Celebrities and Their Tattoos

When deciding on whether or not to get a tattoo, the first thing to think about is how the tattoo will be a permanent mark on the body.  The next thing to consider is what the preferred style might be.  Most tattoo parlors have samples of previous designs that can be altered to suit the customer.  But what many people enjoy is sampling and mimicking what many of those whom we idolize might have already had created.

Today, celebrities influence much of what is done in society.  Clothing styles, hair dos, things to eat, places to hang out and, yes, even tattoos are often influenced by many celebrities.  There are more famous people that have tattoos than what has been originally thought.  Some may be quite surprising.

As many people know, Angelina Jolie is one of the most popular tattooed actresses today.  She flaunts over a dozen tattoos, each with their own meaning. Angelina Jolie is such a fan of tattoos that there are always plans for more in the future.  In fact, she’s made the tribal dragon tattoo the most popular among women.

When it comes to tattoos and famous actresses, it’s certain that Pamela Anderson’s name will be brought up.  The arm band was made popular almost entirely due to Pamela Anderson.  She also put an emphasis on the barbed wire tattoo as it’s one of her most well known marks.

Mike Tyson sports a facial tattoo that is of Maori influence.  While the tattoo didn’t exactly cause a boom in applied facial tattoos, it does prove interesting among tattoo enthusiasts.

Johnny Depp is one highly acknowledge actor for having tattoos.  He’s decorated with over twelve known tattoos all with stories behind them.  Depp’s tattoo on his right bicep is the most well known.  When Johnny Depp and Wynona Ryder were together, he had “Wynona Forever” tattooed on his arm.  When the relationship ended, it was modified to say “Wino Forever.”  A good example of why tattoos should be thought through before taking the leap.

A group tattoo was made for those actors in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Each actor received a tattoo of the word “nine” written in Elvish script.  Tattooed on different areas of the body, and a first tattoo for some, each member now has a permanent mark commemorating the making of the movies.

Other movie celebrities where we will find many tattoos to admire or copy include Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, Gillian Anderson, Alyssa Milano, and Christina Ricci.  We can also find tattoos in music artists such as Billy Idol, Eminem, Henry Rollins and Brittany Spears.  Kobe Bryant, Dennis Rodman, Anna Kournikova, and Stone Cold Steve Austin make up just a few of the sports models that flaunt their own ink.

This is just a sampling of a few of the tattoos that are likely to be found among celebrities.  These people are acknowledged and admired for their style and personalities.  Many of them have caused booms in the tattoo trends throughout the years with special emphasis on designs that closely resemble their own.  It’s not unusual or unheard of by tattoo artists to receive requests for a tattoo that looks just like one sported by the hip celebrity of the times.

Celebrities Love Tattoos

It is not really surprising to learn that many celebrities love tattoos, nor is it surprising that those who are in the public eye and in the media have quite a significant influence on the American population’s fascination with tattoos.  The stars have tattoos, so all of their fans want tattoos also.  For celebrities, age is not a factor;  older stars as well as the younger ones have them.  We know all of these people–  but how much do we know about what unique styles of artwork they have?

One of America’s most longtime popular movie stars, Robert DeNiro, has appeared in movies sporting numerous tattoos.  Whether or not his fans realize that they are only accessories for his films, the fact is in real life Robert DeNiro has only one tattoo, that of a black panther.  Another actor who shows off many tattoos in his movies is Johnny Depp;  all of his, however, are real.  Bruce Willis also has a few tattoos;  most notably the symbol of his movie “Die Hard.”

Tattoos have long been in style with musicians.  Former teen idol Justin Timberlake has a guardian angel, amongst others.  Rapper Eminem has more tattoos than can be counted, including his daughter’s name and his own.  The wording on Keith Urban’s wrist, “Omni Vincit Amor” is Latin for ‘Love Conquers All;’  he also has an eagle on one arm.

Some sports celebrities also go for tattoos.  Michael Jordan has his fraternity symbol tattooed above his heart, while Dennis Rodman is a virtual canvas of artwork.

Not to be outdone, many female stars also show various degrees of artwork.  Young actress Drew Barrymore is essentially a canvas full of tattoos;  it is said that she created most of the designs herself.  Reese Witherspoon is more subtle, wearing only one small star tattoo which is rarely visible.  Pamela Anderson has a variety of tattoos also, the most notable being the word ‘Mommy’ on one finger, which reportedly used to read ‘Tommy.’  Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has five stars to represent each member of her family, her husband’s initials, and the traditional Jewish phrase ‘I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.’

Some of today’s supermodels also sport tattoos.  Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, and Stephanie Seymour all have these permanent forms of fashion accessories.  Most supermodels who opt for tattoos show fewer and smaller designs than celebrities in other fields.

While many celebrities have had tattoos for a very long time, the popularity of tattoos amongst stars has been increasing, both in the number of celebrities who have them and the number of tattoos that they have.  A very few have only one tattoo;  more and more are taking on a large number of tattoos as well as more and more visible tattoos, using skin as a canvas for nearly unlimited varieties of permanent artwork.

As celebrities show off their tattoos, and this is picked up by the media, it presents an ever-increasing influence for their fans, especially amongst the younger generation, to want to do likewise.  As with anything else that stars do in the public eye, their influence with tattoos helps this form of artwork become more widespread, more popular, and more acceptable to most of the American population in general.

How to Find a Good Tattoo Artist

Okay – you have considered all the effects of having a tattoo and know that it will be a lifelong commitment. You also know what type of design you want and exactly where on your body you want it imprinted. Now, the hard part – you need to find a good place to get your tattoo done.

The first thing to do is some research.  Ask friends and family members who currently have tattoos where they got theirs done.  Find out what their experiences were like.  Ask if it was a clean environment, if it was comfortable and if the designs turned out to their satisfaction.  Many times, tattoo parlors will be able to refer names of customers who can recommend their services.

While word of mouth is typically the best advertisement, you can also simply try opening the phone book.  Locate local tattoo parlors and give them a call.  They should be more than willing to answer any questions you might have.  At best they should allow you to come and visit the facility to become comfortable with the surroundings prior to committing to becoming tattooed.

During a tattoo parlor visit, first determine the cleanliness of the facility.  Make sure tools are sterilized between each customer and disposable and single use needles are indeed disposed of after each use.  General cleanliness is just as important; if care isn’t taken with building upkeep, then it can be believed that care won’t be taken elsewhere in the business.

Chat with the tattoo artists and the staff members.  If you don’t feel comfortable asking any questions or expressing concerns with them, chances are you won’t feel comfortable having them put a permanent mark on your body.  You should feel completely at ease as it’s possible that a large amount of time may be spent with them.

Check the designs of particular tattoo parlors.  One very helpful tip is to compare art with an actual tattoo to compare how closely the tattoo resembles the tattoo itself.  It’s wise to inspect what kind of design range the tattoo artist is capable of.  One might have a hundred different photos of skulls and crosses but it can be very different than having a butterfly, rose or a name tattooed on.  Be sure the artist is very flexible.

The Internet can be a very useful too when it comes to business searching.  Simply type in “tattoos” and the name of your geographical location into any search engine and you should be given a list of choices for places to check out.  The Internet can also prove helpful to get opinions on certain tattoo parlors through blogs, forums and chat rooms.  Information obtained from the Internet should always be double checked and checked again for confirmation as opinions will widely vary.

When finding a tattoo artist in your area, it’s important to always be comfortable with your decision.  While it is understood that the tattoo will be a permanent mark on the body and great thought should be put into the design and the location on the body in which it will be placed, it is also imperative to be sure you are completely comfortable with the tattoo artist.  After all, you’ll want to be positive that this lifelong design will be done accurately and correctly.

Why Do People Get Tattoos?

There are nearly as many reasons for getting a tattoo as there are people who have them.  Each person has his or her own particular reason;  it may be a common reason or it may be unique, but it is nonetheless individual.

People who get a tattoo on impulse or a dare, while intoxicated, or to please someone else, are the ones who are usually less satisfied with the results.  Even while holding it out as a spur-of-the-moment mistake, a person who acquires a tattoo under these circumstances are rarely happy with having it on a longterm basis.  Unfortunately, these types of situations do comprise a fair percentage of the number of people who get tattoos–  and later regret it.  Most people who get tattoos primarily  as a means of rebellion are also dissatisfied in the long-run;  as they grow out of feeling the need to rebel, they grow out of enjoying the symbols of it.

For those who make an informed decision about getting a tattoo, whether they acknowledge it or not they are usually in either of two categories:  those who are identifying with a group, or those who are identifying themselves as individuals.  Both are using tattoos as a means of self-expression.  On the extreme end of the spectrum are inmates who belong to such groups as “the Aryan Brotherhood.”  A tattoo shows both members and non-members alike what group the inmate belongs to.  These tattoo designs are of various codes and other oddities which they assume people who are not likewise affiliated will not understand.  Most inner-city gangs also have coded tattoo designs for the same reason.  In these types of instances, tattoos serve a dual-purpose:  they are a means of bonding a person to a particular group, and they are a means of separating oneself from those who are outside of that group.

Some people get a tattoo simply because they want to have one.  Other than not putting much careful thought into its longterm implications, nor being very selective about what particular design they want, this is not necessarily negative.  For many, simply liking artwork on one’s skin is reason enough to visit a local tattoo studio, hand over a relatively-large sum of money, and have something etched into one’s skin that is intended to remain there for the rest of one’s life.  The most intricate design or the most plain one can be a matter of speaking to the entire world, or something which one chooses to keep solely to oneself.

Others use this form of self-expression in a manner similar to what generations past used to do with t-shirts:  to show the world what they wish to say.  They choose wording, or designs which symbolize something that is meaningful to them.  You can see everything from American flags and crosses to the names of who they love, and, occasionally, wording which pushes the limits of the First Amendment.  In the past, people wore what they believed, stood for, and cared about on their shirts;  these days tattoos often serve the same purpose.

Many people use tattoos as memorials.  Tattoos can be designed for remembrance of a deceased loved one, of course, but they can also be designed for the purpose of keeping in mind other places or situations which a person does not wish to forget.  When there is someone or something that you wish to hold close to your heart, a tattoo can be a beautiful way of doing it. Photographs and other souvenirs are not permanent–  tattoos are.

Why do people get tattoos?  The reasons are as varied as there are individuals.  Whether you yourself have a tattoo or not, if you know someone who does, it is important to realize that you do not know what that person’s reasons are, unless he or she decides to tell you.

Sanskrit Tattoos

If you devour everything newsworthy about tattoos then you would know that the singer Rihanna has a misspelled Sanskrit tattoo!

For those of you who don’t know what Sanskrit tattoos are – they are tattoos written in Devanagari for the ancient language Sanskrit – which is an historical Indo-Aryan language. It is a dead language, which means it is no longer learned as a native language – and as such it does not change over time – which means the meaning of the words do NOT change – so you can be certain that there is only one meaning for your Sanskrit tattoo and it will never change its meaning like so many modern words.

Celebrities love these Sanskrit tattoos, and some of the celebrities who have Sanskrit tattoos are:

• Jessica Alba from Sin City – has “lotus flower” in Sanskrit on her right inner wrist
• Gillian Anderson from X-Files – has “every day” in Sanskrit on her right wrist
• David Beckham – has the misspelled “Vihctoria” tattooed on his left forearm
• Rihanna – has a sanskrit prayer reading “forgiveness, honesty, suppression and control” on her right hip which is supposedly misspelt

Sanskrit is incredibly beautiful to look at but if you are looking at getting a tattoo in this language be sure to get more than one translation done – just to be sure you are getting the meaning you want to. We have all heard the stories of someone getting a tattoo in another language thinking it means one thing and finding out it means something totally different – like the guy in America who thought his Chinese character tattoo meant “Love honor and obey” only to find out it meant “This boy is ugly”.

Because of the popularity of Sanskrit tattoos Hindus are now urging all tattoo artists to undertake basic training in the ancient Sanskrit language so there are no more embarassing misspelled tattoos – especially on celebrities!

Lower Back Tattoos for Women

Lower back tattoos have become increasingly popular, especially amongst young women. But why have such tattoos become so popular?

The reason the lower back is so popular can be attributed to several factors:

• the lower back has abundant space for a large design
• the lower back tattoo is less likely to stretch and warp due to weight fluctuations or pregnancy
• the lower back tattoo can be easily revealed or can just as easily be concealed for work
• the rise in popularity of low-rise jeans which are perfect to show off lower back tattoos

And it doesn’t hurt that lower back tattoos are considered the sexiest of all female tattoos. So a woman getting a lower back tattoo gets the benefit of highlighting the natural curve of her figure with the added benefit of being able to cover up when necessary.

It is crucial however that you get the placement of the lower back tattoo exactly right – especially if you are getting a symmetrical design. Your symmetrical design needs to be perfectly centered with the spine and not placed too high so it emphasizes the natural taper of your lower back – so don’t settle for anything less than perfect placement when you go for a lower back tattoo!

Popular designs for lower back tattoos include tribal designs, lotus flowers, hearts, Japanese kanji lettering, angels and celtic designs. But of course the choice is yours – the possibilities are endless in that your lower back tattoo could be monotone or multicolored, symmetrical or asymmetrical, large or small.

There are many celebrities who have lower back tattoos such as Drew Barrymore who has two angels, Lucy Liu has a tiger, and Victoria Beckham has 5 stars on her lower back signifying her family.

So what are you waiting for?