Butterfly Tattoos

The Symbolism of Butterfly Tattoos

The theme of insects in a tattoo brings numerous feelings in people. In this article let's explore the beauty and symbolism of butterfly tattoos we see most often nowadays.

Butterfly Tattoo

The butterfly image has always been one of the top choices for a tattoo design. And you can tell why. As a representation of natural symmetry, fragility, and a source of divine colors, a butterfly is the best example of flawless beauty.

What is the meaning of a butterfly?

The tenderness of these creatures has drawn the interest of people in different cultures from all over the world.

Often butterflies symbolize resurrection, healthy transformation, and spiritual awakening due to their lifecycle. For instance, a butterfly tattoo meaning in Japan is femininity and elegance; two flying butterflies represent family happiness and prosperity. However, butterflies were considered to be the harbinger of war in Ancient Rome. In Chinese culture, it is a sign of immortality, wealth, and longevity. In some cultural traditions, a butterfly symbolizes a soul.

Memorial tattoo

I had the occasion to create projects that had a memorial value for clients. As it carries the meaning of the soul, once, a butterfly was a symbol of connection with a departed loved one.

For one client, the tattoo was done in memory of San Francisco. We have chosen a particular butterfly kind that lives only in SF. It's called Mission Blue Butterfly.

Explore CA Poppy flower tattoos.

Matching butterflies tattoos for friends by Natasha Tsozik

Butterflies Tattoo by Natasha Tsozik — Matching butterflies tattoos for friends by Natasha Tsozik

Why is it a popular tattoo design?

Symmetry

Firstly, symmetry. They say it is a manifestation of the desire for reliability and strength. So, it has always caught the human eye. It allows creating enchanting designs that embellish your body.

Colors & patterns

Secondly, the exceptional colors and patterns of the butterflies inspire to create unique and meaningful art. You can add more symbolism to the design, by encrypting the date or name in the ornament.

Sense of lightness

The natural airiness that a butterfly emanates can be used to create your own tattoo style.

Dynamics

In addition, the flight creates a dynamic pattern, a movement effect, that emphasizes the muscles and contexture in general.

Symbolism of Butterfly Tattoos In a Nutshell

The image of a butterfly can have variable meanings. From grace to immortality. You can also add your personal connotation to the tattoo using color and pattern. Thanks to the wonders inherent in nature, a butterfly inspires a unique piece of art creation. Therefore, a myriad of their shapes allows you to choose what exactly fits you and your personality.

I can create a custom butterfly tattoo design just for you. Explore my latest tattoo projects and available designs as an inspiration for your future tattoo.

Tags: design, san francisco, tattoo, tattooers

October 21, 2019 — No Comments

Explorer Tattoo Conference in LA, 2018

It's always a pleasure to visit Explorer Tattoo Conference. The one in 2018 in Los Angeles wasn't an exception. Three days full of seminars by tattoo & art professionals, discussions, raffles with cool prizes, presents for each attendee, mingling & portfolio review. There was so much stuff in the present bag, that I thought it certainly wouldn't fit into my luggage 😆 Like full-size products for tattooing as a big jar of tattoo glide, a bottle of a transfer medium, cartridges and needles, etc.

Video is by me. Check my YouTube channel.

Speakers for the Explorer IV included

Liz Cook, Jake Farris, DJ Tambe, Gunnar, Dan Pemble, Squire Strahan, Russ Abbott, Kari Barba, Jes Farris, Tony Moore, Kelly Doty and Jeff Gogue.

All are superb professionals, have been tattooing around the world and had great stories & experience to share.

For example, Liz, DJ, and Kelly took part in different tattoo TV shows. Tony is the creator of the Walking Dead. Kari has been tattooing since 1979 and owns the oldest tattoo shop in America.

Attendees come from all over the country

and even from overseas. So it's a great opportunity to make friends with a ton of great artists, get some guest spots, and level up as a tattooer. I love meeting the same people I got acquainted with.

This tattoo conference definitely helped to move forward, to adjust, to deal with an artist block for a lot of attending people. You get out of your routine and gaze on your craft from a different angle.

Seminar topics ranged from color theory, history of tattooing, how to plan big tattoo projects to how to deal with social networks.

I try to go to Explorer at least once a year.

This was my second time. The previous one I went to was in Washington. They try to organize them in different cities several times a year, so it's available & affordable for more people.

Tags: artists, conference, explorer tattoo conference, LA, Los Angeles, tattoo, tattooers, travel, video

April 26, 2019 — 1 Comment

Botanical Tattoo Designs: Secret Garden

These botanical tattoo designs are of plants that grow in an imaginary Secret Garden. Maybe this garden belongs to a witch, who knows. Because you can find all sorts of dangerous & poisonous plants there, as well as healing herbs.

I created these botanical tattoo sketches for Inktober, an art marathon when each day of October you get a word to draw. I decided to unite them with the theme of Secret Garden. It was definitely a challenge to try to come up with an illustration for a word like "Roasted" or "Guarded". And so that it would be a plant drawing. Once I even dived into the Victorian language of flowers, Floriography.

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Every one of these plants has a story or an interesting fact behind them. For example, did you know that Carl Linnaeus created a Flower Clock? He hypothesized a garden plan that would take advantage of several plants that open or close their flowers at particular times of the day to accurately indicate the time. He proposed the concept in his 1751 publication Philosophia Botanica, calling it the Horologium Florae (lit. "flower clock"). ⁣
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The idea was attempted by several botanical gardens in the early 19th century, with mixed success. Many plants exhibit a strong circadian rhythm, and a few have been observed to open at quite a regular time, but the accuracy of such a clock is diminished because flowering time is affected by weather and seasonal effects. ⁣

I used Procreate app for this project. It was so much fun to recreate a pencil drawing look. Some of these botanical tattoo illustrations were later drawn again, but that time on real paper with colored pencils. Subscribe to my mail list not to miss a process video of creating them I'm gonna post later.

Also, my artwork originals from the Secret Garden tattoo flash were on display at the 4th installation of Send Me Across the Sea at Helvella.art gallery in Oakland, CA. See how it went.

Most of my artworks are created as tattoo designs. Check out available Secret Garden tattoo designs and completed tattoo projects.

Secret Garden tattoos:

Spider Lilly floral bracelet tattoo on a wrist. — Yerba Mate

Tags: art, tattoo, tattoo sketches

April 30, 2018 — Comments are off for this post.

Yokai Inktober Art Marathon

Every October there's an art marathon. You have a list of words for every day of the month. Last year I chose to draw yokai, Japanese ghosts, and monsters. 31 supernatural tattoo sketches. They can be found on Instagram via #yokai_inktober. More about other yokai is at yokai.com.

I took classic yokai descriptions and reimagined them in a more modern way. All the sketches are closer with descriptions down below.⬇

All these tattoo sketches are available to be tattooed by me. Check my other tattoo sketches too. You can find completed Yokai tattoo projects here.

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Tags: art, artists, design, tattoo, tattoo sketches, tattooers

June 19, 2017 — No Comments

Explorer Tattoo Conference

I was lucky enough to spend 3 full days of June at Explorer Tattoo Conference in Washington, DC. It is an event for professional tattoo artists who want to move our industry forward. Organized by super professionals: Teresa Sharpe (owner of Unkindness Art), Timmy B (owner NiteOwl Tattoo), Jes Farris and Jake Farris (owners of Studio 13 Tattoo), and Nathan Evans (owner of Killjoy Tattoo).

What happened there

Every day was filled with lectures and discussions by great presenters. Therefore I learnt a lot of new things on color theory, equipment, composition, visual storytelling and technique. And we even had an opportunity to be reviewed by a presenting artist. I had a nice talk with Cody Eich. Love his art so much and want to get a tattoo by him when he opens his books:)

Each attendee even got a bag full of presents: conference t-shirt, ink, aftercare, tube and needle samples, and signed print by Teresa Sharpe.