About Tattoo Designs

Tattoo designs in general have a long and interesting history. Today, most people see tattoos as decoration or self-expression; while many others still hold to the original intention of the tattoo, which was far from a form of self-expression. Tattoos originally had many meanings and implications.

Modern day art and self expression

Today, you can walk into any tattoo parlor and the artist will tell you that many tattoos have a story behind them. The bearer of the tattoo is expressing something about him or herself. Many people who have tattoos view themselves as walking art. For many, the body is just another canvas for beautiful artwork. Today’s tattoos are similar to the original art form in that each tattoo is meaningful, but different in that it is not traditional.

Traditional or tribal tattoos

The original forms of tattoos were a way to mark a person’s tribal affiliation, place or status in a tribe. It was also a way to commemorate an event or accomplishment. Some tattoos were a rite of passage or part of a ritual. The meaning was much deeper and uniform than today’s tattoos.

Henna

Henna is a nonpermanent form of tattoo. Henna comes from a plant and is mixed with essential oils and allowed to cure overnight. The stain will last up to 3 weeks. Traditionally, Henna is done for weddings and births, as well as many other occasions. It is a beautiful art form that can be found in mostly Middle Eastern cultures, but was not uncommon in other parts of the world. Today, you see henna at street fairs and it is extremely popular.