Simple Star Tattoo Designs

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice at least since Neolithic times. Ötzi the Iceman, dating from the fourth millennium BCE, was found in the Ötz valley in the Alps and had approximately 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle. Other mummies bearing tattoos and dating from the end of the second millennium BCE have been discovered at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau. Tattooing in Japan is thought to go back to the Paleolithic era, some ten thousand years ago. Various other cultures have had their own tattoo traditions, ranging from rubbing cuts and other wounds with ashes, to hand-pricking the skin to insert dyes.

Tattoos have experienced a resurgence in popularity in many parts of the world, particularly in North America, Japan, and Europe. The growth in tattoo culture has seen an influx of new artists into the industry, many of whom have technical and fine art training. Coupled with advancements in tattoo pigments and the on going refinement of the equipment used for tattooing, this has led to an improvement in the quality of tattoos being produced.

During the 2000s, the presence of tattoos became evident within pop culture, inspiring television shows such as A&E's Inked and TLC's Miami Ink & LA Ink (Tattoo Tv). The decoration of blues singer Janis Joplin with a wristlet and a small heart on her left breast, by the San Francisco tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle, is taken as a seminal moment in the popular acceptance of tattoos as art.

Lower back tattoos are more common among young women. In many traditional cultures tattooing has also enjoyed a resurgence, partially in deference to cultural heritage. Historically, a decline in traditional tribal tattooing in Europe occurred with the spread of Christianity. A decline often occurred in other cultures following European efforts to convert aboriginal and indigenous people to Western religious and cultural practices that held tattooing to be a "pagan" or "heathen" activity. Within some traditional indigenous cultures, tattooing takes place within the context of a rite of passage between adolescence and adulthood.

A poll conducted online in July 2003 estimated that 16% of all adults in the United States have at least one tattoo. The highest incidence of tattoos was found among the gay, lesbian and bisexual population (31%) and among Americans ages 25 to 29 years (36%) and 30 to 39 years (28%). Regionally, people living in the West (20%) were more likely to have tattoos. Democrats were more likely to have tattoos (18%) than Republicans (14%) and Independents (12%); approximately equal percentages of males (16%) and females (15%) have tattoos.

Tattoos on girls are sexy, most people will agree on that. The part of picking a tattoo can be difficult if you do not have a good idea of what you want. Most people will look at the more popular tattoos and girls are no exception to this. Here are a few popular tattoos for girls.
1. Traditional American tattoos - these include nautical stars, swallows, pin-ups, classic American cars and sailor jerry tattoos.
2. Floral tattoos - Girls love flower tattoos. It may be because they think they are pretty or it helps to accent their feminine features. Sometimes these are combined together to form a full "sleeve" tattoo. These flower tattoo designs can include orchids, peonies, lotus flowers, and you will often see flowering vines as the most popular.
3. Anime - The Japanese anime tattoos have become more popular over recent years.
4. Irezumi or Traditional Japanese tattoos - These may include dragons or Koi fish and other traditional Japanese designs.
5. Indian or Hindu tattoo designs
These are only a few suggestions and you will have to consider many things when you decided on a tattoo. You may want to incorporate your unique style into your tattoo by making changes to a design that you like. The size can also play a role; most tattoo places will be able to re-size a tattoo for you if you ask, so that it fits where you would like it.
No mater what design you choose you should remember to keep this a fun experience. You will have your tattoo for the rest of your life; take the time to pick out one that you will enjoy.

Tribal Sleeve - Leo Zulueta is credited with bringing tribal style tattooing from the South Pacific to the United States in the late 70's. But is was George Clooney's character in the movie From Dusk Till Dawn that caused the tribal sleeve to explode in popularity. Tribal sleeves may be the worst sleeve trend of all as they take another peoples tattoo culture, remove all the meaning and mock the origins of tattoo designs that date back centuries. They are also next to impossible to cover up once tattoo regret sets in.
Biomechanical Sleeve - Biomechanical tattooing was pioneered by tattoo artist like Aaron Cain and other tattooist in the San Francisco bay area. A breakaway from traditional style American tattooing, biomechanical uses images of the human flesh mixed with machine parts. Basically biomechanical tattoos mix organic images with inorganic images. It quickly became over used.
Flame Sleeve - No clear origins on the flame sleeve but whoever created it should be ashamed. The sleeve is not only hard to look at but is unbelievable boring for the tattoo artist. Flame tattoos are not only a waste of good skin but will also prove difficult to cover.
Random Cool Stuff Sleeve - A twist on the American style hodgepodge sleeve that is acquired over time, the random cool stuff sleeve is acquired quickly. The images often include skulls, flowers, brass knuckles, something with wings,maybe a couple of flames. A newer variation on this sleeve is to get random candy pieces or random kids toys tattooed as a sleeve.

Just a look at search engine figures for tribal tattoo design would be enough to tell you that it is one of the most sought-after designs. There is however, more to getting a tribal tattoo design than just picking a generic set of unidentifiable curves and lines. If you are interested in getting a tribal tattoo, you should take note of a couple of things.

Tribal Tattoos

Before you get a tribal, ask yourself first what a tribal tattoo design really is. The term "tribal" is already a clue to the nature of this particular tattoo category. A tribal design is most often an original figure or a modified one that draws its roots from real tribes today or of long ago. Since tribes that perform tattooing were or have been around for centuries in different continents, this particular category can have a very broad scope. A tribal tattoo design can therefore trace its origins among tribes belonging to the Maori, American Indian, Samoan, Incan, Aztec and Hawaiian traditions. Of course, these are not the only tribes in the world. There are countless more with their own unique tribal tattoos.

In other words, an original tribal tattoo design is supposed to identify an individual as a member of a particular tribe. Within a specific tribe, there can also be variations to a tattoo design. Differences in designs and placement of tattoos in a tribe can tell such things as social status, role in the tribe, skill and family affiliation.

Why People Get Them

Now, anyone can simply get a tribal design for various reasons.

- One common reason would still be to mark oneself as a member of an ancient or old tribe. Some young American Indians for example would want to get a traditional tattoo associated with their tribe to identify them as modern but true members of that tribe. A tribal tattoo design is therefore a link to an individual's historical and cultural identity.

- For some people who do not really belong to a specific tribe, tribal designs are a way for them to express their own sense of style, fashion, freedom and individuality. For some, tribal tattoos communicate who they feel they truly are.

- Tribal designs are also known to be simply exquisite and beautiful. A tribal tattoo design has strong bold lines and curves that makes it eye catching. You can pick designs that are intricate or simple.

Design Categories

Here are the three major categories of tribal tattoos:

- Authentic - These are original tribal designs coming from actual tribes. Some designs are difficult to find especially if the tribe of origin no longer exists. If you want one you may have to perform some extensive research first.

- Adaptations - Many tribal designs are really just adaptations of original ones. An artist may have been inspired by an ancient pattern and created his own unique tribal tattoo design.

When you make a decision to get permanent art put on your body, you have to make sure that the design you get is going to be something that you will continue to like for the rest of your life. Tattoos are a forever mark of some of the most amazing artwork in the world. Some people get stuck with tattoos that are not very attractive and then they end up paying a lot of money to get them removed, and some just can not afford to get them removed. Make sure that the design you pick really means something to you. Maori designs may have just what you are looking for.

The majority of Maori artists that come from centuries back, have made many of their art works based on the design of nature. They were sincerely inspired by the artistic designs that nature had to offer them. Their form was more of an abstract type of art than you would expect. They would also display different kinds of symbols in their art work. Tie all of this together and you can get some of the most beautiful art that would nearly speak to you in song as you gazed upon it.

Maori design tattoos are a type of Polynesian tattoo art coming from Eastern Polynesia. These tattoos have a lot of different curved shapes that form their designs. They also use a lot of spirals in their tattoo designs, because they are literally based on the curve of a spiral. Traditionally, the ancient people would permanently decorate their entire faces with these beautiful spirals. They also took a more painful way of tattooing, they would chisel their designs into their faces which is much different than the methods that we use today.

These tattoos were actually called by a different name than what we now call them, they were called Ta moko. " Ta" translates to the meaning of striking or tapping. It basically defines the traditional manner in which they would give tattoos. "Moko" translates to describe the finished design as a whole piece. The face was not always the place to put these, just the most common of the Maori people who lived in the colder climates.

For the most part the Maori tattoo designs have stayed the same no matter what part of the world the happen to appear in. Some cultures have made a few slight changes over the years, but none of the changes have been drastic enough to literally change the design and the name of the design. Even in the American tattoo culture the Maori tattooing has made a come back, and in some areas these tattoos are even being done in the traditional chiseling manner. These have proven to be some of the most attractive tattoos no matter which ones you see. Their appearance induces an almost nostalgic feeling in the mind of the person who is viewing them. Maori tattoo designs are making a come back in today's culture.

"foot tattoos"

Have you ever wondered why there are people who have every inch of their arms and legs tattooed in the most breathtaking designs and colors, and that their tattoos stop short of their hands and feet with a suddenness that is equally breathtaking?
The simple truth is that both hand and foot tattoos are rarely requested and even more rarely done. Part of the reason for their rarity is that new tattoos need to be kept clean, dry, and free of irritation while they heal completely, which can take from two to three weeks.
That lets hands out; but foot tattoos are still in the running. That is, if you can figure out a way to avoid irritating them with shoes and socks while they are healing, and simultaneously keep them clean.
Okay, you might have a hard time getting and caring for a foot tattoo. But why do so many tattoo artists have such a hard time agreeing to do them?
First, foot tattoos don't like to stay where they are put, and their inks tend to "migrate", meaning that your sharply defined new tattoo may eventually become blurred and faded. Tattoo artists are almost always willing to do free touchups for tattoos on any other part of the body, but the likelihood of foot tattoos needing touchups is so high that the artists will either not do the foot tattoos, will not offer to do touchups at all, or will charge for the touchups.
Tattoo artists, at least the good ones, are true artists, and they don't like to take on work which won't let them do their best. One of the things you may not know about your feet is that they have reflex points, just like the one in your knee which the doctor hits with the little hammer to see if your nerves are still talking to your brain.
In spite of your best efforts to keep still while getting a foot tattoo, your foot may engage in some twitching and jerking, and the tattoo artist may have difficulty controlling the needle when it does. If the tattoo artist is good enough, he or she may be able to cover up any resulting squiggles, but that's a chance you'll have to take.
Another thing: You have a lot of nerve endings and capillaries in you feet, and not much cushioning between the skin and bones. Most people who have had both foot and body tattoos done report that the foot tattoos are far and away the more painful; and those nerve endings can also make some people very ticklish. If your feet are ticklish, pass on trying to have a foot tattoo done; and all those capillaries are so close to the skin's surface that foot tattoos tend to bleed more profusely than body tattoos.
But if you can find a willing artist, and after assessing all the potential negatives decide go ahead and get a foot tattoo, using a pre-inking anesthetic ointment to numb your foot is a good idea. You can still expect to have swelling and soreness for a few days afterwards. If your work requires you to be on your feet for any length of time, consider holding off on the tattoo until your vacation.
The Beautiful: Because there just aren't a lot of souls brave enough to face having their feet tattooed, your tattoo is sure to get extra attention. And you'll have some stunningly beautiful foot tattoo designs, both simple and highly stylized, to choose from. The foot provides a small but nearly flat canvas on which the artist can work and the results, like garlands of flowers or stars, or tarantulas or frogs poised to leap, can be amazingly three dimensional.

Tattoos are the new 'must have' - everyone wants them and you are definitely not cool if you don't have at least one. Trouble is not everyone wants to be obvious about it and so you have to be careful about placement. One way round it is to go for a foot tattoo. Tattoos for women are notoriously difficult to place appropriately bearing in mind the problems associated with skin stretching during pregnancy (and ageing) and the unfortunate social stigma of lower back tattoos leaves little choice. Foot tattoos are generally regarded as being cute, sexy and discreet. There was a reluctance among Tattoo Artists to work on feet because of potential pain and fading problems but modern techniques have alleviated both of these problems.
Foot tattoos are less showy than those in other areas which is important for those who don't want to be too obvious about their body art. Foot tattoos are perfect to show off when you want to, and cover when you need to. They are less common than those on other parts of the body though that is changing as they are particularly popular with career orientated women who seem to prefer them as they don't compromise their professional status but still keep up with the social trends outside the workplace. Another large factor is that a skilfully designed tattoo on the foot looks good with modern shoe designs - especially open toes and strappy sandals. Men do have foot tattoos but not as often as women, mainly because so many areas of the male body are easier to work on.
Design is important when choosing any tattoo as you will be living with it forever, you should be sure that it means something to you and you must consider how you feel about it being on public view! Foot Tattoos are ideal for small or flowing designs and you should always get guidance from the Artist who will be doing it for you. Most designs can be reduced in size if necessary and you can be sure that a good artist will only want to do a tattoo that will look good on you and reflect well on them. If you want a personal design you may have to pay a small deposit to cover the design time but you will end up with something that is unique and special.
Foot Tattoos are generally a little more painful than those on more fleshy areas of the body, for this reason some Artists are still reluctant to do them. There is little flesh over the bones in the foot so any work done on that part of the foot is likely to cause discomfort, especially if you have sensitive feet. Because blood vessels are closer to the surface they can also bleed a little more but a good artist using good equipment will minimise this.
You must be prepared to take extra care of a foot tattoo, both during the healing period and in general. They are more prone to infection which is another reason why some Artists are occasionally unwilling to do them. Your new tattoo needs to be kept clean, dry and free from any irritation whilst it heals. This means that shoes, stockings or socks are to be avoided if at all possible for at least one, and preferably two weeks after the tattoo has been done. This will give time for any swelling to go down and stop rubbing on your new artwork which would blur it or worse still, partially rub it out. If you have any pain or signs of infection in a new foot tattoo get in touch with your Doctor without delay. Even when a foot tattoo has healed well it still tends to get rubbed more by shoes and may fade more quickly that other areas. You should always use a good moisturiser and even then it may need to re-coloured. Sun block is just as important for foot tattoos as it is for those on other parts of the body.
Tattoos are far more of a fashion item now and are accepted as an art form in their own right rather than a social 'badge'. Foot tattoos are more and more becoming the choice of someone who wants a tattoo that is both different and discreet.