MOST TATTOOS HAVE SOME FORM OF SYMBOLISM OR ANOTHER
The symbolism of your tattoo(s) may surprise you. Most tattoos can have a much deeper meaning behind them than you realize. It’s recommended to research your tattoo before getting it to make sure you’re not trying to say more than you intend to. It’s also fun to be able to tell others what symbolic meaning your tattoos have.
ROSES
Roses have long been a popular choice for a tattoo. Some get them simply because they like roses and think they are beautiful. Others may dig deeper behind their meaning, or they have their own meaning that’s not the typical. Maybe a loved one died and a rose symbolizes that person. The color of a rose tattoo can be an important factor behind the message. Below, we’ll list the most popular rose colors and their meanings.
- RED ROSE: Passion, Longing, and Eternal Love.
- PINK ROSE: Joy, Sweetness, and Admiration.
- YELLOW ROSE: Friendship, Remembrance, and Thinking About Someone.
- BLUE ROSE: Mystery, Desire, and Unattainable Love.
- WHITE ROSE: Innocence, Purity, and Chastity.
- BLACK ROSE: Elusiveness, Death, and Loss.
- BURNING ROSE: Burning Passion, Rebirth, and Allegiance.
BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
Butterflies and moths are a very popular tattoo subjects, and not just with women. Men get them too. Both of them represent rebirth, transformation and freedom. Butterflies can also have the symbolism of joy, life, fertility and immortality, whereas the moth can also mean death, mystery and growth.
CELTIC KNOTWORK
Celtic knot work has a very long history. It can be seen in early Irish art, pottery, jewelry, weapon embellishments and so on. It’s been long seen as a symbol of eternity, strength, eternal bonds and love. Celtic knot tattoos can some out astonishingly beautiful, as seen in the example of Rob’s work in a lower leg tattoo.
SKULLS
Skulls are a very popular choice for a tattoo for both men and women. The symbolism of the skull can vary greatly. Despite the visually grim nature, a skull tattoo can actually represent a positive message, such as appreciating life because of its fragility, or to live your life to its fullest. Of course, it can also symbolize death, decay and mortality.
HEARTS
One of the great things about a heart tattoo is that it can be done in so many different ways and styles. The same is true behind their symbolism. The obvious one would be love, but it can also mean love lost, passion, unity, loss, life, affection, commitment, and so on. A heart is a popular choice to include in a memorial tattoo for both humans and animals based off both the love and the loss meanings.
PHOENIX
Probably the most common symbolism to a phoenix tattoo would be rebirth. Legend has it that when a phoenix dies, it burns up only to be reborn from the ashes. It’s a perpetual cycle of life and death for eternity. The phoenix can symbolize rebirth, eternity, immortality and mystery.
MANDALAS
The mandala style of art, believed to have originated alongside Hinduism, is a perfectly designed image often symmetrical and containing hints of floral work. It makes sense that perfection is on of the things that mandalas symbolize. They also represent the universe, balance, enlightenment and eternity. Buddhists often use mandalas to aid in meditation.
CHERRY BLOSSOMS
The cherry blossom is probably the most popular imagery used for an Asian style tattoo. Though seen predominantly in Japanese inspired styles, it is also seen in other Asian culture tattoos. The cherry blossom symbolism can mean the cycle of life, beauty of nature, sensual freedom, renewal, frailty of life and innocence (amongst other things).
DRAGONS
Dragon tattoos have been popular for a very long time with all kinds of people. It’s universally agreed that dragons look awesome. Who wouldn’t want one for a tattoo? The most common symbolism for a dragon tattoo is strength, good fortune, power and magic. It’s not uncommon to see a dragon/phoenix tattoo mix.
LIONS
Another fearsome creature that is popular among tattoo enthusiasts is the lion. Lions have long been linked to royalty, wisdom, fearlessness, bravery, strength and pride. It’s no wonder why so many people love to get lion tattoos. In modern times, it’s fairly common to see a lion tattoo with a crown, roses, a compass or a time piece. Sometimes, all of the above.
Obviously, these 10 designs are just scratching the surface of the many other designs out there. Look for the next article we publish on another 10 soon!
ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NEXT TATTOO?
If you’re ready to get your next tattoo done, schedule an appointment with an award-winning tattoo parlor. Here at Lucky Bamboo Tattoo, we have some of the best and most experienced tattoo artists in the Salt Lake City area. We can tattoo any style you’d like, and our artists can even design your next piece as well.