Blog posts of '2015' 'June'

The Grim Reaper is the personification of the word death. He is shown as a skeletal figure covered in a large black hood and gown and carrying a large scythe. Usually his face can't be seen and shrouded in shadows. Some say that Grim Reaper actually causes his victim's death with trickery or bribery. Other tales show the Reaper as having no control of the actual death. He is only the messenger and the one who leads the person to the next world. 

The Grim Reaper is a potent symbol of death and tattoos that incorporate him are all about death. Sometimes a grim reaper tattoo is more symbolic of life and how little time we each have to live before it is our time to die. The scythe symbolizes the way Death "harvests" the souls of the doom.

Although the Grim Reaper may sometimes be pictured with symbols related to Hell or the Devil, he is a separate entity and has no control over where the soul comes to rest.

Show me more Reaper Tattoo Designs

Hummingbirds have made scattered appearance is mythology. The Aztecs had a god Huitzilopochtli that was often depicted as a hummingbird. The northern Paiute Indians say that Hummingbird once filled his pants full of seeds and started on a journey to see what was beyond the sun. He ate only one seed a day, but had to turn back because his food gave out. He didn't see anything. In eastern Brazil, Hummingbird is the character who hoarded water so that the people had none at all until the Caingang and Botocudo Indians released it. 

Trinidad and Tobago is known as the land of the hummingbird. The country displays a hummingbird on its national coat of arms and the 1-cent coin. Its national airline, ''Caribbean Airlines'' also carries the hummingbird as its logo.

Hummingbird tattoos represent agility and strength, as well as the miracle of flight. Hummingbird tattoo wearers may be from the nation of Trinidad and Tobago or simply admire the speed of the world's smallest bird.

Color Hummingbird Tattoo Designs

Black & Gray Hummingbird Tattoo Designs

Show me more Hummingbird Tattoo Designs

Geckos are small lizards that are found in warm climates all over the world. The thing that distinguishes them from other lizards is the way they make chirping sounds to interact socially with other geckos. They have no eyelids and expel foul smelling materials and feces onto attackers to get away. Some species even have special toe pads that give them the ability to climb smooth vertical surfaces or even ceilings. In warmer parts of the world geckos often make their homes inside of human structures. They are usually not discouraged because they feed on insects and other pests. 

Gecko tattoos often show up in Polynesian tribal tattoo designs. To them, the gecko has supernatural powers and is both admired and feared. Legend says that if a gecko laughs at you it is a terrible omen of illness and/or bad fortune. Just as lizards are able to drop their tails in order to survive attacks, gecko tattoos also represent themes of self-perseverance and letting go of the past events or harm in your life.

Show me more Gecko Tattoo Designs

The horse is a hoofed mammal and a member of the Equidae family. Before they were tamed, horses were one the main sources of food for man. Domesticated between 4500 BC and 3000BC, they are one of the most important animals to modern civilization and culture. Horses are characterized by their long legs, strong backs and extensive mane and tails. Used in work, war and entertainment, horses have been powerful tools for man. Horseback riding for sport and fun is associated with aristocracy, nobility and wealth.

There are horses such as the American Mustang or the Australian Brumby that were once domesticated but escaped and reverted to wild status. However, the only truly wild horse is the Przewalski Horse (also known as the Asian Wild Horse or Mongolian Wild Horse), which has never been domesticated.

The Greeks believed that the horse was the offspring of the Four Winds, which would take on the forms of horses carrying Zeus in his chariot. There were many immortal horses in Greek mythology. The most famous is of course, Pegasus, who carried the thunderbolts of Zeus across the sky and carried his son, Hercules, onto victory. Ancient British twinhorse gods, Stallion and Horse, were mythical brothers. The famous White Horse of Uffington was carved into the hillside of the English landscape, measuring more than 100 meters long and standing for more than three thousand years. It is thought to be a tribal symbol for local chieftains. 

The Celts worshipped the goddess Epona, who appeared as the Horse and the Romans incorporated her into their culture after they conquered the regions. They created shrines to the horse goddess in the stables of the Roman cavalry and added her to the weapons they carried into battle. The Romans also associated the horse with their god of war, Mars. They often honored and even sacrificed the horse in his religious rites.

The horse tattoo can represent strength, speed and stamina. Both its beauty and grace make it a popular subject of all forms of art, including tattooing. Horse tattoos are often incorporated in Native American themed tattoos. The color of horses can be significant as well. The white horse represents peace and the red horse is symbolizes war. A blackhorse is associated with death and mourning.

Color Horse Tattoo Designs

Black & Gray Horse Tattoo Designs

Tribal Horse Tattoo Designs

Show me more Horse Tattoo Designs