Gecko Tattoo Meaning and Pictures

For many centuries, various cultures ranging from ancient Greece to tribal Polynesia have celebrated the gecko meaning. Due to the gecko's ability to quickly regrow its own tail when needed, it is said to be magical and will symbolize regrowth and luck.

The gecko tattoo is a popular lizard design which often appears in Polynesian tribal tattoos. It is believed to possess supernatural powers. Polynesians regard the gecko with both awe and fear. It is thought that if you are 'laughed' at by a green gecko it is a dreadful omen of bad fortune and illness.

The history of the gecko tattoo design and the gecko meaning can be credited to the islands of Polynesia that include Hawaii, French Polynesia, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Easter Island and Samoa.

Basically, there are two kinds of traditional tattoos that come from these islands. Which are the 'Enata', which is the natural design symbolizing your island of birth and origin, social level, work and life, and the 'Etua' which possesses a stronger spiritual representation.

Popular designs from Polynesia that have had a symbolic meaning include the shark, dolphin, turtle and gecko.

A tribal gecko tattoo will pay homage to distant ancestors together with the symbolism of the gecko meaning that they held true with their own beliefs. These tattoos are often bold and dark and are somewhat abstract in style, yet appear as a simplified version of an original form.

The tattoo's edges are angular and sharp and will often repeat in patterns that circle around a forearm or bicep, or is symmetrically placed on either side of the back or chest as mirrored reflections.

A gecko tattoo design can be created in brightly vibrant colors but many people still prefer the quirky abstract shapes to be done in boldly black ink.

Despite missionaries trying to eradicate the cultural traditions of this unique art all those years ago, tattoo designs from Polynesia have had a rebirth in the Western world today.

Gang Tattoo Meanings and Pictures

Tattooing is a form of ritual. It is also used as a means to express who an individual is and what they stand for. Most tattoos are a very personal symbol for whoever wears them on his or her body.

Ancient Romans were known to use their tattoos as a means in identifying their slaves. Ancient Japanese would tattoo their criminals to identify the crime they had committed. Many cultures would use tattoos to show what they as a people stood for in a spiritual sense, while others would use tattoos to outcast slaves or criminals.

These cultures as well as subcultures were brought together by tattooing but were set apart by the meanings and intent of each distinct marking.

A tattoo is a permanent work of art that is created on the skin on either a visible part of the body or in a very private position. It can never be erased. In that sense, a tattoo will be with you forever. It is for this reason that both ancient as well as the more modern cultures would use tattooing on their criminals so as to purposefully keep them separate from non-tattooed people.

They were the outcasts of society. From this, tattooing would develop its darker side and slowly make its way into the world of the criminal. Prison inmates were branded or tattooed and discovered they were on common ground, forming gangs and bonds based on their own criminal status. Their tattoos would be their symbol which would identify each member of their underworld.

Earlier gangs would tattoo the same symbol on each member, but modern day gang members will tattoo their individual interpretations of their gang's symbols.

A gang tattoo marks someone as being a part of either a prison gang or a street gang. It symbolizes proud membership. It represents allegiance to a group that is deeply personal. A gang tattoo also represents the beliefs of the wearer.

Sometimes a gang tattoo will record an act of murder or violence. Each gang will have their own set of markings and tattoos. Some symbols will cross the boundary of a gang. An example would be a teardrop beneath one eye. This could represent a loved one's death or murder.

Gang tattoos can be heavily detailed and represent a gang affiliation as well as the member as an individual. They generally represent gang names and accomplishments or a memorial to a loved one, cultural and religious ties, and even their children's names.

A common gang tattoo is dots between the thumb and forefinger which will indicate their time spent behind bars. There are also certain designs that will have coded meanings. Below are a few tattoos and an explanation of their special significance:

• Barbed wire that is tattooed across a forehead signifies life imprisonment with no chance of parole.

• A cat means that the person lives their life as a thief.

• Churches and fortresses will often be tattooed on a hand, the back, or chest. Each tower or spire represents the number of years in incarceration.

• Tombstones represent time that has been lost.

A gang tattoo is not worn to be fashionable or cool. It goes beyond that. It is a hard earned emblem that is proudly worn to show the harsh reality of a member's everyday life.

Frog Tattoo Meaning and Pictures

Tattoos can probably lay claim to being around over 5000 years ago when a man was found in the Alps in 1992, perfectly preserved in the ice. There were 58 simple little lines and dots tattooed on his body.

Tattoos were also found on Nubian and Egyptian mummies that were more than 4000 years old. The Greeks, Gauls, ancient Germans, ancient Britons, South Pacific tribesmen, South and North American Indian tribes and the Maoris in New Zealand all practiced the art of tattooing.

Frog Tattoo Meanings And Symbolism

Symbolism has always played a very important role through the ages, and it is certainly no less important in our lives today. Depending on our personal lifestyle and our beliefs, certain symbols will have a deeper meaning to us.

Frogs are usually a popular symbol of harmony, life and rebirth. It is also a positive symbol for a woman's pregnancy. Within ancient Egypt, it is said that a frog was a guide and protector towards the afterlife. Native American tribesmen believe that a frog will bring rain, while some Christians of today wear the symbol of a frog that means 'forever relying on God'.

The metamorphosis of the frog has haunted many tribal cultures. Olmec tribes from Central America always believed that a frog would live in a cycle of rebirth and always eat its own skin. Chinese legend believes that a frog is able to keep many secrets and spells. One of these secrets is of being a mortal.

In Asia, frogs are thought to be the guardians of the supernatural secrets of the universe. For many Red Indian tribes, the origin of the frog has been related to the elements of water and the moon and meaning fruitfulness, riches and success in every form. For shamans, a frog was seen as their teacher or mentor. Iban warriors had a frog tattoo on their throats to symbolize protection.

Frog Tattoo Design Styles And Ideas

There are many frog tattoos that one can choose from. The realistic styles of frog tattoos are quite popular. These include the tree frogs that are bright green with red eyes and orange feet that are either amongst their natural surroundings or are climbing up the wearer's leg or arm.

Mantella or dart frogs are also a popular type of frog that is incredibly poisonous. Their coloring is vivid and they will sometimes have an interesting pattern along their body. Cartoon-like depictions show a crouching frog tattoo with a sarcastic or cute expression on its face, with its tongue ready to lap at flies and sitting serenely on top of a water-lily.

Tribal frogs will normally be tattooed in sharp, long black strokes. Aztec frogs are more stylized, with round bodies and eyes, fork-like toes and winding limbs. Egyptian art could also be recreated by using the Egyptian goddess Hekt in the profile of a Panamanian frog.

The Final Word

Not all reptiles and insects will be considered creepy. A tree frog tattoo can be both colorful and beautiful and will certainly not make anyone's skin crawl. They will instead make a person's skin glow and radiate with the beautiful colors of the frog.

A tattoo is a very personal art form, and considered by many to be a very spiritual experience. It has been said that you take your tattoos with you when you pass on from this life. In a very real sense, a tattoo will be with you forever.

Rose McGowan Pin-up Girl Tattoo

Rose McGowan is an enchantingly beautiful Italian-born American actress, featured on the television series Charmed, and in movies such as Jawbreaker, Scream and Grindhouse Planet Terror.

Once upon a time, Rose McGowan had a pin-up girl tattooed on her back right shoulder blade, however she has since had the tattoo removed.

Dean McDermott Tribute Tattoos

Dean McDermott is a talented Canadian-American actor who is probably best recognized for his role on the television series Due South.

Dean McDermott has four tattoos, all of which serve as a tribute to his wife Tori Spelling.

The designs include an angel and rosary with the saying "Truly, Madly, Deeply, Tori" located on his right forearm, plus a large cross with "Tori Girl" down the middle, on his left forearm.

The actor also has a portrait of Tori Spelling on his left tricep.

Martine McCutcheon Ankle Tattoo

Martine McCutcheon is an enchantingly beautiful English singer-songwriter, actress and television personality, perhaps best recognized for her role on the soap opera EastEnders, and for albums such as You Me & Us, and Wishing.

Martine McCutcheon is know to have a single tattoo design located on her right ankle, which reads "Angel".

Matthew McConaughey Reign of Fire Tattoos

Matthew McConaughey wonderful American actor, perhaps best recognized for his role in films such as A Time to Kill, Dazed and Confused, and Amistad.

Matthew McConaughey isn't believed to have any real tattoos, however he donned a significant amount of tribal artwork in the movie Reign of Fire. Plus he had a mermaid tattoo for his role in the movie Fool's Gold.

Jenny McCarthy Back Tattoo

Jenny McCarthy is a mesmerizingly stunning American model, actress and author, perhaps best recognized for her role on the game show Singled Out, and in movies including Scream 3 and Witless Protection.

Jenny McCarthy has a single small tattoo design on her lower back, which appears to be one half of the Asian yin yang.

Davina McCall Flower and Devil Tattoo

Davina McCall is a delightful English television presenter and actress, featured on the reality series Big Brother.

Davina McCall has three tattoos, including a flower on her left wrist, a devil on her hip, and an unknown science fiction looking creature on her butt area.

Nicko McBrain Asian Tattoos

Nicko McBrain is a great English musician, best recognized as the drummer of heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Nicko McBrain has a pair of Asian themed tattoos, one on each arm. The designs appear to be a dragon and samurai warrior.

Misty May-Treanor Lower Back and Shoulder Tattoos

Misty May-Treanor American professional volleyball player, perhaps best known for winning the gold medal at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics alongside her teammate Kerri Walsh.

Misty May-Treanor has a pair of tattoos, including the Roman numeral 5 along with her grandmothers initials on her lower back.

The gold medalist also has her mothers initials along with a small angel, located on her left shoulder.

Maxwell Celtic Arm Tattoo

Maxwell is a fabulous American singer-songwriter and producer, perhaps best known for albums including Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, Embrya, and BLACKsummers'night.

Maxwell is confirmed to have a single tattoo on his right shoulder, which is celtic in nature and appears to be an umbrella or perhaps a mushroom design.