerous ways to express affection among people and it may appear strange that people in love are prepared to go any extent to bear the pain for their beloved.

Many personalities have been carving new types of affection tattoos by romanticizing this specific aspect of conveying their feelings. Assorted heart tattoos are available to express the affection and a crated tattoo parlour will take interest to design a peculiar tattoo for you.

Love, in general, is expressed by heart - a symbol recognized from time immemorial. Other tattoos to express love are the hearts with pierced with arrow, a protected heart or Celtic heart, sacred heart, etc. To give unique touch to the tattoos, certain people go a step further by adding the names or signs of their loved ones.

The pattern of love tattoos requires instant recognition. Real love blooms every time irrespective of age such as love tattoo patterns. Whether willing to send out noisy significance or just a delicate compliment to your loved one, a number of appealing tattoos are available.

The Most Famous Sister Love Tattoos

Sister tattoos are very popular nowadays. In recent times, these have become unbelievably popular tattoo art. And their popularity is growing day by day. Despite involving painful procedure, tattoo art is widely used across the globe. If you are looking for tattoos for you and your sister, it's advisable to consider every aspect of tattooing. Don't do it in haste and hurry.
Before you get sister tattoos, make sure you decide the type of tattoo you are looking for: Temporary or permanent. Usually tattoos are for a life time. However, if you wish you may have options to try temporary sister tattoos so that you can experiment with its looks and effects and then go for a permanent one.It's always good to do homework. Explore as many as designs you can get and select the best suitable sister tattoos. You can research on internet as well. There you will find numerous tattoo designs. You can choose the best deigns that suites best to you.You need not to select sister tattoos in haste. After all tattoos are for life time. Once you get a tattoo, whether you like it or not you can not change it later. Though there are new techniques to remove tattoos but it's an expensive option. Besides, it'll leave an ugly scare in your tattoo area.

Take some time to choose best sister tattoos in order to avoid future regret.These tattoos are known as the symbols of love and loyalty. These tattoos will make your already strong bond even stronger. These tattoos can improve troubled relationships as well. So, make sure that you get the sister tattoos that are able to express your feelings. You can also use sister tattoos to add value to your personality so that you and your sister feel proud to flaunt these tattoos. Going through various portfolios is considered very important in selecting tattoo designs. Select the design that both of you love. With these designs your tattoo artist will be able to create a unique tattoo for you.Tattooing is a painful procedure. It's more painful on certain body parts.
A professional tattoo artist will suggest the best body part so that you get less pain. It's also useful to understand that your sister tattoos could be annoying for couple of days. Experienced tattoo artist will guide you in taking care for your sister tattoos.Therefore, it's very important that you get the skilled and experienced tattoo artist. Your tattoo artist must have required license as well. It's always good to get customer recommendations so that you can judge the quality of an artist. This way, you can ensure that you get the best sister tattoos you are looking for.

Love Tattoos Are Very Popular Today

Love tattoos have always been a great way to express your feelings for someone else. Love tattoos are always very popular and a great many couples choose to show their love for one another in the form of a tattoo. Obviously, the love tattoos are not restricted to the love between couples but they cover a wide range of relationships ranging from a mom-daughter or a son-dad relationship.
Tattoos are no longer found only on the tough guys in the crowd. Tattoos are now so popular that it can often be a struggle finding new angles when it comes to both the background and placement. Tattoos are an art form for some people but an abomination to others on the other end of the spectrum.
Tattoos are very common these days, with just about 1 in 4 individuals having at least one and often more. Tattoos are usually considered to be part of the living organism of skin and must be maintained over the years to keep their colors alive and fresh. Tattoos that have been correctly applied, correctly healed, and protected from the rays of the sun can remain their best for years and years.

Love is the strongest of emotions that man has often expressed within the designs of love tattoos. There are many different ways to express your love to your significant other. Today, many couples still believe the symbols in love tattoos to be a very dramatic expression of love. It may sound odd to some but those in love are ready to bear any sort of pain for their loved ones.
Everything is fair in love after all. Many celebrities have been paving the way for new forms of love tattoos by idealizing this particular aspect of expression. There are a wide assortment of heart tattoos available for showing your love for someone else and a good tattoo parlor will usually be happy to design something unique for you.
The heart these days is still the most recognized symbol of love. Other symbols often found in love tattoos include the sacred heart, a pierced heart, a locked heart or a Celtic heart amongst many others. Many people interested in love tattoos will sometimes include their names or other symbols to add a personal touch to the tattoo.
Whatever you decide upon, the design of love tattoos should be instantly recognizable. True love blooms all the time no matter what and should be ageless like the designs of love tattoos. Whether you wish to send out a loud message or just a subtle tribute to your love, there are all kinds of love tattoos that might appeal to you.
Quite often, a couple will decide to get matching tattoos to show their love for one another. Love tattoos often incorporate such things as song lyrics or children's names. David and Victoria Beckham have matching tattoos that read 'I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine' written in Hebrew characters. The only problem with love tattoos is that the couple may not last but the tattoo is permanent.

Love Tattoo Ideas

Love can be represented in a multitude of ways and when it's meant to represent more than two people a difficult balancing act has to be struck. There's three main types of love tattoo ideas you could opt for.
Symbols
An obvious choice of symbol is the heart but you can choose to decorate it with names, flowers, flourishes of color or even birds and bees. A good variation the heart theme is a broken heart coming together into one to show the healing of a rift with love. Other symbols representing love could be crossed wedding rings.
Names
Having the name of your significant other regardless of how much you love them could be risky. Too many people have been completely and truly in love only to separate later down the line and have to deal with a painful reminder of the past. The risks are just not worth the reward but that doesn't mean you can't represent in some fashion your significant other. A tattoo of their birth sign, crystal, favorite color or something similar can represent them. Yet if you were to ever split up it can come to mean something else.

Mythology
Cupid the Roman God of erotic love and beauty is a popular design when firing an arrow through a persons name or even a heart. These are often depicted in the form of a child but there's nothing that specifically states Cupid was a child so you can opt to have an adult cupid. Although human forms are rarely popular. Another great tattoo is the goddess of love itself -Venus. Venus could be represented as a human form such as the classic "Birth of Venus" by Botticelli or even the Zodiac symbol for Venus.

Heart and Love Tattoos

Heart and Love Tattoos :

1. In Loving Memory Tattoo.

One option is to have an "in loving memory tattoo" based around a heart design. This is usually the perfect design option for someone in your life whom you've loved and who has now passed on. I've seen great "in loving memory tattoo" heart designs on both men and women, and they all came off as powerful tats.

2. Romance.

This can be a real slippery slope as there are plenty of tattoo cover up jobs of heart tattoos which had a romantic others name placed over the heart in some form such as a banner. It probably sounded like a great thing to do at the time, but in reality, relationships do often end.

Now having said that, on the other hand if you do have a true love which you believe will be around forever, then a love tattoo can be the perfect straight forward symbol of permanent union.

3. Love in General.

Heart and love tattoos are probably best when they signify someone in your life whom you truly love, as more of a lifelong friend as opposed to an intimate lover. Lifelong friends can include relatives as well as best friends. They can also include pets. Actually a heart and love tattoo can be great symbol of your love for a pet you own or have owned in the past.

Christmas Nail Art Design

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, or Men Who Hate Women as the name is when translated straight from Swedish, is Stieg Larsson's first novel. It is also the first part of his The Millennium Trilogy. Millennium is quite small magazine that is owned by journalist Mikael "Kalle" Blomkvist and his "occational lover" Erika Berger. Millennium is published in Stockholm, the beautiful capital of Sweden.

In the beginning of the book, Mikael Blomkvist gets sentenced to prison for three months for libeling of well-known Swedish business man Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Mikael had been accusing Wennerstrom for many kind of white-collar crimes, but in the end all the evidence falls to pieces for some reason. Mikael pledges for revenge since he thinks the sentence was underserved. Soon he seems to get a change for it, when another business-mogul Henrik Vanger approaches him with and interesting and appealing offer. Vanger wants Mikael to solve a mystery that has become an obsession to Henrik Vanger: what happened to his niece Harriet Vanger forty years ago when she just disappeared without a trace. And if Mikael succeeds, Vanger will give him Wennerstrom's head on a plate. Another job for Mikael is to write a book about Vanger-family and its history. Mikael agrees to take the job and spend a year in Vanger-family's hometown, a little town Hedestad. 300 km north from Stockholm.

Mikael starts his job by inspecting the family history, and soon he finds out that there are skeletons buried in almost every closet he opens. It seems that almost every family member hates each other. There are a lot of weird characters in the family tree and only Henrik Vanger seems to be normal one. Mikael notices as well, that not every family member is keen on the fact that Mikael has started digging the secrets of the family.

While seeking material for his book about Vanger-family, Mikael starts to solve the weird disappeareance of Harriet Vanger. It happened 40 years go, when the whole family was gathered together. In the early afternoon Harriet just disappeared without a trace and nobody had a glue where she had gone. Everything happened in a closed island Hedeby near Hedestad. It's famouse so called "closed-room scenario". Due to car accident, roads out from the island are closed for a day, and during that time Harriet disappears. Nothing points that a crime has happened that can't be ruled either. The whole island is searched through several times but no sign of Harriet is found. Years go by but Harriet's case remains unsolved.

Finally, after working hard for many months, the secrets starts slowly unfold itself. Mikael also finds out that he needs help because there are so much things that need to be researched. Henrik Vanger's lawyer and good friend Dirch Frode tells Mikael about Lisbet Salander, who have been helping Frode and Vanger earlier as well. Lisbet is an extraordinary young woman with a lot of piercings and, a dragon tattoo. Lisbet is a genious with computers and is able to make them anything for herself. She, of course, has her own closets full of skeletons. Through her short life, Lisbet has been dragged from institution to institution. She is used to solve arguments with other people with violence and has emotional problems as well. But she's not stupid, nowhere near...

Excellent Chinese Dragon Tattoos

The Chinese Dragon tattoo is very potent in its appeal. When the subject of the Chinese dragon comes up, there is no argument that these creatures have a distinctly "masculine" quality. In addition, these dragons are associated with the number "9." This is because the value of "9" is the biggest possible, single digit number. The Chinese dragon adeptly symbolizes powerful and auspicious energy. In particular, they are in control of the element of water. For instance, dragons are said to manipulate rain, hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. The dragon itself is an old symbol of good luck, strength, and power. When the Chinese dragon is placed on the human body in the form of a tattoo, the meaning represents intelligence, strength, good luck, health, harmony, and good will. One of the noted qualities of Chinese dragon tattoos is the flaming pearl under the chin of the creature. Chinese dragons have snake-like bodies with scales all over them. Naturally, these dragons have supernatural power too.

There are four primary Chinese dragon tattoos in symbolic form which are widely available. The first one is the "Horned Dragon" tattoo. The person who wears this form on their body chooses to be mighty in words and deeds. Another symbol is that of the "Earth Dragon." This dragon is the ruler of the Earth. It represents a connection with the earth and land for the person who wears it. The "Yellow Dragon" is the hornless dragon which is a representation of scholarly knowledge. The person who wears this symbol wants to be associated with the power of his or her intellect. Lastly, there is "Celestial Dragon." This dragon is the Protector of the Gods. People who desire to confirm their spiritual path, or who have strong spiritual convictions, tend to prefer this symbol. The Chinese dragon tattoo is becoming more popular because many people are wearing them.

The Chinese dragon has a very authoritative appeal. According to legend, the earliest emperors of China were closely related to a dragon. At the end of his reign, the first emperor of legend, Huangdi, was thought to have been immortalized into a dragon which resembled his imperial emblem. Later he ascended into Heaven. Another legendary emperor, Yandi, was born by his mother's telepathy with the aid of a dragon. Since the Chinese consider Huangdi and Yandi to be their ancestors, they often refer to themselves as "the descendants of the dragon." These legends started to influence the usage of the dragon with the official symbol of Imperial power. In some legends an emperor might be born with a birthmark in the shape of a dragon. One legend tells the tale of a peasant born with a dragon birthmark. This peasant eventually overthrows the existing dynasty in order to establish a new one. Another legend tells of a prince who is in hiding from his enemies. He is eventually identified by his dragon birthmark.
Of course, actual belief in the dragon of folklore is quite sporadic. The worship of the Chinese dragon may be ingrained in the culture of China. However, very few people consider dragons to be real creatures. Cultural traditions like Chinese New Year celebrations often feature the dragon in a parade. For most people, dragons are just representations of qualities people aspire to have. Regardless of the legends, Chinese dragons make excellent tattoos for all these reasons. They are personal representations placed on the human body. They represent qualities like power, strength, intellectual ability, good fortune, and authority which are universal in their appeal. The Chinese Dragon is a big part of being truly "Chinese!"

Japanese Dragon Tattoo Designs and Meaning

The Japanese Dragon Tattoo is a very beautiful and colorful tattoo design and very symbolic, with its origins in myths and folklore. It is also very mystical, adding to the appeal of the Japanese dragon tattoo. Over the ages, from Egyptian times the dragon has represented good and also represented evil. However, the attraction of the Japanese dragon, apart from its stunning beauty is that it represents good luck and the source of wealth. The Japanese dragon also represents the meaning of freedom and being fearless, both very attractive qualities.
In the Greek language, dragon is sourced from draca, which means serpent.
Like the angel, the Japanese Dragon also has the meaning of guardianship, providing a protective force over those it was associated with. Other meanings associated with the Japanese dragon is strength and power. In Japanese culture the dragon is associated with supernatural powers, and amazing wisdom.
There are six forms of the Japanese Dragon. They are:
Sui-Riu is the king Dragon and is in control of the rain. Therefore in this day and age of drought he is all powerful!

Han-Riu has many stripes on his body and is up to forty feet in length. One of the biggest dragons.
Ri-Riu dragon is a rare breed that is not well understood. However, it is known that they have amazing eye sight.
Ka-Riu is a brilliant red color, and a petite dragon in comparison with the others.
Fuku-Riu is a favorite dragon of many people as it is the dragon of luck.
Hai-Riyo is known as the dragon bird, and the most advanced form of dragon. It evolved out of Chinese mythology.
The colors of the dragons have special significance, which are based on their parents. For example a dragon with a black color means their parents are very old and wise. Green dragons are smaller than average, but are representative of life and of the earth. Gold colored dragons are special because they have many special attributes such as wisdom, kindness and the ability to face challenges head on.
Yellow dragons represent the east. They are great companions when you need a hand, but can be self absorbed at times. Blue dragons are from the west. They are forgiving and compassionate, but on the negative side can be lazy and uncaring when it suits them.
Finding the right Japanese Tattoo Design for you can be quite daunting. Check out all the free sites on the net to get as many ideas as you can. Just remember that many other people have done the same thing to get ideas. For example, last month, over 41,000 people searched for dragon tattoo designs on Yahoo. Apparently, roughly 8 times that amount check out Google for the same search term. Then there is MSN and the other search engines. So a huge amount of people see the same free designs as you. If you want original Japanese Dragon tattoo designs, it is recommended that you check out books or other sources of tattoo designs that are not freely available. I have checked out three Japanese dragon tattoo galleries on the internet that have from 3,500 to 6000 different designs, so you will have no trouble finding what you want.

How to Find a Good Tattoo Artist

If you're planning on getting a tattoo you should make sure the tattoo parlor you choose is reputable. There aren't many laws governing the tattoo industry so it's up to the consumer to make sure they are going to a business that abides by laws regarding sanitary measures.
The process to start a tattoo parlor isn't rigorous. Tattoo artists must complete a course on contagious disease transmission and then are awarded a license. Their businesses aren't subject to inspection afterwards.
Be careful. Don't just pick the first place you see. Take the time to learn about the tattoo artist before letting them permanently mark your body. Practically anyone can get a tattoo parlor license and set up shop.
Take a look around when you enter a tattoo parlor. Check out the spray bottles and brushes on the shelves. They should be in sealed packaging. The staff should be conscientious about hygiene and maintain a professional atmosphere.
Be sure to ask plenty of questions about the sterilization process they use. Don't be shy about it. The autoclave sterilization method is recommended. If they don't use it, walk away.

If you take the time to find out about their sterilization methods you can get a feel for how reputable the tattoo parlor is and how serious they are about preventing the spread of disease. Quality tattoo parlors use EPA approved disinfectants to wash their hands and clean the area to be tattooed.
If the parlor doesn't use safe practices or is hesitant to answer questions, then take your business elsewhere. A safe tattoo artist won't mind answering your questions and showing you around. They will have nothing to hide.
Definitely ask to see some previously drawn designs and a few customer references. This will give you some indication of their ability and whether past customers were satisfied with the services they received.

Mastering the Art of Tattooing

The art of tattooing is one of the earliest art forms known to mankind. Tattooing has been a form of personal expression and body ornamentation since prehistoric times. Both tribal cultures and highly developed civilizations like ancient Rome and Egypt used tattooing as an art form. In every century and in countries all over the world, people have felt a strong desire to adorn their bodies with meaningful symbols and beautiful designs.
Today's tattooists must learn how to use equipment, including tattoo machines, needles and ink. They also must become familiar with modern sanitary procedures for tattooing.
Mastering this knowledge will make someone a proficient tattooist, but becoming a tattoo artist requires another level of skill. A successful tattoo artist must have a good understanding of basic artistic concepts like proportion, perspective and the use of color. The ability to draw well is another important skill for a tattoo artist. Much of this comes naturally to people who are born with artistic talent, but that doesn't mean that a dedicated tattooist can't learn and develop artistic skills. With time and practice, you can master the art of tattooing

Color Theory for the Art of Tattooing
The color of a tattoo is one of the first things that gets noticed. The use of color can make all the difference in the success or failure of a tattoo design. Gaining an understanding of how colors work together is an important step in mastering the art of tattooing. If you've never been exposed to color theory, enrolling in an art class at a community college is a great way to get started. You'll learn how the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) can be mixed to form all other colors, and how a color wheel shows which colors work well together.
Use of Contrast in Tattoos
One of the most important aspects of color in the art of tattooing is the use of contrast. Color contrast is what gives a tattoo design depth. The contrast can be in the amount of lightness and darkness (such as the contrast between white and black) or it can be in the colors themselves (such as the contrast between warm colors like yellow and orange and cool colors like blue and green). Contrast in colors will make one shape stand out from another or make a shape stand out from its background.
Composition and the Art of Tattooing
Composition refers to the flow of the design elements in a tattoo and how well they fit on the body part where they're tattooed. A client may come to a tattoo artist with a fixed idea about the design and placement of a tattoo. A good tattoo artist will know if the proportion of the design will work in the desired location. If it won't work, the tattoo artist must be ready to offer some alternative ideas. This may mean changing the scale of a design with a photocopier machine or cutting and pasting elements of one or more designs to create something new. A talented tattoo artist understands that the most successful tattoo designs mimic the flow of the body part where they're applied.
Perspective and Depth in Tattoos
Applying the artistic theories of perspective and depth is what gives a tattoo a 3-dimensional quality. In tattooing, perspective and depth are achieved through the use of contrast, outline and shading. Being able to create the illusion of reality with depth and perspective is what sets a tattoo artist apart from a tattooist. These techniques can be learned in an art course or from an art book and practiced with pencil and paper. Unless you're a natural born artist, practice and experience are the only way to master these techniques.
Besides taking art courses and practicing, a beginner tattooist should spend time studying tattoo magazines and becoming familiar with the work of established tattoo artists. Tattoo magazines are an important resource for beginning tattooists. They showcase the finest designs that the world of tattooing has to offer. By reading tattoo magazines, aspiring tattoo artists can learn about the leading tattoo artists, become inspired, decide who they want to emulate and begin to create their own style.

How To Become a Tattoo Artist

The rising popularity of the tattooing all around the world as a way to decorate the body has opened up the way for many people to get a new and demanding career as a tattoo artist. In this article you can find information on how to become a tattoo artist.

The art of tattoo is not something that can be learned in a short time. It requires some drawing and painting skills, patience and a lot of practice which may take years to develop. Because as an artist, you draw and paint on the bodies of your clients permanently. During this process, in the case of a slightest mistake, there is no chance for return and deletion. This art requires the drawing and painting of the designs on the body without any mistakes with complete perfection.

In order to become a tattoo artist, exercising drawing and painting skills will be a good first step. You can get assistance from books, courses and other tattoo artists. The more you develop your drawing skills, the more successful you will be in your new career. Starting from easy designs to relatively difficult ones, practicing how to draw until you develop your own style will help you in your career in the future.

It is not something that can be learned through schools or courses. There are not institutions devoted for the educations of tattoo artists. From time to time some courses can be opened by some parlors but of course it is hard to become a tattoo artist in such a short time with just the basic tattooing information they provide.

Traditionally they got their skills through apprenticeship which is a great way to get intense training about how to do tattoos and valuable knowledge about the tattoo business. You can ask the tattoo artists in your neighborhood that you want to work with them for free. Once accepted to work with them, you can get your first step to the world of tattoo business and learn everything about tattooing in the stage.

There are some difficulties of the free intense training; you will not get paid and you can be asked to do things like cleaning and dusting rather than tattooing. Indeed the performance you show on these type of work will give clues about th dedication and motivation you carry. A test upon how eager and hard worker you are to do things necessary for success. This is how the mechanism of apprenticeship works for thousands of years!

As you continue to prove yourself, you will learn many skills from the master artist, such as how to safely clean your equipment, how to operate a tattoo machine, how to adjust your power supply, how to protect yourself and your clients from disease, and most importantly how to correctly apply a tattoo. You are not limited to only gaining knowledge from your teacher; you can also spend time learning from other artists as well.

Stupid Tattoos to Avoid

With more and more people getting inked, stupid tattoos are becoming more common. You should always give good, hard thought about the type of design you are going to get. It's actually easy to fall for stupid tattoos because of what seems trendy at the moment, and other factors as well. But here I will reveal 2 stupid tattoos to avoid so you will at least not fall victim to these horrendous tattoo traps.
1. The Chain Link Around The Bicep. If there was a "wall of shame" in tattooing history, it is quite possible that the chain link around the bicep tattoo could rank as number 1. Everyone and their brother seemed to jump on this trend bandwagon at one point. Suddenly it was ultra cool to get a chain inked around your arm. This is the one of the most popular tattoo designs which was completely void of any meaning at all. No one knew why they were getting this ink atrocity on their arms, they just knew it was supposed to be really, really cool. But what they didn't seem to know is that the 90's would eventually end and in the future people would heavily mock these tats.

2. The Drunken Cartoon Character Tattoo. If you've ever seen a crudely drawn cartoon character tattoo on someone, you probably suddenly wondered, "what in the world was this person thinking"? The problem was that they likely weren't thinking. They likely were three sheets to the wind. Drunk as a skunk. Inebriated beyond belief. This is how many of these cartoon creatures end up on human skin. These are highly regrettable ink choices, but even if you get a cartoon character out of free and sober will, everyone will still think you must have been toasted when you made that tattoo decision.

A Complete Review of Tattoo Me Now

No other choice comes as personal as getting a tattoo. People give it a lot of thought before settling with a design. The good news is that Tattoo Me Now is designed to help your dream come true. This site is like an angel on your shoulder offering valuable advice and input for your decision. But what else is there?
The site helps solve two of the most important problems related with getting a tattoo. First off, the design to get on your tattoo can be difficult to find but the site does offer a solution. Its wide range of designs means you have virtually unlimited options. All this is online making it easily accessible right from the comfort of your own home.
Access to this site is for members only so you will need to sign up for an account. The good news is that the site lets you choose between two options according to your needs. A one-year membership should be enough for most casual users. If you are really into tattoos, then the lifetime membership should be your choice.

After entering the site, you will immediately pat yourself on the back. You will find close to 3500 tattoo designs arranged in at least 40 categories for easier browsing. From Gothic crosses to Hawaiian flower birds, you will find a wide range of designs here. All this is available right at your fingertips. You can even print one out and show it to your local tattoo artist.

Tattoo Me Now is also full of other features. The member's gallery allows members to share their own designs as well as review others. A directory of tattoo studios helps you find the nearest joint in your area once you decide to get inked. It contains listings from all over the world.
To answer any question you may have, a forum is provided in the site as well. This can also serve as an area for meeting other tattoo enthusiasts from around the world. A video section is also available that covers a wide range of topics related to tattoos. A list of events keeps you posted with the latest happening in the community.
A bunch of bonuses are thrown in with membership. This includes 15 eBooks covering a wide variety of topics and available for free. You will also get a full refund with no questions asked within 60 days. Some parts of the site are having a few technical issues which are still being resolved though.
When it comes to value, Tattoo Me Now does not fail to deliver. It offers a bunch of handy features while throwing in some interactive bonuses into the mix. It certainly is worth the its asking price.

The Mystery of Snake Tattoo

When out walking, you might see people with colorful designs, symbols, or even pictures of creatures and things on their skin and might wonder what that could be. Well, those friends are called tattoos. Tattoos are basically a design of any sort put on the human or animal skin. Endless designs and ideas are now possible for people who want to get tattoos. The sky is the limit. For as long as you have a good imagination and a very good tattoo artist then you will get that tattoo you have always wanted.
Let us first define what tattoos are. Well, tattoos are pictures, markings, or traces found on the skin. These are accomplished through the use of an indelible ink with different colors. They then use extremely sharp and pointed needles to pierce through the human skin until the needle reaches the dermis layer or the inner layer of the skin. And because the dermal layer is targeted in the procedure, the results would be permanent meaning the tattoo design would not come off the skin even if washed multiple times. And because of its permanence, it is best to ask yourself if you are really ready for this.
One of the most requested tattoo designs of all time according to a bunch of surveyed tattoo artists and tattoo enthusiasts are the so-called snake tattoo. These kinds of tattoos despite having a snake in it has become quite popular especially for the gentlemen and of course, girls too! The snake symbolizes strength, power, life, and elegance. And because of these reasons and a whole lot more, the snake inspired tattoos are slowly growing in popularity.

It has been said that the snake is one of the most mysterious and complicated tattoo designs to make. This is due to the fact that the snake's body is very slender and sly and depicting that would be quite tough even for the most skilled tattoo artist. One tattoo artist stated that doing a snake tattoo requires a lot of focus and inspiration as doing a very good work would be considered perfect. People have also been mesmerized by such elegance the snake gives that is why they constantly ask for this animal to be imprinted on their skin to help show the world that like the snake, they can be sly, mysterious, and powerful as well if they wanted too.
Snake tattoo are usually portrayed as circling a particular object such as a person or a thing. Some snake inspired tattoos suggest that the snake showing its fangs symbolizes authority and power. But whatever the perspective of the tattoo is, one thing is for sure, the tattoo goers love it! The mystery of tattoos with the image of a snake still continues to bedazzle everyone maybe because the snake can be interpreted into a whole bunch of ways, ideas, and thoughts. Nonetheless, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the snake certainly is a beauty to behold and see.

Snake Tattoo Designs

It was over 50 years ago when I saw my first snake tattoo. My father proudly showed off his snake and dagger tattoo design he just had inked on his upper arm. I liked it too as he had incorporated my name in the design. He told me then he chose this design to represent strength and protection. If he were alive today, maybe he say something different, but I'm sure, in that tangled web of tattoos he eventually ended up with, this was still one of his favourites.

What is it that still draws people to this design? There are many answers to this and I will name just a couple. For example, the snake's popularity may have something to do with the rich history of myths and legends. One such myth is that of the ancient Greek myth of Medusa, the beautiful snake haired woman, who had the power to turn men into stone with a single glance, and I'm sure we know of a few women who still have that power today.

Snakes and serpents have a long mythological history associated with good and evil, life and death, beginnings and endings. When a snake sheds its skin it is seen as a symbol of rebirth, change, and healing.

Another tale of re-birth is that of the Ancient Greeks who had Ouroboros, a snake curled into a circle biting its own tail. The idea being that the continuing eating and re-growing of the tail is a symbol of the eternal cycle of ruin and re-birth.

The shedding of skin by the snake has also been associated with re-birth or new beginnings. The ancient Greeks believed snakes were sacred to the god of medicine Asclepius who had a staff with serpents wrapped around it, which you can still see today as a symbol in modern medicine.

What about the story of Hydra, a 9 headed serpent defeated by Hercules. The story goes Hercules had a difficult time killing the Hydra because when he cut one head off two heads would grow back. He eventually solved the problem by burning the stumps to stop another head growing, and the Hydra lived no more.

In some mythologies snakes are seen as the keepers of wisdom and sacred secrets. But the snake has also been show as a symbol of evil, death, or deceit. In Christianity, the serpent tricks Adam and Eve into disobeying God. Perhaps due to the deadly venom many snakes possess, myths involving snakes have often portrayed them as evil.

In Australia, India, and Africa, where snake myths are related to rainbows, and rainbows are often associated with rain and fertility. I like the story of Da, a mythological African serpent who kept the oceans and sky in place and we could catch a quick look at Da when a rainbow appeared.

Another reason for the snake's popularity as a tattoo design is that you can be incorporated with any other design, such as, hearts and daggers, or skulls and dragons. The beauty of the snake tattoo design is it doesn't look out-of-place with any other tattoo design.

Animal Fox Tattoo

One of the remarkable phenomenons observed during recent years involves use of a tattoo for various purposes. For instance, if you are interested in a tattoo because of religious symbolism, you can opt for tattoo crosses. Also, you will find bible tattoo designs that will have strong religious theme. Similarly, use of animal fox tattoo is considered to be age-old. There was a reason why more and more people resorted to having this particular tattoo. It is widely said, by etching an image of a particular animal on your skin, you can increase chances of getting those characteristics imbibed into your personality. Therefore, you can witness other animal tattoo such as serpents, eagles, lions, tigers, falcons and foxes, etc. are in great demand.
Worldwide research scientists believe, though a fox isn't considered to be overtly physically powerful animal, yet this was one of the most sought-after symbols that were in rampant use. Actually, a fox is known to be a cunning and clever animal. History has it, ancient men and tribal men always regarded a fox endowed with higher quality of intelligence.

Among popular animal tattoos fox, it would include, Bat tattoos, Bear tattoos, Buffalo Tattoos/Bison tattoos, Elephant tattoos, Horse tattoos, Lion tattoos (includes Puma, Cougar, Mountain Lion), Cat tattoos (domestic), Deer tattoos, Dog tattoos, (domestic), Leopard tattoos (includes Panther, Cheetah, Jaguar,) Monkey tattoos, Tiger tattoos, Wolf tattoos (includes Coyote, Fox), etc.
Have you ever given it a close thought why marketing experts take help of images of animal to promote their products like perfumes, cologne, clothing, etc? The logic behind this practice is very simple to understand. Use of these images will mean, it can bring out the animal in you! If you delve deeper into history records, you will come to know, use of animal images, designs, stories, etc. were in great use. For instance, there is reference of Egyptian gods making use of head of a jackal or body of a lion. Again, you can find some European stories that talk about werewolves and vampires.
It is popularly believed, having animal tattoo designs helps in demonstrating our connections to various forms of spirits of the fine beasts that literally defines our personalities. This actually helps in symbolizing our instincts and innate nature.

If you are looking for fox animal tattoos, you must know one interesting fact surrounding it. In the medieval period, it was believed that these foxes were a true accomplice of the witches. That was a reason why people would often get busy with fox hunting expeditions with an intention to kill them. This was exclusively done to protect men from evil. In a sense, the objective wasn't to derive thrill from this hunting experience but to make sure surrounding environment was free from evil spirits. This protective stance in early ancient people became the genesis of modern men preferring this tattoo.

Tribal Elephant Tattoo

A tattoo is permanent, so you need to make certain that you choose a design that you really want. You need to choose a design that you won't want to change 5 months down the road. Therefore, you need to research several different tribal ankle tattoo designs. Do not settle for the very first one that you come across, keep on looking. Once you've found the right one, you'll know! If you find one that you like and decide to keep looking, but just don't find any that settle in your heart the way the first one did - then that's the one!

Now, on the other hand, a unique design is important. If you want something that is different and not on everyone else, then research is very necessary.

There are several different types of websites on the internet that will allow you to pay a small fee and have access to their database of tattoo images. Normally, these images are pretty unique and are not found elsewhere, or at least not in many places. In addition, you may be able to get tattoo tips and tattoo parlor reviews for the small fee that you pay. With the magnitude of information that you receive, the small fee that you pay is well worth it.