Get Your Ultimate Buddha Tattoo Designs

Want to know why Buddha tattoos are popular tattoo designs?

Buddhism is one of the foremost religions in Asian countries including China, Thailand, and India. Since I'll be discussing about Buddha tattoos, let me tell you about the foundation of Buddhism and how it came about.

Buddha

Would you believe that Buddha was a prince? His name was Siddhartha Gautama. He was born a prince and even then one of the philosophers who witnessed the prince's birth already saw greatness in him. He was believed to go beyond any noble power, a 'supreme knowledge.'

The prince was referred to as Buddha, thus, Buddhism was named after him. Buddha introduced the noble truths which he based from on he saw - the truth behind human subsistence and why people have little control of their fates.

Buddha Tattoos

When one thinks of a tattoo with Buddha design, one would instantly think of the Buddha image. It is the most popular among Buddha designs, which connotes faith and loyalty to Buddha.

You can also find colorful cartoon versions, or the dancing and laughing Buddha. You can also look for designs depicting a lion, a begging bowl, Buddha footprints, an empty throne, or the Bodhi Tree (a significant symbol where Buddha accomplished enlightenment).

The traditional Thai Buddha design represents luck, wealth, and blessings.

Although there are various other Buddha tattoos that can be used for the design, still the Buddha image remains as the first choice. No matter how Buddha is represented in a tattoo design including his mood depictions or the colors of his clothes, those who follow the prince will always look at theaw tattoos as symbols of enlightenment, strength of character, and greatness.

Rebecca's Reiki Symbols of Healing

Last week I met Rebecca, who was waiting for an Amtrak train in Penn Station.

She had these tattoos on her inner wrists:


I recognized that they were kanji, but I didn't know that they were reiki symbols.

Reiki is a Japanese healing art, and Rebecca is a certified reiki practitioner.

As part of her certification and training, she studied enough to know that these symbols are accurate and refer to graphic representations of healing. Her right wrist speaks to long distance healing, and her left wrist refers to balance and healing.

Since reiki practitioners work with their hands, it seemed fitting that she had these symbols on her wrists.

She noted, as my wife has told me about her wrist tattoo, that the pain was very intense on this part of her body and that she passed out not once, but twice, in the course of having these tattoos inked over two sittings.

The tattoos were done at Gothic Tattoo & Body Piercing in New Hampshire.

Thanks to Rebecca for sharing her healing tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

The Return of Sal's Ink - A Teacher's Inspiring Words

Once in a while I check in with old Tattoosday contributors and I recently revisited Sal, who works at a video store (Mr. Video III) in Brooklyn Heights. You may recall his Guns 'N Roses tattoo (here).

Earlier this year, he had this inscription tattooed on his inner right forearm:


The phrase "not a moment for granted" is inked in tribute to his late acting teacher Fred Kareman, who inspired and taught Sal, not to mention countless others.

Sal explained that Kareman instructed in the Meisner Technique, which he described as an "in the moment" method.

This phrase can be further applied to life, in general, reminding Sal and anyone who sees the tattoo that every moment is precious, and should be savored like a treasure.

The design and tattooing was done by the incomparable Mark Harada at East Side Ink. You can see other pieces by Harada featured here on Tattoosday. Similarly, clicking the East Side Ink tag reveals other fine work done at the shop.

Thanks to Sal for once again sharing a part of his body's canvas with us here on Tattoosday!

yesus tattoos on side body girls

Camila's Salute to Her Heritage and Her Home Town of Rio

Back in August, I met Camila in Penn Station after spotting an amazing tattoo wrapping around her lower left calf.

The piece was still in progress, however, so we posted this tattoo instead.

Over this past weekend I was pleasantly surprised when Camila sent me photos of her finished leg piece. Behold:




Camila's tattoo celebrates her Brazilian heritage. The woman is holding two guns and represents female empowerment. The cityscape behind is a Brazilian favela, or tenement, representing her homeland, in addition to the Christ the Redeemer statue, perched high above Rio de Janeiro.



It's completely black and gray, save for the red in the lips of the woman and the lone kite flying above the favela. The red represents the colors of the carioca, or the greater metropolitan area of Rio.

Truly a marvelous tribute to one's homeland and culture!

The tattoo was done by Camila's friend Daniel.

Thanks to Camila for sending me the updated photos!

The Tattoosday Book Review: The Missing Ink

As tattooing has skyrocketed in popularity, the number of ink-related books hitting the shelves has multiplied like rabbits. I picked up a copy of Kat Von D.'s book at Borders the other day (read my review here) and was astonished to see it was in its eighth printing.

A fresh tattoo-related title emerged earlier this year, and it wasn't in the Health/Beauty/Appearance category, as you would expect. Rather, it's jumping out in the Mystery category.


Karen E. Olson released The Missing Ink, introducing a new protagonist to the literary world. Brett Kavanaugh is a Las Vegas-based tattoo artist who gets caught up in a murder mystery. Behold: a new series is born.

Ms. Olson is currently at work on book three in the series. The second title, Pretty in Ink, is due out in March.


And I can hardly wait.

All judging of books by their covers jokes aside, don't let the art gracing The Missing Ink fool you: this is not "chick lit". Brett Kavanaugh is not looking for love, Manolo Blahniks, or the man of her dreams. She's a career-driven tattooist committed to her art and running her business respectably, as much as can be expected in a Vegas casino.

I'm not saying it doesn't have a feminine touch, Brett is still a beautiful woman, with a soft spot for nice clothing and a blazing crush on one of the mysterious characters in the narrative, but she also wolfs down In-N-Out burgers and doesn't back down from her role in a profession that has been traditionally male-dominated. There are notable exceptions to this, of course, but it has only been in the last ten years that we have seen the elevation of the female tattoo artist joining the ranks of their male peers as acknowledged masters of the art form.

What The Missing Ink has is a plot that keeps us interested, with characters that are believable and entertaining. Her hefty sidekick, Joel, and diminutive employee, Bitsy, are just two of my favorite characters who are a pleasure to behold on the page.

The story wends its way through a maze of a murder that links Brett by virtue of a tattoo she designed but never inked. We get a taste of Vegas that takes us behind the scenes at a casino and even brings us to a wonderfully evocative setting of an Elvis karaoke bar.

I can see tattoo purists rolling their eyes at this book because it is a whimsical murder mystery that doesn't necessarily put the art at the forefront of the action. But it's not intended to. Ink is discussed and we often see Bret at work, but the plot often pulls her away from the job.

But this, after all, is fiction: a creation of the author that has been carefully researched and presented respectfully in regard to the tattoo industry. For more realism, I'd recommend Jeff Johnson's Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink, which also came out this summer (a review is forthcoming).

It's fun to dive into a murder mystery every so often and even more fun to do so when you're interested in ink and the main character is an artist. It's refreshing to read a work of fiction that is centered around the modern tattoo industry and just doesn't use tattoos as clues or signifiers on a character's body.

Ms. Olson has created a character that is believable and entertaining. Although I am unlikely to fly off to Vegas and seek out a tattoo at the hotel, I certainly look forward to the Spring when Bret Kavanaugh returns to further grace us with her presence!

Here's another review, and another, if you'd like some more opinions.

Daring to Have Tribal Dragon Tattoos

No one would ever dare to explain why a Dragon, a legendary creature, has created a huge impact in the lives of people today. Is it because people have heard a lot of stories about it, which makes it real? Or is it because the stories that were told since long time ago have been embodied by the people, made these affect their lives and daily living?

The answer may be vague, but the again, dragons, although mythical creatures, have existed in the minds of every person, and will continue to play in the imagination of the future generations.

A legendary creature made into symbols

Since no one would ever dare to prove the existence of dragons, people since the ancient times have created an image to portray how the legendary creature looks like. Based on stories passed from one generation to the other that would often describe the physical attributes of the creature, people saw the real image of a dragon.

They made sketches, and formed sculptures of a huge animal. The size would often be described similarly, but other attributes are different. Chinese dragons are longer, swims on air, and would often symbolize kindness and goodwill. On the other hand, Japanese dragons do not have wings, love the water, and have three claws.

Dragons from Europe are usually depicted of having three heads, aggressive, and burns villages. There are other illustrations of dragons, depending on a certain culture. In general, there are cultures that would portray their dragon as virtuous, but there are also cultures that would label dragons as ghastly elements.

Dragon symbols made into body art

After several pictures of dragons sprouted out, people used the symbolism for themselves. In the form of tribal dragon tattoos, people from different cultures have radiated their might to their enemies. In fact, several tribes would often paint their bodies with a dragon design before going to war. This is to show to their enemies that they are tough and fearless.

But tribal dragon tattoos do not usually mean the same thing. There are also cultures that would place these on their bodies as a sign of good luck, good health, and good fortune. These are commonly seen on Chinese cultures. Aside from body art, Chinese dragons are also a usual subject on paintings, pottery and embroidery.

However, there are cultures that used creature as a symbol of their deviancy to their religion. For instance, those who are against the Christian religion, would place dragon symbols around themselves and worship this mythical creature. They would often attack the church of Christ with this symbol, since it was mentioned in the bible that dragons are creatures from the underworld.

Dragon Tattoos today

A lot of people love tribal dragon tattoos, not only because of the unique design, but because of their legendary significance and symbolism. Tattoo artists have also crafted the design to make it more modern and attractive. Some would combine colors of red, yellow, and green to make the tattoo radiant and eye-catching.