Maori Tattoo Designs

Maori tattoo designs are some of the most unique tattoo designs due to their abstractness and tribal roots. The Maori tattoo originated from the Maori tribe in New Zealand. It should be noted, however, that the ancestors of the Maori tribe originated in turn from Polynesia and just migrated to New Zealand sometime between 800 and 1300 AD. Part of the culture that they brought to New Zealand were the Maori tattoo designs.

Worn by the Maoris to denote status, courage, and strength, Maori tattoo designs were literally engraved on the body. The process of tattooing during those times was long and painful. Maori tattoo designs consisted of traditional Maori tattoo lines and were carved on a person’s body using a serrated or sharp bone chisel. The tattoo was usually placed on the face, but may also be placed on other parts of the body. For the men, their Maori tattoos were worn on the thigh, face, or buttocks. For the women, their tattoos were worn on the nostrils, chins, or upper lips.

Maori tattoo designs also depicted one’s spirituality, family rank, and tribal ancestry. The Maoris considered the tattooing process a ritual and was accompanied by fasting, music, and chanting.

Today, a Maori tattoo is worn as an expression of fashion, style, and uniqueness. Even with the modern instruments that we now have for engraving tattoos, the process can still be long and painful. It is for this reason that the Maori tattoo is often seen to symbolize the courage in enduring the process and the respect for this courage.

Maori tattoo designs consists of intricate spiral and circular shapes and patterns. To give them a more modern feel, Maori tattoos are now combined with Celtic designs. They are also better placed on the shoulder instead of on the face. They are best when sized medium to large, and you can take the liberty of using any style, color, or shape that you want. However, it may be best not to use designs that incorporate special attributes of the Maori tribe.

Japanese Tattoo Designs

>Are you fascinated by the Japanese culture? Do you think dabbling with Japanese tattoo designs would be cool? Well, Japanese tattoo designs would definitely be unique and make you stand out among your friends. However, there are some challenges to getting genuine Japanese tattoo designs. Before you go hunting for Japanese tattoo designs and tattoo shops, better read up, so you can prepare for some of the challenges that you might encounter.

Known in Japanese as horimono or irezumi, Japanese tattoo designs are usually big, often occupying the entire back. They are also very expensive and very distinctly Japanese. Because of this, Japanese tattoo artists are uniquely good with these designs and are generally a good choice for this tattoo, especially if you want it done really well. This can pose a challenge when looking for a tattoo shop. However, if you’re planning on a trip to Japan then you may want to seriously consider Japanese tattoo designs as a good tattoo option.

Japanese tattoo designs can hurt a lot, as it’s still being done the old-fashioned way. The Japanese also believe that Japanese tattoo designs should be shown only to a girlfriend or boyfriend, or to the local Yakuza mob. This is something you might want to keep in mind if you hang out with a Japanese crowd.

Although the art of Japanese tattoos have started many centuries ago, the spread of Confucianism and Buddhism in Japan had led to the development of negative connotations with regards to the Japanese tattoo. Japanese tattoo designs came to be associated either with the Yakuza or with people in the lower class.

It wasn’t until 1948 that Japanese tattoos became legal. This was probably brought on by the increasing demand for Japanese tattoo designs from American soldiers. It was also through this that Japanese tattoos spread in the West.

Despite the many challenges you might encounter in finding Japanese tattoo designs, it is definitely a worthwhile quest if this is the type of artwork that you’re into and if it’s the type of tattoo that will best represent your personality.

Filed under Articles · Tagged with

Dragonfly Tattoo Designs

Dragonflies are undoubtedly beautiful creatures; that’s why a lot of people choose dragonfly tattoo designs. It works for both men and women, and it can come in a lot of designs either on its own or incorporated with other designs. Let’s take a closer look at dragonfly tattoo designs.

Dragonfly Tattoo Designs– What Do They Symbolize?

Although most people choose to get a dragonfly tattoo for its beauty, it does have deeper meaning for some people.

Favored mostly for the attractive geometric designs of its wings, a dragonfly is actually revered in some cultures. In Japan, a dragonfly stands for joy or happiness, but it can also stand for courage and strength. The Japanese and Chinese also use the dragonfly for medical purposes, while the Vietnamese sometimes use the dragonfly to predict the weather.

For native Americans, dragonfly tattoo designs symbolize rebirth or renewal after overcoming great difficulty or incurring a major loss. Some Native Americans also believe that dragonflies carry the souls of loved ones who have already passed away. Aside from tattoo designs, dragonflies are also used in Pueblo, Hopi and Zuni jewelry, artwork, and pottery. For the Navajos, the dragonfly symbolizes pure water.

Dragonflies can be taken to mean water and air, because they start their lives in the water and later spend most of their lives in the air. This is the same reason that dragonfly tattoo designs are used to symbolize change or transformation. A dragonfly tattoo can symbolize maturity and the achievement of goals. Still, others see dragonflies as symbolizing invincibility, quickness, and agility.

Dragonfly Tattoo Designs – What Should You Keep in Mind About Them?

Here are some tips to help you make the most of dragonfly tattoo designs:

• Consider placing your dragonfly tattoo on a part of your body that won’t stretch whether you lose or gain weight.
• You don’t have to limit the color of your dragonfly tattoo designs to the colors of nature. Feel free to use your favorite colors on your dragonfly tattoo to make the design your own.
• It may be best not to add words or phrases to your dragonfly tattoo designs. Keeping it simple makes the dragonfly stand out more.
• Dragonfly tattoo design are very intricate, so there’s more benefit to having a large dragonfly tattoo. If you keep it too small, the lines will likely thicken as you age, and you might soon find your tattoo to just be a big blob of ink.
• Lastly, make sure that your tattoo is done by a very skilled tattoo artist so that you get a realistic-looking dragonfly tattoo.

Body Tattoos

If you’re a real tattoo enthusiast, and small tattoos here and there aren’t enough for you then a full body tattoo is probably the thing for you.

People who have body tattoos usually plan for their tattoos carefully. In other cases, though, the body tattoo evolves from individual tattoos. Body tattoos may start out as tattoo sleeves, which keeps getting added on to and grows outward. For others, it may start out as a large tattoo on the chest or back.

Well, body tattoos are not just a recent trend that you probably first saw on circus performers. Instead, these tattoos have been worn in different cultures throughout history.

The Japanese were among the earliest cultures to wear body tattoos, going as far back as 12,000 years ago. The time even came when body tattoos in Japan came to be associated with criminals. It wasn’t until 1945, after the Second World War, when tattoos became legal.

Those who want full body tattoos have a wide array of designs to choose from. Body tattoos can have a Japanese theme, for instance. These tattoos can be done in both black and grey, or in bright colors. Another concept for full body tattoos is to use only one image for the entire body. An example would be the image of an animal such as the lion, or another type of art. It is also possible to have a group of images to comprise the full body tattoo. An example would be a group of cartoon characters or a group of flowers.

The possibilities are almost endless with body tattoos, so you can let your imagination run free. Just be careful and put a lot of thought into the design you finally choose, as this will represent you and reflect your personality. Body tattoos will always be a part of our culture. Although there are times when they don’t seem so trendy, they never really go away, and neither will yours.