Dragonfly tattoos
Among the numerous insect tattoo designs the most widespread are dragonfly tats. They are considered typically female equally with favorite images of butterflies and flowers.
The dragonfly is one of the most ancient insects that lived as far back as during the Jurassic period (300 million years) and have survived to this day in all parts of the world. This fact demonstrates its extraordinary vitality, inner force, endurance together with a seeming fragility, vulnerability and lightness.
This self-sufficient and beautiful, slightly mystical creature as if from fairy tale, has fantastic features and can easily move on thin transparent wings, despite of its size. So dragonflies attract and at the same time repel, probably because of huge bulging eyes that stand out against a background of fragile wings.
There is ambiguous attitude to dragonfly among the nations all over the world because it’s regarded as combination of good and bad forces. Also this insect is considered to be the predecessor of dragons.
In Japan people believe that dragonfly as a symbol of military courage and bravery brings victory, happiness and success. So, it’s held in special respect and love among this nation. Japanese island Honshu was named so in honor of the dragonfly. The Chinese associated this insect with the beginning of summer, instability and weakness. These nations used dragonflies for the medical purpose. The Vietnamese with a help of dragonflies predicted the weather.
Dragonfly is a symbol of illusiveness in Malaysia. The American Indians associated this insect with a whirlwind, speed and activity. So, the dragonfly tattoo image meant for them revival and renovation after grave defeats and hardships.
But in Western culture even the name of this insect “dragonfly” indicates rather negative attitude to it. Thus dragonfly is considered an ominous symbol there.
Among the Slavs this insect aroused fear and prejudice. The Swedes believed that the dragonfly was responsible for weighing human souls for a devil in hell, as well as was used by trolls for sewing clothes.
But nowadays the majority of people do not associate the dragonfly with something evil or ominous.
So in the modern world the dragonfly is a symbol of:
-swiftness;
-agility, strength and endurance;
-invincibility;
-briskness and mobility;
-freedom and love;
-success with no restrictions;
-wisdom;
- lightness, grace, levity and speed;
-immortality and revival;
- combination of water and air elements;
-impetuous growth and maturity.
Although dragonfly as a symbol has variety interpretations, the most important is what does it mean for you.
Usually dragonfly tattoo is applied with various techniques, styles (realism, simplified, tribal) and colors. But it’s always done skillfully, subtle and with a visual effect.
The main dragonfly tattoo’s colors are:
- black or dark blue ( it is supposed careful applying of shadows and contours);
- blue (peace);
-red (search of love, inner force);
- green (wisdom).
As well there are very popular various colors' combinations that really beautify tattoos .
The size and number of dragonfly tattoo images also can be different. For instance, your dragonfly tattoo design can vary from the actual size of this insect up to the image that takes full-width of the back with its wings are scattered on shoulder-blades. The number of dragonflies can differ from one to the whole nest with small and big insects there.
The main body parts for applying dragonfly tattoos are shoulders, forearms, waist, breast, abdomen, anklebones, hips, wrists and back.