All of us are fascinated with our past. Whether we enjoy reliving the good old days during a nostalgic chat with old friends or we love tracing our roots and genealogy back hundreds of years, the past fascinates us. In fact, many people find their past and their family history so intriguing that they get tattoos so that everyone, including themselves, can enjoy it in a more public fashion. There are four main types of family history tattoo, and each one is unique and special for a different reason. 

Coats of Arms Tattoos

Coats of arms come in several different varieties. They tend to be modeled after a shield, and may have animals, plants or even people on them. They are highly symbolic. For example, a coat of arms tattoo with a lion on it often indicates bravery, while one with a snake can symbolize cunning and slyness. Coats of arms symbolism is also highly interactive, and the various elements of the design often work together to indicate a family's slogan or motto. If you want to be sure that people understand how all the elements of your coat of arms fit together, then you may want to place your family motto above or below your coat of arms tattoo on a separate scroll tattoo. Family mottos can have to do with pride, honor, bravery or personality traits that the family finds important. Often people write them in Latin to accompany their coat of arms, and if you do not have a historically documented motto, then you can make up your own or choose one. Popular family mottos include sentiments like Fortis et Fidelis (Strong and Faithful) and Fortuna Juvat Audaces (Fortune favors the Brave). 

Family Tree Tattoos

Some people have such a good time exploring their family history and learning about the members of their family tree that they get family tree tattoos. These often are highly stylized, and they generally are designed to resemble bonsai trees or other types of trees that have many branches. Generally a family tree tattoo bears the names of family members in ornate lettering and is fairly difficult to examine closely, but creates a beautiful image of a tree “often flowering or in full leaf” from far away. If you are going to get a family tree tattoo, it is best to get it in an area that has a lot of room. A small family tree can take up your entire shoulder area, and a detailed one can require your entire back. Work carefully with the tattoo artist to make sure that names are spelled correctly and that details are worked in so that they will not fade over time and become illegible. 

Portrait Tattoos

Often people get portrait tattoos to help them feel closer to their ancestors and relatives. Popular portrait tattoos include images of grandparents who have passed on or other relatives that the tattoo owner either admires or misses. Portrait tattoos can help a person deal with a loved ones death by helping them feel that they are remembering that person and keeping them near. Portrait tattoos and memorial tattoos are very similar, and are often gotten for similar reasons. They help keep a memory alive and also help the person who has the tattoo move on with their life without feeling like they have forgotten the person in the portrait tattoo.

Personal Designs

Of course, it is only appropriate that family history tattoos should be deeply personal, and there are many tattoo designs that are actually family history tattoos that you would never guess had any family history behind them unless you asked. People often get images of animals that make them think of favorite things that they did with loved ones or even landscape tattoos of places that are special to their families. Also, sometimes people use culturally influenced designs, such as Celtic knot work or tribal art that has personal meaning or that they identify with in some manner to symbolize something special in their family. For example, a flock of ducks might appear to indicate a love of the wild, but in reality symbolize a much-loved family story about a family member who has passed on. 

All family history tattoos are deeply personal, but they are also usually intended to elicit questions and curiosity. In order to be sure that your family history tattoo gets the attention that it deserves, you may wish to place it in a spot that is fairly easily visible. Often family history tattoos go on people's shoulders because they can be hidden while the person is at work, but easily displayed during leisure time. Other people get them on their backs, which allow for more elaborate designs but are less easy to show off. When you get a family history tattoo, remember that ultimately it is for your enjoyment. Be sure that it is a tattoo design that you will enjoy looking and talking about for years to come.

There are many people who have tattoos in the world, but none of them are as famous as Enigma. Enigma is one of the most famous tattooed people in the world due to his extensive and creative tattoo work. He is a sideshow performer, an actor and a musician. An interesting character, he has undergone extensive tattoo work on all areas of his body. The Enigma was born as Paul Lawrence. His current jobs as a musician, an actor and a sideshow performer are all likely due to the interest he gains when people realize the extent of the body modification he has experienced. His body modification includes horn implants, the reshaping of his ears, multiple piercings all over his body and his famous jigsaw-puzzle tattoo which covers his entire body. These things all work together to make him a member of the Freak subculture, which is consequently not an insult. In fact, the more outrageous the modification or tattoo, the higher the Freak status.

While many other people get traditional tattoos like snake tattoos, butterfly tattoos and fairy tattoos, it seems The Enigma is more interested in standing out from the crowd. The Enigma started to get his tattoos on December 20, 1992. This was the first day he sat for a tattoo, starting his famous climb up the entertainment ladder. The artist he chose to work with was Katzen the Tiger Lady. The two later married and continue to share a love for tattoos. Katzen the Tiger Lady is a woman who is heavily tattooed herself, thus she fully appreciates Enigma's unique appearance. She created the first of his tattoos, but by no means did all of them. Currently, there have been more than two hundred tattoo artists who have worked on Enigma. In fact, he has had as many as 23 artists working on him at one time.

Enigma was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. His first love is music which he began to study when he was six years old. In 1991, he became one of the founding members of the Jim Rose Circus. He toured with the circus as a founding member until he left the show in 1998. Afterwards, Enigma toured with Katzen. During their tour he played music and did sideshow performances as well, under the name "Human Marvels". They drew large audiences who were drawn to their interesting looks and lifestyle. A few years later, the Enigma and Katzen had a daughter. They named the little girl Caitlin. However, they ultimately went through a divorce. Caitlin currently lives with Connie, Katzen's mother.

The Enigma is best known for being in the public eye and for his numerous performances. Perhaps his most famous was an appearance on The X Files, as a character called The Conundrum. The episode in which he appeared was entitled Humbug. His appearance in this particular episode led to a toy called The Conundrum being created and placed into the X Files PALz action figure line available at many toy stores. The Enigma was also featured in a documentary film called Freaky Circus Guy. Others featured in the film include Katzen, Danielle D'Meux and William Darke. The Engima also appeared with Katzen and several others in a film by Steve Balderson called Firecracker in 2005. Penn & Teller also featured Enigma in an episode called Fountain of Youth. The Enigma has also appeared in other things including the music video Fallen Leaves by Billy Talent. He's been on the game show Identity, appearing as a stranger. One of his latest television appearances was on The Gong Show With Dave Attell. The Enigma also makes a habit of appearing at various haunted house attractions all over North America. One of his most famous appearances was at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando, Florida. At these appearances, he is often shown as a monster or as a freak of nature, with his tattoos, piercings and body formations being highlighted. He can certainly make any mediocre haunted house into an entertaining and horrific affair, just by being himself and being present at the event. Those who love ghouls and ghosts love The Enigma's daring attitude toward life and body modification. He is a celebrity to everyone he comes in contact with. Overall, The Enigma is one of the most interesting and unique people on the face of the planet. He will likely continue to be seen on film, television and at various events around the world for many years to come.

Paul Booth is one of the most famous tattoo artists of modern American tattoos. He works currently out of the Last Rites Tattoo Theatre, located in New York City. He is best known for his dark tattoo designs, evil tattoos, scary tattoos, Satanic tattoos and his famous black and grey tattoos. Paul has always been an entrepreneur, beginning by making his own sign making shop at age 15. Afterwards, he made a life for himself doing everything from repo work to airbrushing.

Paul Booth's first tattoo was of his daughter's name. From the moment he was first tattooed, he became interested in tattoo work and wanted to start learning the process and how to do it himself. He began to learn everything he could about the medium, including how to do tattoos and what designs worked best with his artistic talent. After soaking up the knowledge of the tattoo industry, he continued to do tattoos. His career started in the early 1990s and continues successfully today. Some of Paul Booth's best known clients have been celebrities and rock band members. Some of his most famous clients include members of Slayer, Slipknot and Pantera. In addition, he has tattooed The Undertaker, Mudvayne, Superjoint Ritual and several other incredibly talented celebrities. He is so highly respected by his fans, Rolling Stone Magazine called him The New King of Rock Tattoos, which only made his fan list grow more rapidly.

The rock tattoo industry is one of the biggest industries, as the tattoos of rock musicians often influence the tattoos other people get. Therefore, being at the forefront of this industry is one of the most important things in the overall tattoo world. Many rock fans know exactly what their favorite musicians have tattooed on their bodies and which artists did which pieces of work. Paul Booth often works on rock musicians, but also does work on celebrities. Paul Booth is considered to be a master of the art form of tattoos. He has won several awards and through them and his work he has earned international acclaim as a tattoo artist. He's created a global cult following of fans, with people waiting months to get placed on his tattoo schedule and waiting lists. His pioneer spirit has helped him successfully bridge major gaps within the tattoo industry. He's begun to bring tattoo artists into the mainstream art circles and is credited by many of his fellow tattoo artists for opening doors for the entire industry of tattoo artists. He is not only a tattoo artist however. In his spare time he not only does tattoo art but he also designs computer graphics, sculpts clay and creates acrylic and oil paintings. He believes tattoo art is simply another area of art. Thus, he strives to help tattoo art get the recognition and respect it should have when standing along side any other artistic medium.

Currently, Paul Booth has a waiting list over two years long. In addition, his tattoo shop, Last Rites Tattoo Theatre, has several other well known and acclaimed tattoo artists working within in. Famous tattoo artists like Toxyc from France, Little Dragon from China and Bryan Reynolds work regularly from Last Rites Tattoo Theatre. There are also rotating guest artists who come into the shop, allowing clients to choose from a wide array of incredibly talented and capable tattoo artists. Therefore, it is possible to get an appointment much more quickly than the two year waiting list for Paul Booth himself. One of the most major creations Paul Booth has been a part of is the Art Fusion Experiment, known as AFE. AFE is a learning tool, which caters to tattoo artists. At the ArtFusion Camp, masters of tattoo artistry can share their skills and abilities with their peers. This is a place for artists like Paul Booth and his contemporaries to learn more about their art and to participate in group art workshops. In this creative environment, many different tattoo artists are able to work on large scale pieces of art together.

The element of creativity is extremely important when it comes to Paul Booth's Art Fusion Experiment and ArtFusion Camp, with both of these things being very important to his overall artistic career. Tattoo artist Paul Booth is an interesting and innovative character. He excels not only at tattoos but also at bringing other artists together for the better good of the art world as a whole. His vision includes a world where tattoo art is not separate from sculpting and tattoo artists earn equal respect in comparison to artists who use other artistic mediums. 

LAST RITES - 325 WEST 38TH ST.

(BETWEEN AVE 8TH AND 9TH) NYC, USA

212-529-0666

Lisa Origliasso shares the tattoo on the back of her neck with her twin sister and mother. The tattoo features all of their initials "JCL" and three small pink stars. Stars are a common theme in tattoo culture. They are often symbols of the divine spark within all us. They can also represent hope, life or truth. She also has a tattoo on her lower back that says "And I'll grow pale without you", lyrics from an AFI song. The singer also has a tattoo on the inside of her left wrist that says "Fate". 

Lisa Marie Origliasso (born December 25, 1984) is ARIA Award winning Australian pop star. She and her twin sister Jessica perform together as The Veronicas since they were eighteen. (picture on right) The name comes from the Archie Comics character Veronica Lodge. They prefer to be called a band or group rather than a duo because they feel like they have all the things that a traditional band would have. They have released two albums, "The Secret Life Of . . . : and "Hook Me Up". Lisa has been romantically linked to singer/musician Ryan Cabrera and was engaged to Australian Idol contestant Dean Geyer for four months before parting ways.

Lisa Origliasso's Pinup Tattoo is an original Tattoo Johnny design drawn by Richard Tate

Show me Lisa Origliasso's Tattoo Johnny Tattoo Design