Archive for Free Tattoo Designs
Tiger Tattoo Designs
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The tiger as a tattoo design is quickly becoming popular in Asian countries like India, China, Japan, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. In these cultures tigers are given the kind of reverence that a Lion is given in Middle East and Europe. This ferocious animal is also associated with beauty, sensuality and passion apart from the usual characteristics which include speed, cruelty, power and wrath. It is said that a fresh new power or passion may be kindled within you when you see a tiger in your dream!
The tiger is seen as a symbol for a King in the Asian continent and is associated with the might and power of Kings. In fact, the tiger is referred to as the ‘King of animals’ by the Koreans. In the Hindu culture (of India), Shiva – a Hindu god of destruction – is seen wearing tiger skin and riding a tiger. The tiger is not only a symbol of power and strength but also of violence and destruction. The tiger symbolizes both life and death; both evil and its destructive power.
In the Chinese sub-continent, images of tigers are used to ward off evil spirits. Stone images of tigers are a common sight which acts as protective guardians of houses and buildings. During the great Zhou dynasty (pronounced Chou or Ch’ao) that lasted longer than any other regime in China, images of tigers were hung in the rooms of pregnant women in order to protect the unborn baby. Some cultures even consider the tiger a vessel of their god’s wrath; the tiger’s attack meant punishment from their supreme being. 
There are many stories about Weretigers in the Asian cultures (people who can shapeshift into tigers) much like the American Werewolf legends. People believe that the Tibetans and Na-hsi of the Yunnan province in China have their ancient ancestors in tigers or Weretigers. It is a common practice for the Na-his to present their boys and girls tiger figurines at ceremonies that celebrate their coming of age. Even newly wed couples are given these figures. Now that you know what the tiger can mean symbolically, you are now fully ready to get a tattoo of a tiger!
Where to Find Tattoo Design Ideas
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Although getting a tattoo is fun, the process of finding the right one pretty much sucks the fun out of it; but it is well worth the effort!
So many of us have tattoos today that it is almost impossible to find that fresh, unique idea that no one has ever thought of before, and what’s more if you do end up finding just the tattoo, you need to love it enough to have it on you permanently. The big question is where do you find this perfect tattoo? And there is no one answer to this question.
It is way better to get a tattoo of something you are passionate about than get a tattoo design that is popular. Trends change all the time and so do our ideas of what’s “cool”. It’s quite rare that a person’s love for something will change – quite often people grow fonder of their one true passion with time (like music or cats).
Simply looking up designs may cause a great deal of confusion. If you first decide in your mind what you want then you will find that there are plenty of resources to help you adapt your idea into a tattoo. You don’t have to be a great artist – If you have the idea any tattoo artist worth his / her salt will be able to flesh it out for you.
A good practice is to keep writing them down as you get these ideas. Make sure you have quite a few to choose from, before you refer back to them and pick your winner. Sometimes you find great tattoo ideas in the most unlikely places – keep an eye out for great ideas and make a note of them (I like to take pictures of all that I like, with the camera in my phone)
Tattoo Conventions are a great source for brilliant tattoo ideas. Artists display their work at these conventions. I’ve found that looking at tattoos on a live person often gives you a better idea of what it would be like than looking at them in a magazine or online. And where else can you find a large gathering of tattooed people than in tattoo conventions?!
Of course the other options are magazines, tattoo books and online galleries. Several of these online galleries (like ours) are free and so are all reference books in the library. All you need is patience and perseverance and I promise you – you’ll find that unique design!
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.
Popular Tattoo Artist: Kat Von D
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Katherine von Drachenberg, popularly known as Kat Von D is a famous tattoo artist and TV personality. She was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico on the 8th of March, 1982. She is of a mixed descent – with a German father and Italian / Spanish mother and moved to California at the early age of 4.
What most people wont guess about her is that she is a classically trained pianist and enjoys the work of elite musicians such as Ludwig van Beethoven. Kat Von D’s first experience with television was when she appeared in Miami Ink (a reality TV show). She initially appeared as a substitute for Darren Brass who had hurt his arm and could not tattoo. After her falling out with some of the cast members of the show she was asked to leave the show which turned out to be a good thing for her. She subsequently got her own reality show on TV – LA Ink – featuring her work and tattoo shop – High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California.
Subsequently she went to gain the Guinness World Record for the most number of tattoos given by a one single person in twenty four hours. She gave 400 tattoos in 24 hours to create that record. Today the record stands with Hollis Cantrell with 801 tattoos in 24 hours.
At such a young age Kat Von D has even come out successful in the publishing world. Her first book – High Voltage Tattoo – was released in 2009 with a foreword by the famous Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe. Her book was No. 6 on the New York Best Times Best Seller list. The book is a compilation of her artwork and tattoos – tracing her career as a tattoo artist and shedding light on her influences and inspirations. The book is “not an autobiography, you know, ’cause I’m too young to do that. But this is just kind of like a picture-driven outline of my career as an artist. So, you see everything from my drawings when I was six to tattoos that have never before been seen” said Kat Von D about the book.
She later (in 2008) created a whole line of make-up products for Sephora that now also includes fragrances. She is also the founder of MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival. She went on to publish another book – The Tattoo Chronicles – that reached no. 3 on the New York Times Best Seller List in 2010.
Why Do Some Tattoos Fade Over Time?
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People have thought about tattoos – how it will affect their lives, their chances of landing the job they really want, how it affects others’ perception of them etc. and they have come to terms with it, but what most people don’t think about is that these permanent tattoos are not actually permanent. Yes their mark on your skin will always remain but it will never look the same as it did the day you first got them done.
Tattoos are cool but not when they are all faded, sagging or shriveled up! I guess this is where the body part used for tattoos plays an important role. Every part of your body will age with time and there’s nothing we can do about that! But we sure can save some of our tattoos from fading prematurely.
Tattoos on the arms or shoulders tend to fade faster then those on butts or bellies mainly due to their exposure to the sun. By using sun block lotions and periodically getting touch ups on those that are exposed to the sun; you can save some of those old tattoos from becoming a faded mess.
Some people grapple with fading tattoo issues when in fact the tattoo is pretty new. This can happen for a lot of reasons – either the tattoo artist has failed to apply the ink correctly or you have failed to follow the after care instructions carefully.
Keep the following pointers in mind:
Like any other wound, tattoos also need time to heal. Be sure to take off the bandage covering your tattoo after an hour or two. To avoid scabbing of the skin make sure you remove all traces of blood by washing the tattoo with your fingertips using a mild antibacterial soap and apply some ointment.
Give the tattoo at least two weeks to heal completely. You can say goodbye to those long baths or showers during this period; also avoid swimming, sitting in saunas and hot tubs. Keep your showers as short as possible. Keep the tattoo well moisturized to avoid scabbing, but beware of overly moisturizing it (this may cause blotchy tattoos) – it’s a thin balance really!
Be sure not to scratch, pick or scrub your tattoos. This is very harsh on a tattoo and causes the colors to fade quickly. For this reason tattoos on your hands or feet are usually not guaranteed. It also takes longer for tattoos on these parts to heal, so be patient and allow it to heal right so you can keep it looking good for a while!
Bird Tattoo Designs
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One of the most popular designs for tattoos (among both men and women) is bird designs. Bird designs have been used in tattoos for more than a hundred years now simply because of what they represent to us, humans. Americans are very fond of the Eagle just as the Japanese are of the phoenix. Birds, both real and legendary are used as a strong metaphor for human emotions and have come to play a central role in tattoo designs.
The dove is a bird that is most often associated with gentleness. It also symbolizes devotion and the divine. The playful partridge and the proud cockerel have become the symbol of passionate gentlemen. Likewise the rooster is associated with France’s proud heritage.
Geese supposedly choose mates for life and have become famous symbols for matrimonial celebration. Perhaps the most popular bird that has come to symbolize love is the lovebird! These are tiny Mexican parrots that surprisingly snuggle up close to its partner in a seemingly affectionate manner and have thus earned the nick name.
Almost every culture in the world has myths and stories where birds play a central role. It is said that the Egyptian god Atum chose the stork like Benu to appear at the very beginning of creation. Birds like the vultures, eagles and hawks – birds of prey – were a symbol of victorious conquests for the Vikings and the Goths. The raven however has different meanings in different cultures. In some cultures the raven was viewed as a wise bird. In North America however both crows and raven are considered tricksters. The Bible views the raven as a symbol of evil, likewise among the Arabs who consider ravens as bad omen.
The swallows and Bluebirds world over are considered a good omen. It brings hope of the summer with its appearance in spring. For those sailors at sea, the swallow was a definite sign that land was nearby. They have long been associated with sailors and a life at sea. Notice the tattoo of a swallow on Johnny Depp’s forearm the next time you watch Pirates of the Caribbean.