Lower Back Tattoos » Tattoo Designs

Lower Back Tattoos

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:42:07 +0000

Tattoos have been around for millennia. The word itself derives from a Samoan word “tatau” meaning to tap. They were used mainly for identification purposes so that individuals could be seen to be from a certain tribe or clan or have a certain social status. This is still a reason why tattoos are used today. In many African societies scarification is used on the face to identify a tribe while many gangs require their members to ink a symbol making it clear who they belong to. For the average Joe and Joanna on the street, however, the tattoo is a way of expressing their inner being, identifying themselves to be adventurous, bold, quirky, courageous and creative as well making a statement of self.

Lower back tattoos were once used mainly by women and had a rather sordid or vulgar feel to them, giving them the name ‘tramp stamps’, ‘arse antlers’ and other less savoury ones. Women, however, persevered through this social adversity and recently, some very well respected women in the world have chosen this aspect of tattoos. The trend towards lower back tattoos is growing steadily with a wide variety of professional women opting in from the arts and entertainment industries as well as some of the tamer fields such as Finance and Librarians. This is not to say, of course, that men do not choose to have lower back tattoos, just that the negative reputation lay with the women for some reason.
Having any kind of tattoo is a bold social statement. Many see it as the expression of their soul onto their skin and most will choose a design which has a specific meaning for them as individuals. Many people draw their own designs and ask an artist to ink it for them in the position they desire. So why would anyone choose a lower back position for their tattoo? Some reasons why they may choose not to is if they are pregnant, diabetic or considering having an epidural. In these cases, or if you have a medical condition you are aware of, it is advisable to discuss your options with a physician.
The lower back is a great place for a tattoo as the space available is vast. The tattoo can be small and just peek over a waistline or it can swirl up over the back, swoop across the waist and sides for a bold and sensual statement or dip down to the buttocks making you beg to see more. The position itself makes the possibilities for design choice so much wider. It is also true that when it comes to aging and weight gain, the lower back is the one place on the body that changes the least. Another technical reason is that this area is usually covered up from the sun and therefore the ink is less likely to fade with time.
Lower back tattoos are a sensual statement of being that are flexible in that they are easily covered up and kept secret when need be. When you are fully clothed, they can be fully hidden or you may choose to allow them to show a teasing glimpse of what lies beneath, inviting contact and conversation as well be a satisfying expression of who you truly are. Beneath it all though, a lower back tattoo is your personal statement on yourself: your sensuality and creativity, your courage and sense of adventure, your spirit and your inner being.

Lower Back Tattoo Designs

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:28:41 +0000

The choice of designs for tattoos is limitless and can be bewildering. When considering a design for a lower back tattoo, however, you are automatically looking for something that will work on a large space. Even if the design selected is a small one, it still needs to have visual impact on a large area. So your design must look carefully at the shape and form as well as the size, colour and position of the tattoo to have the maximum effect.
No matter what the size of the tattoo you eventually choose, you need to look at the content you are going to want first. There are many designs available to choose from. Among the most popular are included text, tribal, Celtic, butterflies, stars, anything with wings – in fact anything that can be incorporated into a spreading design – whether horizontally or vertically. Vines are good while faces and flashes are not so popular though those too can be incorporated into a successful design if so desired.

In fact, a good design will incorporate elements of different styles and thoughts. One I have always hankered after is a vibrant green vine with a hidden praying mantis and red and white ladybirds interspersed climbing up the vine. It would be Christmas forever then. Always remember that the position of the lower back is automatically a particularly sensual one so it may not be appropriate to have an image of Gary Glitter back there, if you see what I mean?
Religious and Cultural texts and images are another area where you can have a beautiful image on your body that is imbued with a deep, special message or meaning. This area will include any image that is associated with a belief or a culture, whether existing or long gone. These will include the sun and stars, our planets, zodiac symbols, your tribal tattoos and Celtic bands as well as angels, mythological beasts and creatures. Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish – whatever the faith you adhere to, there is a symbol or a text there that will help you identify yourself as a believer. Don’t forget the Adinkra symbols of West Africa in your research!
Animals and plants such as butterflies are particularly good shapes for the lower back. So are most birds, especially ones depicting power and sensuality while sporting a wide wingspan. Think Condor or even peacock. Any brilliantly coloured creature with the right shape would work. In fact, you could have a black panther lying down purring back there – how gorgeous would that look? The lotus flower has a particularly good shape – in fact flowers with their secret meanings are a fantastic choice for a lower back tattoo. Vines are a very good ‘filler’ for a design as well.
Social images such as hearts or images familiar to us from the media are included here. Branded images or just those familiar to us through the television and big screen, cartoon characters and famous symbols are all images that people choose to have as the center piece for their lower back tattoo. Other images are the hand and footprint of your newborn. The choices available are huge so it is really important to take the time to think about what it is you want to place on that one very special position.