First there is the tattoo itself. What the tattoo says, what it means, the design and feelings behind it are all something to think about. That is very important for couples. But there is also the act of getting the tattoo done as a couple. That can be just as significant.

Make sure for the meaning to be heightened in its importance that the two of you get your tattoos done together, at the same time.

They say it is the journey not just the destination that is the prize. Think about this as a couple considering a sexy tattoo, that is meant for just you two. Spend time together talking about what is important in your relationship, where you want the relationship to go, even where the relationship has been. Consider your special and private feelings for each other. These should all be factors in your decision about what kind of tattoo to get together.

Also, you should discuss where you want the tattoos placed on the body. You will want to think of locations that are intimate and personal. This is a tattoo that if it is to be kept secret should not be visible to others or at best only during most intimate times.

A secret, sexy tattoo should also be small so it is easier to conceal. Larger tattoos will be too obvious and would defeat the intended purpose.

Should you go for words or art work? Either would work. A lot will depend on what is most significant between the two of you and your relationship. Be sure to talk about this as well.

Here is an important word of caution. No matter how solid the relationship, the one thing constant in life is change. And relationships can change and they quite often do. The way you two feel about each other may remain strong forever and if that is the case that is wonderful. But if things change and you no longer remain together, you have to consider that is a possibility in the future.

For this reason it is advised that you do not use each other’s name as one of your secret, sexy tattoo ideas. Because a tattoo is permanent, it would not be pleasant to spend the rest of your life having to wear a personal tattoo bearing the name of someone that you no longer have close, intimate feelings for.

If you are into tattoos or even if you are interested in ink as an observer, you have likely noticed the enormous amount of “star tattoos” out there.

What’s the deal with star tats? Why does everybody seem to get stars tattooed on them?

Here I reveal the mystery behind the star tattoo phenomena.

Stars are very traditional.

If you think stars are a modern phenomena that just has been happening in recent years, then you have to look back to the origins of tattoo popularity. It was actually sailors and navy seamen who made star ink popular. In reference to the nautical star, they would get this design inked on as a strong symbol of direction and finding one’s way home safely from battle and rough seas.

Over the years, star ink has been taken in by various groups using the same symbolism of strength and guidance to apply in their own lives. The punk movement is an example of a group who took in the star design.

Modern Star Wearers.

Other more modern groups who have chosen stars include current men and women of the military, utilizing the same symbolization that traditional navy men used; finding their way safely home from battle.

Another interesting group heavily inked in star designs are mixed martial arts cage fighters. You can see how the symbolization works with this group of mostly men, but some women also. Safely emerging victorious from battle waged in the cage.

Then of course we have to mention the trend hoppers who simply get stars for no rhyme nor reason other than they see it as a popular form of ink that must be “cool” because other people have chosen it.

In any event, these are some of the main reasons why star ink is so common in tattoo culture.

Choosing the perfect tattoo design

Nearly any design can be made 3D. Think of anything you want in a tattoo, and then think about how it could be shaded to make it appear 3D. Does the idea of an alien lunging out beneath your skin seem like an awesome idea to you? Then go with it. The great thing about choosing 3D designs is that extreme details only make the tattoo better.

Various types of 3D tattoo designs

In the world of Tattoos there are no deficit of designs.

• Spider Tattoo: An example is where the tattoo artist adds shadow beneath the legs so that it appears like the spider is really walking across the skin.

• Butterfly Tattoo: If you want a butterfly sitting on your shoulder, it can be done with simple shading or even an injection.

• Alien Tattoo: The design of an alien lunging beneath your skin is also spectacular.

Choosing tattoo designs is easy. The hard part is placed on the tattoo artist. As long as the artist has the skills and, of course the drive, to create amazing tattoo work, then you will be happy with the final result of your new design.

1. Go BIGGER rather than smaller. Believe it or not, people have more regret over how small their design is. They tend to be conservative with size, but then once it is on they realize bigger would have been better.

2.Consider COLORS. Have you decided on what colors you want your design to be? Lots of people finally make a decision on their design, but forget they have coloring options. A good tattoo artist should let you know which colors will work best for your design.

3. Avoid the FACE. This is common sense to a lot of people. Face tattoos are extremely regrettable and the suicide rate is high among those who choose to get inked on the face.

4. Prepare for the PAIN. This won’t be a huge deal for some as they will adapt to the pain factor once the needle settles in. But for others, the pain is a big deal and they are totally unprepared. Ask the parlor or the artist if they have a good comparison test that you can do so you know what your personal pain tolerance will be for the ink.

5. Don’t get DRUNK. You want the best work possible and being drunk isn’t going to make it happen. You need to be still while the ink is applied and you don’t to feel as if your head is spinning while getting inked.

6. Think twice about tattoo NAMES. Any tattoo decision should be taken seriously. But names inparticular should be taken extra seriously. These tend to be the most covered up tattoo designs. There’s a high level of regret with name tattoos!

7. Go to a TATTOO GALLERY ONLINE beforehand. If you want to be sure to find the best design possible, then visit and join up to an online tattoo gallery. These are excellent sources for high quality ink and the selection is incredible. You can print out the designs and bring them straight to the parlor.

Kanji can express in one or two symbols a thought, an idea, a philosophy. There are Kanji symbols for a number of things that could stand for strength:

· Strength
· Courage
· Honour
· Power
· Samurai

There are many more that could mean strength to an individual – each person has to select the symbol that gives them strength.

The Bushido Code

A Japanese symbol links us to Japanese history and culture, in which the Samurai played an important part. The Samurai followed the Bushido code of loyalty, courage, honesty, honour and compassion. The Samurai warrior was heavily influenced by Zen Buddhism, which meant he not only aspired to noble ideals and aspirations but sought self-awareness and spiritual strength. He strove for balance. He was aware that the battle is always over oneself and that it is often the hardest fight of all. The Samurai have long gone but the qualities they practised are still needed in our lives.

Nothing has changed; human nature is still the same. Whatever we want to achieve usually requires discipline and courage. The more we exercise these qualities the stronger we become. Most of us want to be honourable and to act with honesty and kindness to others. We want to be loyal to our friends, our beliefs or our principles. We also want to be well-rounded people, to be balanced. The ideal is to be strong enough to keep ourselves on track but also to have the strength and compassion to help others in their struggle. This is real strength and the Samurai knew this.

Our inner strength

Kanji strength tattoos help us in our aspirations to be better than we are – to strive to grow and to lift ourselves above the day-to-day obstacles and setbacks. This means we have to take charge of our lives, our emotions, our desires and direct them in the way we want to go and use them to become the people we want to be. The real strength comes from within us. A Kanji symbol simply reminds us to tap into our inner strength, which was there all the time.

A Kanji strength tattoo may be all you need to remind you to be strong. It can remind you in an artistic and exotic way. It could be a declaration to the world and yourself that you are strong: a reminder to act with strength, to keep your resolve, to call on your inner strength when you need it most.

Within Hinduism and Buddhism the lotus flower has become a symbol for awakening to the spiritual reality of life. The meaning varies slightly between the two religions of course but essentially both religious traditions place importance on the lotus flower.

In modern times the meaning of a lotus flower tattoo ties into it’s religious symbolism and meaning. Most tattoo enthusiast feel that the a lotus tattoo represent life in general. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into a object of great beauty people also grow and change into something more beautiful (hopefully!). So the symbol represent the struggle of life at its most basic form.

Lotus flower tattoos are also popular for people who have gone through a hard time and are now coming out of it. Like the flower they have been at the bottom in the muddy, yucky dirty bottom of the pond but have risen above this to display an object of beauty or al ife of beauty as the case might be. Thus a lotus flower tattoo or blossom can also represent a hard time in life that has been overcome.

Lotus flower and peonies are also two flowers that are very popular among Japanese tattoo artists and they make a great compliment to Koi Fish tattoos. Ironically enough the two koi fish and lotus flowers can often be found in the same pond in front of a temple. The Koi fish is a symbol typically for strength and individualism.

Designs like Tribal, Angel, Star, Heart, Flames are ideal for an arm tattoo. But as mentioned earlier there are many options when it comes to an arm tattoo. A lot of men select symbols and pictures that signify strength and masculinity. Another advantage is that its not difficult to show off your tattoo on the arm or to cover it up, you can easily cover it up with a sleeved shirt if it is on the upper arm. But its always important to select a design that has a certain meaning that says something about you or about your personality.

Before going to the tattoo artist you should also decide on which part of your arm it’s going to be, whether it’s the lower arm or the upper arm. Getting it on the upper arm would be ideal if you have a bulky bicep and its also a lot cheaper than getting a tattoo on some other body part like the chest, lower back or the foot. One factor a lot of tattoo fans forget is the pain, it can be quite painful especially if it is on upper arm, so you should be prepared for a bit of pain. And if it is going to be an arm band tattoo then tell the artist if you want the arm band to connect. Some people get arm band tattoos on the upper arm without connecting it from the inside since it’s a little painful when tattooing the inside of the arm. Tribal, Celtic and barbed wire designs have been the most popular when it comes to arm band tattoos.

1. Nautilus Star. Star tattoos became big decades ago with Navy men who would get the nautilus star tattooed as a symbol of guidance and bringing one home safely from battle. You can see how the star tattoo works well for fighters. It can be used as a symbol of safely guiding one through a battle in the cage.

2. Warrior Ink. Cage fighting is very tribal in nature. It’s man vs. man in a no-holds barred environment. Warrior tattoos are obviously relevant with fighters. This can range from tribal designs to other forms of ancient warrior ink.

3. Fighting Style ink. If you have a certain fighting style that you are proud of, then a symbol of it can make for an excellent tattoo. Some Ju-Jitsu practitioners have a circle style tattoo of 2 grapplers for instance. Others just get the name of their art tattooed on themselves.

4. Symbols of strength, courage, power and discipline. All of these qualities are HUGE for fighting, and any one or all of these are excellent choices to get inked with. Now, the specific design you choose is up to you. While it should stand for one or more of the above qualities, it should also be a design that speaks to you personally.

Whatever your decide, remember to always research your tattoo ideas to make sure you find the best looking, strongest representational design that speaks to you.

In the Japanese culture, butterflies personify the soul of a person, whether they are living, dying or dead. Butterflies are also a symbol of womanhood, which is represented by one butterfly, whereas two butterflies signify marital status. A second meaning of two butterflies flying in sync is a resemblance of love as seen in many Chinese soap operas in the Chinese culture. During the Aztec period, butterflies symbolized either the souls of dead warriors who died on the battlefield or of women who died during childbirth. Based on their beliefs, the Aztecs saw these two types of death as noble and gracious.

Butterfly tattoos are also represented as a symbol of change. After encountering some form of transformation throughout life, one may opt to get a butterfly tattoo to signify the change. As we all learned in our early years of schooling, a butterfly first started out as a caterpillar. It then grew and evolved into a cocoon and later breaking free and reborn into a beautiful butterfly. People tend to see the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly as a powerful image and representation of life. Everyone experiences many transformations within their lifetime, and each time they shed a part of themselves, they hope to be reborn into a “new” and improved person.

But of course, just because there are several different significances behind different butterfly tattoo designs; it does not necessarily mean that people get them only for the meaning. There are people who get butterfly tattoos because of the simplicity and petite designs but also elegant at the same time. In the end, whether you have a personal story behind a butterfly tattoo or not, all that matters is that it is unique to you and will not regret it because a tattoo will stay with you forever.