Dragon tattoos have an almost ancient tradition.  From the Orient to Europe in the Middle Ages, one of the most common tattoos has been the dragon, although each culture saw this mythical beast in a slightly different way.

Chinese dragons are by the far the most common dragon tattoos.  It is no surprise, as once these fearsome creatures were thought to have the ability to soar around thunder clouds and cause the rain.  The dragon was even thought of as the ancestor of the Chinese people. Similar in appearance, the highly-detailed Japanese dragon has adorned many since sailors returned from the Orient with a silky, sleek dragons wrapped around their upper arms.  These dragons were considered protectors, and their images adorned the robes of the emperor.

In other countries, dragons represented the four elements, meaning they had control of air, water, fire and earth.  This means you can have a water breathing dragon for your back if you want to, or have one spitting out flames through his nostrils.  You can even show one curled up sleeping warm and snug in his cave.

Dragons can decorate any part of your body and can be done in many styles.  Green Chinese dragons can inhabit your abdomen while red and blue Japanese dragons can protect your back as they stand face to face on each shoulder blade.

A winged dragon can fly across your chest ending with its tail wrapped around your belly button.  Some dragons have a reptilian look while others look a little like some real creature lost to time such as the Raptor.  Depending on the detail, a small dragon can adore the inside of your wrist or upper arm.

In Greek myth, dragons were a nasty lot given to eating heroes and picking their teeth with the bones.  If you want the nasty side of dragonhood displayed on your tattoo, look for cruel eyes, hooked talons and sharp teeth in the design, and because dragons can hold their own while worked into a busy background or larger motif you can even put in a few bones for him to pick.

Some choose this tattoo because according to Chinese astrology they were born in the year of the dragon.  If you were born under this sign, you will be a leader.  The dragon is also said to symbolize perseverance, loyalty, power, magic, nobility and bravery.

Tribal dragon tattoo are exciting representations of dragons usually done in black, red or blue ink. These look almost like outlines except they are done in a very stylized artful way.

If you find the right artist you could bring in illustrated pictures you have of dragons and see if your tattoo artist can duplicate or trace them.  See if the trace looks good and that both you and the artist know what the other needs to get the best dragon tattoo possible.

Where to go from here:

• Where To Find Dragon Tattoos….?
• Tribal Dragon Tattoos In Color
• Customize A Tribal Dragon Tattoo
• Large Dragon Tattoos – Chinese Dragon Tattoo