Tattoos Designs

Tattoos have been around for hundreds of years and can be found in many different cultures. The ancient Egyptians used tattoos, African tribesmen used tattoos and very often these tattoos had a religious significance. In the West tattooing has long been a favorite of servicemen, particularly those serving in the navy. Modern day bikers are also heavily into tattoos and it is not unusual to see them covered from head to foot in tattoos of varying designs. Nowadays it is also becoming more popular for women to have tattoos and most female celebrities appear to have at least one, usually on the upper arm or back.
Traditionally, sailors favored tattoos depicting swallows and anchors, many men also had some tribute to their mother tattooed on their forearm or their upper arm. Swallows in particular seem to be rising in popularity again, and not just among bikers and sailors. Many women are now asking for a tattoo of a swallow on their chest or neck. Some women prefer to have a tattoo on their lower back and the favored designs here are dragons or a lotus flower. Celtic symbols are also popular - originally tribal in nature, these symbols carry an attraction for many people all over the world. The Celtic cross, for example, is recognized almost everywhere and is a very popular tattoo design. Women are much more open about having tattoos now and some of them want quite bold designs. The ankle and the front of the hip are among the more favored areas of the body now - no longer do women want to hide the fact that they may have had a tattoo. If they have paid a lot of money for a unique and intricate tattoo then they usually want other people to see it.

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Dragon Tattoo

The most well known and most popular mythical creature depicted in tattoos is the Japanese dragon. It is more popular than any of the other mythical creatures, such as the phoenix, mermaid or gryphon. This may be due to its shape because the long and flexible dragon that descends from Japanese tattoo traditions practically fits on every part of the body - covering full backs, winding himself around arms or coiling up on the chest of the carrier.
The Japanese dragon is usually depicted as a wingless, heavily scaled snake-like creature with small, clawed legs and a camel shaped head with horns. It is associated with sea, clouds or the heavens. It has whiskers and a beard, and it is deaf. In the West we think of dragons as terrifying beasts, but in Japan the dragon symbolises wealth, good fortune, good luck, kindness, power and freedom.
The good luck stems from the fact that the Japanese dragon is a "water symbol", living either in the clouds, climbing down during thunderstorms, or in rivers and lakes. Water is an element of enormous importance for the cultivation of rice in both China and Japan so, because of its ability to bring down the rain, it was revered. Thus dragons are highly respected and admired in both China and Japan. In the Western Culture however, because of the association with the snake, the dragon symbolises evil and they were routinely hunted down, fought and killed.

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