Zombie Tattoos

While there are people who would never dream of getting something as scary as a zombie tattoo put on their body, these tattoos are becoming more and more popular recently, especially since the hit show “The Walking Dead” came out. For some, this type of tattoo is a face your fear type of thing, and what better way to do that than to have a zombie permanently inked on your skin? For others, a tattoo of this nature might tell others of the lack of fear for such things, and for others it may just be a way to attract attention. No matter what the reasoning behind getting one, there are plenty of different zombie tattoo designs that can be done to make an individual tattoo stand out. 

“The Walking Dead” tattoo can show your love of the popular hit series and there are more than enough gory scenes to get a great tattoo idea from. You can choose a specific zombie from one of the scenes or design one that looks like it belongs in the show. Adding the title of the show can be helpful for those few who do not watch it. 

Favourite TV characters can be drawn out as zombies; from Bart Simpson to one of the Disney Princesses, or Curt Cobain to Michael Jackson, there is no limit on which one of your favourite stars, alive or dead, can be pictured as a zombie. Zombies can be depicted as cartoons, anime, or real people. You can have them as a new age teen with piercings and tattoos or as a mobster from the 1920’s. 

You can also do a picture of a loved one that has passed, or one that broke your heart. Adding red roses to the design shows love for that person and black ones can mean hate. 

A zombie tattoo can be drawn however you like, from a scary monster type to a cute friendly one. The only limit to your tattoo design is your imagination and the abilities of your artist. Just remember that your tattoo is pretty much permanent, so make sure to get the right one the first time. 

Nautical Tattoos

Among popular nautical tattoos you will find such significant symbols such as sail ships, boats, anchors, rudders and compasses, mermaids and water-nymphs. They come in a great variety of designs and symbolic meanings. The most popular of these and pretty trendy nowadays are nautical star tattoos. This specific kind of a star actually is a symbol of the armed forces of the United States, but not many people take it in account getting these tattoos.

Nautical star tattoo meanings nowadays vary depending on personal meanings people add to this symbol: from the informal sign of a person really being a part of maritime forces of the United States to being a guide showing the way in life. Basically that’s a symbol of military and ability to find the right direction to get back home after wars, fights and other trouble military might get into. In all cases it is related to finding the right direction, although many people simply get it inked considering only the symbolic meaning of a star that holds a bit different meaning within than a nautical star. It truly looks nice and elegant coloured in different tones and many people get them as symbols of following their dreams.

Pay attention to the star colours! Traditional US maritime forces have this star in red and black. Nautical star in black and green stands for Irish culture and strength, but the one with black and pink symbolize the fight with breast cancer.

But there is one warning – many gangs nowadays use this star and having it might be even dangerous…

Dangerous this tattoo becomes when you get it in the wrong place or in wrong colours. For example, for Russian mafia nautical stars inked on both shoulders are tattoos one should earn not have for granted. The person who is not related to criminal society, but is wearing this tattoo on both shoulders might really get into trouble if getting into the way of Russian mafia.

Of course, nautical tattoos nowadays are not only for sailors or those related to waters, but research is pretty essential. Sailors where those who brought the tattoo art in spotlights, and their tattoos are pretty old symbols used in Western culture. It means – they have overgrown with different meanings, traditions and practical uses, for example, for recognition as it is in the case of Russian mafia.

Joker Tattoo

Not every person would wear a joker tattoo because it’s a really specific one. Those who play card games might now the nature of a joker, but jokers undoubtedly are related to jesters or court fools who were there to entertain others.  

To get to the root of numerous variations of joker tattoo designs, we should take a look at its meaning in card games.  In some games joker card really goes wild or ranks higher than any other card – it can make unexpected surprises for all involved in the game. You can fool many people, but you can’t fool a joker - that’s one of messages this tattoo tells about its’ wearer.

The Joker card in fact is not that old as other cards, but has been developed from “The Fool” card in Tarot. Joker stands for sharp mind and cleverness, ability to improvise and act without concrete script or plan, ability to deal with unexpected and make people laugh more about themselves than at a joker.  This definition pretty clearly stands for improvisation theatre actors as we know them nowadays. It’s not just a fool who can crack jokes he/she has learned by heart, but someone who has ability to observe, listen, analyse, dare and speak up and show the spectators themselves in a way that they even laugh about it.  It’s always related to taking risks.

Joker face tattoos you can see nowadays inked wouldn’t seem nice or cute at all. They mostly have artful, fraudulent and even devilish facial expressions. So do they really mean fooling people in a way that brings benefit to the joker and does bad to others? Some horror movies definitely have added a bad meaning to this character. Is joker tattoo nowadays really standing for values from “the dark side”? That’s an arguable questions and the answer you can get only from the wearer of such tattoo, or from yourself if you are planning to get one like that as well!

Hawaiian Tribal Tattoos

From all tribal tattoos Hawaiian tribal tattoos nowadays are probably the most popular and meaningful body decorations. Their organic flow forming into different meaningful shapes is truly beautiful and adorable, so it’s not a surprise that these tattoos are loved among both men and women around the world.

In Polynesia where Hawaii Islands are located, tattoo art has been significant for many centuries. Western culture hadn’t really discovered it yet, when Polynesians already developed their body art to the highest level of elegance.

Hawaiian tribal tattoo meanings can vary depending on forms and figures depicted. Historically these tattoos were made to mark heritage, status, special achievements, believes, but first of all the tattoo wearers relation to this Pacific region. All Hawaiian tribal tattoo designs reflect nature – leaves and flowers, lizards and turtles, shells and fishes. All small elements are placed in perfect harmony to create together the big picture of harmonious tattoo that stands for… harmony in nature. Not just people with Hawaiian heritage would want to get something like this, and it’s totally understandable. No matter where in the world you are – beauty and harmony of nature goes hand in hand.  

Pretty often these tribal tattoos are made also as frames for other symbols depicted in the same Hawaiian tribal style. Turtles symbolize long life, shells stand for wealth, but these Hawaiian tattoos in which the tribal ornaments together form something similar to a human being is Tiki – the first human on Earth with enormous abilities to smell danger.

Your tribal tattoo might be simply your body decoration without any symbolic meaning in it. Of course, they look great and elegant, perfect for upper arm tattoos, wristlets on large back pieces. But if you want to combine your Hawaiian tribal tattoos with other symbols or tattoo any figure that would be formed in this tribal style, research Hawaiian symbols. All tattoos inked taking in consideration the Hawaiian perception of beautiful body art will be considered Hawaiian tattoos; and wearing something without knowing its’ meaning probably is not what a mindful tattoo wearer wants.

Cloud Tattoos

Cloud tattoos are traditional part of Japanese tattoos and it’s not that often people choose to ink clouds on their own without other symbols. Researching the symbolic meaning of clouds in different cultures it seems that they definitely deserve to stand as main figures in tattoos not just background fillers.

Traditional Japanese cloud tattoo would always be a supplement of a tattoo on the upper part of body. That’s the cloud and wave rule of Japanese tattoo art where clouds symbolize sky and waves would always come in the tattoo placed on lower part of body standing for ground and waters. It doesn’t mean that you couldn’t have a cloud tattoo, for example on your ankle, if you find a good explanation why you want to place it there. Japanese artists would simply tell you that it’s better to consider the balance of natural world if you want to get the best out of your tattoo.  

Some really amazing cloud tattoo designs depict people in swings hanging from clouds, deities riding clouds and, of course, birds, unicorns and rainbows are just perfect together with clouds. Clouds stand for dreams: they are up into the sky moving by the power of wind, travelling great distances and always changing. If we wouldn’t have any creative abilities we wouldn’t be able to see different figures formed from clouds into sky – so they symbolize also creative mind of humans.  

In Greek and Roman cultures clouds were home for gods and goddesses – hidden from eyes of people behind clouds deities could work and connect. But Oriental cultures like Chinese and Hindu would always see clouds as symbols of transition and impermanent obstacles. Nothing lasts forever and everything is always in change. This is not just a reminder that bad events and unhappy feelings will fade out, but also that good things in life are as unpredictable and unstable as unpleasant ones.  

Clouds stand for dreams and obstacle changes. They can bring refreshing rain in unbearable heat; they can give shadow in sunny days and come with heavy rains and thunders as well.  Having this information in your mind you could really think of some cloud tattoos ideas where they would proudly stand as the main symbols, not just filler.

Soccer Tattoos

If you love soccer you might love soccer tattoos! If soccer is something you have been playing since childhood, if that’s something you do professionally, if playing soccer with friends are your best childhood memories or soccer really has taught you a lot – go for it! Even if you might not play soccer for the entire life, maybe a little soccer ball inked on your body might be the greatest reminder of things you have experienced playing soccer!

Soccer players often get their well-trained bodies inked. Among their tattoos you will see not just things related to this game that more than a hundred years ago originated in England. Among popular soccer player tattoos are angels, flames, wild animals, wings and saints, names and portraits of their family members and tattoos that remind of their ancestries. Just look at such a world class soccer players as David Beckham, Dani Alves, Zlatan Ibrahimovich or Daniel Agger – many of their tattoos are masterpieces with personal meanings.

It’s pretty popular among rock music fans to get portraits of their favourite and the most inspiring rock stars inked on their bodies. What about a tattoo on your body in honour of the most inspiring player who for you truly stands out in the world of soccer?

If you are not the one willing to wear portraits of famous soccer players on your body, but are looking for something that could clearly stand for football, think about getting a soccer ball tattoo!

Soccer balls have already found places on many soccer fan bodies, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t be original. It’s easy to combine soccer balls with other symbols like flames or quotes and names. Girls love soccer balls combined with flowers in their tattoos showing both – love for this manly game and their femininity as well. You can also combine soccer ball with a winner’s cup, eagles, shields, flags, crowns, sexy ladies or strong soccer players in your tattoos. Your soccer tattoo can be as original as far your or your tattoo artist’s creativity can reach!

Tree Tattoos

There is probably nobody out there who gets a tree tattoo just because it looks nice and without any personal meaning of getting such tattoo. It can symbolize the wearers love for nature and it can stand for growth from the roots deep down into the ground reaching high into the sky. It can represent family or stand for wisdom and higher perspective. You can get an elegant tattoo of a tree representing your values without having a specific kind of tree, but you can also dig deeper for symbolic meanings of different species.

Palm tree tattoo looks different than depiction of other trees like oaks, ash-trees or maples that might look alike when drawn without leaves or from a distance. Palm trees can grow only in places that are sunny and warm enough, that’s why they are symbols of solar power standing also for protection and vitality. Apple tree can be related to Christianity if you take in account Biblical story of Adam and Eve, but in other cultures it symbolize also fertility, love and romance. Birch trees symbolize stability, adaptability and spirits of the dead. Hazels stand for creativity, knowledge and in some cultures witchcraft, but oak trees symbolize life itself, strength, family and heritage, longevity and wisdom. Looking for any tree tattoo meaning you might have to find out if that’s a specific tree inked on one’s body.

Many people will confidently tell you that tree of life tattoos are clear Christian symbols relater to Bible. Actually this concept has been used in many cultures even before Christianity came. The tree of life shows a connection between the underworld, heaven and the world that is our visible reality. In Biblical story the tree of life has fruits that can give eternal life, but in other cultures this tree itself stands for eternal life. We grow roots, get through the layer of ground into the world where many outer obstacles influence our growth, we get higher and higher, green and flower, give fruits and seeds that fall down and start the same journey. With this perception of the world nothing ever ends. It’s religious, paganism and mythological symbol at the same time. The difference is only in accents you put in your tattoo, but this concept undoubtedly has been important in almost all cultures everywhere around the world.

Whatever is your choice, every tree tattoo embodies physical and spiritual growth, strength and ability to access whatever is hidden deep down (into ground) to reach higher perspectives (with branches that make you wider and reach higher up to the sun).

Meaningful tattoos

Meaningful tattoos are what we all want to believe in seeing permanently inked body decorations. Tattoo wearers in tribes and ancient cultures never got something inked just because it looks nice. Their tattoos were always related to something specific and even had their duties like protecting, giving special powers or attracting energies to their wearers. Nowadays when we can find tattoo parlours in every town and we have resources to pay for these not very cheap body decorations, the situation has changed: pretty often meaningful, personal tattoos are replaced by trendy figures and pop-culture symbols without very deep personal meanings.

You don’t have to be a deep thinker to find meaningful tattoo ideas for yourself. Firstly, think about the most important things in your life, your best qualities or values you might lack for now but your consider very important. Think about your dreams and goals, about your interests and family heritage that’s not going to disappear from your life in a month or a year. You are getting tattooed to carry this body decoration the rest of your life. You can also embody the life verities and cognitions you have come to through your life adventures.

Johnny Depp is one of the most famous tattooed celebrities who has told that his body is like a journal and his tattoos are like diary entries that form a story of his life. The truth is that also he has inked something on his body and decided to change it later – that’s not really something what we do with our diary entries, right?

The biggest mistakes people make are misspelled words or getting names of their lowers inked on their bodies. The statistics show these are the most famous tattoos people want to get removed or covered up with other tattoos when their lovers change. It’s your body and you are the only one who has to live with it. Don’t get a tattoo to prove something or just because something looks cute or seems cool: these are considered meaningless tattoos, especially if you haven’t done any research to find out the meaning of symbols you have on your body. The best tattoo artists are also great at helping people to find meaningful tattoos that fit well their personalities!

It doesn’t matter if someone thinks your tattoos are clichés as long as you know what they mean to you. Skulls, anchors and dragons can be meaningful tattoos for men the same as butterflies, cheetah prints and flowers for ladies. If you know why you are getting these tattoos, what stands behind them and have no doubt that you need it – go for it! It’s great to wear something personal always with you – inked on your body as a reminder and source of energy and strength!

Sailboat tattoo

Sailboat tattoo is, of course, a great choice for those who are looking for nautical tattoos. Pretty often these tattoos find places on bodies of those who are not sailors and not related to waters at all because of the symbolic meaning of sailboat that has roots deep in our cultural heritage.

Sailboat tattoo meaning can be found in literature, folklore and dream explanations based on psychology. This boat with its sails proudly elevated up to the sky and standing against strong winds, with wild waves around, with anchor to hold it safe and steering wheel to control the direction of its movement can be a symbolic representation of a person. Of course, all kinds of ships stand for traveling and exploration since the times of travellers like Magellan and Columbus, but they represent also humans who can proudly stand through the storms of life.

People who get sailboats inked on their bodies own a talisman in a form of a tattoo to keep them strong and willing to move on through life’s challenges. It also reminds them to stay in safe harbours well-grounded until the sea has becalmed.

Going into open waters symbolize also spiritual journey and sailboat is what takes you to the direction of your goal. It stands for navigation being out of your comfort zone or away from home, ability to stay balanced, adapt to different obstacles and stay proud through changing outer influences.

Some people chose to get sailboat tattoo not just as a reminder to stay strong but also to symbolize tough times they have already gone through, survived and got into the calm harbour their lives have turned out after the stormy events.

Sailboats are very traditional, old school tattoos that sailors have brought to us since the beginning of the previous century. Those who travelled around the world got to know the tattoo art and brought it into civilized societies from tribes and exotic islands. That’s not a bad idea to get a sailboat inked on your body in honour of those who revived the tattoo art!

Owl Tattoo

What else could mark your love for the dark hours of day better than owl tattoo? That’s a really smart tattoo symbolizing more than just love for night. Old people in America still say that those who like to wear owls (in a form of jewellery or as prints on clothes) have good spirits within. Having an owl inked on your body would not just show your kind-hearted soul, but also attract well-minded spirits as believed by our ancestries.

When you are looking for owl tattoo designs, take in account the symbolic meaning of owl in different cultures. Ancient Greeks related this bird with the goddess of knowledge and learning – Athena. Romans gave owl the same qualities. That’s the reason why pretty traditional owl tattoo depicts an owl sitting on hills of books wearing mortarboards – that’s the tattoo for lovers of knowledge, learning, studying and wisdom.

Barn owls with heart-shaped faces and dark eyes are great hunters with amazing hearing ability. English folklore tells that barn owls can predict weather, but their reputation wasn’t that good at all. If you think about getting a barn owl tattoo, take in consideration that in some cultures seeing a barn owl means relatives’ death and that sinister, nasty, dishonest and villainous people after the death would turn into barn owls, while good souls would reincarnate into other species of owls.

For Celts and ancient Egyptians owl was a guard of worlds where the dead souls go, so this bird is called also “angel of death”. Not just dead spirits are under the oversight of owls, but spirituality in general is embodied into the owl figure – ability to see, act and be fully alert in the darkness. For Native American shamans owls were guides and their whistles meant signals to the world of the dead. Hindus cultural heritage approve owl connection to spiritual worlds as well, but in Africa owls are companions of witches, wizards and others who are related to magic and communication with spirits.

The most basic and widest meaning of owl tattoo is wearers close relationship to nature, gaining natural intelligence, understanding its’ secrets and being alert to natural processes learning and growing through them. Almost none of cultures everywhere around the world have ignored this bird without giving it spiritual meaning.

Cat Tattoo

Getting a cat tattoo you can show your love for animals, but this tattoo has so many symbolic meanings that you probably might want to know how others will see your body decoration depending on their knowledge. In different cultures cat stands for good, in others - for bad. Oh, and what about black cats? Many people nowadays consider them related not only to mystery and magic, but bad luck as well...

Traditional cat tattoo can show a portrait of a real animal: beloved pet that has passed away, a cat as a guard and totem animal or embodiment of its symbolic meaning and characteristics. Besides traditional tattoos you definitely have seen also cartoon cats (like Hello, Kitty!) and Egyptian cats inked on bodies. The meaning of cartoon cats you have to figure out on your own watching them in action – they embody the qualities of their cartoon characters.

In ancient Egypt cats were sacred animals, symbols of home and femininity. In Ancient Rome they were related to domestic wellbeing, but in other cultures cats are guards of spiritual words who have deep connection with spirits living in parallel worlds. Oh, and we all know that each witch needs a black cat because they can communicate with the dead and are related to magic, and feminine powers of night and moon.

Getting a cat tattoo, you are embodying in your tattoo all of cats’ characteristics.  Firstly, these animals go wherever and whenever they want, they are independent but not loners. They also like to be with people and when they need it, they will easily find opportunities to socialize. They are hunters with sharp senses and patience to wait for the right time to catch their kill. They are curious and deeply relaxed within themselves. And we consider them also healers – they are our emotional support and some people say that cats feel when we are sick and come to us to ease our pain.

Cat tattoo designs come in a great variety. Mostly you will see tattoos where cat is the main figure and can be supplemented with other symbols. A cat together with moon will embody the feminine powers and relation to magic, a cat with wings often is related to ancient Egypt, but sitting cat can resemble also clef used in music notation.

Have you seen a tattoo of a smiling cat? That’s Cheshire cat from “Alice in Wonderland” telling that we all are insane and its’ wearer feels comfortable being this way in our mad world! Oh, and a grumpy cat that has gained a great popularity around the internet globally, already takes places on bodies as decorations!

Barb Wire Tattoos

Several celebrities wear manly barb wire tattoos. While many of us relate such tattoos with prisoners, what it has to do with someone like Pamela Anderson who also has this tattoo inked on her upper arm?

To understand barb wire tattoo meaning we have to look at what it is and for what reasons it is used. The metal wire with spikes at a regular interval was invented in the United States of America in 19th century and firstly used to fence areas for animals. If you do not notice this kind of fence or try to cross it, you are seriously injured. As these wires were proved to be really useful to curb animal freedom, authorities started to use them also in jails and other places to deny prisoners or people with mental illnesses escape easily. The same wires were used also in concentration camps around Europe to keep people imprisoned.

Yes, this tattoo really can be related to prisons. As a former prisoner tattoo it means that many years have been spent in confinement, and the amount of barbs can show the number of years without freedom.  Pamela Anderson has another explanation for the barb wire inked on her upper arm: it’s for defence of animal rights. She is PETA activist and her tattoo stands for barb wire used to fence cattle living areas.

As you can figure out all barb wire tattoo designs are related to different kinds of imprisonment, pain and lack of freedom. It also resembles with Christian symbol crown of thorns Jesus Christ was wearing before he got crucified to die for sins of humanity and for those who tortured him. Although this resemblance doesn’t make barb wire a symbol of Christianity.

The same way it stands as a symbol of freedom that is taken away, it expresses the idea that freedom limitation has to end and that authorities are not standing for our freedom but derogation. Barb wire tattoos often tell that a person wearing them has gone through pain and knows heaviness of restriction. It can also show that this person won’t let random people to get into their lives and read them like open books, because the barb wire is protecting their inner feelings.

Just like cages for birds symbolize limitations of freedom, barb wire says the same but in a more harsh, merciless and less poetical way. The most popular place to get this kind of tattoo is any place of your body where it can go around showing something being inside - behind the fence. Think about getting a wristlet, barb wire on your upper arm, around your ankle or thigh, but if you are looking for small tattoos you can get it inked also as ring on a finger or toe.

Sunflower Tattoos

Sunflower tattoos really speak about their wearers. If you meet a person who has a sunflower tattoo, you have to deal with positively minded and fun-loving person.  Just look at this flower – it’s so bright and cheerful that only a young dandelion could be equal with it in matters of bringing joy and positivity by its appearance and colour effect on human mind.

This flower is not just beautiful and positively inspiring, but also very versatile plant: we eat its seeds, make oil and medicine out of it, we feed animals and produce biodiesel fuel with out of it. It’s healthy and full of vitamins for us, but it helps also nature because planting sunflowers we can clean environment from toxins. Already thousand years BC in America they were cultivated for eating, but there is even more into this plant.

Old Chinese belief tells that sunflower is a symbol of good luck and longevity, but sunflower tattoo meaning is related also to loyalty, love for the sun, happiness, energy and spiritual growth.

If you observed a sunflower in different times of a day you would notice that its head is always turned to the sun. Sunflowers always follow the trail of the sun, always face this source of warmth and vitality, and this is where their spiritual meaning comes from. It’s a symbol of strong faith, spiritual commitment, enlightenment, gratitude and search for the light.

There is no doubt that these are cheerful and positive people who choose to wear sunflower tattoos like expression of their nature or reminder to look for the bright side.  The design of this flower is not very difficult and you could get any size of a sunflower inked on your body, maybe even a huge back piece of sunny sunflower plantation! Looking for sunflower tattoo designs take in consideration that it’s easy to combine sunflowers with other symbols!  For example, you can easily place a symbol inside the sunflower leaving its petals as a frame for it.

20 Adorable Dog Tattoos

As the old expression says “Dogs are a mans best friend”, and nobody wonders why dog tattoos have a stable place on human bodies among other body decorations. Most of these tattoos are inked for personal reasons and mostly - dog portraits in honour of loyal four-legged friends who have passed away.

Of course, dog just like other living creatures has a symbolic meaning as well.  Dogs are guards of homes and guides that can take you through unknown places, in spiritual meaning - through the darkest times in your life. They will always stay loyal to their owners, protecting them and supporting any way they can. These are smart animals that can be trained for many actions, even saving lives of humans in extreme conditions. As symbols they stand for friendship, teamwork and loyalty, protection, courage and guardianship, assistance, guidance and intelligence. In Celtic mythology they are considered healers, but also nowadays we fully acknowledge how much having a dog can help humans to heal depressions, get out of loneliness and sadness. Not just for Celts, but also for Romans, Greeks and ancient Egyptians dogs were sacred animals – not just our companions, but also guards of spiritual worlds. 

If you are looking for the meaning of a dog paw tattoo look at the symbolic meaning of a dog and add to it also the idea that paw prints can lead you out if you follow them. Some people consider that animal paw tattoo is a signal that its wearer tells through it “I’m an animal in bed” or simply wants to express love for dogs as pets, guides and guards. Some people ink dog paws in memory of their lost pets, but others do it simply because it looks cute – and it really does.

You know the symbolic meaning of dog, so when looking for dog tattoo ideas, think about qualities and values of a dog you want to accentuate. You can embrace your dog portrait into roses or place a crown on the head of a dog, but if you want to get this tattoo to keep good memories of a pet you have lost, getting dog paw with wings inked on your body isn’t a bad idea. Dog tattoos can be successfully combined also with ribbons, bows and letterings, although many people choose to have simple dog portraits inked.

20 Intriguing Sugar Skull Tattoos

Sugar skull tattoos, t-shirts, bags and smartphone cases with sugar skulls on them, stickers and other decorations – those amazingly looking skulls are staring at us from everywhere and their popularity is growing fast. Make-up artists paint faces of models in photo shootings to resemble sugar skulls and we see them as something amazing, new kind of a skull design that doesn’t look frightening at all like we have discovered something new just a decade ago.

Sugar skull tattoo meaning reaches far into history. On the night of 31st of October when others celebrate Halloween every year in Mexico after midnight starts holiday related to the Day of the Dead that is a traditional festival going on also on 1st and 2nd of November. This is a time to honour dead remembering them, making altars for them, decorating gravestones and offering food and gifts to spirits of the dead. Next to rich altars and colourful decorations, skeletons and skulls are symbols of this festivity. Home-made sugar skulls are traditional sweets of this celebration.

They are white, richly decorated with bright colours, and are offered to both - dead and alive. Bigger skulls symbolize adults, but smaller ones – children. These candy skulls are opposite to what people are used to see in Western cultures: they are happy, smiling and even laughing, names of the dead or receivers can be written on these skulls and plenty of bright colours make joyful these small sugary candies and big, glittery sugar skull decorations with crowns and hats. People celebrating the festival also paint their faces to resemble with these skulls. These traditions tell that live people don’t have to be scared of departed souls. In place of being frightened and sad, we can show them our honour and be happy for their lives keeping and sharing good memories about them. These traditions are more than 2 000 years old and the idea is celebrating death not crying for it because after death comes rebirth what means getting out of our illusory world and rising spirit into new heights.

First of all, Mexican sugar skull tattoo stands for Mexico with its culture, traditions and past ancestries. Secondly, they show the honour for the dead and symbolize spiritual transference.
Sugar skull tattoos look truly beautiful, and they are not just a girly fantasy of trying to make a skull look less frightening. Not just skulls, many people also tattoo faces of their loved ones painted in sugar skull decorations on their own bodies, just like in Mexican Day of the Dead – to show honour and joy for spirit’s release to a better world.

20 Glorious Crown Tattoos

While many other symbols are popular because they simply look good, crown tattoos have got attention exactly because of their meaning. Kings and queens, princes and princesses, gods and deities – those with special status, powers and wealth, those who are privileged get to wear this adornment. Each of us at least once has dreamed about being a part of royalty or authority, being superior than others or than yourself at the point of life where you are right now. The Crown is a sign of leadership and as a tattoo can symbolize also the power to rule over oneself. 

As crowns are granted to those who have achieved something special or have gained the access to the throne, they also symbolize achievements, initiation and rising into a higher level. Combined with different figures and symbols crowns appear in tattoos with different personal meanings.  Whatever other symbols you want to get inked on your body, crowns add to them more importance, strength, and extra power.

Princess crown tattoos often get complemented with lettering tattoos like “Daddy’s Girl”, “Princess”, “Queen of Hearts”, “Blessed”, “Majesty”, “Bitch”, “Love” or boyfriend’s name. They can be easily combined with hearts, diamonds, stars, flowers or butterflies, find places on heads of fairies, birds, snakes, cats or frogs  - symbolizing magical fairy tale transformation from ugly frog into beautiful princess.

Crown tattoos for men usually appear on heads of wild animals, popular on heads of lions, dogs,  skulls or clowns, combined with crosses, cards and dices, wings, flames, lucky numbers and other amulets of luck. They can also stand together with significant dates, surnames, initials or letterings like “Player”, “Faithful”, “The King”, “Loyalty”, “Trust”, “Respect”, “Blackjack”, “Lucky”, “Born Bad” and others.

Besides royal princess, queen and king crowns, other forms of crown tattoos are flower wreaths, laurels, leave and vine crowns, but the one symbolizing Christianity is the crown of thorns.  

20 Sublime Toe Tattoos

The Human body itself is a piece of art, and looking for new expressions by help of body art, people have come across toe tattoos. We all know our fingers have got names like index finger or ring finger; but is there something you should know about toes? Decorating feet and toes originates from India where beautiful henna paintings have attracted the attention of the entire world.  More than paintings, wearing feet jewellery like toe rings and ankle bracelets is a pretty traditional thing there as well. Big toe or second toe on each foot traditionally is considered a place for… wedding ring! Doesn’t it add some meaning to getting small tattoos inked on your toes showing your deep connection to something specific?

Tattoos on toes are always small and not too detailed, but also not too visible, so what makes people want to get them: in all official situations your toes anyway will be hidden and wouldn’t make any wrong impression or tell too much about you, in other situations – does it really matter? Ladies are keen on getting flowers, bows, small religious symbols, diamonds, stars, hearts and Indian henna tattoos resembling ornaments inked on their toes. There are also tattoos designs for men to ink on toes like skulls, anchors and lucky numbers that get places both on the upper part of toes or under.
Toe ring tattoos can be designed in many different styles and can be placed on just one toe of your choice or on all of them. You can also get a name or any word inked as a ring around a toe or you can choose a word and tattoo each letter on one toe.

Thinking about getting toe tattoos take in consideration that there is a pretty important warning: for many people it’s not easy to take good care of tattoos on their toes in the healing process. While healing other tattoos is not difficult, you have to pay double attention to your feet, because it is easy to get infections if your toes are not kept clean and protected well from environmental abuse.

20 Magnificent Lock And Key Tattoos

Lock and key tattoos come in a great variety and can point to different qualities and personal values. The meaning of key is obvious as it has a power to close and open: if something is closed it is safe and protected, it can’t be lost or accessed, but when something is open it can be seen, accessed, complemented, enjoyed and it can be let out. The key is related to mystery, curiosity and life itself, but its meaning can be related to other values as well depending on the shape of a key. Its top can be designed in any form you wish.  For Greeks a single key symbolized knowledge, but talisman of three keys together could unlock and bring love, health and wealth into one’s life.

To open something with a key, we need a keyhole. Keyhole or lock with keyhole is what guards your values in a safe place. If you want to get key and lock inked on your body, think what are your values you want to protect or gain by unlocking them! Knowledge, prosperity, strength, love, balance? The lock and key for your tattoo can be designed according to your personal interpretation, and you can also choose for you values appropriate placement on your body. By the way, a lock together with q key are symbols of female and male, where the lock stands for femininity and key for masculinity of course for their resemblance with reproductive organs and form of interaction.

Heart lock and key tattoo is probably the most common version of lock and key tattoos. Of course, it is related to love, and isn’t love the most important value if it covers all fields of wellbeing? Love to yourself, love to your family and friends, love for music or books, loving your job, your home, your hobbies, romantic love, passionate love, strong and unbreakable love – it’s  always here in our lives in all possible forms and we feel happy feeling love and being loved. What about getting a heart shaped lock tattoo above your heart, but the lock for it on our hand? Isn’t this placement truly significant?

Lock and key tattoos for couples is a great choice, not only because of standing for feminine and masculine powers. It can symbolize balanced, harmonious relationship. If one of you gets a tattoo of a lock and another one has a key tattoo that fits the keyhole, it would show that you both are different but equal, none of you is more or less important but both together you can maintain strong relationship and protect your joint actions and values.

25 Futuristic Biomechanical Tattoos

If there is a body decoration that represents 21st century, nothing can beat Bio-Mech or biomechanical tattoos. They not only carry futuristic perception of the development of  civilization and reflect the fast development of science and mechanics interacting with living body, but are lightly interflowing with human skin being high quality pieces of art, nowadays mostly - 3D art that visually extinguish the border between skin and tattoo.

The world didn’t know the art of mechanical tattoos before the first decades of eighties in the previous century. These tattoos where inspired by science fiction literature and movies that grew from the idea of the development that would improve not only technical devices we use to make our daily life easier, but would also improve living bodies making us half-human and half-machines, like  Terminator or partial robots. While for some people this idea still seems frightening and depressing, and returning back to nature seems more appealing than getting excited with the fast development of science and mechanics, others put all their hopes on future seeing how science already helps to improve our health in a modern way and mechanics already get successfully involved into living bodies.

Another idea that stands behind biomechanical tattoos is that we humans and each person separately is a part of a big mechanism we are not truly aware of, just like we are not fully aware of the mechanics of our own bodies that is always there under the skin.  Although we see ourselves as half-way spiritual beings with free will, we remain mechanisms where not just our physical movements but also thoughts, moods and emotions are fully dependent on our inside mechanics, on programmes naturally installed into our bodies.

Biomechanical tattoo designs nowadays are truly impressive when made by the best tattoo artists designed to create the illusion that mechanisms – wires, gearwheels, tubes, pipes, clocks, screws, microchips and other kind of mechanization - are part of our bodies. Pretty often you will see these tattoos designed as the mechanics are right under the skin and can be seen where the skin is open – sliced, stripped or scraped off, unzipped, unbuttoned or open in any other way. Mechanics in these tattoos can be also combined with naturally looking parts of a skeleton, flesh, viscera and blood-vessels, but others design even flowers, birds and butterflies between the mechanical parts showing that each person carries a whole world inside or that mechanics and nature can exist together and doesn’t stand each against other.

Take in account that 3D tattoos with mechanic elements are usually pretty big as they wouldn’t be so impressive and delicately elaborated on skin if they were smaller.

20 Flawless Cheetah Print Tattoos

Some people consider cheetah print tattoos tasteless and meaningless, so if you have one – make sure you know its meaning and can educate people around you telling about this mighty and precious animal. Negative attitude might have risen from wearing animal print clothes in a tasteless manner, but cheetah prints inked on one’s body can be truly elegant and look stunning.

Cheetah has some gorgeous characteristics and qualities that are related to tattoos of this animal or its prints. Firstly, we are talking now about the fastest animal on earth that can develop as fast speed as 100 km per hour in just a few seconds. While other animals are hiding, patiently waiting and attacking in the least expected moment to catch their kills, cheetahs simply run their kills being fast and highly focused all the way to the success. These wild animals have been companions for shamans and also have been highly valuated by royalty. Even deities like Greek god Dionysus have been depicted accompanied by cheetah, but for aristocracy cheetahs were kept as pets and trained as their hunters.  Unfortunately the nature is changing, their living-space becomes less suitable and people have been in love with these animals and their printed coats so much that cheetahs nowadays are almost extinct and can be found only in some parts of Africa and remote areas of Iran. From all this information you can figure out the meaning of cheetah print tattoos: firstly they symbolize speed and high focus, secondly they are related to aristocracy and shamanism and the newest meaning added to this symbol nowadays is extinction -being appreciated and beautiful but rare.

Looking for cheetah print tattoo ideas think of the place on your body where you would like to get this tattoo. Some people choose to get these tattoos as half arm sleeves, for others it looks gorgeous on ribcage or around backbone, it’s flirty to get it small behind your ear and brave to get a pretty big part of your body covered with cheetah prints on your shoulder or in a line all the way down from your hip to ankle.  Cheetah prints can be also combined with other symbols and different forms, for example you can fill a star with cheetah coat prints, decorate wings of a fairy with this print or get a tattoo that would “uncover” cheetah prints under your human skin pointing out that the qualities of this animal are within you. If you get this kind of a tattoo, be ready to prove that is a truly meaningful, deep and deliberative decision.

20 Devine Egyptian Tattoos

You don’t have to be Egyptian to wear Egyptian tattoos.They are rich in symbolism and meaning and important to people everywhere around the world and reaches thousands of years back in history and culture. Egypt is one of these places where 4000 years old evidence shows that even back then people got tattoos – and what’s pretty surprising – the evidence of oldest tattoos point to women, not men as we’ve used to think, and archaeologists have found tattooed mummies as well.

The main reasons for getting tattooed in ancient Egypt were showing appreciation and sacrifice to spirits and gods, connecting with the divine energy or getting imperishable amulets with magical and protective qualities. Normally you won’t see Egyptian tattoo designs someone has got inked on their bodies just because they look beautiful – there is a lot more behind these cultic tattoos you should know if you want to get one.

Among the most popular Egyptian symbols tattoos you will see hieroglyphs, Ankh cross, pharaohs, Cleopatra, Ra, Anubis and other deities, cats, eyes, scarab beetles, sphinxes, and Bennu or Egyptian phoenix. They can be tattooed separately or embraced in unique designs like amazing arm sleeves together with pyramids and other Egypt related symbols. Hieroglyphs look great as tattoos, but they have meaning as well. It’s Egyptian alphabet that was used for writing and each symbol means not just a letter but a word. Each hieroglyph is a symbol itself and combining these symbols create new words and stories – it’s probably a good idea to ask for help if you want to design a word or a phrase from Egyptian hieroglyphs for your tattoo.

Probably the most popular of Egyptian tattoos is Ankh cross or The Ankh – the key of life, symbol of eternal life and Nile – the river that was very important to Egyptian civilization. Another not less popular tattoo is Egyptian eye also called Eye of Horus or Eye of Ra – protective symbol of the god of sky. Scarab tattoos stand for rebirth and creation, just like Bennu – Egyptian phoenix that recreated itself from the ashes. Cats in ancient Egypt were sacred animals and symbol of femininity, motherhood and fertility, but those who treasure facial and bodily beauty get tattoos of the last pharaoh of ancient Egyptian, queen of beauty Cleopatra. Egypt has rich culture and tattoos related to this place on Earth are like real talismans with deep symbolic meaning and legends tied to them, so take care of researching well your choices.

20 Stunning Wrist Tattoos For Girls

If there is a truly feminine inked body decoration, probably none can beat sophisticated wrist tattoos for girls. Small, subtle symbols or bracelet like tattoos, matching tattoos with the significant other or elegant flower wristlets – girls around the world love to give this place of their bodies for tattoos.

Cute wrist tattoos for girls pretty often is the first that comes in mind when thinking about getting the first tattoo, but many tattoo artists refuse to make them there as a first tattoo. The reason is simple – this is going to be something you can’t hide for the rest of your life. If you don’t have other visible tattoos and don’t know what it means to wear a tattoo, artist with high sense of responsibility will try to discourage you from this idea, because later you might find that it brings additional discomfort into your life. Secondly, getting a tattoo on your wrist is a pretty painful process, and thirdly, you have to take good care of each tattoo in its healing process, especially if it’s located on such a delicate place as your wrist that is always active.

Basically, if you are just thinking about getting tattooed, think twice, because ink is going to become a part of your body, but stepping apart from warnings, elegantly designed, meaningful and small wrist tattoos for girls simply can’t be wrong. Meaning is what you have to put into your tattoo, but elegance should come from your tattoo artist. 
Besides symbols and confirmations of love for something specific, wrist is also a perfect place for tattoos as reminders – you just can’t escape seeing this part of your body. For this reason people ink on their wrists such reminders as “Dream”, “Breathe”, “Love”, “There is always hope”, “Believe”, “Stay strong”,  “Fate”, “Light” and others. Whatever is yours, it might find a place in front of your eyes (and also other people eyes) – on your wrist.

Among wrist tattoos for girls you will find also tattoos that start on one wrist and continues on the other one so the tattoo is complete only putting both wrists together and bracelet like tattoos that go all the way around your wrist. Flower wristlets will show your connection to nature, stars around your wrist will point to your dreamy personality, but notes will show your love to music. Tattoos on your wrists are truly beautiful and empowering if you think about their designs and meanings profoundly before your final decision.

20 Splendiferous Tattoo Designs For Men & Women

Sleeve tattoos are pieces of body art covering the arms or legs, coming in different sizes  - full sleeve covers entire legs or arms, half-sleeve covers a half and there can be also smaller tattoos like quarter sleeves resembling with shirt sleeves. These tattoos can be designed like already like a full sleeves or formed of smaller tattoos connected together, so if you are thinking about getting a sleeve, consider getting a smaller tattoo and later embrace it in a sleeve, so you don’t have to get it all at once.

Nowadays arm sleeve tattoos have stable place at the top of tattoo popularity rankings, and many people who are not inked all around their bodies, choose to have half-sleeve covering arm from shoulder to elbow - “ it’s easy to hide it by clothes in some specific situations where you know you might face negative attitude (unfortunately, it still exists) to this kind of body art.

Everything can be included in this kind of tattoo - “ from Biblical creatures to movie stars, ornaments from around the world and symbols of all kinds of values, but the first version of sleeves is tribal half sleeve tattoos. Nowadays people get tribal tattoos - “ linear abstract tattoos - as beautiful body decorations without any other specific meaning, but actually this is a very old form of tattoos originating from ancient tribes around the world. These tattoos were designed specifically for each person to show their status or adherence, for healing or masking purposes.

Sleeve design options are enormous and if you have a good collaboration between you and your tattoo artist you can get something to wear proudly. Small tattoo mistakes can be corrected by tattoo removal or tattooing over, with sleeve tattoos it’s pretty difficult - “ it’s a big tattoo, so having a good tattoo artist in this case is essential.

20 Phenomenal Sleeve Tattoos For Men & Women

Sleeve tattoos are pieces of body art covering the arms or legs, coming in different sizes  - full sleeve covers entire legs or arms, half-sleeve covers a half and there can be also smaller tattoos like quarter sleeves resembling with shirt sleeves. These tattoos can be designed like already like a full sleeves or formed of smaller tattoos connected together, so if you are thinking about getting a sleeve, consider getting a smaller tattoo and later embrace it in a sleeve, so you don’t have to get it all at once.

Nowadays arm sleeve tattoos have stable place at the top of tattoo popularity rankings, and many people who are not inked all around their bodies, choose to have half-sleeve covering arm from shoulder to elbow - “ it’s easy to hide it by clothes in some specific situations where you know you might face negative attitude (unfortunately, it still exists) to this kind of body art.

Everything can be included in this kind of tattoo - “ from Biblical creatures to movie stars, ornaments from around the world and symbols of all kinds of values, but the first version of sleeves is tribal half sleeve tattoos. Nowadays people get tribal tattoos - “ linear abstract tattoos - as beautiful body decorations without any other specific meaning, but actually this is a very old form of tattoos originating from ancient tribes around the world. These tattoos were designed specifically for each person to show their status or adherence, for healing or masking purposes.

Sleeve design options are enormous and if you have a good collaboration between you and your tattoo artist you can get something to wear proudly. Small tattoo mistakes can be corrected by tattoo removal or tattooing over, with sleeve tattoos it’s pretty difficult - “ it’s a big tattoo, so having a good tattoo artist in this case is essential.

20 Inspiring Music Notes Tattoos

It’s obvious that music notes tattoos get a place on bodies of those who know the power of music – musicians, music lovers or those being closely related to music field. The meaning of it is obvious as well – that’s confirmation of their love to music where notes are the only way to record music on paper. Music is a lot more than just sounds: these are emotions, passion, energy booster and comforter; music can be saviour, healer or hobby. It’s really a personal thing for each one who gets this kind of tattoos.

Other ways to ink on your body your love for music without notation can be expressed through tattoos of piano keys, different modern or ancient music instruments, microphones, musical box, gramophones, hertz depiction, discs and old school cassettes or vinyl recordings. If you want to go deeper into cultural heritage, you could check also ancient symbols like portraits of deities or their paraphernalia.  Ancient Egyptian god and invertor of music was Toth, ancient Greek vase painting show young ladies with different music instruments – Mousai or muses, Apollo and Dionysus both were depicted with music instruments, but Celts had Bran The Blessed – god of sun and prophecy, arts, writing and music. 

Tattoos of music notes can be designed in great variety. Notes can be coming out of a music instrument showing love for specific instrument or ability to play this instrument, they can come out of open mouth meaning a singer, but you can also get inked your favourite song written in notes on your body. Beside notes, music has a lot of other signs used to write music on paper and you can use designing your music note tattoos:  the keynote at the beginning of each line of notes called clef – violin clef or treble clef, there are different signs to depict the volume and length and so on. The tattoo of notation is a pretty clear sign for your love to music, but you can be original and combine notes with other symbols and symbolic colours as well!