Meanings of Yin Yang Tattoo Designs

Aside from the connotation of balance, there’s definitely more to the yin and yang. The color actually represents the opposing sides of the world: black and white; good and bad. In some cases, people see it as the attraction between opposites. Designed to fit like two puzzle pieces, the resulting image doesn’t have a specific beginning or ending. Hence, it can also be said that the yin yang tattoo designs represent the cycle of life.

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However, the black and white halves are not completely separated from each other. In the black portion, there is a small white dot and vice versa. This shows that even the darkness has a small spot of light and light always has a small spot of darkness. It’s a very provoking thought that may be likened to human nature – not all bad people are bad and not all good people are good.

In the Chinese culture, the Yin and Yang are seen as a symbol of harmony. If two opposing sides meet each other, they will create a balance leading to peace and serenity.

The Yin and the Yang
The Yin is the white portion of the symbol and is usually seen as the female part. Funny enough, it’s also interpreted as the destructive side of the equation while the masculine Yang is the creative counterpart. The belief goes that when the two balance each other, they will then create the five elements namely: earth, fire, water, wood and metal.

Best Places for the Yin Yang Tattoo Designs

Thanks to how simple the basic image is, there’s really no problem with placing it on whatever body part. Some women prefer to place it on the lower back, the biceps, the shoulder blades, hands or hipbone. Males prefer the arms, biceps, back and the chest. In fact, yin yang tattoo designs on the chest are regarded as bravery.

How Yin and Yang is Drawn
Here comes the tricky part when it comes to yin yang tattoo designs – the proper placement. Since the circle doesn’t have an upside or downside, there’s really no way of knowing which color goes up or down. Females usually prefer the lighter side up due to obvious reasons why the males tend to favor the black part. Of course, there are those who decide to place it in a way where the division in colors will form a 90 degree angle.

Others also take the small dots into consideration when deciding the best position for their yin yang tattoo designs. A common approach is that the small white circle is the sun and should therefore be at the top. Of course, some people don’t really care and just have it tattooed any which way. Considering how much message they symbol by itself connotes, the placement is not really much of a problem.

Of course, some people prefer to get more creative with their yin yang tattoo. Some people prefer using other symbols to represent the black and white halves. For example, two fishes swimming tail to tail of each other or perhaps the sun and the moon can also be easily depicted and recognized as the representation of the yin and yang. This type of approach lets the individual be more creative with their yin yang tattoo designs.

Photo Credit:
Sacred Heart Tattoo, Lincoln NE/ ONE/MILLION

Elephant Background
The behavior of elephants is one of the top reasons why they are attributed with so many good and meaningful translations. Elephants usually band in a group with the females joining together to raise the children. In fact, a single elephant is capable of keeping track of as many as 30 other elephants at any given time. These animals are fiercely protective of their young and incredibly respectful with their dead. It is well documented that elephants bury their dead comrades and have a unique way of showing respect should they encounter a corpse during wandering. They would usually stand together and pass the bones of a dead elephant around the group before putting it back exactly how they found it. This is perhaps why the elephant is regarded as they are the guides of souls and spirits in the underworld according to Hmong legends.

Meaning of Elephant Tattoo Designs

In Indian culture, elephants are widely respected and believed to be a symbol of chastity. They are also viewed as representations of wisdom and patience. In fact, there is an Indian god called Ganesh often seen as having the head of the elephant. For some people, the elephant means success and prosperity. For this reason, it is not unusual to find elephant statues in a house with the hope of attracting success within its walls.

They were also used for battle during the old days with royalty using the elephant as their primary means of transport. Due to their huge size, they automatically scare enemies and therefore equated with power. In fact, the elephant is sometimes used as a representation of the king, the ruler or the leader. It is believed that seeing an elephant is “good luck” especially if it happens to be a white one. The white elephant or the Albino elephant is the most revered of all.

How to Be Creative with Elephant Tattoo Designs

There are numerous styles placed on elephant tattoo designs, usually depending on likes of the person being inked. As mentioned, the white elephant is the most revered – but who wants a plain white image for their body art? This is why sometimes people defer from the normal grayish elephant image and choose to use brighter colors for their ink. In some cases, elephant tattoo designs are adorned with different colors in strategic places as if they were carrying royalty. This way, people will be able to make their tattoo eye catching while still staying true to the elephant’s meaning.

Best Place for Elephant Tattoo Designs

Most people who opt for elephant tattoo designs already have previous inks on their body. This is because attempting an elephant tattoo is highly ambitious as the design is usually larger than the normal tattoo. In fact, it is usually placed at the back or a large expanse of the arms. This is in deference to the actual size of the elephant. Of course, some people manage to make elephant tattoo designs look small and appealing at the same time – usually by copying the “Dumbo” elephant cartoon. A small elephant head is also a popular option for those who want something that could fit on their feet or near the wrist. Luckily, these types of elephant tattoo designs don’t alter the symbol’s meaning for the wearer.

Photo Credit: Myke Chambers, S myers, , tattoo art & tattoo designs

The Cross

The cross design is possibly the most widely recognized symbols today. Like most religious tattoos, it can look upon as a representation of God or a higher power. Some cross tattoos however are seen as a remembrance of someone who has passed away. One popular variation of the cross is the Celtic where a knot is placed at the center of the symbol. Apart from the religious implications, the knot also symbolizes the Cycle of Life or even eternity.

Religious Personalities
The Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus and Jesus Christ are only some of the personalities who find themselves as Christian tattoo designs. The image of Jesus Christ is easy enough to decode but sometimes, the Virgin Mary has a different connotation for the wearer. In fact, some people have the Virgin Mary tattoo as a symbol of devotion to their own mothers.

The Guiding Star
Another religious favorite is the guiding star the three kings used to locate the newborn baby Jesus. For most, this particular symbol not only relates to religion but also to a journey through life. The star is believed to act as a guide that would lead a person to their destiny or in true Christian context, to the lord.

Angels
Angels are one of the most favored Christian tattoo designs. They can be drawn as a child, a woman, a man and sometimes a simple pair of wings. Angels symbolize a great deal of things for different people. In most cases though, they are seen as guides that help people find the right path to salvation. The childlike angels or cherubim are often seen as playful and therefore represent happiness and joy. Others take the image of the angel and use it as a reminder of a lost loved one.

Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is often depicted with the heart shape being surrounded by thorns. It is translated as a Christ’s heart and his devotion to humanity. The thorns are a symbol of the Lord’s pain and suffering for the rejection inflicted by people. The Sacred Heart may be depicted with or without the image of Jesus Christ.

Textual
Bible verses or even just the specific location of a favorite verse are also excellent tattoo choices. This type of tattoo is often inked due to a person’s personal devotion and not always meant to be shown.

Where to Put Christian Tattoo Designs

The location of Christian tattoo designs often depends on how large the item is. Images of the Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary usually deserve a larger than normal canvas like the back or the arms. The cross, sacred heart, stars and even angels however are perfectly fine in smaller body parts like the lower back, the hipbone, the collar bone or even near the wrists.

Choosing Christian Tattoo Designs

Since there are so many, choosing Christian tattoo designs may be hard, especially for those who are getting one for the first time. It is advised that people not only look into the religious implications of the design but also deeper meanings behind it. For example, an angel tattoo has religious roots but drawn the right way, it could also allude to an individual’s personal belief, emotions and ideas. To sum it up, individuals must think long and carefully before finally deciding on the best Christian tattoo designs for them.

Tattoo photo credit – Lucky Bamboo Tattoo, Main Street Ink Tattoo

One common misconception with armband tattoo designs is that there are very limited options for creativity. This is because most people see either barbed wired tattoos or thorn tattoos surrounding the arm. However, there’s definitely more choices for armband tattoo designs including the following:

Celtic Armband Tattoo Designs

Celtic designs are perfect as armband tattoos since they have these loops and curves that can be easily intertwined with each other to form a ring. They are usually drawn in black like most Celtic tattoo symbols. What’s great about this is that the loops themselves represent the Cycle of Life.

Snakes and Animal as Armband Tattoos

Some people like to put a bit more color on their armband tattoo designs. For example, a snake encircling the arm or perhaps small little butterflies chasing each other in a circle works as a great armband. A good tattoo artist is capable of converting various animal symbols into small sizes that could act as a ring around the arm. What’s great about this is that a person can choose an animal that has special meaning to them.

Textual
Whether it’s Chinese, Japanese or Latin, textual armbands are a great way of combining two classic tattoo approaches. Perhaps choose a favorite quotation and have it written in a circular pattern. This is a classic approach that lets the wearer be as unique as possible.

Flowers and Vines
As mentioned before, thorns are a favorite in armband tattoo designs, especially for the female population. It’s a much more feminine approach to the masculine barbed wire concept. Vines are also great an in some cases, women also choose to have roses growing on the vines. This incorporates the meaning of the flower in the tattoo, allowing women to convey whatever message they want. Other popular flower choices for armband tattoo designs include lilies and sometimes even sunflowers although they don’t fit well with the vine concept.

Getting Creative with Armband Tattoo Designs

Sometimes, people are not content with a simple straight line encircling their arm. For example, some people will have a blood armband tattoo and for the sake of realism will have some of those bloods trickling down to the elbows. The same goes for flower armbands, Celtic armbands or textual designs. Simply put, some individuals choose to treat the armband like a necklace with a “pendant” in the middle to capture attention.

Placement of Armband Tattoo Designs

As the name suggests, the armband tattoo is placed on the arm – but you need to keep in mind that the arm is not confined to the bicep area. It’s the whole stretch of skin from the shoulders to the wrists so people have the choice of putting their armband anywhere in between. There’s really no ulterior meaning where the tattoo is placed but if you prefer to hider you tattoo during office hours, the area directly below the shoulders is the best point. For those who are not afraid of displaying their armband, somewhere nearer the elbows is better. So basically, the location of the band in the arm depends on how much a person wants their tattoo viewed. It really depends on one’s personal preference on how he wants the tattoo portrayed.

Armband tattoo designs are popular due to their simplicity and how easy they are to have inked. However, it is important to note that these tattoos mostly originated as “symbols” of being part of a demographic. For example, the ocean-inspired designs are a point of pride for people in Hawaii while the barbed wire is a favorite for the Russian Mafia. The Yakuza on the other hand prefer solid black armband tattoo designs.

Photo Credit – David Schexnaydre

The Day of the Dead Symbols

The symbol for Day of the Dead tattoos is usually a skull, adorned with various designs or just simply drawn in bright colors. Also known as Dia de Los Muertos, there are various symbols used to depict this holiday. Some of which include skulls, wine and various spirits, skeletons in celebration, a half flesh and half skull face, bandoleros and bread known as “pan de muerto”.

Each symbol is deeply rooted to the main concept: remembrance of the dead. The skeletons represent loved ones who have passed away while the colors, adornment and clothes placed on them are meant to depict that they are still alive in spirit. The face depicted as half skull and flesh also provides the same message and reminds the living of the Cycle of Life.

It should also be noted that Day of the Dead tattoos are almost always colorful. This is because the colors themselves have significant meaning. For example, pink means celebration while white depicts hope and purity. The color orange talks of a new day while red is seen as blood and sacrifice. Purple is usually translated as the color of mourning.

People who choose to have Day of the Dead tattoos usually stick to the original meaning of the holiday: remembering a loved one. Hence, it isn’t surprising to place names or additional symbols with the Dia de los Muertos tattoo to make it more personal for the owner. In some cases, the skull is not merely a remembrance but rather, seen as the individual’s true self. This is because in Mexican culture, the skull is not a representation of death but rather of the soul. It depicts what is within everyone and by adorning it, they are showing the acts of the person within the flesh.

Best Places for Day of the Dead Tattoo

Thanks to how easy it is to scale skulls, Day of Dead tattoos for women and men can be placed practically anywhere. Favorite locations include the arm, the lower back, the shoulder blades, in the region of the chest and the hipbone. Since the symbol has managed to gain appreciation beyond Mexican culture, it is not surprising to find other people recognizing and choosing the design. However, many choose to have their Day of the Dead tattoos small since the skull is often seen as displeasing in public.

Photo credit : Russ Abbott Tattoos, brigadoon317

Choosing the perfect tattoo designs

Sample Tattoo Designs from our Tattoo Galleries.

And this is where our site, DesignsofTattoos.com comes into play as we are solely dedicated to helping you decide how to choose the perfect tattoo designs for you. From the best resources for designs, to tattoo meanings, ideas and photos to inspire you. Feel free to browse and look around.

Tattoo Designs Resources

The main advantage of getting a tattoo these days is that you can find lots of tattoo designs resources. Our top three recommendations are:
• Chopper Tattoo
• Tattoo Me Now
• Tattoo My Brain

Click here for our complete review of the top tattoo galleries.

With these tattoo designs resources, you will not find it hard to pick ones that you like. Men and women are now open to the idea of getting a tattoo. It doesn’t matter if this is your first or second time; the most important thing is that you look for a reputed tattoo artist and present your tattoo designs.

Tattoo Designs for Men

It is said that the best thing for a man to have is a tattoo and if you’re looking for tattoo designs, you can check out the resources above. Tattoos are associated with strength and masculinity and this is the main reason why a lot of men of investing on tattoos. Tattoo designs represent a great deal of your personality. The top tattoo designs for men include Japanese, angel, cross, pin up girl, and tribal.

Today, the traditional tattoo designs have returned. Anchors, nautical stars, and sailor designs are gaining popularity. Tribal tattoos can be seen on the arms of most men. This tattoo designs have been traced back to the Samoa and Maori tribes. Men also love to get tattoos of dragon, koi fish, geisha, and cherry blossoms. If you are interested to get these tattoo designs, all you have to do is look around the many online resources and download the designs you like.

Tattoo Designs for Women

Before, tattoos are acceptable among men but with the popularity of various tattoo designs, even women can now get their own unique tattoos. It is still common for women to have their tattoos in covered places but today, some women are confident to show off their tattoos. The tattoo designs for women include flower, butterfly, fairy, star, and zodiac sign.

Women are very choosy when it comes to tattoo designs. Aside from the ones mentioned earlier, some women are also getting the unicorn, angel, and dragonfly designs. Women usually spend long hours in looking through the many designs online. You see, the needs of women are different from men and if you want to get a design that suits your personality and needs, you should invest time and effort. Aside from the tattoo designs, you also have to choose a professional and reputed tattoo artist to do the job for you.

Tattoo Designs Placement

Men and women spend a lot of time in deciding on the tattoo designs placement. The top places where you can find tattoos are the arm, back, rib cage, shoulder, foot, and wrist. These are the ideal places where you can have tattoos. For woman, lower back tattoos look really sexy, as well as the foot tattoos. It is also common to see women with butterfly tattoos on their shoulders. The thing is, most women still prefer to place tattoos in hidden areas. This is usually necessary especially for those who are working in conservative work environments. It wouldn’t be a good idea to show off at the hospital (e.g. if you’re a nurse or doctor) with a full arm tattoo, right? Being discreet in getting a tattoo is important even if you want to show off the best tattoo designs.

It is typical for men to have the tattoo designs on visible areas. This is now highly acceptable in the society. Men love tattoos on the arms, wrist, back, and rib cage. The tattoo artists can also help you in choosing the ideal placement based on the design you’ve chosen. You can discuss things so that you can also make an informed decision. Tattoo designs are not that expensive and if you look around, you can find the best deal. Make sure that you conduct a thorough search online particularly in the resources given above. Check out the thousands of designs available online. The artist can also help you with customization just in case you want to have a unique tattoo. Start looking for tattoo designs and have fun.

Tattoos by Mez Love, Myke Chambers
Photos : Tangerine Tofu