7000 Free Tattoo Designs: The Overview

Here's an overview of all tattoo designs that are currently on this website, about 6000 7000 andgrowing!

Animals

Birds are associated with flight and freedom, they symbolize the desire to be free or the reality ofovercoming a challenge in life. Different species of birds have specific meanings associated withthem. In general, these tattoos represent spreading your wings and soaring through life.

The symbolism of the butterfly is as diverse as the species itself. Often associated with the soul, thebutterfly may represent the spiritual realm. It is also a strong symbol of transformation because thebutterfly transforms from a caterpillar into a butterfly, becoming something new and beautiful. Thiscan be a powerful tattoo for those who have endured hardship of any kind and have found a new,better life...

The dolphin is a highly intelligent creature and holds significant meaning in many cultures. The mostcommon theme is that they carry souls between the realms of life and death. They are also symbolsof health, hidden personal power and intuition.

The dragonfly represents fertility because of its ability to lay thousands of eggs at once. It may alsobe a representation of transformation, much like the butterfly. Native American culture gives us thedragonfly as a symbol of inspiration and the reminder to follow your dreams. Other meanings arehappiness and contentment.

These brightly colored fish are popular tattoo symbols. They are associated with luck, love, strengthand energy. In Chinese culture, Koi fish represent following your dreams and good fortune. Koi fishare also associated with the Astrological sign of Pisces.

Lions are often called the King of the jungle. This animal displays raw power, and is often said to becourageous as it protects the pride. Symbolically, this tattoo might represent personal power andcourage after overcoming life challenges. It also signifies authority, strength and cunningness.

The number of legs of the octopus is significant: eight is important as it relates to the symbol ofinfinity. The symbol of the infinite represents various concepts of immortality. The natural

regeneration of lost limbs reinforces this idea.

The panther not only represents a sly and powerful predator, but is associated with both poise andgrace. The panther's ability to strike unseen symbolizes physical dexterity, and the ability to strikeout on your own without fear of failure.

The swallow represents the freedom of taking flight. In the early days of sailing, the swallowrepresented a well-traveled sailor. Swallows are also known as creatures of habit making them theperfect symbol for those who prefer stability and consistency over chaos.

A symbol of the perfect predator, this animal has strength and is known as one of the world's mostdangerous creatures. The symbolic meaning of a tiger is power, overcoming weakness and can alsorepresent danger balanced by beauty.

The turtle is a force of nature that will not be moved easily in any direction it does not want to go.

The turtle shows up in several creation myths and symbolizes immortality and fertility.

The wolf symbolizes the wild spirit within. This predator is a pack animal that requires interactionwith his pack to survive. The wolf can represent wild energy, loyalty, and the desire to be free fromthe constraints of the modern world.

Mythological Creatures

The dragon in Chinese culture represents power. This mysterious creature evokes a sense of fearand fascination, and when used as a tattoo it often speaks of the person's personal power, ability tofight any force within and move through the world with a mysterious and confident way of being.

The fairy is usually depicted as a childlike creature that is curious about the world around her. Thesetattoos are associated with innocence and being fascinated with life. The fairy also represents magic,personal power and the energy of unseen realms.

Various cultures have contributed to the design of these great serpents. Dragon tattoos carrydifferent meanings depending on the style and culture that they relate to. The form of the dragonconveys power, beauty, elegance and a fearsome nature. All dragons have common features ofwings, scaled body and fiery breath.

The Japanese dragon represents both power and wisdom. Though it is a fierce warrior, it is alsoprotective. This symbol can represent life balance, luck and abundance. Dragons hold deep meaningin Japanese culture, and far from being feared, they are respected and admired.

This hunched flute player is a symbol of fertility. He is related to the stork as he carries children totheir mothers. The spirit of music links him to the motif of the trickster as well. His music brings onthe weather that encourages growing and the harvest.

The phoenix is a symbol of death and rebirth as the ashes of the burnt phoenix bring it back to life,and a new being is created. It is a good symbol for you if you have been going through some hardtimes that have transformed you.

Classic Tattoo Symbols

The cherry is most often associated with sexuality, lust and fertility. It also represents the sweetnessof a person and their attempt to remain balanced in a world full of temptation. Most often, cherrytattoos are a symbol of femininity and temptation.

The heart is a worldwide symbol of love, and as a tattoo it usually has the same meaning. As aChristian symbol, it can represent Christ's love.

The peace sign is one of the most recognizable symbols of all times. Although it is usually associatedwith the 70s, the peace sign has a revival and it shows up in more and more tattoos lately...

This skull has been used as a symbol of death and decay for centuries. The empty eye sockets oftenrepresent a reflection of one's own mortality. The skull as a tattoo is a reminder of one's ownmortality.

Symbolically, the star represents both light and dark. It gives off light, but shadows remain. It can beassociated with celestial guidance that lights the path, but does not reveal the way completely.

The sun is the symbol of life. It also represents light chasing away the darkness, warmth of heart andthe center of the universe. Most commonly, the sun is associated overcoming personal periods ofstruggle.

Tribal tattoo designs are associated with primitive cultures as rites of passage. They serve a socialand protective function. The looks of these designs have been copied in the West and became verypopular...

Placement & Style

The ankle tattoo is one of the most popular among women. They are often seen as a fashionable andvogue style. The ankle is considered to be the most feminine place for a girl to have a tattoo.

Armband tattoos were traditionally used in Japan to brand criminals. Nowadays they are a populartattoo design: bracelet designs for women and tribal armbands for men.

Many people aren't interested in choosing a tattoo for its meaning, the only reason for their choiceof design is that they like the way it looks.

On this page you'll find tattoos that just look good, regardless of its meaning...

You'll find feminine designs all over this website, but this page is solely dedicated to tattoos forwomen and girls...

The foot is a popular spot for women to get tattoos. Foot tattoos are often seen as decorative,beautiful, elegant and an expression of a woman's personal style. There are some reasons not to geta foot tattoo though, one of them being that they are hard to maintain.

Once a popular location for women's tattoos, lower back tattoos are often viewed negativelynowadays. The original reason for having a lower back tattoo was because it was easily shown whendesired and hidden when needed. The lower back tattoo has fallen out of popularity, but that doesn'tmean you shouldn't get one if you feel this is the perfect spot for your tattoo.

The wrist area is limited to small-sized tattoos. Simple symbols such as stars, hearts and words workwell as a wrist tattoo. Bracelets and bow tattoos are popular as well.

Horoscope Tattoos

Zodiac tattoos are immensely popular. They are usually small and simple, but if you believe in

astrology, full of meaning.

Aquarius is the god of water and the birth sign for those born between January 20th and February19th. The aquarius symbol looks like 2 waves. Aquarius tattoos often include the water bearer.

Aries is the first sign in the zodiac, and the beginning of a new astrological cycle. The Aries signlooks like a V and resembles the horns of a ram.

Gemini is an astrological sign that also represents intellect and duality. It can also be arepresentation of light and dark, and the dualistic nature of the human being to be both good andevil.

Libra tattoos often involve scales or Lady Justice. The sign also represents balance and harmony,along with justice and personal problems being brought into natural balance.

As a symbol of the zodiac, Pisces is a water sign that represents fluidity of personality. The Greekmyth behind this symbol is the transformation of Aphrodite and her son, Eros into fish. This allowsthem to escape a terrible monster.

In some ancient cultures, the scorpion has been seen as a piece of evil. In other cultures, thescorpion was a form of protection from evil. The scorpio sign looks like the letter M connected to anarrow.

The symbol of Taurus is the bull, which represents strength and virility and reveals the baseinstincts of human nature.

Virgo represents youthfulness and innocence. It re-energizes the spirit with its vibrant nature. Thevirgo sign looks like an M with an extra curl.

Religious Tattoo Designs

Angels are a link between heaven and earth and occur in all major religions. These tattoo designsare usually very detailed and inspired by classic art.

Christian symbols are used to express a person's faith. Over the ages, the icons have expanded innumber, but they convey the same fundamental convictions. Examples include the famed crucifix,the Greek fish symbol, the dove, praying hands and of course the cross. Tattoo designs often includea verse from the Bible.

The cross is one of the oldest symbols and its symbolic meaning changed throughout the ages.Originally it was a phallic symbol, but its meaning changed when crucifixion became a popularmethod of capital punishment. For Christians, the cross stands for the resurrection of Jesus Christ,and today it is a common symbol of salvation.

These tattoos include a variety of known religious symbols and icons. On this page you'll find designsfrom Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and islamic traditions.

Designs by Culture/Country

Traditionally, Celtic designs were used to decorate sacred buildings. The rising popularity of Celtictattoos is associated with the belief that the body is a sacred temple. The Celtic cross and the Celticknot are the most popular tattoos in this category.

Chinese symbols work well in tattoo art. Keep in mind though, that these symbol tattoos are not veryoriginal. Also make sure that your design means what you think it means, double-check yourtranslation!

The ancient Egyptian culture fascinates many with its philosophy of life, death and theafterlife.Various motifs can be found in the ancient Egyptian art that are suitable for a tattoo, likethe eye of Ra, the Ankh or hieroglyphs.

The geisha is a traditional symbol of Japanese culture. They are entertainers who were elegant,

trained and highly valued by their culture.A tattoo design featuring this woman represents mystery,beauty, skill, creativity and wisdom.

Tribal tattoos are specific to Hawaiian culture, but because of their beauty, they have becomecommon around the world. Common designs are turtles and sea life as well as flowers and naturalvegetation.

Although Hebrew tattoos are seen as being disrespectful to the Jewish faith, many people choose fora Hebrew script tattoo, including celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Madonna.

Henna is a temporary tattoo with deep cultural meaning, usually worn by a bride on her wedding incountries like Morocco and India. In Western culture, Henna has gained popularity as temporarybody art, while the designs are also popular as a permanent tattoo.

Irish symbols range from leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and gold to the Celtic cross designs that

have become so popular.

The most popular Japanese-style tattoo in the West is the Kanji symbol. Kanji is a type of Japanesewriting: each symbol represents a specific word. Known for their beauty due to their flowing style,Kanji symbols continue to grow in popularity.

The Maoris used tattoos as a symbol of status and rank using spirals and lines that contoured theface and other body parts. These tattoos were specific to the people they adorned.

The samurai were the epitome of the Bushi lifestyle. They represent nobility, honor and personalsacrifice for one's master. The code of the samurai dictates every aspect of their existence. Honor isone of the most recognized traits represented by this symbol.

The broad spectrum of Mexican tattoos draws on their native culture: the art of the Aztec, Mayasand Incas. Some of these designs are incorporated by Mexican gangs as part of their inner status

system to rank members.

The art of Tibet which has been influenced by many cultures around them, including Tantric andMahayana Buddhists. Popular designs include Mandalas, Tibetan script, lotus flowers and Buddhatattoos.

Subcultures

These tattoos represent freedom, the open road and the love of bikes. Bikers often get tattoos thatrepresent their favorite bike or brand. One of the most popular biker tattoos is the American Eagle.

Gothic designs are usually of a dark nature and inspired by medieval and Christian art. Populardesigns include skulls, pentacles, the grim reaper, roses and rosaries.

Military tattoo designs are usually centered around the pride a person has in his branch, unit, and

country. Different symbols can be used that relate to the particular branch of service, such aseagles, ships and bulldogs.

The term old school tattoos refers to the style of the traditional American tattoo. The most famoustattoo artist of that time was Sailor Jerry. The images were stylistic with bold outlines colored blue-black, filled with solid colors of green or red.

Flowers Etc.

Cherry blossoms represent the feminine power. Strong willed, independent women get this tattoo. Adifferent meaning relates the cherry blossom to the short lifespan of the human body. It is seen as alink to the understanding and acceptance of mortality.

Different flowers have different meanings. Most often, the flower is seen as a representation ofnatural beaty and the fragility of life. The blossoming of a flower represents the female ability to givebirth.

The lotus is also commonly associated with spiritual awakening, and overcoming obstacles or darkperiods of life and entering into periods of success, understanding and spiritual abundance.

The rose has a long history and many meanings. It is the symbol of life and love, often seen as aromantic symbol when red. The five petal rose has strong Christian roots which symbolize the fivewounds of Christ.

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