Lotus Tattoo

Choosing a tattoo is not easy at all - you need to decide on a sketch and familiarize yourself with all its interpretations. One of the most popular and demanded images is the lotus. Its symbolic meaning can tell about the inner world of a person, about what he lives and what he strives for.

The lotus flower has attracted people since ancient times. He amazed those around him with his beauty, sophistication and severity, and also with freshness and purity, so unusual for a plant that lives in a dirty swamp. The lotus tattoo is associated with the name of Buddha - according to legend, in one of these amazing buds the Supreme Deity was born.

The powerful symbolic meaning of the image of a plant is associated with the peculiarities of its growth. This fragile flower of amazing beauty grows in swamps in the middle of mud and dampness. His image suggests that no matter how dire the circumstances are, you should never lose heart and give up. Everyone is able to create beauty around themselves, even if at first glance there are no possibilities for this.

The life of this flower arises at the bottom of the swamp, with all its might, a beautiful flower makes its way through the muddy waters. Every morning at dawn, it opens its enchanting flowers of unique beauty, and when the sun goes down, it closes again and goes into the depths. For a long time, people see in this sequence an analogy with the changing seasons and the cyclical nature of human life itself.

A typical interpretation of the lotus is considered to be a tandem of light and darkness, the unity of several worlds. The roots of the plant rest in the dark depths, and its petals rush to the sun.

In different cultures, there are variable interpretations of the flower symbol.

• Inhabitants of Ancient Egypt believed that the lotus is the patron saint of prosperity, wealth and fertility. According to ancient legends, Osiris and Isis sat on the thrones made of this plant.
• In Indian cult the lotus belonged to the sacred flowers, symbolizing life. Most of the Indian Gods, like the Egyptian ones, are depicted on a throne made of lotus petals. According to mythology, it was this plant that gave rise to all life on Earth.
• On the territory of Ancient Rome and Greece the lotus was closely associated with the image of the Goddess of love and beauty.

From the standpoint of Buddhism, a lotus tattoo means several stages of development:

• awakening;
• cognition;
• gaining life wisdom;
• development of the ability to penetrate the depths of thought.

Obviously, in most religions and cultures, the lotus is identified with the divine principle. This plant is respected and revered as a symbol of eternal life and prosperity. It is believed that by inhaling its scent, one can feel the protection of higher powers. Accordingly, a tattoo depicting this flower is nothing more than an expression of a person's desire for full development, self-improvement and self-knowledge. This image is suitable for people who never lose heart, set goals for themselves and go to them, no matter what barriers life erects in front of them.

Lotus tattoo can be done in different techniques.

The watercolor technique in tattooing is very similar to the corresponding technique in painting. It is distinguished by bright fireworks of shades and colors; in the image of the lotus, the masters harmoniously combine red and blue tones. The desired effect can be achieved due to the concentration of colorful drips - they are performed in the same way as if it were an ordinary watercolor stain on the canvas. In this case, the outlines of the lotus itself are emphasized by a contrasting black edging.

In accordance with the canons of the graphic style, the tattoo in the form of a lotus appears as an intricate plot composition. The flower here becomes one of the elements, while not always the main one - it can be assigned both the first and the distant plan. But in any case, the lotus becomes part of the overall composition, together all the elements make up a message that only the owner of the tattoo and the master can appreciate.

From a technical point of view, such an image resembles a flat pencil drawing. It is performed in black and white shades.

The lotus is one of the most popular symbols in tattoo art. Like all other famous subjects, it is often represented in the form of lines. Such tattoos can be called a dimensional version of laconic tattoos in minimalism, but they are more ambitious. In addition, they are performed with bold lines. There are no shadows here, although some artists paint them semi-transparent in the "light gray" style.

The geometry technique is a spectacular tandem of a delicate and fragile flower with a geometric background frame. Usually in such plots, the plant is enclosed in a rhombic or triangular frame. Such a tattoo can be black, gray or colored - it looks equally harmonious in all variations. The color scheme depends solely on the personal preferences of the owners of the tattoo and does not contain any symbolism.

For those who want to get a miniature, slightly noticeable amulet in the form of a divine flower, it is best to turn to minimalism. This technique involves the creation of a visual imitation of the lotus, which uses a minimum of lines. At the same time, the flower remains easily identifiable.

The realism of the lotus image is achieved due to scrupulous detailing, high contrast of shades, the presence of correctly traced shadows and the absence of contour frames. Moreover, it can be monochrome or performed in color. A true master, working in a realistic manner, can create a real work of art on the human body.

A flower made using the blackwork technique is a non-trivial sight. Such an image is especially symbolic in that the black lotus does not exist in the wild - this is a kind of allegory, a fantasy about how the lotus would look if it were gloomy and black. Such a picture carries the concept of opposing everything light, pure and enlightened.

The tattoo is stuffed with black paint. More than 80% of the painting is represented by dense shading.

This is not a complete list of all the possible techniques used to create a lotus tattoo.

• Abstraction. The abstract style has no boundaries, the storyline and execution technique here depend only on the owner's imagination. Usually, lotus flowers are painted here so that the contours of the plant can be distinguished. Quite often, abstract objects are stuffed next to it, which, at first glance, have no semantic connection with the lotus.

• Traditional. This style can be compared with the artistic methods of pricking Asian flowers, or more precisely, Japanese chrysanthemums. Colorful petals of saturated colors are placed here randomly, creating an effective tonality of the tattoo.

• Oriental. In this style, a classic background becomes an obligatory element. As a rule, this is water. Such a plot is natural - after all, the lotus lives in water and cannot exist outside its limits.

• Ornamental. One of the most popular options for creating a lotus tattoo. It is distinguished by traditional Indian designs that adorn the water flower. Stylistics has gained maximum distribution among admirers of meditation and spiritual enlightenment. The lotus is depicted here in the form of ornaments and patterns; it almost dissolves in the abundance of openwork. The tattoo is done in black paints.

• Tribal. This technique belongs to patterned, it has a lot in common with blackwork. It is in this style that representatives of the stronger sex usually fill the lotus. Such images are laconic and not overloaded with additional elements.

• Chicano. The main attribute of the Chicano style is the contrast of details, enhanced by the inscriptions in the original fonts. The lotus in this style literally gives the most humble person the image of a tough gangster. Chicano is performed in black and gray colors and assumes smooth transitions from dark to light colors.

A lotus tattoo can include additional symbols and elements. Conventionally, all types of plots can be divided into several groups.

The most popular motif is a lotus with a snake. In such a plot, she crawls out of a delicate bud or wraps it in a tight ring. Such a tattoo is often done by people inclined to constant self-improvement and personal growth. It was also widely spread among people born in the year of the Snake according to the Eastern calendar.

The lotus bird tattoo combines beauty, freedom and lightness. However, in recent years, such images often do not carry any semantic load, but become just a tribute to fashion.... Therefore, the flower is accompanied by beautiful exotic birds, for example, images of hummingbirds are popular among young girls.

In tattoos, the lotus is often combined with different objects, for example, stones. At the same time, they are not merged into a single whole, as is typical for the “abstractionism” style, but are united.However, such tattoos are often just a beautiful image and do not carry any idea.

The lotus is often depicted within a geometric shape, such as a triangle. In this case, each side of the figure is the personification of human beings - mind, flesh and soul. In this concept, the lotus is assigned the role of a harmonious beginning, which keeps all other components in balance.

Religious subjects are no less widespread. They are represented by the image of a flower with Buddha or Indian deities.

Enlightened people worship tattoos that would serve as a reference to the spiritual path of their owner. It is no coincidence that the lotus is often combined with mandalas and other similar symbols. Usually such tattoos are used by yoga practitioners.

Hamsa is another symbol that is often used in conjunction with the lotus. This is an Arabian protective amulet, it looks like 5 fingers joined together with an eye. Such a sign is considered a powerful tool that removes the evil eye and damage. Such paintings are performed in different styles, most often combinations of several techniques are used, for example, the eye is stuffed in a realistic manner, and the flower and fingers are in ornamental.

A lotus tattoo with a moon and a crescent looks very symbolic. They personify the unity of day and night, darkness and light.

The delicate lotus flower can be applied to any part of the body, the meaning of the tattoo will not change from this.

• As practice shows, most often the flower can be seen on the back. - it is in this place that 50% of people prefer to fill it. Particularly popular is the area between the shoulder blades along the line of the spine.

• The wrist is slightly behind him, mini-tattoos are applied here. If necessary, they can always be hidden from prying eyes with clothes or bracelets.

• Right behind the wrist goes the hip, 3D flower tattoos can be applied here.

• In the honorable fourth place is the neck area - a tattoo here is usually applied on the side under the ear or on the throat. In the first case, the lotus is depicted symmetrically, and when stuffed from the side, it is turned towards the face.

• The forearm completes the list of popular sites. In such a place, the flower is stuffed to its full length, for this a long stem is drawn. The image can be applied to both the outside and the back.

• Much less often women use the chest and abdomen for tattoos. This is due to the fact that during life these zones undergo natural changes to a greater extent than any other areas. As a result, the outlines of the tattoo become deformed, lose their attractiveness and energy message.

Tip: When choosing a place for a tattoo, consider the pain threshold. For a person, the most painful areas are:

• the back of the knees;
• ankles;
• Feet;
• costal zone;
• collarbone;
• neck;
• the back of the thigh.

In this regard, the outer side of the arm, lower back, buttocks, as well as the shoulder and forearm are much preferable.

• The lotus tattoo received great popularity in the East, this is due to the spread of Buddhism. Such a tattoo can be applied in any technique and give it any interpretation. In this case, the lotus can become both the basic component of the drawing, and a separate component of a large composition.

• Blackwork fans can recommend a sketch of a small tattoo. She perfectly conveys all the aesthetics and symbolism of the lotus, but at the same time it does not become an overly contrasting accent on the skin.

• Due to its small size and verified geometry, the lotus can be filled in the form of a pattern. This technique allows you to apply even the smallest drawings with this sacred flower to the body.

• For small tattoos or fragments of a large-scale composition, the printing technique with the help of separate dots is suitable - dotwork. It allows you to convey all the lightness, weightlessness and airiness of the divine lotus.

• Depicting a lotus on the body, men usually prefer authentic tattoos. For example, sleeves that combine a lotus with the image of the supreme deities. Recently, monochrome tattoos have been very popular.

• The lotus flower is naturally refined, delicate and exquisite, therefore girls often do not attach any symbolic meaning to it. A miniature composition in pink shades with lotus and butterflies will be an excellent solution for romantic and feminine natures. But lovers of large outrageous tattoos like realistic images on the lower back, back and hips.

Lotus tattoos are very beautiful. It is no coincidence that many Hollywood stars choose them. So, Jessica Alba with great dignity opens the image of the lotus on her right wrist to those around her. The celebrity claims that this flower symbolizes the depth of her essence and becomes a source of inspiration for her. You can see the flower on the body of another famous beauty - Charlize Theron. This Hollywood actress painted a sacred flower on her leg.