Nautical Star Tattoo Meaning

Nautical Star Tattoo Meaning Nautical star tattoos appeared centuries ago at the early age of tattoo art among the representatives of the Old World, and during its history has undergone some changes: the originally black-and-white design now accepts more colors, and the semantics has broadened as well.

A nautical star is a five-point star, in which each point is split with a line into two halves, originally colored in black and white or black and red, which gives them a 3D look. Now other colors can be as well used in its pattern.

This tattoo was once the distinctive feature of a separate social layer, he sailors. It was the time when sailors counted on stars to define their location and the way to their destination. The North star and the Southern Cross At the same time sailors were highly superstitious as the sea is full of mysteries that couldn’t be explained by reason. So nautical star tattoos acted as a talisman for them. Sailors believed to provide protection and guidance as they swam across the unknown waters. It as if guaranteed that once they have left their homes, they would find the way to get back.

While sailors were the first to adapt this tattoo design, it was soldiers who were the second for their lives were to the same extent connected with risks and being far away from home. Later on, nautical star tattoos won extreme popularity among punk-rock musicians as well as their fans. In the middle of the 20th century it was also widespread in guy and lesbian communities.

Nowadays nautical star tattoos are not associated with any particular social group. It can be used by both men and women. Its meaning is still connected with guidance but the personal one. It’s a symbol for an individual who creates his or her own path in life, seeks for his or her destination and longs for the goals that once were set. And a nautical star should help them on the way to the implementation of their wishes.

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Ideas for Rib Tattoos

Ideas for Rib Tattoos Rib tattoos refer to those that are done on the rib cage area and extend from the hip all the way to the armpit. This part of body offers great possibilities to show your creativity and to emphasize your body curves and unique shape.

Women love their rib tattoos to cover the area from their stomach to the breast. Common patterns here are flowers like lilies and orchids or a cherry blossom tree. They are colorful and look bright and catching. Masculine designs for rib tattoos may incorporate birds, animals, knives, pin up girls, etc. Some people resort to lettering, butterflies and stars. It all depends on your preferences and imagination.

Rib tattoos can be done on one side of your body, as well as on both sides, or even wrap around the back. This is an area for a large work of art; however, it is not always easy to get a big tattoo on the ribs.

Ideas for Rib Tattoos

The problem is that they are really painful. As you know, the closer the tattoo is to the bone the bigger pain the process of tattooing will cause. On the ribs there are lesser tissues under the skin than on any other part of body. And when a needle penetrates your skin the pain could be so unbearable that you even may feel woozy. It is advised that one should breathe no matter how intolerable it way be and never hold your breath.

You and your tattoo artist should be really patient. It normally requires several sessions to complete a rib tattoo. Breaks are necessary as no one could stand the pain all the time. However all tattoos hurt and the experience you go through will be later rewarded greately as rib tattoos are unusual and really stand out of the crowd. They can be hidden very easily by everyday clothes and can be shown off on the beach or elsewhere.

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Forget-me-not Flower Tattoos

Forget-me-not Flower Tattoos Flower tattoos are mostly loved by women. For them they are the most acceptable variant among all the tattoo designs as they certainly look more appealing and feminine than, for instance, tribal tattoos. Of course, a woman can wear any flower on her body, but it is much better to find out the meaning of the flower. If you know what this or that flower stands for, you can even combine different patterns to create a complex impression.

Different symbolic meanings are ascribed to flower tattoos, but they typically have a positive meaning. One of the lovely tattoo patterns if a forget-me-not flower tattoo. It is accurate, tiny and is usually tattooed on the ankle, on the coccyx and so. A forget-me-not flower generally means true love, hope, remembrance and memories.

Pretty as it is, with gentle blue, or sometimes white or pink petals and bright yellow center, a forget-me-not is one of the best embroilments of our spring. It grows in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand – practically allover the world.

A great many of beautiful legends are connected with this flower.

One of the poetic Greek tales tells about too lovers, Likas and Egle, whose love and mutual devotion were known all over the neighborhood. But one day Likas had to go home to become the owner of a mansion that his dead uncle had left to him. The poor Egle was so frightened about her future, she was afraid that when Likas became rich he would forget their love and fall after some town beauty and leave her alone. But she was undecided whether to tell Likas about her fear or not. The moment they parted she was in tears and her tears fell onto the grass and turned into blue flowers, so blue as Elge’s eyes. That was first forget-me-nots. Elge picked and the flowers and gave them to her lover. She kept silence, but Likas understood their meaning and called them: “Don’t forget me.”

The forget-me-not grows everywhere and the interesting fact is that everywhere it has the same name: in German it is Vergimeinnicht, in French - ne-m’oubliez-pas and so on, which in these languages means “don’t forget me.”

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Now You Can Draw a Henna Tattoo by Yourself: Henna Tattoo Recipes and More

Henna tattoo stems from the antique technique used by the women of Ancient Egypt, who spent hours adorning themselves. Later it became widespread across India and Central Asia and today henna tattoo enjoys wide popularity all over the world. These tattoos last about 2 weeks (even more with proper care), and gives you the chance to think whether you’d like a permanent one or not. The process itself is painless, and if you’ve got a steady hand and some patience, then it will be easy for you to create a henna tattoo. And should I mention the kids that are going to love the idea of having a temporary tattoo?

Below you will find a simple but effective guide on creating a henna tattoo.

Henna is a powder made of leaves of Lawsonia Alba, the plant indigenous to North Africa, the Middle East, and India. Its leaves that gathered from the lower part of the plant are used for hair and nail dye. Upper leaves have a more intensive dying effect, thus providing material for body painting. Henna should be stored in vacuum-sealed packages; otherwise it won’t provide a bright image. The tattoo’s color will also depend on the skin shade: the paler you are – the more reddish shade your tattoo will have.

Stage1: Preparing the skin

Henna tattoo will remain longer on the smooth skin, so do a peeling if needed, dab the area of the future tattoo with alcohol or alcohol-containing liquid and rub three drops of eucalyptus oil in.

Before you start you should make sure that you’re not allergic to henna. Simply put a few drops of the henna mixed with water on the inner side of your elbow and wait for 12 hours. If there’s no allergic reaction, then you’re ready to get a henna tattoo.

Stage 2: Preparing the dye

1. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of pure green henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of hot water

2. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 2 tbsp of ground coffee + 2 tsp of black tea. Add tea and coffee to the boiling water and boil for an hour, than pass through a sieve and mix with henna

3. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 250 ml (9 oz) of water + 250 ml (9 oz) of red wine. Boil the water, add wine and mix with henna

4. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 2 tsp of sugar + 2 tsp of lemon juice. Boil the water, add sugar and lemon juice. After the sugar has dissolved – mix with henna

5. 30-40 g (1 – 1.5 oz) of henna powder + 500 ml (18 oz) of water + 5 tbsp of clover. Boil the water, add clover, and steam on a slow fire for 20 minutes and mix with henna.

Mixing should be done slowly. Avoid lumps: if there are some – pass the mixture through a sieve. Henna paste should be a bit thick. If you want to make the color of your tat more intensive – you can add 1-2 tsp of lime juice.

Cool the mixture – and you’re ready to paint!

Of course, you can buy a cone with prepared henna, in that case - skip the stage

Stage 3: Creating your tattoo

Traditionally henna paint is applied with the help of thin wooden or metallic sticks, a paintbrush or a special syringe. If you are planning to use a ready-made henna paste, you can buy a special easy-to-use tube of henna.

You may draw the tattoo free-handedly or use some special techniques, if you’re no good at drawing. The easiest technique consists of the following steps:

1. Pick a design and copy it from the source on a sheet of parchment with a water-soluble soft-tip pen.

2. Apply some deodorant on your skin in the area where you plan to draw your tattoo (use the roll-on deodorant)

3. Adjust the sheet of the parchment with the drawn image to the skin and press for a few minutes. The deodorant will dissolve the pen’s pigment and the lines of the drawing will remain on your skin.

After you have applied the henna paste – let it dry for at least 2 hours. If you want it to be brighter and to last longer, then don’t remove the paste for 6-8 hours. Avoid watering the tattoo during the first 24-48 hours. Keep in mind that at first the tattoo will be of a light orange-brownish color, but it will get darker with time.

Fine points:

Henna tattoo stays longer on the places that are usually covered by clothes
While drying the image – try to expose it to the sunlight or keep it under infrared lamp in order to make it last longer
Henna tattoos drawn on feet or hands turn out to be the brightest
While drying your tattoo – dab it with a tissue moistened with mixture of lemon juice (2tbsp) and sugar (1 tbsp)
On the next day apply a thin layer of henna paste on your tattoo – it will make the color brighter
Rub in some almond, mustard-seed or sesame oil after removing henna paste. It will also brighten the tattoo
If you want the tattoo to stay as long as possible don’t rub or soap the image – simply rinse it with water. Also avoid excessive sweating
If you liked your henna tattoo – you can renew it by applying henna paste on it again before it has completely faded away
Henna is a strong dye, so be careful and remove stray drops and smudges at once with the help of a q-tip moistened with alcohol