Tattoo designs and tattoo symbols

The shear variety of tattoo designs can get confusing if you're ready to get a tattoo. Knowing which tattoo symbols best represent you and what type of design is most suitable for the things you want to express is crucial when selecting a tattoo - the last thing you want to do is to make the wrong choice and then regret that for a very long time. To help you out, we've put together a list of some of the most popular tattoo designs and symbols:

Tribal Tattoos
Dominated by the neo tribal tattoo style of design, these design patterns follow ancient symbols and line curvatures. While the traditional tribal tattoo designs were all black in color, modern tribal patterns also come with colorful symbols and may cover the entire body.

Traditional tattoos
When you think of a classic tattoo the mind immediately jumps to images of anchors or female bodies. These rather old school tattoo designs are making a nice comeback, with many male customers asking for sailor like tattoos and female clients going for swallows or more discrete anchors.

Dragon Tattoos
The mythical aspect of dragons has always been an intricate part of tattoo designs. Dragon tattoos tend to go more towards Asian style dragons, but there are still customers that prefer the mythological approach for a dragon tattoo design.

Celtic Tattoos
Very few people that actually have a Celtic heritage opt for this type of tattoo. Since the Celtic tattoo designs are more universal and have a symbolism that applies to most cultures around the globe, they are popular regardless of geographical location.

Other popular tattoo symbols

Angel - Religious tattoo designs are best expressed by angles.

Star- the star symbolizes hope and honesty.

Cross- the cross is also linked to religious and sentimental items and can serve as a place to write a loved one's name.

Wings- another religious tattoo design, with the difference that the symbolism of wings tells us that the bearer needs to earn their right to fly.

Sun - it symbolizes life and thus holds an important part of many modern tattoo designs.

Phoenix - the mythical Phoenix is a symbol of resurrection and rebirth.

Butterfly - very popular with women, butterfly tattoo designs represent grace and beauty.

Tips on selecting your tattoo

Although getting a tattoo is often related to an emotional experience or decision, try to let some common sense dictate your actions as well. Say you met a girl and you believe you are in love - don't get her name imprinted on your skin the very next day, even though that might seem like a selfless and amazing gesture. Also make sure to know what symbol each tattoo carries, as you will see that a certain design or representation may be viewed differently in different parts of the world or even in the same country. One last thing to remember when you are looking at tattoo designs and ready to get one is that YOU should like it, not your friends or partner. Choose a design that represents your personality, not what the ones around you suggest.

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