Meanings & Lore
Tattoo Lore & Meanings
The stories, symbolism and history behind the designs people choose — researched and written by our artists.
Amazing Art Behind Swallow Tattoos
A working-studio deep-dive into the swallow tattoo — the bird that always comes home.
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Bird Of Paradise Tattoo Meanings
A working-studio deep-dive into the Bird of Paradise tattoo — two completely different subjects traveling under one name
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Snake Tattoo Mythology & Meanings
A working-studio deep-dive into the snake tattoo — the only symbol in human iconography where creation and destruction,
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Symbolism Of Death & Ruin Tattoos
A working-studio deep-dive into the Man’s Ruin tattoo — the four vices (woman, bottle, cards, money), the Sailor Jerry f
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Symbolism is half the tattoo
The same image can mean loyalty, loss, protection or rebirth depending on its history and how it is drawn. Knowing the lineage behind a motif helps you choose something that carries the meaning you actually intend.
Symbolism Of Rose Tattoos
A working-studio deep-dive into the rose tattoo — the Greco-Roman through Sailor Jerry lineage, the three primary meanin
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The Meaning Of Medusa Tattoos
A working-studio deep-dive into the Medusa tattoo — the Hesiodic monster, the Ovidian victim, the post-#MeToo survivor,
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The Meaning Of Three Arrows
A working-studio deep-dive into the three arrows tattoo — the reading the internet keeps getting wrong (Native American
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What Does The Color Of A Rose Tattoo Mean
The rose is the one tattoo where color is not a style choice — it’s a semantic one.
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