Body art comes in different forms, the most common of which are tattoos. Tattoos are one of the most ancient forms of body art, for which you will be providing the canvas. And because tattoos have soared in popularity over the past decade, there is no shortage of tattoo "studios" more than willing to practice their artistry on you.

Tattoos originated as ancient, symbolic art forms, and many of them retain their symbolic meanings today. Although there are still some people who get tattoos strictly based on the design, some of those people tend to regret their choice of tattoo later on in their life. Tattoos can be quite beautiful, and capture a lot of positive attention. Most people who decide to get tattoos today choose them for their symbolic meaning, as well as the beauty. Men and women alike have tattoos, some small tattoos, some large tattoos encompassing their entire body and today tattoos are more common than ever, particularly small tattoos.

Tattoo artists are no longer willing to place dull lifeless designs in a seemingly haphazard way, but they tend to treat the body as a three-dimensional canvas onto which each tattoo is placed, to live in balance with the body and any existing tattoos. Permanent tattoo designs differ depending on culture, religious affiliations, gender, or personal liking and selections. For certain tattoo designs, some people prefer to look at real life photos or browse through artwork for ideas pertaining to their tattoo designs.

Many individuals select tattoo designs from those presented at a tattoo parlor, while others prefer to do some research and help ensure that their design is unlike any other. While there are tattoo designs that are gender specific, it is important to keep in mind that getting a tattoo is a very personal thing and the image that is ultimately chosen should be one that reflects something that is important to the wearer.

Although there are some exceptions, most men and women will naturally be drawn to different tattoo designs. Of all tattoo designs, women commonly select small feminine tattoos with hearts, butterflies, flowers, lettering, etc. Men, on the other hand, often prefer that their tattoo designs be placed on the upper arm, like a Robbie Williams tattoo on the chest or back.

Some of the more popular themes center around the following:

*Butterlies *Dragons *Flowers *Crosses *Fairy *Irish *Celtic *Animals *Dolphins *Tribal

Some popular sub themes are:

*cat tattoo designs *zodiac tattoo designs *dolphin tattoo designs *heart tattoo designs *small feminine tattoos

With the exception of those that have already chosen their preferred image, it can be very difficult to select from the many tattoo designs on the spot. Most of the time, people do not take the time to really think about why they choose a particular tattoo and look at other tattoo designs that are available. It takes a lot of decision-making as well as researching for meanings of different tattoo designs and ideas. There are millions of designs out there for tattoos - including different color combinations that have helped to make tattoos the phenomenon they are today. If you are ready to make a significant investment in your body art then custom design tattoos are for you.