Tattoo Motifs

 Tattoo Motifs and Symbolism

There are literally as many motifs and symbols for tattoos as there are ideas for art in the world. When choosing a design it might benefit to ask yourself the following questions:

• What inspires me?
  
• What do I aspire to?
  
• What gives me strength?
  

These three simple questions should trigger your gray matter to come up with an idea of what is meaningful "marking" for you.

Below are is a compendium of some of the most common motifs and symbols that are commonly used as tattoos.

Animals

Animals are chosen as tattoos for many reasons. It may be just because you happen to like the four-legged fuzzy creature. It may be because you need to commemorate the memory of a special pet that has passed away. 

More often though, the animal is chosen either because the person identifies with

the strengths and attributes of the creature and wishes to accentuate these traits in his her

or her own character or because the animal functions for them as a shamanic spirit guide.

Here is a description of some of the attributes of animals commonly figured in

tattoo art.

• Apes and Monkeys - symbolizes joy, freedom from persecution (Chinese) and sex (South Pacific), Chinese Astrological Sign
  
• Bats -a symbol of longevity and joy, psychic ability, vampires (Pagan)
  
• Bears - emblem of power, protection, strength and rebirth (Native American)
  
• Bees - messengers of God (Greek), carriers of souls to heaven, (Native American), prosperity (Ukrainian and Viking)
  
• Bison and Buffalo - inspires meditation (Native American)
  
• Boars - personification of victorious battle, wealth (Roman)
  
• Bulls -- strength, motivation, domination (Native American), Astrological symbol for Taurus
  
• Cats - divine, connection with Egyptian and alien spirits, psychic protection (Wiccan, Pagan)
  
• Cows - mother goddess symbol that is sacred in India. A red cow is a symbol of hope (India, China)
  
• Crickets - reincarnation, creativity, good luck charm 
  
• Deer - cure for epilepsy, visions , dreams, related to the Goddess of the Hunt Diana (Greek), beauty (Native American)
  
• Dogs - loyalty, service, trust, affection, an easy life. Chinese astrological sing
  
• Donkey - fertility, health, well-being and luck (Asian)
  
• Fox -shapeshifter, intelligence, magic (Pagan, Wiccan)
  
• Frog -mediumship (Native American), wealth bringing (Chinese)
  
• Gazelle - health (Africa)
  
• Goats - symbol of the God Pan (Greek, Celtic, Wiccan), Western Astrological sign of Capricorn, Chinese Astrological sign
  
• Hares - symbol of the God Brigid (Celtic), symbol of the moon (Wiccan)
  
• Horses - freedom, strength (American), Chinese astrological sign
  
• Jaguars - shamanism (African, Nordic)
  
• Lamb -symbol of Christianity, a Ram represents the Western astrological sign of Aries
  
• Lions - symbol of the Sun (Roman, Greek), protection (Africa), lion cubs symbolize mercy and gentleness (Native American)
  
• Ox - wealth, employment, Chinese astrological sign
  
• Pigs - Wealth and happiness (Chinese), Rebirth (Celtic), owner of motorcycle or chopper (Biker)
  
• Rabbit - Luck (Celtic), powers of manifestation (Pagan)
  
• Rat - Creativity, intelligence, Chinese astrological sign
  
• Rooster - Sexual fertility (Celtic), Chinese astrological sign
  
• Scorpion - the fire of the soul, sexuality (Egyptian), Western astrological symbol for the sign of Scorpio, Chinese astrological sign
  
• Tiger - virility, strength (Celtic), Chinese astrological sign
  
• Tortoises and Turtles -wisdom (Celtic), prosperity (Chinese
  

Biker

Purists would say that a tattoo is not a true biker tattoos unless it contains the Harley Davidson logo. Although the Harley Davidson symbols are pretty much the same, many of them are dressed up with other symbols such as jaguars, eagles, feathers, skulls, dragons, bats, flames and hot babes.

Many bikers simply opt to get a photo of their custom chopper tattooed on their arm. Often those into customizing choppers will boast tattoos of nuts and bolts, screws, wheel hubs and other motorcycle parts on their bodies. The wheel of a bike or the bike itself roaring in a bouquet of flames is a very popular image.

Three dots found anywhere on the body are a common indicator of a biker tattoo as is the use of Old English Goth script.

Although weapons and anti-authoritarian statements are also common to biker tattoos, many of them are surprisingly complacent and involve the usual roses, poker hands, tributes to Mom and flaming skulls that are seen adorning the body parts of non¬bikers.

Biomechanical

Biomechanical tattoos often depict machinery intertwined with human flesh. The father of all biomechanical designs is H. R. Giger, who designed the creature from the Alien movies. A typical piece of biomechanical work might depict a human hand, arm, or chest tangled with pieces of machinery such as screws, wheels, or and pulleys. The result is an image of a creature that looks half-robot, half-human.

Biomechanical tattoos are considered to be fetish tattoos and take their cues from painting by Salvador Dali, fetishism and Satanism. 

Bones Skulls and Skeletons

Tattoos of bones are as old as shamanism, healing and magic. This probably originates in the ancient superstitious belief that wearing death wards off death. The idea is that any evil that may approach the bearer of such a tattoo will be frightened away by the image of death on the body.

Images of skulls also represent occult wisdom and psychic powers. Skull tattoos are very popular among bikers, Goths, 

Birds

Birds are symbols of soul freedom and the flight of the imagination. Tattoos of bird’s feathers indicate honor, victory and shamanic powers. Birds’ feathers are still used

for various magical purposes such as conducting energy and decorating spiritual devices such as dreamcatchers. Tattoos of birds are found in just about every culture.

Here is a brief, but by no means comprehensive list of the symbolism represented

by birds that often appear as tattoo motifs.

• Bluebird - represent happiness, safe journeys, a classic "sailor" tattoo
  
• Crane - a Chinese symbol of health, fidelity and marriage
  
• Crow - a Celtic and Roman messenger of death, a Native American Indian Spirit Guide, a Chinese symbol of occult wisdom
  
• Cuckoo - a pagan symbol of weddings, second sight and transformation
  
• Dove - a universal symbol of peace and love, a symbol of Christ Consciousness in Christian religions
  
• Eagles - a biker and patriotic symbol, a Native American symbol of strength, a Greek and Roman symbol of a leader, an Egyptian and Celtic symbol of the "carrier of souls" past death
  
• Geese - a symbol of Canada, a symbol of new beginnings
  
• Hawk - a symbol of divine intervention and second sight in many cultures
  
• Hummingbirds - a love charm in Celtic and African Voodoo traditions
  
• Magpie - an American Southwest symbol for wealth and protection
  
• Owl - a symbol of wisdom and wisdom from the Gods in all cultures
  
• Peacock - a symbol of immortality, dignity and authority in most cultures
  
• Ravens - a Celtic symbol for victory in battle, a pagan symbol for messages from the dead
  
• Robin - an ancient symbol for compassion and fertility
  
• Sparrow - a Christian symbol for faith
  
• Storks - traditionally announce the arrival of a baby, a universal symbol of fertility, a guardian of the elderly (North American Indian), a symbol of justice (Greece)
  
• Swans - a traditional love symbol, a messenger of the communication God Apollo (Greek), a symbol of the moon (Celtic and Pagan)
  
• Wren - a charm against drowning (Sailor), magic or occult powers (Wiccan and Pagan) 
  

Butterflies, Insects & Bugs

On the lighter side of the "bug" motif in tattooing are butterflies and dragonflies.

Butterflies are popular because they represent inspiration, freedom and transformation. The three phases of the butterfly's life symbolize the three cycles of life (birth, death and rebirth) in just about every culture. In Native American Indian cultures the Monarch butterfly represents safe journeys thanks to the insect's ability to fly thousands of miles during its annual migration season. In some pagan and Celtic traditions, butterflies are thought to carry the spirits of the deceased to heaven. Butterflies are a very popular motif with women.

Dragonflies are truly magical creatures whose shiny bodies and luminescent wings make a great uni-sex tattoo. Dragonflies are a symbol of harmony, luck and ancient knowledge. They are also thought to bring prophetic dreams and protect against nightmares.

On the darker side of things are spiders. Spiders are a popular Goth, biker, pagan and punk symbol. In Greek myth the spider was associated with the Greek Goddess Ariadne who was responsible for magic and myth making.

Cartoon and Animated Characters

Stock cartoon images that are licensed for the express purposes of tattooing are now big business in North America. On the Internet one can now purchase images of Betty Boop, Scooby Doo, Mickey Mouse, Batman, Spiderman, Superman, the Tasmanian Devil, Babar the Elephant, Nemo and just about any other animated character you can imagine.

Anime action figures, which most of us are familiar with from manga cartoons are also big business in the tattoo industry and feature such popular characters as Hello Kitty, Emily and Sailor Moon.

Of course, tons of individuals have bypassed the licensing procedure and gotten their own personalized versions of these cartoon characters. Cartoon characters in sinful positions is also a popular motif in tattooing and are often used as a creative way to express one’s vices to the world.

Caricatures and cartoons have always been an integral style in tattooing, beginning with the invention of animation itself in the 1920s when cartoons of Betty Boop and the stick-figured Mickey Mouse were popular with sailors visiting New York.

Mostly however, any portrait or figure can be made into a cartoon as is demonstrated by Enrique Patino and Stacy Sharp’s examples below. 

Celtic & Irish

Celtic tattoos are mainly characterized by their interlacing knots that are complete loops with no end or beginning. Sometimes the motif also features animals or a zoomorphorphic design that is stylized into a spiral.

Knotwork designs are emblematic of the Celtic nationalities, even though the symbolism of many of the images have been lost through time. Trees, cauldrons, shamrocks, spirals, horned gods, wheels, mandalas, serpents, druids, dark jewels are signatures of the Celtic tattoo style.

The repeated crossing of the physical and the spiritual are expressed in the interlacing of the knots. The never-ending path of the strands may represent the permanence and the persistence of life, love and faith.

Celebrity Tattoos

What better way to pay homage to your favorite celebrity than to make him or her a part of your skin. This can be done through portraiture, as in the classic portrait of Elvis or John F. Kennedy that is done in black and grey work, or you can emulate the tattoo of another famous celebrity.

Tattoos have rapidly become part of the personae of the rich and influential since the 1960s and it seems that everyone from Gillian Anderson to Ben Affleck boasts a tattoo. Even the normally complacent Barbie Doll was marketed with a large flower tattoo beneath her ribs in the early 1970s. 

Some famous tattoos include the AC/DC band logo, the Rolling Stones' red lips and tongue logo and the KISS band logo. Favorite portraits have included Gene Simmons from Kiss, Brian Jones (formerly of the Rolling Stones), Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Frank Sinatra ("I got you under my skin") and Jim Morrison. In recent times, Kurt Cobain is also a favorite of the "Teen Spirit" set.

Another way to go is to emulate the tattoo of one of your favorite celebrities. Celebrity tattoos are the subject of tabloid folklore. Angelina Jolie who boasts about seven tattoos on her body just had a tiger inked into her skin in Tibet, although many wonder if she will ever get the big black Billy Bob tattoo she has on her forearm removed. Drew Barrymore, Courtney Love and Cher are two other female celebrities who are known for their ink addiction. 

Johnny Depp made headlines ten years ago when he had his Winona Forever tattoo changed to Wino forever. Pamela Anderson is well known, not only for her barb-wired forearm but also changing a tattoo on her left ring finger from "Tommy" (a reference to her ex-husband Tommy Lee) to "Mommy." 

Celestial Stars, Planets and Suns

Depictions of the planets and stars and their symbols are very common motifs in tattoo art. Perhaps one of the most famous planetary glyphs and symbols is the symbol for Mars and Venus that is interlinked. This mark symbolizes the eternal dance between male and female energies.