Celtic Tattoo Designs
Celtic Tattoo Designs – Ancient Design
Who are the Celtics?
The Celts are an ancient group of people who lived and dominated much of western and central Europe in the first millennium BC and influenced their culture to the people living around that area. They were famous for their art which is considered a great distribution to European art by the non-Mediterranean.
The people of Celtic heritage, an Indo-European language group composed of the Irish, Scots, or Welsh express their pride for their lineage by wearing Celtic tattoo designs. Celtic tattoo designs have been around for many years and it is believed that they began around the time that Celtic stone and metalwork started.
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Most of the Celtic tattoo designs were said to be inspired by the Irish illuminated manuscripts; The Book of Kells displayed at the Library of Trinity College in Dublin being one of the most famous. It is believed that the dates on these manuscripts are at a much later time when Celtic tattooing is believed to have started.
Why Do People Wear Celtic Tattoo Designs?
People with Celtic tattoo designs wear them to show their heritage or to show that they have a Celtic descent. Others wear it to show their support for the Celtic culture; still others wear them simply because they like the design.
Popular Styles of Celtic Tattoo Designs
There are many styles for Celtic tattoo designs. The following are just some of them.
- Knot tattoos are usually knotwork made with no beginning and no end. This symbolizes the unending circle of life, a continuous process or cycle of death and rebirth.
- Zoomorphic tattoo designs are similar to knotwork in terms of its general design but uses animal heads, legs, tail, body, or feet.
- Spiral designs are formed from lines which spiral and twirl in a parallel, uniform manner.
- Maze designs are formed from parallel lines that create a maze.
Most often, Celtic designs are done purely in black color but sometimes, other colors are also used to brighten up the design. Suitable Celtic art designs that are good for a tattoo have lines that are not too close together, with at least a 1 cm gap between the lines.
Celtic tattoo designs, especially the knotwork style, usually communicate a feeling rather than a physical object. Therefore, it would be more meaningful to choose a design where you understand the symbolism behind it. One of the reasons why Celtic tattoos are so popular is because of the deep spiritual meaning behind it that defies literal translation.
Tips In Getting Celtic Tattoo Designs
Because of the complexity of Celtic tattoo designs, not all tattoo artists can do this kind of design satisfactorily. Therefore, it is important to choose a skilled tattoo artist that is experienced in Celtic art and has a great eye for detail. Celtic tattoo designs usually require intricate art patterns, line spacing, and shades which only a qualified Celtic tattoo artist can do. A poorly done Celtic tattoo can be almost impossible to fix but a Celtic tattoo done properly is certainly one of the most meaningful and decorative tattoo designs ever.