Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Japanese Tattoo Designs

There are several types of tattoo designs in the world. However, among the many types of designs available, the most popular are probably Japanese tattoo designs. As a matter of fact, Japanese tattoos are recognized and are used not only by the Japanese but by people all over the world. What is the reason for this? Why did these designs receive such a huge welcome from the international community? What are the characteristics of these fantastic tattoos that make them so popular?

Artistic

Japanese tattoo designs are very artistic. Most of these designs are very colorful and fluid, making them generally more appealing than other designs. Also, each design is usually made up of more than a single element woven together by intricate patterns of lines, transforming the tattoo into one elaborate painting on the skin.

For example, in more common Japanese designs such as the ones featuring Japanese koi fishes, tattoo masters already use more than six colors to finish the whole picture. This number just continues to go up as the intricacy of the patterns increases.

Symbolism

Japanese tattoo designs are rich in symbolism. This is because the art of Japanese tattooing is backed up by centuries of culture and tradition. Since the Japanese have such high regard for nature and spirituality, they often associate different creatures and places with deep spiritual meanings. This spirituality is what transforms their ink and design into works that embody or symbolize several things.

This is also why certain creatures, especially the more revered ones like the dragon, the tiger, and the Koi fish often make their way into the heart of most Japanese designs. The Japanese hold a special meaning for these creatures which is why they are often used in tattoo designs.