A Guide to Tiger Tattoo Designs

                         I would like to share with you some of the myths and legends surrounding the tiger and perhaps give you some ideas on finding the best tiger tattoo design.

Most tiger tattoo designs are of the head of the tiger and why not, the tiger has a regal look about it, a proud gaze that suggests strength and wisdom. As a matter of interest the Chinese hold the tiger in high regard, because the markings on the forehead are similar to the Chinese symbol for king.

A Tiger head tattoo design looks great blended with many other tattoo designs, such as, tribal, flowers, lettering, etc, and looks fantastic in a full arm tattoo design. As a matter of fact, no matter if you just use the head of the tiger, or the whole body, you can't go wrong. Now let me tell you something about the myths and legends of the tiger.

Tigers have been around for around 2 million years and over the years a lot of mythology has surrounded this majestic animal. In China the tiger is the 3rd animal in the Chinese zodiac. Yin and Yan are at times represented as a Yin tigress and a Yan dragon.

In early China history, the highest ranking general was known as "the tiger" as the tiger was seen as a symbol of life and death, destruction and aggression.

I won't preach to you about the decline of the tiger numbers due to the loss of habitat, but I will tell you that for many years every part of the tiger was used in Chinese medicine (even tiger wine. Yuk!). Thankfully, the Chinese government has put a stop to this practice, and dishes out severe penalties to poachers or anyone found selling tiger medications.

And if you thinking how nice it would to be up close and personnel with a tiger, then think again, a tiger can reach up to 3.3 meters (11ft) in length and weigh up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds). The jaw of the tiger is capable of crushing the vertebrae of any animal on earth (yikes!).

A tiger has been documented as killing a fully grown Rhinoceros (yes, fully grown!!), and tigers have been known to smash the skulls of domestic cattle with a swipe of a paw. Tigers are such successful hunters they get to dine on a variety of animals, like rabbits, wild boar, pythons, young elephants, bears and crocodiles (that's right, Crocodiles!).

In Asian culture the tiger is the king of the beasts. The tiger is also seen as a symbol of power, strength, and boldness (no argument there), which is a pretty good reason to choose this tattoo I'd say. I hope this guide has been of some benefit to you

The Meaning Behind Tiger Tattoos - A Wild New Tattoo Idea

                          Nowadays, the number of people who are getting a tiger tattoo is increasing. This might be because these animals are slowly joining the list of the world's endangered species. In fact, there is currently only less than 5,000 tigers which can be found in Asia. This study is supported by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. But this number does not yet include the amount of endangered tigers in the whole world. And today, there are more groups which are being formed in order to help conserve and protect the tigers which still exist.

But the growing number of people getting the animal permanently inked on their bodies is not only because of their support to these groups. Having a tattoo of a tiger is a common representation for many things such as strength and power. This could be because the normal reaction of people upon seeing tigers is that they feel scared and show a great amount of respect for it. Aside from this representation, they could also show vitality, courage, and passion. Normally, when someone decides to get a tattoo of the animal on his body, he can identify with the characteristics of the great animal.

Aside from those powerful depictions of the animal, it can also mean passion, sensuality, pride, and beauty. For the Japanese Samurai, tigers were once used as a crest. If you have decided to get this tattoo design, you must remember that it is intended to have a large size. Normally, the body part where this is tattooed to is the bicep. This might be because it means strength.

The usual colors being used for this tattoo design is yellow, gold, and black. But you can still find other designs that have more complex and are using more intricate colors. Although, you have to keep in mind that the more complicated a tattoo is, it will also be more expensive.

The best way you can get this design, is to first make a research and get it printed on paper. Once you have it, you can show it to your tattoo artist. If the design is complicated, you should also do a research on your artist. You have to make sure that he can truly do a good job on complicated tattoos and if you have determined this, then all that money will be worth it.

Tiger tattoos should be done by an artist who truly has mastered his skill. The reason for this is so that the real look of the animal can be exactly copied onto your body with as much significance to the real thing as possible.

Tiger Tattoo Designs - Display Strength, Courage and Beauty With the Perfect Design

                          It is undeniable that the tiger is one of the most powerful symbols of strength and beauty. The Samurai of Japan used the tiger as an emblem. In the modern world, tiger tattoo designs have been very popular since the '90's. Since this style has been in vogue for so long, it's important to find a design that has not been overdone. If you get a generic looking tiger tattoo there is a good chance you'll regret it later. Is the symbol of a tiger truly in your heart? If so, then you need to know how to find an original tattoo design that inspires you... one you can take pride in showing the rest of your life.

Is a tiger tattoo for you? Tiger tattoos by their very nature are usually bigger designs. Really think about this one... does the energy of this symbol deeply resonate with you? The tiger as a symbol is open to personal interpretation, however here are some common meanings:

Tiger's symbolic meaning

* Strength and courage
* Beauty and pride
* Passion and sensuality
* Purity of heart

You definitely don't want to get a tiger tattoo because it looks cool or is fashionable. Make sure this symbol has a deeper personal meaning for you before making the commitment. Think before your ink!

If you're committed to getting a tiger tattoo... great! Now it's time to consider the different styles available. There are a lot of style options to consider and we won't go over all of them here. But here are some that tend to go well with the tiger design:

Tiger tattoo styles

Tribal tiger. The bold dark lines of the tribal style go very well with the tiger's stripes. A simple, yet very masculine and powerful look that can capture the movement of the great cat.

Dragon/Tiger tattoo. This is a classic Yin/Yang combination found in asian culture. The dragon symbolizes protection (female or Yin energy) and the tiger symbolizes strength (male or Yang energy.)

Flower tattoos. For a more feminine and elegant look, Japanese flowers in combination with a graceful looking tiger design is very attractive.

Ok, now you have some pretty good ideas about tiger meanings and some different style ideas... but where do you find a great looking tattoo that isn't the same old boring designs you see everywhere?

First, don't waste your time wading through the sea of generic images you see on all these internet sites. Most of these designs are very outdated. Plus the majority of these drawings were never designed to be used as tattoo art. They are just random images that have been added to the databases. Some of these designs might look cool on paper but they won't look the same when inked on your body.