Aztec Tattoos are Still Popular After Many Centuries

The Aztecs lived from around the 13^th century to the 16^th century in what is today known as Mexico.  Even though they were only around for a few centuries, they left behind a lot of amazing art, much of which is the inspiration for Aztec tattoo designs.   Religion played an important role in daily Aztec life, and practically everything they did was done in order to please their gods in some way.

Aztec tribal tattoos were an essential part of their art and culture.  Many Aztec tattoos designs are still popular to this day.  While most people these days do not get them for the same reason as the ancient Aztecs, there is still a lot of symbolism behind them.  When it came down to it, the Aztecs got tattoos not only for decorative purposes, but for a variety of symbolic reasons.

They were done during rituals as a way to honor a certain god.  The designs were all different, and were used to differentiate between the various tribes.  Aztec tattoos designs were also used as a way to mark an individual’s status, as class structure was important.  A warrior, for instance, would get a tattoo designed specifically to show a warrior’s accomplishments and rank.

The Aztec culture was once considered to be very thriving and superior to other cultures in that part of the world during those centuries.  The tattoo designs can be very striking, intricate and complex.  It is obvious, when looking at surviving art, that the Aztecs placed a lot of value on their art and religion.  Many of the symbols were considered to be sacred, and were placed on particular body parts in a way that had meaning.

One of the most common elements seen in many Aztec tattoos designs is the sun.  Huitzilopochtli, their sun god, was one they held in high regard.  The sun was extremely important to the Aztec people, as they believed it was the guardian of the heavens.  An Aztec sun tattoo design is believed to symbolize heaven and the afterlife.

Quetzalcoatl was another important symbol in Aztec mythology.  He was the feathered serpent god, and was considered to be the most powerful figure of them all.  Elements associated with Quetzalcoatl have been adapted into modern tattooing.  It was believed that he had power over fertility, the weather and creativity.  It was also believed that he was the creator of the calendar, and Aztec calendar tattoos are indeed quite popular these days.

If you have been considering any type of tribal tattoo, then you should look over some Aztec tattoos designs.  There are plenty of images available online.  Whether you feel a deep connection with the Aztec people or find the art fascinating (or both), you need to look over all the amazing art.  Make sure you read about the designs and the meanings behind them so that you can have some ideas about what it means to get an Aztec tattoo!

An Introduction to Hawaiian Tattoos

There are literally millions of tattoos to choose from, and many people are choosing to go with Hawaiian designs and themes these days.  Indeed, Hawaiian tattoo designs are something you should consider if you want to stand out.  Hawaiian, or Polynesian, culture goes back thousands of years, and the art is currently being renewed in the 21^st century in the form of bright, colorful, tattoo designs.

There is a lot more to Hawaiian art than flowers and leis.  There is plenty of tribal art that comes from the Maori and the Samoan tribes.  The Polynesian islands as a whole have been the home of many creative and artistic cultures.  Much of what we know to be tribal tattoo art today is based on the designs of the Polynesian islands and cultures.

Perhaps it is not very surprising that Hawaiian tattoos are popular.  After all, other aspects of the Hawaiian culture, such as leis and shirts have made their imprint on pop culture over the last few decades.  Today, it seems as if the “Tiki” culture that was popular in the 1950s is experiencing a renewal, right alongside Hawaiian tattoo designs!

Some of the most popular Hawaiian tattoo designs include animals, flowers, armbands and representations of the tattoo gods. (Yes, some Hawaiian cultures had tattoo gods!)  The flower tattoos are the perfect choice for those seeking something pretty and colorful.  Men can even get Hawaiian tattoo designs featuring flowers as they are drawn in a way that is not overly feminine.

The hibiscus is the most common flower found in Hawaiian tattoo art.  This flower can be a number of different colors including yellow, pink, red, white and purple.  The yellow hibiscus is in fact the Hawaiian state flower.  It can be drawn as a single tattoo element or combined with other flowers and symbols.  The orchid tattoo is another popular design.  Because orchids are an endangered plant, their symbolic meaning is something along the lines of “rare beauty.”

Other popular symbols found in Hawaiian tattoo designs include arrows, lizards, dolphins and sea turtles.  In fact, some ancient Polynesian cultures had a great respect for lizards!  They are frequently featured in Hawaiian art, usually accompanied by flowers.  It should also be noted that Hawaiian tattoos were bigger than those of most other Polynesian cultures, which means that there is more room for creativity.

If you want to go with a Hawaiian tattoo design, keep in mind that men and women traditionally got tattoos on different parts of the body.  This might not matter to you, but if you want to go with this kind of art because you feel a deep connection with the culture, then placement is something you may want to take into consideration.   Traditionally, men got tattoos on the torso, legs, face, and arms.  For women, the most popular tattooed spots include the tongue, wrist and hands.

Tattoo Designs for Men Have Power

Tattoo designs for men are not hard to find.  More men than women still get tattoos despite the fact that the women seem to be trying to catch up. The real difference between the designs for a man and a woman is pretty obvious as naturally the answer is masculinity.  What can make a tattoo more masculine are bold and assertive lines and a theme that is based on something men can relate to easily.  Tattoo designs for men can make their body art collection stand out and be distinctive while telling the world a little bit more about the man who has them.

Tribal is a distinctive style that works better for most men than women because of the dynamic dark lines and jagged shapes drawn symmetrical and aggressively along the skin.  This tattoo is usually done in solitary black, but can be fused with other dark hues.  This type of tattoo is based on far older styles of body art that were used for ritualistic purposes such as the process in many cultures to mark becoming a man or for protection in battle.  According to some, even today some Burmese believe that a tattoo over the heart will protect them from being shot.  Sailors brought this type of tattoo home with them to the United Kingdom and America from the Maori tribes of New Zealand.

A favorite sport also brings some good ideas for tattoo designs for men.  Most sport mascots are masculine in appearance. The Dallas Cowboys, for example, have a stylized emblem for their team that works well as a tattoo design.  A football team emblem can be placed anywhere to show team devotion, but it goes especially well on the chest over the heart to really make a statement.

Hip hop music has infused tattoos with many masculine images and designs. Based on urban, gangsta and prison influences, hip hop body art tends to tell the wearer’s life story in ink. Rapper, producer and actor Eminem has many tattoos.  There are dog tags around his neck, on his left shoulder there is a large mushroom, his daughter’s name in a very straight lettering on his inside arm, a gothic bracelet on his left wrist and  the saying “Slit Here” on the right wrist. There’s a tribal D on his right forearm, the number 12 on his left forearm and a tattoo representing the name Slim Shady on the other side to complete his history.

Tattoos can be infused with masculinity from the wearer’s own history. Sometimes tattoo designs for men can tell the story of a bond or friendship between co-workers such as with the case of Orlando Bloom, the actor from Lord of the Rings, who along with eight other stars from the movie Lord of the Rings got a tattoo of the Elvish design meaning the number nine.  This tattoo is on his right wrist.

Draw Attention To Your Curves With Hip Tattoo Designs

While they can be a bit on the painful side, hip tattoos are becoming more popular and offer a range of beautiful and fun ideas for getting inked in a sexy spot.  Hip tattoo designs run the range from humorous and fun to dramatic.  If you want to draw attention to your curves, there is no more fantastic way to bring the eyes of admirers to this spot quickly than an intricately patterned butterfly or twinkling-eyed fairy.  In this area small can actually be better with just a small flower or itsy bitsy shooting star looking like a big deal.

If you have slender hips you can have a fantastic range of hip tattoo designs, but it might not come easy.  The hip is after all a bone and if you don’t have any extra fat or muscle the tattoo needle will cause little more than average pain. This is place of sensual wonders, and it is not used to being treated this way.  It will certainly be a bit more painful than if you have the same tattoo on your arm or leg, but this spot can be made to look twice as amazing with the addition of a scandalously sexy tattoo.

The only other problem you might have with a hip tattoo is with the care after the tattoo as this area is almost always covered by or rubs against clothing.  This friction can double the healing time so be prepared after a hip tattoo to guard against this by wearing looser fitting clothes for a few days.

Some of us think of the hip as being located on the side of the body just lateral to the buttocks on the bony protrusion to the side, but others of us think of this part of the body extending into the curve just in front of the abdominal region.  Either way this relatively small area has a way of moving when you are walking or running that make a tattoo look very interesting,

There are a number of hip tattoo designs that seem tailor made for this region. Because this is an area that can be easily covered up if you want it to be this can be a great place for a more risqué tattoo than you might ordinarily go for, or you can put a secret lover’s initials in this spot.  The most popular hip tattoo designs are roses, flowers, hearts, butterflies and fairies.

Naturally, through some women like to break stereotype and go for designs such skulls and crossbones, skull and flames, hearts with crossed dangers or other images that lean toward the masculine tattoos favored by men. By placing these tattoos in this spot it makes them more ironic and gives them a gleam of sex appeal.  There are a few individuals who have gone for the more humorous and selected a tattoo representation of a cute grinning or dancing hippopotamus for their hip tattoo design.

Wizard Tattoo Designs Bring The Magic

The image of the wizard in tattoo designs has changed and evolved as the figure keeps changing in popular culture.  The wizard is a symbol of freedom of thought, advanced thinking and, of course, magic.  They are common figures in fantasy literature, role playing games, fantasy art and myth.  The iconic image and the most common wizard tattoo design has morphed from a wizened figure in robes with a tall star-encrusted conical hat to young boy with glasses and scar on his forehead.  Wizard tattoos can run from these older associations to new ones easily and give the body art collectors a little magic in their life.

In fantasy and myth, the big difference between the wizard and other magical creatures or individuals is the need for study. Wizards have to learn their craft and this sets them apart.  Often this is used in fantasy fiction to give the wizard a bumbling aspect when his magic goes wrong, or to add to suspense concerning whether his spells will work in a pinch or not.  The wizard can be a good guy, mentor, grandiose fool or villain.

Some of the wizard’s tools are often a large part of wizard tattoo designs such as the conical hat. This usually has the blue background and stars or is a plain blue or black.  The wizard, even more than the witch or fairy, is usually seen welding a wand since his powers is acquired not innate. The wand is usually represented as a simple stick of word or even a short tree branch with a glowing end emitting sparks or light.   Other less frequently used objects are cauldrons, crystal balls, staves, books, potions, scrolls, tinkling bells, decks of cards or brooms. Wizards are sometimes accompanied by an animal acting as a familiar.

Getting a wizard tattoo design is really a matter of deciding what illustration best represents the type of wizard you want to project. The traditional wizard with the robes, white beard and wizard hat are well known and there are many designs available for this image.  This image can go anywhere and be either large or small depending on the space you are working with and what you want.

With the huge popularity of the Harry Potter series of books and movies, many young people are looking for a different type of wizards to represent them in tattoo form. They might want the head master of the young wizard who is the principle of the series, but more likely they want a representation of the character himself.  The scar, glasses, wand and house scarf are the things most likely to bring the character to people’s minds.  These are all easy to incorporate into either a large or small tattoo.   Using a clear script font, a wizard tattoo can even feature lettering passages of favorite quotes from the book. Wizards are a fun tattoo and let you keep the magic with you forever.

Broken Heart Tattoo Designs Can Start The Healing

How can you mend a broken heart?  Looking through a few broken heart tattoo designs to commemorate the events that started it all might be a good solution.  The first step to moving on might be getting the broken heart on your chest over your heart or on your arm as one way of telling yourself and the world that yes, it is finally over.  This tattoo is popular and common, but subtle changes or personal touches can make it your own.  Getting a broken heart tattoo puts you in company with many people who loved and lost long ago and those who are still looking for love today.

The broken heart is a fairly common metaphor for the agonizing pain you feel when you break up, lose a loved one or go through one of life’s difficult changes.  Rejection hurts. Love can sting, and death can be cruel. Any one of these events can make you feel that your heart is literally being cut or broken in half.   Having a broken heart is even documented in the bible.  Psalm 69:20 says “Insults have broken my heart and left me weak.”

It might not seem real to others who are not going through it, but having a broken heart is very real and can be extremely painful. People can actually die after suffering great loss.  It is called broken heart syndrome and is most common after the death of a spouse after a long marriage. After living through the pain, getting a tattoo to memorialize the pain seems an obvious choice.

If you want to go for a broken heart tattoo design with a humorous vein, you might try a variation of the heart with wearing a Band-Aid or being propped up by crutches.  You can also go for the infected looking heart that looks as if it has gangrene or is having a hole blasted through it.  There are many funny cartoonish ideas that would work for the broken heart including representations of shooting, stabbing or clubbing the poor thing.

Simple designs include the shape of a heart with a wavy line running part way through it to indicate a break.  This can stand alone or as part of a larger motif.  You can also put the start and end days of the relations in lettering or in a banner underneath to mock a commemorative or ‘in memorial’ tattoo.

A real commemorative or memorial tattoo will of course look much more serious.  You would be looking for thick, bold lines and heavy reds for the heart.  The break can be a rip or tear either at the top pulling away a segment of the heart or a break running down the middle.  In the case of a genuine memorial tattoo for a loved one, their picture or name could be added to a stylized banner under the heart.