Posted on May 03 2009 at 08:00 AM
Get a group of people together and there's a good chance that at least one of them has a tattoo. Because they've become so mainstream, it is increasingly difficult to get tattoos that differ significantly from those of the people around you. This is particularly true for those designs that are most common for tattoos (such as heart tattoos, butterfly tattoos and fairy tattoos). This poses problems for the people who are getting body art done today because a major purpose of the tattoo is to show off your individuality. That purpose is defeated if you show up at a party revealing a heart tattoo that closely matches the heart tattoos on other guests there.
In order to avoid this problem, it has become more necessary than ever before for people who are getting tattoos to really get involved in the creativity of the design. If you just walk into a tattoo parlor and choose fairy tattoos or heart tattoos off of the wall, there's a good chance that someone else in your own area has the exact same tattoos. You'll need to work on designing your own tattoos or altering existing designs in creative ways if you want to make sure that you don't become a victim of the matching tattoo epidemic.
The best way to avoid having tattoos that match anyone else's is to sketch them out yourself or find artists that have very original designs that you can work with. Make a list of the types of tattoos that interest you (basic designs like heart tattoos) and then make a second list of all of your interests, beliefs and things that are important to you. Then sit down and start sketching out a variety of different tattoos that incorporate some of these features. For example, you may make a bunch of identical heart tattoos but then embellish each one with a different item for your list. In the end, you could end up with heart tattoos that also include the names of people you care about, the image of your favorite food or a design that is inspired by a song you love.
Of course, some people may find it too intimidating to sketch out their own tattoos. If you're not an artist, this can be more frustrating than inspiring. If that's the case, your best bet is to start out with a basic design that someone else has drawn and then to add additional artwork from other places. For example, you could go to the local tattoo shop and find a few fairy tattoos that you really like. Photograph them and take them home to play with them. Try cutting them out and pasting them together to create back-to-back fairy tattoos; try turning them upside down and putting them head-to-toe; try adding images of heart tattoos from online to the fairy tattoos that you have to create a new image. Playing with a cut-and-paste method can help you come up with a design that's unique without requiring you to do any drawing yourself.
Tattoos are something that should be really personal for you. You can't help it that there are a thousand different fairy tattoos and heart tattoos out there which all look more or less the same. What you can help is getting enmeshed in the idea that you have to choose one of these designs to take as your own. Instead, figure out a way to play with the designs that exist and the images in your own mind in order to create body art that is truly unique to your style. Most tattoo artists really love the "artist" part of their work and will be more than happy to assist you in altering and enhancing their designs to make new art.
Posted on May 03 2009 at 07:56 AM
Posted on May 03 2009 at 07:55 AM
As a general rule, flower tattoos are more popular with women than with men. Perhaps it's due to their vibrant color, their delicate design or maybe it's the fact that it's like a beautiful fashion accessory. Whatever the reason, women with beautiful tattoos are often considered to be more confident, more feminine and more attractive.
One of the best aspects of flower tattoos is the massive choice of designs that are available. And each flower design has a different symbolic meaning, giving you a wide range of beautiful ways to express your individual personality.
For example, you could mix hollyhock (ambition) with heather (dreams come true) to signify your hopes and dreams of future success. Or how about combining narcissus and violet? That provides a contrast of both color and attitude. White and purple, arrogance and humility.
Alternatively, you could add flowers to other tattoo designs. For example, if you want a tattoo that represents someone special in your life you could get the design of a heart surrounded by symbolic flowers, such as roses (love), lavender (devotion), tulip (declaration of love) etc.
And that's just the start. You can combine any number of different flowers to create virtually any message.
So before you choose the flowers that you want to appear in your tattoo design, it's best to find out the meanings and symbolism of different varieties of flower. That will allow you to mix and match the flowers in your design until they convey the exact message that you want. So with that in mind here's a list of the most popular flowers used for tattoo designs and what they mean.
1) Cactus: Endurance
2) Carnation: Fascination, distinction, mother's love, I'll never forget you, admiration, broken heart, innocence, sweetness, pure love, faithfulness
3) Chrysanthemum: Truth, optimism, cheerfulness, loyal love, unrequited love
4) Daffodil: New beginnings, chivalry, unrequited love, joy, happiness
5) Daisy: Innocence, loyalty, purity
6) Dandelion: Happiness, faithfulness
7) Forget-me-not: Hope, remembrance, true love
8) Freesia: Thoughtfulness, innocence
9) Gladiolus: Remembrance, strength of character, infatuation
10) Heather: Dreams come true, protection
11) Holly: Enchantment, foresight, domestic bliss
12) Hollyhock: Ambition, fruitfulness
13) Iris: Wisdom, faith, hope, valor
14) Jasmine: Sensuality, grace, elegance, amiability
15) Lavender: Devotion
16) Lilac: Confidence, humility, youth
17) Lily: Wealth, innocence, purity, modesty, virginity, pride
18) Magnolia: Nobility, dignity, love of nature
19) Mimosa: Sensitivity
20) Mint: Virtue
21) Mistletoe: Affection, overcoming difficulties
22) Moss: Charity, maternal love
23) Narcissus: Self admiration, conceit, egotism
24) Nasturtium: Conquest, victory
25) Olive Branch: Peace
26) Orchid: beauty, Long life, charm, refinement, love
27) Periwinkle: Friendship
28) Poppy: Wealth, success, imagination, pleasure, consolation
29) Rose: Love, passion, courage, beauty, prosperity
30) Rosemary: Purity, rebirth, remembrance
31) Sage: Virtue
32) Sunflower: Adoration, haughtiness
33) Sweet William: finesse, gallantry
34) Thyme: Activity
35) Tulip: Declaration of love, beautiful eyes, perfect lover
36) Violet: Faithfulness, risk taking, youthful innocence, modesty, understated beauty
37) Water Lily: Purity of heart
38) Weeping Willow: Mourning
These are the most popular flowers that appear in tattoo designs, and as far as I'm aware these are the most common meanings attached to them. However, as tattoos should be regarded as permanent, please make sure you research the official meaning of these flowers before you go ahead with your flower tattoo.
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