There have been many variations of the story of butterflies in human mythology. Some cultures believed that each time a butterfly left its cocoon, a human soul was formed. Other cultures see butterflies as the souls of the dead waiting in purgatory while other cultures show butterflies as symbols of joy and happiness. Many Native American tribes had specific ideas about the butterfly symbol. They believed that they symbolized everlasting life and considered them to be the transformers or changers of life. (Michilak, 2010)

The butterfly symbol is primarily used by women in today’s modern society but that has not always been true. Augustus, an emperor of Rome, used the butterfly to symbolize his power, and the male priests of Mayan culture also used the butterfly on their clothes to symbolize their sacred fire. (Hemingson, 2010)

The reasons why butterflies have become a more feminine symbol in today’s society are not known but considering modern society’s obsession with beauty, it seems to make sense. Butterflies symbolize beauty just like they did in the past yet they are still considered a symbol of change or metamorphosis. (Hemingson, 2010) So, if a woman is trying to decide what picture she wants to have put on her body for the rest of her life, it makes sense she would want something that was once a horrible ugly bug but became a beautiful butterfly. The woman who has this tattoo may feel that she will be metamorphosed after she gets her butterfly tattoo.

The idea has been purported that because the butterfly is known to symbolize death and rebirth that perhaps women choose the butterfly tattoos when they feel like things are too tough. The idea of bad things ending and starting over could be something you want to keep on your body for the rest of your life. Most likely a butterfly just symbolizes something beautiful to many women and they choose it solely for aesthetic reasons.

The butterfly has also been chosen as the symbol for the transgender community and has become the logo for the Butterfly Coalition International. The idea that the butterfly symbolizes metamorphosis for many people was the reasoning behind their choice. (Coalition, 2010) Obviously women and men choose butterfly tattoos for all sorts of reasons. But, whatever the reason, the placement of these tattoos can be as important as the tattoo design itself. The most popular area seems to be the lower back with the ankle coming in a close second. The shoulder area is also popular. Selection of these areas probably means that, more than likely, the person wants other people to see their tattoo. In some cases, a person will choose a hidden place because the meaning of their tattoo is for their loved ones as well as themselves.

There is no best way to find a butterfly tattoo but visiting as many possible tattoo design sites on the internet as well as real life tattoo shops is a great start. The designs range in size, color, and shape which makes the choice difficult but allows for so much more individuality for the seeker of a butterfly tattoo.

Works Cited

Coalition, B. (2010). Home. Retrieved March 27th, 2010, from Butterfly Coalition International: butterflyco.org

Hemingson, V. (2010).Ttattoo Designs and Symbols. Retrieved March 25, 2010, from the vanishing tattoo: vanishingtattoo.com/tattoos_designs_symbols.htm

Michilak, J. (2010). Need To Know. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from Butterfly tatoo: tattoos.lovetoknow.com/Butterfly_Tattoos

Wong, N. (2003). Think Before You Ink. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from tattoo facts and statistics: tattoos.lovetoknow.com/Butterfly_Tattoosvanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_facts.htm

Tattoos are usually permanent decorative images applied to the skin. In the case of the temporary tattoo, the image lasts for a short time only. Many temporary tattoos are for fun, like the type that kids get to put their favorite cartoon character on their arm for a little while. Adults have begun using these temporary tattoos and they are becoming more intricate as the market moves more toward adults. Decalcomania is a favorite way of making a temporary tattoo where a decal is applied to the skin. With these types of tattoos, screen printing is used to create a tattoo image on paper coated with a transfer film. When wet, this film will move off of the backing paper and onto the skin. After drying, the screen printed image will stay on the skin for several days. (Schueller, 1999) The beauty of temporary tattoos is exactly that, they are temporary. There will be no regretting the image as a person grows older or their habits and tastes change.

All types of temporary tattoos need to be made from ink because they are applied directly to the skin and may stay on the skin for quite a while. It is best if the dyes have FDA approval, but most are not approved – the same for permanent ink. There are other chemicals added to the dyes such as drying agents and extenders that need to be approved before using them. (Henley, 2009)

Another type of temporary tattoo is Mehndi. It is thought that the practice originated in India and Pakistan, although there is some debate about the origins of this ancient practice. It is often considered a type of body painting. The ink used in this process is a copper based ink made from the leaves of the henna plant. The Mehndi designs are usually scroll-like decorations, but as the practice becomes more popular around the world, the designs are beginning to change. The inks used in Mehndi tattoos can last for several weeks. (Jain, 2002)

Another emerging trend is Sun Stencils. The tattoo in this case is the pigmentation of your own skin. The use of stencils stickers lets UV radiation reach part of the skin but not all parts during tanning. This produces an image that can take the form of many different images as well as allow you to make simple letters and numbers. There is also swim wear available that lets you create a tattoo as you hang out at the beach with simple images of hearts and circles. (Hardy, 2009)

Airbrush tattoos are becoming a popular type of temporary tattoo and airbrush tattoo stencils come pre-packaged in many different varieties. These stencils are reusable and can also be individualized. There are many colors of airbrush ink available and a lot of companies use FDA approved materials. (Kirk, 2009) These air brush tattoos are becoming popular at festivals and carnivals like face painting has always been.

Tattoos are very popular in today’s society, especially for people under 35. (Kirk, 2009) Temporary tattoos are becoming more and more popular because permanent tattoos can be expensive and painful. Temporary tattoos offer people a way to express their personality and let the world know about their interests without having to worry about the fact that it will never come off. It looks like temporary tattoos are going to be a permanent part of the tattoo world with their quick application, lack of pain, and affordability.

Works Cited

Hardy, T. (2009). Suntan.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Suntan Art: http://www.suntan.com/?art

Henley, N. (2009). Chest Of Books. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Decolomania process: http://chestofbooks.com/reference/Henley-s-20th-Century-Formulas-Recipes-Processes-Vol2/Decalcomania-Processes.html

Jain, R. (2002). Mehndi World.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Mehendi History: http://www.mehendiworld.com/mehendi-history.htm

Kirk, K. (2009). TAT. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from temporary airbrush tattoos: http://www.tatstore.com/p/intro

Schueller, R. (1999). Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Temporary Tatoos: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2896800100.html

Today in many instances the person getting a tribal tattoo wants the tattoo to illustrate something about them, almost like a tattoo of self identification. They are a way for a person to make a statement about themselves for other people to see and interpret. However, the tribal tattoo today is used not to group people into the same tribe but to express personality and individuality. (Hemingson, 1999-2009)
Oftentimes gangs, clubs, and military members will use a tattoo to identify themselves to others. This type of usage for a tattoo is similar to the use of tattoos five thousand years ago when the tribal tattoo art form is believed to have originated. (Syrkiewicz, 2008) Members of different gangs or military groups can identify each other by using a specific tattoo. They often form a bond around a particular symbol almost like a brotherhood. For gang members, the tattoo is used to define their members and lets them know who is friendly or not. All cultures have used tattoos as some form of identification and the trend is back in fashion today.

A tattoo magazine titled Tattoo Times, founded in 1982 by Don Ed Hardy and Leo Zulueta, started a new fascination with the tribal tattoo. (Tebi, 2004-2008) They called their first article “New Tribalism” and it featured tribal designs from the South Pacific, tattoos that had lost favor many years before. (Tebi, 2004-2008) Tattoo artistry itself had been going through problems with negative feelings from society at the time so an article illustrating these wonderful tribal designs helped alleviate some of the negative feelings people had about these tattoos. It actually had the effect of re-popularizing the ancient art form.
The tribal designs seen most commonly today are similar to designs used by the Polynesians for thousands of years. They often have a geometric silhouette pattern that may be considered too easy to do by many tattoo artists. Since these are not considered challenging, some artists do not like to do them. (Tebi, 2004-2008)

Celtic tribal patterns are also popular today. They were distributed by sailors hundreds of years ago as they traveled from Europe. Actually, sailors can be thanked for causing the original popularity of tattoo artistry in the modern western world. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word, ‘ta-taw’, which was thought to be the sound a person would hear when the tattooing instruments were used. When the sailors returned to Europe with tattoos that illustrated their adventures, people were fascinated and many wanted to have their own. (Tebi, 2004-2008)

The type and location of a tribal tattoo is a limitless as the unique personality of the person who wants it. Some examples are tribal armband, Celtic tattoo, tribal wolf tattoo, tribal shoulder tattoo, tribal scorpion, butterfly dragon, dog, bird, bull, tiger and many, many more. There are also tribal sleeve tattoos, lower back tribal tattoos, and tribal star tattoos. (Hemingson, 1999-2009) As with all artistic mediums and cultural developments, the art form of tribal tattoos is continually changing. But, the art form is always going to reflect the depth and potential of the person who wants the tattoo as well as the artist’s interpretation of the tribal design.

Works Cited
Hemingson, V. (1999-2009). Tribal tattoo design. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from The Vanishing Tattoo: http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tribal_tattoos.htm

Syrkiewicz, J. (2008, October 8). History and Social Impact of Tatoos. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from Suite101.com: http://cultural-anthropology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_history_and_social_impact_of_tattoos

Tebi, D. B. (2004-2008). TatooJoy.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from History of Tribal Tattoos: http://tattoojoy.com/tattoo_articles/the_meaning_of_tribal_tattoos.htm