Zodiac Tattoos and Tattoo Designs

The Rich Lore of Mythical Symbolism
“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical”
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Mankind has been fascinated by the zodiac for millennia, since we first connected the dots between stars and named the constellations. There’s a real romanticism and magnetism to the idea that our lives and actions are all influenced by the celestial heavens. It’s no wonder then that zodiac tattoo designs abound. Not just in America, but around the world. Nearly every single culture has their own version of the zodiac, and there are many different names for astrology around the globe. However, the zodiac form most popular in the United States, in horoscopes, star charts and general conversation is the Greek/Roman zodiac, which is broken down into 12 different signs, each one representing a roughly one month period. Each “sign” has its own meaning, and people who fall under the same sign of the zodiac generally share common traits, weakness and strengths. If you’re considering getting a zodiac tattoo design, here is a little more information on the 12 different signs of the zodiac to give you an idea of their meaning.




The 12 Signs of the Zodiac
Capricorn Tattoo Designs. (December 23 thru January 20) Capricorns, who are represented by the goat, have several qualities unique to themselves. On a positive note, Capricorns are generally practical and prudent, disciplined and ambitious, careful and patient, and humorous but reserved. On the down side, this sign of the zodiac often has the following drawbacks: pessimism and fatalism, and a tendency to be miserly or grudging. Your Capricorn zodiac tattoo can be either the astronomical sign for Capricorn or in the form of a goat. You could have your ink put on your shoulder, hip or chest, or use it as the centerpiece of a tribal or Celtic armband design.
Aquarius Tattoo Designs. (January 21 thru February 19) Aquarius, depicted as the water carrier, is a sign of significant meaning to some. Remember the song? This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius? Aquarians have some great strong points which include a friendly and humanitarian outlook, honesty and loyalty, originality and inventiveness, and independence and an intellectual slant. However, these strengths are balanced with weaknesses that include a tendency to be contrary, perversity and unpredictability, and an inclination to be unemotional or detached. Because of the New Age popularity of this tattoo design, you may have an easier time locating several different design variations.
Pisces Tattoo Designs. (February 20 thru March 20) Pisces, also known as “the fish” is actually represented by two fish, each one swimming in the opposite direction from the other. Ruled by the planet Neptune, Pisceans generally share the following strengths: sensitivity and imagination, compassion and kindness, a selfless and unworldly nature, and they have strong senses of intuition and often sympathetic. On the dark side, Pisceans also face the following challenges: being too idealistic or an escapist, secrecy and vagueness, and a tendency to be weak willed and/or easily led. When choosing your Pisces tattoo design, keep in mind that the traditional color of Pisces is a soft, sea green tone.
Aries Tattoo Designs. (March 21 thru April 20) Aries, “the ram”, is also more widely known as the god of war to the Greeks and Romans. Though listed here as the fourth sign, Aries is in fact the first sign of the zodiac, beginning on the spring equinox. Those under the sign of Aries are often adventurous and energetic, pioneering and courageous, confident and enthusiastic, and dynamic and quick-witted. However, when in a bad mood or rubbed the wrong way, an Aries can be selfish and quick-tempered, impulsive and impatient, or foolhardy daredevils. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars and its noted color is, not surprisingly, red.
Taurus Tattoo Designs. (April 21 thru May 21) Taurus, a.k.a. “The Bull”, is the sun sign ruled by Venus. Common strengths of Taurus’s include patience and reliability, loving warm-heartedness, persistence and determination (does the phrase “Stubborn as a Bull? Ring a bell), and security in love and loving. However, the bull’s drawbacks consist of: jealousy and possessiveness, a resentful or inflexible nature, and self-indulgence and greed. Surprisingly, the traditional color of the Taurus zodiac sign is….light pink!
Gemini Tattoo Designs. (May 22 thru June 21) The Gemini sign is represented by a set of twins, and not surprisingly, Gemini’s can often be dual natured. Ruled by Mercury and traditionally associated with the color green, Gemini’s share some of these common strong points: versatility and adaptability, communicative and witty, eloquent and intellectual, and youthfulness and liveliness. Faults include: a tendency to be tense or nervous, superficiality (two-faced), and a certain amount of wily cunning. If you’re looking to have a Gemini zodiac tattoo design that has an animal (as opposed to the twins) as the focus, lean towards the wolf which represents the famous Roman twins, Remus and Romulus.
Cancer Tattoo Designs. (June 22 thru July 22) Cancers (“Crabs”) are ruled by the moon and their traditional color is silver. Some traditional Cancer positive traits are being emotional and loving, intuition and imagination, shrewdness and caution and being protective and sympathetic. Cancerian flaws include moodiness, being overemotional and the inability to let go of things (like the past, lost loves, etc.) The zodiac of Cancer is often considered to be the least clear-cut of them all, when it comes to personality traits. If you aren’t thrilled by the idea of having a crab tattoo design, you could chose to have a pearl design, since that is the sunstone of the sign.
Leo Tattoo Designs. (July 23 thru August 22). Leo, the lion, is the most dominant and extroverted of all of the signs of the zodiac. Generous, warmhearted and free; creative and enthusiastic; broad-minded and expansive; and faithful and loving, Leo’s are generally born leaders. However, their strengths and dynamic personalities can be marred by the following weaknesses: being pompous or patronizing, bossy or interfering, and a tendency to be dogmatic or intolerant. Ruled by the Sun, this sign is also associated with the ruby and the color gold.
Virgo Tattoo Designs. (August 23 thru September 23). Virgo, the Virgin, is the only one of the 12 signs of the zodiac that is represented by a woman. Modest and shy, meticulous and reliable, practical and diligent, and intelligent and analytical Virgos of both sexes can be quite charming. However, on a bad day, you might discover that Virgos can be worriers, overcritical or harsh and overly conservative perfectionists. Virgo tattoo designs can incorporate the most famous of all virgins, the Virgin Mary. Traditional colors of this sign are dark brown and green.
Libra Tattoo Designs. (September 24 thru October 23) Depicted by a picture of scales in balance, Libra’s often exhibit this same balance in their own lives. Diplomatic, romantic, easygoing and idealistic, Libras have in innate sense of right and justice. On a bad day, you may find a Libra of either sex indecisive, gullible or flirtatious and self-indulgent. Libra is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac, all the others being represented by either humans or animals. Many modern astrologers regard it as the most desirable of zodiacal types because it represents the zenith of the year, the high point of the seasons, when the harvest of all the hard work of the spring is reaped.
Scorpio Tattoo Designs. (October 24 thru November 22) Scorpio the scorpion is the most intense, profound, powerful character in the zodiac. Common strong points are determination, strong emotion and intuition, power and passion and also excitement and magnetism. But, if you know any Scorpios, you also know that they have their weaknesses too. Jealousy and resentfulness, a compulsive and obsessive tendency and an obstinate and secretive nature are a few of the inherent weaknesses of those who share this sign. Ruled by the planet Pluto, it is important to remember the nature of the Scorpio’s symbol, scorpions are venomous by birth.
Sagittarius Tattoo Designs. (November 23 to December 22) Sagittarians are symbolized by a centaur archer and ruled by the planet Jupiter. On good days, Sagittarians are optimistic and freedom-loving, jovial, straightforward and have an intellectual or philosophical lean. If you catch a Sagittarian while they are out of sorts, you may find them to be blindly optimistic, careless, irresponsible, tactless or restless. Your sings animal, the centaur symbolizes mankind’s dual nature as an intellectual creature (the human half) which was also a physical animal (the horse half), and makes a great statement as a tattoo design.
As mentioned earlier, these different zodiac signs are simply the most popular. Other widely practiced astrological arts include those devised by Native Americans, the Chinese (which is broken down by the year, not the month, in which you were born) and the Mesopotamians.
Whatever your sign is, there is an unlimited potential for finding a great zodiac tattoo design. You might picture your zodiac tattoo to be tribal or celtic. Maybe you want an armband or a tailbone tattoo with your astrological symbol. No matter when you were born each of the zodiac signs can make for a unique and personal tattoo. Just listen to your heart and the whispers of the celestial heavens.
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Widely Popular Japanese Tattoo Designs

It’s not only the style of tattoo that differs so much from many other cultural examples, but the subjects of those designs that makes Japanese tattoo so sought after around the world. Images that continually show up in Japanese designs are explained in more detail below.
Kanji
Kanji is the calligraphy style letter writing method used by the Japanese. It’s a wildly popular choice among those seeking Japanese style tattoo designs. By using Kanji, you can easily create and display nearly any message you want. Some popular Kanji characters translate into words like: Happiness, Wealth, Love, Lovers, Laughter, Sadness, Beautiful, Duty and Loyalty.
However, it should go without saying that anytime you decide upon a tattoo that is based on a foreign language, you should be sure to spend ample time researching the authenticity of each symbols’ meaning. It could be rather embarrassing to learn that the Kanji tattoo you thought meant “mother” in fact meant something far worse, like rat or prostitute!
Inspired by Life
The Japanese culture as a whole has a deep respect and reverence for nature and life. Taking time for tasks such as meditation, calm walks, and admiring the cherry blossoms as they fall is expected, if not exactly required. Therefore, much of their art and creativity has been inspired by their local flora and fauna.
Popular Animals
Popular animal subjects in Japanese tattoo designs come from all sorts of categories. They often portray the animals in the Chinese horoscope: the dog, the rat, the rooster, the dragon, the tiger, the goat, the horse, the pig, the ox, the monkey and the snake. In addition to these creatures, Chinese dragons, gibbons, spiders, fish (like the very popular koi fish); birds and foxes are commonly featured Japanese pictures. If you’re looking to make a truly breathtaking design, consider the octopus, a bonsai tree, or cherry blossoms.
And don’t disregard the supreme animals, humans. More than in most other cultures, human subjects abound in the Japanese art. Masked people, warriors, ladies, young girls, geisha, samurai, and the ancient gods and goddesses make popular appearances in Japanese designs.
Architecture and Landscape
The incredibly unique architecture of Japan makes it a likely candidate for an art inspired tattoo. Whether featuring the houses, temples, retreats, statues of the Japanese people, the result is still breathtaking. Others gain more inspiration from the gentle rolling hills, dotted with cherry trees in full bloom, with mountains towering in the background. These larger scale pictures may need a larger canvas, and work well for full back (or even full body) ink. But whatever inspires you, it abounds in Japan.
Small flowers, or large intricate samurai warriors, Japanese style tattoos work for anyone, almost anywhere. A koi lazily swimming across a hip, an emerald serpent slithering up a calf, a ring of cherry blossoms joined together in an ankle- or armband or a lady and samurai embracing on your back, as wonderful as the art of horimono is, you may find yourself enticed into wearing them all as part of your personal tattoo gallery!



Show me more Japanese Tattoo Designs

apanese tattoo is called irezumi or horimono in Japanese. In Japan, tattoo is usually considered to be a symbol of a yakuza (Japanese mafia) and tends to be perceived negatively by people. For example, many public bath facilities in Japan inhibit customers who have tattoos from entering. Traditional Japanese tattoo covers arms, shoulders, and the back. In recent years, it's becoming popular for Japanese young people to get contemporary tattoos. Tattoo events are often held in big cities, and there are many Japanese tattoo shops in Japan. It's good to contact them before you visit.
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Collection of Tribal Armbands

tribal stars moon tattoo
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Collection of Tribal Armbands

tribal stars moon tattoo
tribal flowers

tribal fishes
tribal feathers
tribal eagle armband

tribal dolphins

tribal arm band
tribal armband

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Collection of Tribal Armbands

tribal stars moon tattoo
tribal flowers

tribal fishes
tribal feathers
tribal eagle armband

tribal dolphins

tribal arm band
tribal armband

rose tribal
lotus flower tribal tattoo

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