Tattoo quotes
Tattoo quotes are rapidly becoming a popular alternative to the more traditional style of picture tattoo. But if you are unfamiliar with the concept of tattoo quotes, what are they and why would you opt for this style of tattoo as opposed to a pictorial design?
A tattoo quote is when a tattoo is made up of mostly words rather than only a picture. The words might be something very personal in meaning to the bearer of the tattoo, or they could be a well known quote or saying. Some people choose to have a quote tattooed in their own language whereas others pick one written in a foreign script—Chinese sayings are very popular with celebrities and many famous people, for example David Beckham, have a tattoo comprised of Chinese symbols.
What is the best way to choose a tattoo quote?
The best tattoo quotes are those that have a special meaning. You could choose a phrase or quote that has been particularly inspirational to you at some point in your life, or there might be a phrase or quote that reminds you of a friend or relative. Ultimately it does not matter what the tattoo quote is as long as it matters to you—since your tattoo is likely to be a part of you for a very long time, it makes sense to choose something you really love!
Whilst it could be argued that a picture says a thousand words, many people prefer tattoos containing words because the tattoo allows for a more accurate expression of the message that the person wants others to understand. After all, anyone can have a random picture tattooed on their body, but while the picture might look pretty, it probably won’t mean much to 99.9 percent of people, whereas a tattoo quote is unlikely to be misinterpreted.
But before you rush out and have lots of fabulous tattoo quotes inked all over your body, there are a few important issues you need to consider first. Tattoos look great on younger skin, but they do not always look so hot as we age. The main reason for this is because as we age, our skin loses elasticity and starts to sag and wrinkle. Ultimately any tattoos you have are going to be affected by the natural aging process, so although a tattoo around your navel might look sexy when you are twenty-one, it will not look quite so cool when you are fifty-one and your navel has dropped to your knees.
Tattoo quotes are no different to any other tattoo—they will also be affected by the aging process, which makes it essential that you give some thought to where exactly you have your tattoo quote inked. Ideally choose a part of your body that is less likely to sag, wrinkle, or lose shape. If you select the right tattoo location, the words you have inked will still remain readable even if you gain or lose weight, or simply grow old and wrinkly.
What are great examples of tattoo quotes?
Chinese letters are a very popular type of word tattoo and when drawn by a skilled tattoo artist, Chinese letters can look very artistic, but even words drawn in a fancy script or font can look surprisingly effective. However, if you have words in a foreign language tattooed on your body, always check the meaning is 100 percent correct before you go ahead with the tattoo or your tattoo might inadvertently end up saying something ridiculous, or worse, offensive.
Inspirational phrases and sayings also make very popular tattoo quotes. Typical examples of uplifting and feel-good tattoos include:
Don’t Stop Believing
Happiness is a Choice
Dreams are free, so free your dreams
Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often
For an alternative to deep and meaningful tattoo quotes, why not choose a line from your favourite movie? Ok, so it might not be such a hot idea to have “I see dead people” tattooed on your arm, but there are plenty of great quotes to choose from in the world of movies, including:
May the Force be with you
It’s not the men in your life that counts, it’s the life in your men
I’ll be back!
Tattoo quotes referring to sweet and fluffy romantic love stuff are popular with lovers. You could have your true love’s name inked across your heart, but why risk the pain of being indelibly inked with a name you might wish to forget in a few years? It makes far more sense to choose an ode to love as your tattoo instead. Not only will it look better, it can also be applicable to future lovers!
Dreams only last one night, but true love can last forever
When they asked me what I loved most about life, I smiled and said you
