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Clover Tattoos

Thinking about getting a tattoo that represents good fortune? Well your in luck my friend, because this picture gallery holds some of the best looking clover tattoos around.

Clover tattoos, often with four leafs and called shamrocks are perhaps the most internationally well known symbol of good luck and overall prosperity.

Probably the single most popular Celtic tattoo in the book, clover tattoos are sometimes combined with other lucky objects such as dice, horseshoes, playing cards and the number 13, which is also considered to be an unlucky number by many.

Not surprisingly, clover tattoos are almost always drawn using green ink, unless you're a rebel.

Clover tattoos look fabulous on any part of the body and blend nicely with other designs.

It seems like the majority of shamrock tattoos are very small in size, however some people like to make them a large centerpiece of a larger design.

Zodiac Tattoo Designs - Leo Tattoo Ideas

As a Leo, you bring qualities of leadership: a willingness to lead from the front; a generosity of spirit, which impels you to want to help others develop. You delight in seeing others grow under your influence. Because you do not know how to hold back, you want to bring others out of their shells or to help them overcome the fears of pushing themselves forward. But your warm-hearted and caring nature stops you from doing this in a mean-spirited way. Your enthusiasm carries others along with it, which helps to give them more boldness than they would normally display. They recognize this strength in you and look to you to bolster them.

Leo Tattoo Designs

The symbol for Leo in the Zodiac is the Lion and is ruled by the Sun. Like the Sun, you are full of life and energy. This is often depicted in tattoos by including a sun with a lion's head or with the Zodiac sign itself. Almost anything goes with Leo tattoos because of the range of characteristics associated with this sign. Whilst the Lions head is popular, as is the full body on larger areas, hearts and flowers can be included because of the big-hearted and loving nature of Leos. They are strong and energetic but they do have a soft side. They are extremely loyal, supportive friends.

Leo Celtic Tattoo Ideas

There are distinctive designs using the Celtic knotwork. Animal images have long been a part of this artwork but the tattoos do not have to have the animal itself but can incorporate the Zodiac sign. The interesting part about these designs is the image is not always apparent. Sometimes people have to look closely to make out what they are. This creates an air of mystery and provides a good talking point. Your Leo Celtic tattoo can be artistic and interesting.

Leo Tribal Ideas

Leo is the most dominant and extroverted of the zodiac signs. This strength and boldness can be brought out very well with Tribal designs. If Leos have a weakness it is the tendency to be over-bearing and pushy. Sometimes their enthusiasm is a little too much for others. A minimalist tribal tattoo could play this down without losing any of its strength. On the other hand, because of your outgoing and expansive nature, you can get away with a bold statement. Leo Tribal back tattoos do this very well.

A Leo has so many sides that a great variety of tattoo ideas have been developed to depict them. This means there is plenty of opportunity for you to find the design that expresses the side you want to highlight. This could be your strong, dominant side; your expansive, broad-minded side or your warm-hearted, loving side.

William Burnell has a longstanding interest in the art, designs and history of tattoos. He enjoys sharing this interest with others and in helping them in their quest for their unique symbol of self-expression.

Great History Of Body Art Tattoos

The history of body art started with prehistoric humans. In the prehistoric era, belief in a soul, guarded by the spirit of another creature, inspired pictures of that creature on the body. The spirit of that creature guarded, gave safety, and led the soul down the path of life. Body art was a way to keep the spirit close, always.

Throughout time, body art kept its position as a spiritual expression, and it also became an expression of social importance. Native American and African tribes used tattoos and body piercing to express beliefs and stature in society. Chiefs, for instance, had different body markings than an ordinary hunter or any other tribe member. Where a chief may have had a tattoo that symbolized power or resembled a god, a hunter might have had a tattoo that resembled a buffalo or some game he hunted. Piercings and tattoos were signs of accomplishment and membership.

The History of Body Art Tattoos

Certain tattoos stood for positions in the community, and in some cases, every member had some type of body marking that indicated their status. For ceremonies, the elite class donned the trappings of their rank and power. Women in the tribes received a special marking for marriage, to signify they were a spouse. The chief had more tattoos and more piercings because of his stature in the tribe, and the older members of the tribe had more because of age. In many cases, the markings had high, religious significance.

As time progressed further, body art stayed as an expression of beliefs, but the beliefs and reasons for body art strayed from religion and community stature. Some Americans believe that
body art grew in popularity in the 1960s as a revolt against the formalism of society. Along with that theory, some “flower children” used bodyart to demonstrate the incompleteness of all art. Some got tattoos to express love for another person, orto state a belief about an issue facing society. A quote in an article by Deborah Irmas states that “Tattooing has become an expression of art, a far cry from the times when it was viewed as a ritual of passage in ancient cultures”. Some men, however, got tattoos to demonstrate membership in a gang or group, much like the Native American and African tribes.

The History of Body Art Tattoos

Body art is still used in ancient practices and to show status rankings in tribes like the Surma of Ethiopia. For example, in the Surma tribe, young boys still use lip plates. Lip plates are used to stretch the lips and indicate how many cattle a man’s family will receive from his bride’s family when they are married. The tattoos that women receive when they are married include symbols of prosperity and well-being.

Body art has lasted throughout history and is still important in society. The tribes of Africa keep old traditions alive by continuing to use body art, and Americans use body art to identify themselves and as a form of individuality. In a sense, as society has grown and changed, so has body art.