Body Art and Tattoo Art

Crosses and Roses

"Tribal style" tattooing can mean any of a number of established styles for permanently marking the body. Most commonly, all these styles are primarily monochrome, being black and skin tone in nature. A lot of the inspiration for modern tribal tattooing can be found in the traditional designs of the Pacifc Rim and Southeast Asia. Ritual tattooing was found throughout island cultures, most all created with elaborate hand techniques evolving, producing designs of surprising complexity and graphic boldness.

During the Crusades, European knights often had tattoos of crosses, indicating what sort of burial they desired should they be killed in lands far from home. Despite Biblical writing against the practice, there are many people who choose to wear a cross in the form of a tattoo as a symbol of their faith.

Designs made with crossing lines can be found in nearly every culture around the world. Some are less-specifically representational of any one meaning, making them good choices for tattooing.

Barbée	Bretessée	Celtic - Iona
Croissantée	Crosslet	Entrailed
Fitchée	Fleury	Frettée

To see these and more designs visit this website...

The rose tattoo has been a mainstay of Western tattooing for decades now. Not only was it a popular way for sailors in the 40s to honor a wife or girlfriend at home, but it was seen as an image suitable for a woman who wished to get a tattoo. It is as ever present in American tattoos as the peony is in Japanese tattooing.

The Victorians were very much fascinated with flower symbolism, having assigned emotional attributes and qualities to all the color variations. Listed below are some of the color variations you might consider if you are designing a rose tattoo.

Red - Passion, true love (esp. a single rose), “I love you”

Yellow - To the Victorians, this meant jealously. In modern times, this color is viewed as expressing friendship or familiar love. Texans might chose this as a reference to the song.

Orange - Excitement and enthusiasm

blue rose tattoo

Blue - The quest for a blue rose still is still the goal of many rose growers. Blue roses are really lavender or dyed white roses. Perhaps this is why it has come to symbolize fantasy, fascination and impossibility.

Purple - Love at first sight, enchantment

White - Innocence, purity, youth.

Pink - Elegance, grace, gentleness.

Black - In nature, these roses are really a deep purple that looks black, and carry connotations of darkness and death in Western culture. Goths might like to have a black rose tattoo.

Red & White - Both sides in England’s War of the Roses had this flower as their emblems (Lancaster - red, York - white), and the mix of both (the Tudor rose) has come to stand for unity, mercy and justice.

Of course, you can color your rose tattoo anyway you wish.

To see this article and other designs, click this link.....

TASK:

Select the cross design that most appeals to you and copy it using pencil first and then in Ink.

Draw a cross design of your own. Call it by your name. You may use color if you wish.

Create a tattoo for yourself using a rose as a base...

Explain why you have selected this rose design and the color.

Transfer your design onto Lino...and print it out on a cushion or pocket for you to attach to your jeans or shirt.

HOMEWORK/RESEARCH

Find a tattoo that suits your personality and type.

Would you wear a tattoo????? Write an article on your view of tattoos.

Please use any of my Art and Lessons.

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