Blog posts of '2015' 'June'

Today, dreamcatchers are seen in jewelry and art not just in the Native American culture but all over the world. Dreamcatchers are handmade objects based on a willow hoop, on which a web or loose net is woven. Lastly the dreamcatcher is decorated with sacred items like feathers and beads. In tattoos culture, dreamcatcher tattoos can indicate that the wearer has some sort of Native American roots. It is also a powerful symbol of protection and ward off evil spirits and dreams.

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With traditions and myths starring colorful, captivating gods and goddesses who are half-human and half-animal, it's hard not to find yourself absorbed in the richness and wonder of it all. Add to that the paradoxical nature of this fertile desert region; with the view of towering pyramids in the distance and the opulence of the oasis paradise and the world of Egypt can have a nearly narcotic effect. Hieroglyphics spell out stories of the pharaohs and their trials, tribulations and endings. They whisper of the Book of the dead and the wisdom needed to complete your journey from life and into what comes next. Suddenly you find yourself face to face with a world populated by the Sphinx and the phoenix; the scarab and the long sinewy cat, under the backdrop of towering, menacing sarcophagi.

If you hear the din of haggling market vendors and your nose is assaulted by the sweat, the camels, and the food- if you can feel the hot sand through the sandals that cover your feet, you can already picture yourself here, it might just be time to consider getting an Egyptian tattoo design.

An Amazing Cast of Characters

Gods, goddesses and their human counterparts, the pharaohs, have a long, well documented history in the artwork of ancient Egypt. Because the Egyptian style of ink art is so captivating and vivid, and lends itself to being easily adapted to suit personal tastes, these same figures have a tendency to taking starring roles in the world of Egyptian tattoo design.

Some of the most common mythological and historical subjects are listed and introduced below.

• Isis. (Woman with a headdress in the shape of a temple) A protective goddess, married to Osiris and mother to Horus. She used her magical potions to help people.

• Osiris. (A mummified man wearing a white, cone-like headdress that is decorated with feathers) God of the dead and ruler of the underworld.

• Horus (the Hawk God, shown with a human body and a hawk head) His eye is also a popular image in Egyptian tattoo. Horus is the god of the sky.

• Bastet. (A woman with the head of a cat) Daughter of the sun god Ra, Bastet was a gentle healing and protective goddess whose symbol was the cat.

• Amun. (A man with a ram head; or a ram-man with an ostrich plumed headdress.) One of the most powerful of the Egyptian gods.

• Amun Ra. (Amun combined with the sun god) As this god, Amun Ra was the supremely powerful god of the Egyptian culture.

• Set(h). (Man with a head of an animal, a creature we don't recognize). Seth represented everything that threatened harmony in the land of Egypt.

• Cleopatra. (Famous for her affair with Mark Anthony)

• Ramses I and II.

• Tutankhamen. (the boy king)

• Akhenaton.

There were also the wonderful mythical (and real) creatures of the Egyptian culture that would shape their art, and through that, modern tattoo designs based on ancient Egyptian designs.

Such symbols that have inspired modern Egyptian tattoo designs include: hieroglyphics (the pictographic language of the Egyptians), sphinxes (creatures with a lions body and a human head, but also include creatures with a ram or hawk head on a lion's body), phoenixes (birdlike creatures, sometimes with human qualities that represented regeneration due to their constant cycle of death and rebirth)

Other popular images in the world of Egyptian tattoo design are those derived from the magical amulets of the Egyptian religion. This included ankhs (an ancient symbol for both physical and eternal life), the eye of Horus, cobras, pillars and other interesting objects.

 The History of Tattoo in Ancient Egypt

One of the most famous surviving artifacts that testify to the practice of tattooing in ancient Egyptian culture is the mummy of Amunet. This woman was a priestess of the goddess Hathor (the goddess of joy, motherhood, love, music and dancing) and was discovered in Thebes. Her remains display several intricate lines and dots tattooed on her body in a common religious design. In fact, it would be from Egypt that the art of tattooing would travel across the world to appear, disappear and reappear throughout recorded history.

Today, tattoos are incredibly popular among the Western cultures, but are frowned upon largely in Egypt because the practice is avoided by Muslims.

Regardless of where you go looking for them, it won't be too long before you find an Egyptian style tattoo design. Whether you find a woman with the eye of Horus decorating her shoulder or a man with a scarab beetle scuttling across his back, much like the ancient artifacts that witness to their power across the ages, modern Egyptian tattoos are just waiting to be unearthed and understood.

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Dragons are a classic choice for a tattoo design. They are more popular then many other mythological creatures including mermaids, griffons, and fairy tattoos. Dragons are depicted as powerful and free. Their legend is always cloaked in magic and mystery. They come from the tops of japanese mountains and the bottom of the deepest oceans. Dragons are usually portrayed as highly intelligent and evolved creatures.

Because of their ferocious appeal, dragons have been depicted by artists throughout history in a wide variety of forms. Todays tattoo designers and illustrators have taken the art of the dragon to amazing new levels. Whether you want a traditional dragon tattoos or one with a cutting edge modern look you will find an incredible gallery of amazing images to choose from. Tattoo artists have paid special attention to creating images of dragons because they look great on the skin. In color or in black and white, dragons can wrap around the body and flatter the contours of the body. Dragons can be depicted as tribal, celtic or jade designs. Etched in black, red or blue a tribal dragon is a strong bold image. When designed carefully, a celtic dragon adds distinct touch to any tattoo collection. Dragon tattoos can go from one part of the body to another for a unifying effect on a large body design. Elaborate, bestial, beautiful or bizarre, the dragon tattoos may appear with wings or without, fire-breathing or not. For those of you who hear the dragon tattoo beckon, their diversity in form offers up a unique selection that will continue to inspire.

The History of the Dragon in mythology and design.

The word Dragon is derived from the Greek drakon and is connected to derkomai, indicating it is a seeing serpent with a gaze like lightning. The English term, drake or fire drake comes from the Anglo Saxon draca, or the Latin draco, which is similar to the flying dragon.

The many depictions of dragons is incredibly diverse and complex. No other creature in mythology has appeared in so many cultures from such remote parts of the world. While many of us conjure up a terrifying beast when envisioning a dragon, the Oriental or Asian dragon is depicted as a graceful, flowing beast, as it glides effortlessly through the air. The Chinese dragon is rendered as a long and serpent-like creature without wings. They are seen as ancient and intelligent creatures. European and medieval dragons have a more ferocious and primitive appearance. They often look more lizard-like with long tails and wings. While they to are often seen as intelligent creatures, they sometimes can be portrayed as mindless brutes. Talons, fangs, fire, scaled skins, and red eyes are typical of the dragon images we see in art and have come to imagine.

Dragon Symbolism, Mythology & Folklore

Dragons as Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. The Australian Aboriginal Rainbow Serpent has appeared in art as far back as 6000 years. Attributed with the creation of the earth from the void and the human creation, Rainbow Serpent continues to play a role in Aboriginal culture and art. Aido-Hwedo, the African creator snake purportedly created the rivers and streams with his serpentine coils, and the mountain peaks with his excrement. Numerous other dragons are present in creation lore and have inspired writers, artists and travelers from Leonardo Da Vinci to Marco Polo. The dragon is credited with the creation, maintenance, and the destruction of the earth. War and pestilence are familiar territory for the dragon.

Dragons as Sentinel and Protector. Dragons are associated with the dead in Scandinavian myth and in England, they were believed to have guarded over graves. In the West, dragons were viewed as fire-breathing sentinels who guarded treasure, and their fiery red eyes were said to reflect those treasures.

Dragons as Divine, Spiritual and Mystical. Revered by many, despised and feared by others, the dragon was said to exist some place between the demon and the Devil in the Christian faith, but in the East, the dragon was a benevolent son of heaven, and controlled the elements of air, water and fire.

Dragons as Bringers of death with Fiery Tempers. Dragons are frequently portrayed as bringers of death. The black dragon Nidhog (corpse-tearer) had an impact on that judgment. Said to bring destruction through their fiery tempers, immense size, and magical abilities, dragons are allegedly accountable for many tragedies at sea and on land.

Dragons as Rulers of the Elements. With power over fire, rain, and the earth, as well as enemy of the sun and moon, dragons have strong ties to each of the elements. In China, four main Dragon-like beings or Lun-Wang dragons were believed to live in a Crystal Palace in one of the universal seas. Thought to bring rain, even flooding upon the land by both the Chinese and the Norse, many myths represent the dragon near water and forested areas. In both Eastern and Western mythology, the dragon is believed to be responsible for eclipses.

Dragon tattoos can represent greed. The dragons have been noted as the king of bringing out the worst in humankinds nature, in particular greed. Dragons are known for hoarding wealth and often will capture a beautiful maiden.

Dragon Tattoo Designs Representing Physical Prowess and Protection. In Greek mythology, the dragon protects the spring of Ares (god of war). The first emperor of China, Shi Huangdi, took the dragon as an emblem of his power. Some believed dragons to be the ancestors of ancient emperors.

These are but a few of the hundreds of mythological sightings and significations of the dragon tattoo design. In short, dragons never die. They live on in our myths from one culture and generation to the next, leaving intrigue in their wake. From the underwater Loch Ness Monster to the serpentine entity Charlie, spotted from time to time in the Payette Lakes of North Idaho, there continue to be hundreds of miscellaneous sightings of strange dragon-like creatures throughout the world. Real or imagined, there is no denying their impact!

The choice for a dragon tattoo makes a particularly powerful personal statement, and the choices in design are rich with diversity. Whether depicted in black and white or boldly emblazoned with color, the dragon can serve as guardian or destroyer and will likely never lose appeal.

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