Turtle Tattoo Designs

Do Dragon Tattoos Fly in Your Celtic Heritage?
By Dan Thompson

The myths and legends around this flying creature can be found in many fairy tales and are part of the folklore of most ancient cultures. Usually, dragons are thought of as belonging to Asia, but the are part of the beliefs and mythology of cultures all over the world.


Dragons in Eastern cultures are associated with good luck, kindness, fertility and are considered protectors of the villages they fly over. The Western dragon is not so benevolent and is most often depicted as an evil destroyer of villages and a fire-snorting guardian of chests full of treasure hidden in deep caves on a mountaintop.

One of the more spiritual legends about dragons and their powers comes from the beliefs and superstitions of the ancient Celtic chiefs of Ireland. In their beliefs, dragons were symbols of power held by the Celtic tribal ruler. The title, "Pendragon," is the Celtic word for "Chief."


Though the Celts were one of the fiercest groups populating Europe in ancient times, they were spiritual in their relationship with the land around them. That spirituality carried over to Celtic dragons who were believed to influence the land and sites identified as dragon haunts were believed to possess special powers.

The ancient Druids, the priests of the ancient Celtic societies, thought the Earth resembled the body of a dragon, and that dragons were our spiritual connection with Earth's magnetism and healing waters. Some historians say they built their sacred stone circles where they believed the power nodes of the dragon's body existed.


The term "dragon" comes from the Greek word that translates to "to see clearly," which indicates the benevolent nature the Celts believed their dragons possessed, the gift of vision, wisdom and the ability to prophesize.

If you decide to decorate your body with a dragon tattoo, and your ancestry is Irish, stemming from the ancient Celtic tribes, you would be continuing the myths that survived a thousand years of wonderment and the magical powers of dragons. If you select the circular Celtic dragon swallowing its tail, your tattoo would symbolize eternal life.


Tattoo artists the world over are famous for beautiful dragon tattoos of all sizes and colors. Whether your choice of a dragon tattoo is one of the fire-snorting creatures that caste fear on the villagers or one that protected the land and promised eternal life, your body art is sure to be admired by all who see it.

How many tattoos - Dragon, Tribal, Celtic, and Japanese Tattoos on your arms By George Christodoulou How many tattoos have become very popular in the past few years because it is a great way to tell a story or create a work or living art and expression. With different images that work together, and a person can raise a lot of emotions at the same time. Dragon Tattoo Dragon symbol of the wild fire and excitement. Entwined dragon tattoo how you can add color and red glow. Fire breathing dragon, flying over the arm can add real value to its amazing effect on any tattoo. Tribal Tattoo Such symbols with many meanings should be placed in the chest and shoulder to create a design worthy of this pattern. You can create an image only with this type of tattoo ink in a plain black. If you use colors on your arm and keep the black tribal tattoo you can create an amazing contrast. Celtic Tattoos In addition to Celtic symbols tattoo sleeves and adds a splash of culture to any part of the work. Who is the group of various symbols that you can use to transfer the meaning that you want. Japanese Tattoo Japanese symbols are a nice way to say many things at the same time. It is a symbol and one can express the meaning of peace on earth, or love for all. This is a good way to keep things simple to the eye but leave the mind to think about what you see. Creating this kind of technical work takes time and effort. Many people at the tattoo quantity over many years, adding additional designs and symbols to think about it. For this reason, you need to make sure everything is exactly as the picture in your mind. There is one design done in a way you do not like the thing can be destroyed completely, and leave you in regret. I recommend everyone to get the membership of the tattoo gallery until found deisngn like. These places have thousands of tattoo professionally designed. Directory allows you to zoom in and study all tattoo gallery with amazing.

Chinese Dragon Tattoo Designs and Meanings
By Graeme Wheeler

It is believed that the mythical creature developed its appearance from the totem poles of many different tribes in China. As the tribes merged, the different attributes of the dragon's appearance took shape. The Chinese dragon is believed to have evolved over time to incorporate the features of 9 animals to become the mythical creature it is today. These features include the:



• Horns of a deer

• Head of a camel

• Eyes of a demon

• Neck of a snake

• Stomach of a clam

• Scales of a carp fish

• Claws of an eagle

• Soles of a tiger

• Ears of a cow



Combine these features together and you have the Chinese Dragon, a very popular tattoo design over the ages and evermore so now.

It is common for many oriental pictures of the Chinese dragon to show a pearl or thunder-ball under its chin - representing good luck and wisdom. Some pictures also show Chinese dragons with bat wings, although dragons are able to fly without wings.



Chinese Dragon Tattoo Meanings

The Chinese dragon tattoo is centuries old which adds to its appeal and mystic. It is a symbol of mystery and power, wisdom and good will. These dragons are considered good luck and are linked heavily with the number nine, as there are nine sections to the dragon. Qualities include loyalty courage and strength.

The Chinese Dragon is a divine mythical creature that warded off bad spirits. They have a strong link with authority in China. The Chinese proclaim themselves "Long De Chuan Ren" or descendents of the dragon because when the first Emperor Huang Di died, (considered by the Chinese as their ancestor) legend has it that he turned into a dragon and rose to heaven. This lead to the Chinese dragon becoming a symbol of imperial authority and power. The five toed Chinese dragon was reserved for the emperor alone. Peasants wearing such a symbol would be put to death.



These creatures have 117 scales, 81 of these scales are yang (positive) and 36 are yin (negative), so the dragon is yang creature.

The legend states that dragons originated in China and spread throughout the region, getting as far as Japan. The Chinese dragons have five toes, the Korean dragons have four toes and as you get further away, such as Japan, the dragons have three toes. It was not possible for dragons to go any further than Japan and lose any more toes.

Chinese dragons are believed to have a controlling force over water, such as seas, rivers waterfalls and the like. Water spouts are associated with dragons rising. When droughts or floods occur, it was common for sacrifices to be offered to the dragons to appease them. Legend has it that dragons have the ability to burst clouds and bring down the rain. If they are angry, they can cause floods.

The beauty of the design, combined with the stunning red, black and green colors make the Chinese Dragon tattoo design very popular.



Did you know that one out of every five people regret their tattoo design, according to a recent Harris Poll. If you are thinking of getting a tattoo, don't make these common mistakes - with this free tattoo guide and a review of the top online tattoo galleries.

About Chinese Dragon Tattoo - What Most People Don't Know But Should
By Fanyun Ding

Chinese dragon is a mythical divine beast originated from ancient Chinese folklores. It is now commonly depicted as a huge, serpentine, and scaled creature. Unlike "western dragon" that has been described as evil, Chinese dragon has long been symbolized as the power of auspice both in folklore and art. Created on the land of an agriculture-oriented country, Chinese dragon is believed to bring rain and water, which well explains the position it takes in Chinese culture.

For centuries, Chinese people proudly refer to themselves as "Long De Chuan Ren", or "Descendants of the Dragon". This ethnic identity is believed to originate from Huang Di, a benevolent, legendary emperor who was said to have been immortalized into a dragon. Since Huang Di is considered to be the ancestor of Chinese, hence the saying "Descendants of the Dragon".

Due to that Huang Di myth, Chinese dragon is also symbolized as an imperial power. For dynasties, emperors were referred to as "Long Zi" or "offspring of the dragon", who wore imperial robes with dragons drawn on and claimed to have a dragon birthmark as a divine authorization by heaven.


Chinese dragon is also among the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a special Chinese way of designating years. To be more specific, year 2000,1988,1976,1964,1952 or any year with a 12-year gap between would be year of the dragon. In order to be "like a dragon", there are more babies born in the years of dragon than in any other animal years of the Chinese Zodiac.

Given all the foresaid reasons, it is not hard to understand why Chinese dragon is so popular among tattoo lovers. In fact, if you happen to be born in those dragon years, it's much recommended that you get a dragon tattoo because you are born blessed to be connected with Chinese dragon.


Basically, Chinese dragon is being tattooed in two forms: picture and character. Some prefer to have their whole back area tattooed with a vivid picture of dragon, while others may be satisfied with the Chinese character of "dragon" tattooed within a one-inch square of area. For dragon picture tattoos, a careful selection of the picture as well as the tattoo artist would be enough to ensure a quality dragon tattoo. For dragon character tattoos, however, it takes efforts to find a great tattoo idea, since you have to take many factors into consideration, including the literal meaning, the "actual" meaning, and the "cultural meaning" of the word that you select. Well, that's just the tricky thing of Chinese.

Fortunately, there are many Chinese phrases that associate with the idea of Chinese dragon. Followings are three dragon-related Chinese idioms for your reference.

Shen Long Ma Zhuang/ Long Shen Ma Zhuang

strong and energetic with an impressive bearing.


Both Shen Long Ma Zhuang and Long Shen Ma Zhuang are legitimate as an idiom, as in many cases Chinese characters can be reversed in words yet remain a similar meaning, just like this one.

Literally speaking, Shen means "magical, with divine power", Long means "dragon", Ma means "horse" and Zhuang means "strong". In Chinese culture, horse is considered intelligent, powerful and friendly to human, which therefore is used together with dragon in this idiom to describe the state of being strong and energetic.

By the way, Shen would be quite a nice character to ink alone, which could also mean "Almighty".

Ru Long Si Hu: valiant and energetic

Both Ru and Si means "like" in Chinese, so this idiom literally means "like a dragon like a tiger". Traditionally, Hu(tiger) and Long(dragon) are used together in phrases, idioms, and sayings to display a status of being strong, in power, and dominant. Needless to say, this idiom would be definitely fit for males since it's full of strength and masculinity.


What's worth noting, however, is that Long usually appears before Hu in expression, and it would seem weird when reversed. That being said, it would be a great idea to add Hu to your tattoo if your former choice was to ink Long alone, yet the right way to do this would be to ink "Long Hu", not "Hu Long".

Huo Long Xian Jian: strong and vigorous

Literally speaking, Huo means "alive", Long means "dragon", Xian means "fresh", and Jian means "healthy". When combined together, they form a unique Chinese idiom, one with a new and congruent meaning. Great literal meaning, great actual meaning, and great cultural meaning, this one is definitely fit for tattooing.

These dragon-related Chinese idioms are the literary and cultural embodiment of dragon and they truly live up to the standards of a unique and smart Chinese tattoo. It will be so amazing if you find one that best fits your personality. A Chinese tattoo dragon can be much more than an ink, but a special identity that helps you stand out of the crowd.

Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos
By Declan O Reilly

Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage they were the realm of criminals and the mafia. Now it seems even Hollywood celebrities seem to have caught on to the mystery and allure of the Far East. While it is undeniable that classic Chinese tattoos have an attraction which can easily be appreciated regardless of whether one can understand the often subtle meanings or not.



Aesthetics should be the primary consideration when getting tattooed, and Chinese characters are very well suited to this purpose. While tattoos have always been conversation pieces, Chinese tattoos add another element, since the typical viewer will probably ask you the meaning, which allows the wearer to not only translate the characters, but to explain the story behind the decision to make such a lasting statement.

Meaning is an important question however and for this reason can make Chinese tattoos date very quickly. Often it is not quite what the wearer was told by the tattooist at the tattoo shop or the meaning can become irrelevant after a few years.



Hopefully the person being tattooed has done his or her research and consulted with a native Chinese speaker about the meaning before being inked. Some non Chinese speakers have unwittingly tattooed their bodies with Chinese symbols which when translated become meaningless.

The most common Chinese tattoos are ones that are supposed to represent ideas and qualities like love or strength. Keep in mind that the concepts are aimed at English speakers, and on that level "peace, love and happiness" are easily understandable.



But before you run off to the studio to get one done you should do your research. Selecting a Chinese tattoos deserves careful study and attention. It should have less to do with style and more to do with your character, work, and values. It's permanent, so it's a pretty important decision in your life. In the end, it is important to choose something of lasting appeal not something faddish.



Chinese Dragons

For centuries, the Chinese dragon has been a symbol of power and mystery. Depicted in countless legends, both Eastern and Western, the dragon has provoked man to fear and worship it. In medieval Europe, it was a bloodthirsty, fire-breathing figure. Its malevolence and ferociousness struck terror in all. However, in Asia, it is the contrary. The mighty dragon is a mythical beast long celebrated for its benevolence, intelligence and good will. The Chinese dragon has been a common symbol of identity for Far Eastern cultures.



In fact, Chinese people all over the world are affectionately known as “lung de chuan ren”, or the "descendants of the dragon”. There are several distinct species of Chinese dragons. The Horned Dragon is considered to be the mightiest. The Celestial Dragon supports the heavens and protects the Gods. The Earth Dragon rules all of the earth. The Spiritual Dragon controls the wind and rain. The Treasure Dragon is the keeper of precious metals and gems. The Winged Dragon is the only dragon with wings. The Coiling Dragon dwells in the ocean. The Yellow Dragon is a hornless dragon known for its scholarly knowledge.

By JOHN STEVENS

Winner: Sonya 'The Black Widow' Thomas ate 40 hot dogs in ten minutes in the fire Women's Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, New York


The 42-year-old Burger King manager from Alexandria, Virginia, became the first women to raise female competition's pink belt trophy and the $10,000 prize money.

Sonya 'The Black Widow' Thomas tasted victory today, eating 40 hot dogs to win the first-ever women's July Fourth hot dog competition on New York's Coney Island.

The champion eater easily swept eight other competitors today to win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Second-place finisher Juliet Lee consumed 29 and a half hot dogs in the 10-minute race.

But Ms Thomas was one hot dog short of beating her record-setting 41 wieners and buns, which she managed in 2009.


Eat off: Nine women competed in the first women's only contest. Juliet Lee, centre, came in second place after eating 29 and a half hot dogs


The marathon eater, who is 5'5" and weighs 105 pounds, said that she was not full after making her way through the mound of food.

'I'm so excited, I'm so happy,' she said. 'But I could eat something else later.'

Second place Miss Lee, 45, from Maryland works as a beautician. She previously managed to chomp through 28 hot dogs in the contest.

Fellow contender LaRelle Marie Mele, 47, a personal trainer from Pennsylvania, said: 'To me, this excitement is similar to when women were given the right to vote.'



Victorious: Burger King manager Ms Thomas came fourth in last year's mixed competition


Ladies who lunch: The women go head to head in the eating compeition


In the male competition, Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut won his fifth title in a row after eating 62 hot dogs, but he was 6 short of his own record.

'It feels pretty good,' Mr Chestnut said. 'I came out here to win and did what I had to do.

'I did not start as fast as I wanted and had a bit of trouble with the water, but I can't complain as I came out on top.'

Pat 'Deep Dish' Bertoletti started well, but was ultimately beaten coming in nine hot dogs short.

Mr Chestnut estimated that he ate about 20,000 calories in one go at the eating contest, but he said his doctor doesn't mind.



Lift it high: Ms Thomas picked up the trophy and the $10,000 prize money

Men's round: Competitors at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest gorge themselves against the clock for 'The Mustard Yellow International Belt'


Reigning chamption: Joey Chestnut won the men's competition for the fifth year in a row


'In the long run I'm really not consuming that many more calories than most people,' he said.

'I run. I really try to stay healthy. I count my calories rigorously when I'm not doing the contests.'

The San Jose, California, resident said that at 27, he's young enough to get away with his competitive binging for a few more years.


How he did it: Mr Chestnut managed to chomp his way through 62 hot dogs in ten minutes


His doctor checks his blood work and has told him not to worry as long as he gives himself time to recover, doesn't gain weight and doesn't develop diabetes, Mr Chestnut said.

Mr Chestnut is 6'1" and weighs 218 pounds.

A physically active man of his age, weight and height should be eating 3,200 calories a day to maintain his weight, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


Unofficial winner: Takeru Kobayashi, who is barred from the official competition, claimed to eat 69 Nathan's hot dogs in ten minutes on a Manhattan roof top


Food lovers: Sonya Thomas and Joey Chestnut congratulate each other on their respective wins






source :dailymail

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Grounded: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley indulges in a spot of grocery shopping in Malibu, California


Her big screen debut in Transformers: Dark Of The Moon has had the biggest weekend opening of any U.S. movie so far this year.

But Rosie Huntington-Whiteley kept her feet firmly on the ground by doing her own grocery shopping..

Rosie was accompanied by her action star boyfriend Jason Statham as she stocked up on necessities at a supermarket in Malibu, California.


Success: The model-turned-actress' debut movie had the biggest opening of any movie in the U.S. this year


The Victoria's Secret model wore a simple off-the-shoulder floral print summer dress and sandals for the shopping trip.

Meanwhile her British-born beau wore a navy polo and patterned Bermuda shorts with flip flops as he helped load their shopping bags into a waiting car.

Rosie, who plays female lead Carly in the new film, gave off an air of Hollywood glamour as she went about her daily business wearing a large of shades as she pushed her trolley along.


Trolley dolly: Rosie's boyfriend Jason Statham accompanied her on the shopping trip


Earlier the couple attended a pre-party for Indepedence Day held on a beach in the affluent Californian city.

The 24-year-old was pictured relaxing at the Independence Day beach party in Malibu, perhaps also celebrating the success of her first movie.

The lingerie model looked completely content as she lounged around on the sandy shoreline and cuddled with her boyfriend during the holiday fete.



Party time: Rosie spent the day at a beach party to celebrate the Fourth of July this weekend


Celebration: The actress spent time at a beach party in the Californian city


Other names on the guestlist at the star-studded party included Paris Hilton, Bradley Cooper and Gerard Butler.

Paris, 30, appeared to have moved from her ex-boyfriend Cy Waits as she cosied up with The Hangover director Todd Phillips.

She first cuddled, then kissed the 40-year-old film maker in full view of those around them.


The direct approach: Paris Hilton and Todd Phillips share a kiss at a pre-Independence Day beach party in Malibu, California


Time to reflect: Reese Withersoon, husband Jim Toth and her children Ava and Deacon go for a walk with their dogs on the beach


It was just over a week ago when the heiress admitted she'd split with Waits, a nightclub mogul.

Bradley Cooper was at the very same party, spending time socialising with fellow guests.

And Gerard Butler spend the day on the beach, like many of his fellow movie stars.


Party boy: Bradley Cooper (centre) chats with some companions at the Malibu beach party



Chill out time: Gerard Butler takes a stroll on the beach with his dog


The actor was one of several stars who decided to hit Malibu Beach for the day.

Resse Witherspoon opted for a quiet time hitting the beach with her family - husband Jim Toth and her children Ava and Deacon.

Also out celebrating the U.S. festivities was Tori Spelling who took her family to the Malibu Farmer's Market.

The pregnant actress and her husband Dean McDermott took children Liam and Stella out for the day, where they inspected the stalls and visited a petting area where they encountered some goats.


Strawberry Sunday: Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott take their children to Malibu Farmer's Market


Riding high: The children sit atop a statue of a frog


January Jones and Sean Penn also had days out on Independence Day.

January took a stroll along Malibu Beach and Penn was snapped heading home after attending a party in Santa Monica with his new girlfriend.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley will be buoyant after her debut movie Transformers: Dark Of The Moon took in $97.4 million in the U.S. in its first weekend.


Quiet stroll: January Jones goes for a walk along the beach with a young boy and their dogs


All partied out: Sean Penn and his new girlfriend are pictured walking back from a 4th of July weekend party in Santa Monica


That beats the $90.2 million debut of Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

But the haul for the sci-fi sequel was down from the $109 million first weekend for 2009's Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen.

The film's success comes despite bad reviews of the movie, with much emphasis on Rosie's lacklustre performance.


Shopping again? Rosie and Jason were spotted at the supermarket again today, this time Rosie slipped into a floral maxidress with cut-outs at the back


source: dailymail