Celtic tattoo designs are becoming more and more popular in our days. No wonder; when it comes to tribal art – the Celts designed some of the most amazing patterns that are unique just to them. Those patterns are thousands of years old and represent the pride and heritage of the Celtic people.
Celtic heritage, which goes back around 3000 years, is rather mysterious. Because there where no records made by the Celtic people there’s not a lot that we know about them.
It is known that the Celts lived in Europe and spoke the Celtic language, concentrated mostly in Ireland, Scotland and welsh. Their art migrated as they moved from place to place and was also influenced by local artists.
Celtic designs went through changes during time (The designs that we are familiar with evolved in the modern era), the are ornamental and mostly in curved lines. The patterns (besides being complicated) have endless lines in them – these lines are a symbol for infinity and eternity.
The revival of Celtic art began 200 – 300 years ago and in this time the creative use of Celtic design has evolved along with the myth that there is a timeless consistency about the true meaning of Celtic art.
Because it is so unique and complex, Celtic designs were used for decoration by many artists. Architects used Celtic symbols on buildings and monuments. The church used the designs in manuscripts, blacksmiths on the swords and shield that they made and many more.
There are some contemporary Celtic artists who still create new works, though most Celtic art today is based on ancient sources. Any way, you really have to get in to the heads of the Celtic people, in order to create designs that would look “convincing” enough.
Many painters and calligraphers have worked with themes, drawn from medieval Celtic art, or used them as a form of inspiration. The same with Celtic tattoo designs; they were also influenced more by modern Celtic art.
Among the most popular Celtic tattoos, you can find designs such as: Cross, Claddagh, Clover, Shamrock, Tree of life, Trinity, Zodiac and more.
If you are looking for intricate tattoo patterns with meaningful significance, Celtic tattoo designs would be great for you. You should browse through designs and get acquainted with the symbols and their meanings.
Celtic tattoo designs are quite difficult to ink and would often take several hours to make. The designs cannot be duplicated by everyone, so it’s important to find a skilled tattooist. Make sure that the tattooist of your choice would have prior experience with Celtic tattoos.