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As many tattoo enthusiasts can tell you, going under the gun can become quite addictive. Not everyone is able to stop with just one or two, but proceed on to receive elaborate, large scale tattoo designs. Sometimes it will begin as a quarter sleeve design. Then, after a little while longer, it will become a full sleeve. It can even spread from there.

It can become quite an investment, not only of money, but of time too. These rich, colorful designs require a bit of ink, and the ink requires a bit of patience! But the results are well worth it.

Full scale tattoo designs are like a window into another world. These designs open up such a wide variety of possibilities. From fantasy to science fiction, and even on into a terrifying world of horror, complete with monsters, demons and devils, you can find yourself carried to strange and unbelievable dimensions.

So, how do you go about choosing a full scale body tattoo design? Well, it helps to start out with a lot of imagination, and a good grasp of the principles of "exterior design".

Sometimes, a small, simple tribal tattoo design may be what inspires you to take that giant leap into the world of the human canvas. There are also people who receive their inspiration from Hollywood and the media. Spending a few moments (or hours, or days) pouring over pictures in a recent tattoo gallery publication doesn't hurt either.

But, obviously, in order for someone to go to such levels, there's got to be a compulsion.

For some people, it's the thought of the attention (both positive and negative) that their full body art designs will gather. People across the country with full scale tattoo designs are an elite group, who often compete with one another for awards and prizes for the most beautiful, scariest or even the most bizarre designs.

Others, who are both artistic and sadomasochistic, do it for the sheer pleasure of this beautiful trademark. Faithful and true to their own inner inspirations, they endeavor to fully achieve and realize their own amazing creations.

Additionally, there are large numbers of people who simply wake up one day and have suddenly gone from having had "a tattoo" to having the ability to say, "I am a tattoo." These designs, while not originally worn with any connection between their lizard on the ankle and the lips on their hips, suddenly become an all encompassing melting pot that somehow just works.

Of course, despite their beauty and popularity, you'd be better off closely examining the virtues and drawbacks of venturing into this extreme realm of the tattoo world. While it is possible to have tattoos removed, changing your mind after full-body tattoo art is hardly an option. The time, cost and side affects of tattoo removal would make it nearly impossible for someone wishing to remove the effects of their "wild oats" stage. It should be understood before you go under the gun that once you get your full body tattooed, what's done is done, no turning back.

Still not scared?

Well, then it sounds like you've got your heart set on joining the ranks of famous icons like: 

Dennis Smith, who is renowned for transforming his human body (through the use of tattoos and various surgeries) into that of a tiger, his get-up comes complete with fangs and whiskers.

Fred Durst, of the band Limp Bizkit, has extensive tattoo work across his body, including a picture portrait of Kurt Cobain on his chest and some really impressive full sleeves.

Rapper 50 Cent is covered with ink, including his arms and a gorgeous, colorful centerpiece that covers his back.

Angelina Jolie, who is well on her way to covering her entire body with tattoos. Her latest design was a truly authentic Thai tattoo of a tiger which spans most of her back.

Whatever reason has prompted you to join the ranks of the extremely tattooed, be sure to take the opportunity for a little introspection. It would be far better to chasten yourself for NOT getting full scale body tattoos than it would be to get the job done and hate yourself for it later.

Many people have always wanted to get a tattoo, but found that their fear of having a messed up tattoo was far greater than their desire for a piece of expressive art. In the past, a tattoos final look was largely subject to the ability and interpretation of the tattoo artist, which may be great for tattoo collectors who love accumulating tattoos that fit a variety of different styles and that can be clearly identified by their unique looks, but can be pretty intimidating to a person getting their first tattoo or who has wanted a tattoo for years but has always been too afraid that they will not like it once they have it. Fortunately, now there is a solution. Tattoo stencils help you work with your tattoo artist to get the perfect look and the perfect tattoo in the perfect location on your body. Tattoo stencils take the guesswork out of tattoo art, which is precisely what many people want when it comes to permanent ink on their bodies.

Of course, in order to use a tattoo stencil correctly, you need to know a little bit about them. A tattoo stencil is a transfer that a tattoo artist applies to your body in the location that you want to get the tattoo. That transfer is a line image of your tattoo, and it is often extremely detailed. Tattoo stencils are used by a tattoo artist to guide the formation of your tattoo and help them stick to the image that they designed or that you selected and purchased from a portfolio of tattoo flash. A stencil can help a tattoo artist insure that their rendition of a tattoo design is identical to the image of your dreams.

In order to use a tattoo stencil to the best effect, you should follow some simple guidelines:

Make sure that your tattoo artist is okay with tattoo stencils.

Some artists feel that their tattoo designs are so personal and intimately associated with their art that they cannot be guided by a tattoo stencil and create an acceptable tattoo design. An artist who feels this way obviously will not feel good about working with your pre-selected stencil, so make sure that your tattoo artist is comfortable with the tattoo stencil that you have selected and with tattoo stencils in general. If they are not, then consider selecting another tattoo artist so that you can have a good and reliable tattooing experience. This is a matter of personal and artistic taste, so you must not take it personally if the artist feels that they cannot in good conscience use a tattoo stencil. However, if your heart is set on a certain tattoo design, then you need to make sure that design is what you get. You owe it to yourself and the part of your body you are permanently decorating to be sure you get exactly the look you want.

Always use an artist-approved, original tattoo stencil.

Many people try to trace designs so that they do not have to purchase a tattoo stencil. Even if you plan to alter the image of the stencil slightly yourself or have it customized by your tattoo artist, you should always start out with the original artwork by the original artist. This keeps the integrity of your tattoo design intact and also helps insure that the tattoo design has all of the details that attracted you to it in the first place. If you attempt to replicate or trace a tattoo stencil, then you will likely find yourself sporting a second-rate tattoo that does not meet your expectations.

Get a color guide.

Tattoo stencils are great, but those that come without a color guide are kind of like only having half of the directions to a destination. A color guide that is designed by the original tattoo artist and that comes with a tattoo stencil will help a tattoo artist not only get the lines right, but achieve the same patterns and shading that make your tattoo so special to you. While every artist is a little different and your tattoo will definitely be unique to you because of the way that the ink interacts with your skin tone and because of the interesting personal reasons for getting it, having a color guide will help insure that your dream tattoo and your real tattoo are the same. For example, photorealistic tattoos are nearly impossible to replicate without a color guide, as are most other even slightly delicate color schemes and palates.

The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity. This devotion is predominantly used in the Roman Catholic Church, and also in strains of the Anglican Church and some Lutheran Churches. It stresses the central Christian concept of loving and adoring Jesus. The origin of this devotion in its modern form is derived from a French Roman Catholic nun, Marguerite Marie Alacoque, who said she learned the devotion from Jesus in visions. Predecessors to the modern devotion existed to some extent in the Middle Ages in various mystical sects.

The Sacred Heart is often depicted in Christian art as a flaming heart shining with divine light, pierced by the lance-wound, surrounded by a crown of thorns, surmounted by across and bleeding. Sometimes the image is over Jesus' body with his wounded hands pointing at the heart. The wounds and crown of thorns allude to the manner of Jesus' death, while the fire represents the transformative power of love.

The Sacred Heart tattoo symbolizes Christian faith and the love of Jesus Christ for his followers. It is a common tattoo motif especially among Catholics and other Christians.

Color Sacred Heart Tattoo Designs

Black & Gray Sacred Heart Tattoo Designs

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She Devil, also know as "Man's Ruin", a tattoo often consisting of the many vices that can lead a man astray in life, not the least of which is a woman - or a bad woman to be exact! This woman is often surrounded by drinking glasses, bottles of alcohol, playing cards, dice and other accoutrements of gambling, such as horse shoes to represent betting on the ponies at the track. In short, "Man's Ruin" could also be titled, "Wine, Women and Song!". Use your imagination to add other elements of various modern vices! A woman regarded as cruel or malicious. 

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