There are two constants in the Universe; nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, and dragon tattoos are fucking awesome.
One of the great things about dragon tattoos is how versatile they can be. Whether it’s the traditional Asian style or more like the dragons of European folklore, the end result always looks spectacular.
History of Dragon tattoos
The weird thing about Dragons is, they appear in almost every culture, and experts believe these myths evolved independently from each other.
Some say real-life animals such as crocodiles and komodo lizards inspired the myths, but that doesn’t explain why they are found in cultures which don’t have those animals.
Another theory is whale or dinosaur bones being discovered, and the creative human brain just filled in the gaps, imagining giant reptiles.
Symbolism of Dragons
Dragons symbolise many different things across varying cultures. In China for example, dragons were seen as the embodiment of Ying and Yang, the perfect mix of good and evil. They represent power, strength, and good luck, with the dragon used as the symbol of the emperor.
In Japan, Dragons symbolise water deities, and are associated with rainfall and bodies of water (like our Taniwha). They are usually long, thin, snake like, and without wings.
Compare that to the European style of dragon, which is typically a force of evil in the world. Many myths have people defeating dragons in combat, rescuing the maiden and proving their worth, like Hercules or St George.
Dragon Tattoos
Getting a dragon tattoo is not something you should take lightly. There are so many different versions, symbols, styles and meanings behind a dragon tattoo, so it pays to do your research beforehand.
Because of the different types of dragons, they can be placed anywhere on the body, as big or as small as you like.
From cute little cartoon dragons on your ankle, through to full body designs, dragon tattoos are as varied and as popular as any other type of tattoo.
If you’re interested in getting a dragon tattoo but don’t know where to start, come talk to us at Sunset and we’ll help.
