Archive for Popular Tattoo Designs
Glow in the Dark Tattoos
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Now, isn’t that a great idea – tattoos that glow in the dark or under black light. It sounds like the perfect tattoo; no one can see it during the day – when you have to work or be your responsible self, but at night – your real self comes alive… like Batman! Ok, maybe not so much. But honestly, if these tattoos are applied correctly, they can be completely undetectable by day!
As they say, every coin does have two faces and so does this one. So, before you get sucked into the idea, there are some things you probably ought to know! The most important question you should be asking is ‘what makes something glow in the dark?’
By design, all things that glow in the dark contain phosphors. Phosphor is a substance that is energized by light that is visible and radiates that light when in the dark. Although these inks are being used in tattooing (with inks made available from overseas), none of these ‘glowing’ inks have been approved by the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration); and there is a reason why they haven’t been approved!
One of the main reasons these inks haven’t been approved is because they are one of the known cancer causing substances and as you can plainly infer, are detrimental to health. In order to make these phosphors retain more energy (and therefore more visible in the dark), a certain type of radioactive substance is added. You would see this commonly in the manufacturing of high quality watches.
There is another type of tattoo that also glows. These tattoos don’t glow in the dark but seem to glow under black (also known as ultraviolet) light and are made from florescent material. Until very recently UV reactive inks were also made from phosphors. However, there are a lot of commonly used materials that glow under black light. 
Black light emits extremely energetic ultraviolet light that is invisible in the light spectrum (and hence the name “black light.”) Fluorescent substances absorb this black light and re-emit it almost immediately. This re-emitted light has a longer wavelength (as some of the energy is lost in the absorption process) and thus seems to glow.
This is the newest technique in body art so far. Although black light inks have been approved for use, it is important to remember that the original idea still remains unapproved by medical authority. There have been numerous accounts of bad skin reaction to these inks that most reputed tattoo parlors don’t offer these types of tattoos.
Tattoo Designs for Women
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Although tattoos have been around since the dawn of human history, they slowly became a taboo is our civilization. They became associated with criminals and those considered morally degenerate; and for a lady, it was something unthinkable! However, all that has changed in the past 25 years or so, and more and more women are getting inked today.
Some of the most popular designs among women tend to be the smaller, delicate, so called “girly” designs. Women are generally smaller and more delicately built when compared to men (nothing gets by me!) and these delicate designs look great on them. Of course, all these are just generalizations and not rules.
Butterflies are some the most sought after designs among women. If you’re contemplating your very first tattoo – these are a good choice. A small or life sized butterfly design on the ankle or shoulder is a safe bet. The butterfly is often a symbol of grace, beauty and rebirth given its transformation into a beautiful creature from that of an ugly caterpillar.
A flower tattoo also makes a good first tattoo design. In addition to its feminine look it can mean a whole bunch depending on the kind of flower you choose. A rose, for instance, (being the most popular choice) stands for love when red. Pink roses symbolize grace and white roses are a symbol of purity or innocence.
Fairy tattoos are a recent development and tend to represent a way of thinking. These designs vary from the cute tinker bell kind of images to the fiercer looking images of fairies from the Celtic mythology. These designs are also growing in popularity in the ink world.
Star tattoos are those that can be worn by both men and women. They are a universal symbol, not particularly belonging to a culture or religion and can mean a lot of different things to different people. The most popular design is that of the shooting star – a star followed by a trail of smaller stars (or star dust.) This is a great design for those who want a bigger tattoo but would like it to remain subtle.
Zodiac tattoos otherwise known as astrological tattoos are a great way to personalize your tattoo, especially if you are one to consult your horoscope on a regular basis. I’m sure you know that different sun signs have different symbols and ever one of them can be created in a contemporary delicate style.
Some of the other popular designs for women include heart designs, dragonfly tattoos, dolphin tattoos and even tribal or Celtic designs.
The Most Expensive Tattoo
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Tattoos have thus far been an expression of self or spirituality; some use them merely to identify with a particular group or simply to enhance their aesthetics. Now for the first time (in all of history perhaps) someone has found a different use for it – a way of showing off their wealth!
South African luxury jeweler Shimansky is now famous for having used 612 Shimansky Ideal Cut .5 carat diamonds to create a tattoo on a model! The tattoo is valued at 7.2 million in South African currency (Rands) which is equivalent to around 924, 000 in US dollars officially making it the world’s most expensive tattoo! (And I was worried about spending $400 on one…)
The tattoo is worn by Minki van der Westhuizen a famous South African Model and brand ambassador for Shimansky. Minki spent 8 hours having the diamonds attached to her skin. Technically speaking, it’s not a tattoo (as there was no ink involved in the procedure) but hey, if the lady with the diamonds calls it a tattoo, then a tattoo it is! Sources have it that a water based bonding agent was used to attach the diamonds to Minki’s skin.
I can’t imagine why they would go through all that trouble for just a temporary tattoo! Well, in case you’re interested in getting one of those you might want to know that the jeweler has considered making similar ones available at their various South African and international locations.
Popular Tattoo Artist: Chuck Eldridge
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Popular tattoo artist Chuck Eldridge speaks of his dreams and inspirations that lead to his enormous feat in the tattoo world, in an interview with TFI. As with many artists of today, Chuck also had childhood dreams of one day being a tattoo artist.
He says: “childhood dreams are always a little bit more candy-coated. There was a program in our elementary school to keep us off the street, they would hold big parties and one of the booths they set up there was a tattoo booth. One of the high school students would come over with magic markers and draw up designs and paste them on the wall and then he would do “tattoos” – I used to get my arms just completely covered with these and I would get so many that the guy doing the drawings would say “I’m not doing any more on you because your mom is going to kick my ass.” — I think [the dream] measures up. I always saw myself with loads of tattoos on my arm so that came true.”
He goes on to talk about some of his early influences in the industry: “I went into the Navy and that threw me into San Diego for boot camp for ten or eleven weeks and there I did not know any names. This was in ’65. There were no names going around in my brain where I said ‘Oh my God I got to get a tattoo by him.’ In San Diego in ’65 that was the height of the Vietnam War so there were tons of tattooists. Basically I just started going in [shops] looking at designs on the wall and then getting in line to get tattooed.
The shops there would be lined up. All the way in the shop and sometimes out on the sidewalk in front of the shop. And in the shop were five tattooists tattooing as fast as they could. Only when you got into the business you started hearing some names and then you actually started looking for people and searching them out. The first one that I really traveled to get tattooed by was Cliff Raven; buy that was actually after the Navy.”
Chuck personally prefers the more traditional tattoos like that of Sailor Jerry – the early American and European designs but is famous for inking great designs of all genres.
White Ink Tattoos
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Traditionally, the process of tattooing begins after a stencil is applied to the part on you body where you want the design. The first part of this long process frequently begins with black ink. Many artists use black ink to give the outline of the tattoo which can be colored or shaded later. This black outline not only offers artists a guideline but also gives the tattoo itself more definition; a sharper look to the image.
For the longest time, tattoo artists were not willing to do a design without the black outline as a guide but as with everything in today’s world, that too is changing. White ink tattoos don’t follow the traditional process of stencil and black ink. The whole piece is done in white ink leaving a pale design that is very different from a traditional tattoo.
These tattoos are subtle yet distinct in their style. These tattoos are perfect for those that want tattoos but cant have the traditional apparent ones for whatever reason. Lindsay Lohan is known for her white ink tattoo on the inside of her wrist that says ‘breathe’.
These tattoos are more of a personal statement that you don’t want anyone else to be able to read. It is like a private mantra, an affirmation, a symbol that reminds you of something dear to you – and is not really meant for the outside world. These tattoos are not totally invisible though. The ink used here is not the same white ink used in mixing colors for a colored tattoo. It is a thicker, higher quality ink that is made to stand out on its own.
There are a few things though that you need to keep in mind if you’re planning to get one of these tattoos. These tattoos are best when done freehand. If you decide to use a stencil for better guidance you need to be careful that the color from the stencil does not mix with the white ink. This may make the tattoo a little dull.
Another glitch is that white is not as easily absorbed by the skin as black or colored ink. This means several additional passes in the area to make sure the ink fully sinks in. Darker skin tones usually don’t absorb enough of the white to make it bright. These tattoos often become dull when frequently exposed to the sun.
What is worse is the skin’s reaction to the ink. A reaction to the white ink is much more common than the skin’s reaction to the black ink. There have been cases where the area began to swell, itch and even ooze. Most tattoo artists recommend simple designs for white ink tattoos as they are less likely to have complications.
Wrist Tattoo Designs
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The wrist is a very popular body part for tattoos especially among women. It acts like a permanent bracelet of sorts. The best part about this particular body part is that it is a great spot if you particularly want to make a statement or simply just show off your tattoos. Since most of us use our hands a lot when we speak, our wrists will be easily noticed. Whether you want to tell people that you are actually a rebel at heart or a genuinely sweet person, the wrist can help you make an understated yet powerful statement.
You need to keep in mind that the wrist is not the biggest of body parts, so whatever design you choose make sure it is simple, clean and uncomplicated. It is going to be permanent and in your face all the time so it better be something you really like and want. The flip side to getting a tattoo on the wrist however, is that it is very visible! Take your time to think about its implications and see if you are ready for it, before you make the plunge. For example, if your work place is not very tattoo friendly – and trust me no long sleeved shirt is going to be able to conceal it one hundred percent – are you brave enough to face whatever ramifications might entail your decision?
Again, some of the best designs for wrists are those that are simple due to the space restriction! Most women’s wrists are slender and thin – not ideal for elaborate designs. Some of the most popular designs are those of stars, flames and flowers. Some neat ideas for the wrist are that of bracelets. Any interlocking pattern will do the trick – like barbed wire, Celtic knots or even a rosary. Writing in a different language like Chinese or Japanese is also a cool option. Lindsay Lohan has the word ‘breathe’ tattooed on her wrist and Gillian Anderson has the words ‘every day’ written in Sanskrit on hers.
Now here’s the deciding factor (at least for me) – how much does it hurt when compared to other body parts? Since there is not enough flesh (especially on the inner wrist) to cushion the impact of the needles, wrist tattoos can be very painful! If your design involves a lot of shading like in tribal tattoos or involves complicated Celtic knots you can be assured that it is going to hurt an extra bit more than usual. Also, the wrist normally takes longer to heal and these tattoos are prone to fade faster than those on other body parts due to its exposure to the sun.