Celtic tattoos

Tattoos are as popular today as they were in ancient times, but for different reasons. We wear them as decoration the ancients wore tattoos as permanent war paint. Their tattoos were designed with one thing in mind and that was to instil as much fear in their enemies as they possibly could. Wars were fought hand to hand and in battle warriors bared their chests in order to make sure that their tattoos were highly visible to the enemy. Tattoos indicated toughness and fearlessness when faced with danger. Tattoos were also designed as a method of identification, much like soldiers today wear 'dog tags'.

Popular tattoo choices
Celts once covered a large area of Europe and had their own languages and culture, not to mention religion. The symbols they used in those days are incorporated into the highly popular Celtic tattoos used today.

The Celts worshipped gods and goddesses, animals and the land, and as they were exposed more and more to Christianity, their symbols and shapes started to change into crosses and stars. One of the reasons for this adaptation was to avoid conflict with Christian beliefs. But, these adapted elements are what remains and what is most seen in traditional tattoos.

Celtic Knot Patterns
Although many traditional Celtic designs are copied in tattoos, perhaps one of the most recognizable and coveted tattoo is the knot. Knots resemble interwoven vines and are arranged to form a particular shape, for example a heart, but their shape can be almost anything a person can think of, from circles to the more complex star shape.











A Celtic knot also carries with it the symbolism recognizable by anyone who has even a slight knowledge of Celtic art which is that it represents continuous life as well as the season's cycles and the complexity of nature.

Animals were very important to the Celts, animals such as butterflies, dogs and geese. Butterflies were especially held in very high esteem by the Celts because of their beauty. Dogs symbolize loyalty and good luck while eagles are linked with death, so are ravens and other birds. Horses were sacred to the Celts and a tattoo depicting a horse is linked to mystery and magic. Power can be symbolized by a Celtic art tattoo of a bear while the dragon is associated with both power and magic. Sometimes an animal will be the main focus in a tattoo while others may form on a part of the background.

The number three, 3, has always featured highly in Celtic designs and is typically found somewhere in the design, at times even hidden deeply within it. It can be small or large.












Cross
The Celtic cross is without doubt perhaps the most recognisable of all Celtic designs and is a very popular tattoo subject. They are highly religious in their nature and quite often Celts will wear the design as a proclamation of their ethnic roots.

The Celtic tree of life is quite self-explanatory, it follows the same style as the knot and the cross but it is composed of interweaving lines which form branches around a tree trunk. It represents the beginning and end of life and also the eternal nature of the world we live in.

Claddagh
A Claddagh, though maybe not as well known is popular and is perhaps more recognizable to those of Celtic and Irish heritage. Consisting of two hands clasping a heart covered by a crown. When represented graphically in the form of a tattoo, it stands for everlasting love and loyalty.












The beauty of body art
Celtic designs are beautiful when incorporated into a tattoo and there are a host of different choices suited to both male and female. Almost every tattoo studio will offer a wide variety of Celtic tattoo designs.

Celtic art in the form of tattoos is very often seen as bands around the arms or on the wrist. More recently Celtic designs are being tattooed on the lower back. Celtic art is usually always done with black ink and the lines can be a combination of thick and very thick. Celtic tattoo designs have their origin dating back several thousand years and their aesthetic value has grown ever more popular since then as they are beautiful abstract works of art.Source URL: https://andrewsanchez.blogspot.com/search/label/Skull%20Tattoos
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snake tattoos

It was over 50 years ago when I saw my first snake tattoo. My father proudly showed off his snake and dagger tattoo design he just had inked on his upper arm. I liked it too as he had incorporated my name in the design. He told me then he chose this design to represent strength and protection. If he were alive today, maybe he say something different, but I'm sure, in that tangled web of tattoos he eventually ended up with, this was still one of his favourites.

What is it that still draws people to this design? There are many answers to this and I will name just a couple. For example, the snake's popularity may have something to do with the rich history of myths and legends. One such myth is that of the ancient Greek myth of Medusa, the beautiful snake haired woman, who had the power to turn men into stone with a single glance, and I'm sure we know of a few women who still have that power today.

Snakes and serpents have a long mythological history associated with good and evil, life and death, beginnings and endings. When a snake sheds its skin it is seen as a symbol of rebirth, change, and healing.











Another tale of re-birth is that of the Ancient Greeks who had Ouroboros, a snake curled into a circle biting its own tail. The idea being that the continuing eating and re-growing of the tail is a symbol of the eternal cycle of ruin and re-birth.

The shedding of skin by the snake has also been associated with re-birth or new beginnings. The ancient Greeks believed snakes were sacred to the god of medicine Asclepius who had a staff with serpents wrapped around it, which you can still see today as a symbol in modern medicine.

What about the story of Hydra, a 9 headed serpent defeated by Hercules. The story goes Hercules had a difficult time killing the Hydra because when he cut one head off two heads would grow back. He eventually solved the problem by burning the stumps to stop another head growing, and the Hydra lived no more.












In some mythologies snakes are seen as the keepers of wisdom and sacred secrets. But the snake has also been show as a symbol of evil, death, or deceit. In Christianity, the serpent tricks Adam and Eve into disobeying God. Perhaps due to the deadly venom many snakes possess, myths involving snakes have often portrayed them as evil.

In Australia, India, and Africa, where snake myths are related to rainbows, and rainbows are often associated with rain and fertility. I like the story of Da, a mythological African serpent who kept the oceans and sky in place and we could catch a quick look at Da when a rainbow appeared.











Another reason for the snake's popularity as a tattoo design is that you can be incorporated with any other design, such as, hearts and daggers, or skulls and dragons. The beauty of the snake tattoo design is it doesn't look out-of-place with any other tattoo design.

And snake tattoo designs looks great with, or without the use of colour. You can have the brilliant array of snake scales in various shades from the very bright to a dull hue. Or no colour at all starting from a pale grey to a vivid black, and either way the end result I'm sure will look fantastic.Source URL: https://andrewsanchez.blogspot.com/search/label/Skull%20Tattoos
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Skull Tattoos

Skull tattoos may appear gruesome or scary to others but those who patronized this type of tat theme actually have special meanings attached to it. They are not just tattooed on them in order to appear tough or to appear funny. In this article, we will be looking at the several variations of skull tattoo designs and the symbolism attached to them.













The very plain skull tat is originally an old school art. It was even once an insignia for groups like bikers, prisoners or gang members during the early days. However, as body art evolves, modifications and alterations for skull tattoo also came into play. Originally, its image was scary but now you can find humorous ones as well as whimsical and colorful styles. Before, they were usually combined with symbols like dagger, crossbones, flames and rose. Nowadays, anything goes as long as it would look good on one's body or as long as it can deliver the message it wants to portray.













Artists seem to be having a lot of fun portraying this symbol;from cartoon skulls to terrifying Grim Reaper to realistic skull drawings. Of course, don't forget the poison sign and the pirate symbol. It can also be noticed that this tat them is not only for the male population. The female tat enthusiasts are seem to be giving it a lot of attention and thoughts too through the portrayal of colorful sugar skulls or corpse bride tattoo.













Those who have skull tattoos look upon it as their protection from death or their talisman. It can also be a symbol of near death experience or one's survival from a fatal accident or illness. Other's even consider it as a lucky charm. Whatever meaning the wearer wants to attached to it, the important thing it the personal connection and symbolism it has to them.Source URL: https://andrewsanchez.blogspot.com/search/label/Skull%20Tattoos
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