Beautiful Butterfly Tattoo Designs

Butterflies are delicate flying insects with colorful wings. The insect undergoes a process called metamorphosis, in which the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. This process of change has popularized the butterfly as a symbol in art, signifying transformation, rebirth and a lifting of the heart.

The Meaning of Butterfly Tattoos
Butterflies are often used as a visual symbol to mark a major change in a person's life. Because of the metamorphosis process, butterflies symbolize the struggle of change and transformation, and the beauty that results from such a struggle. In every way, the simple existence of a butterfly is a sign of success - the creature has had to survive a number of ordeals to remain alive.
In ancient cultures, butterfly designs were used to embody the soul or the mind as a symbol of spiritual enlightenment. A butterfly emerging from its cocoon symbolizes a shedding of physical burdens while discovering a person's own personal freedom. A flying butterfly symbolizes lightness of heart, freedom of spirit and a gentle beauty.
Butterflies are associated with femininity and are used in tattoo designs as a symbol of elegance, beauty and allure. Women are very aesthetic creatures, which means that they appreciate the beauty that they find in life. The decorative nature of butterfly wings is considered beautiful by many women, who choose butterfly tattoo designs not only for their symbolism, but for the simple beauty of these winged creatures.

Above: This incredible tattoo design uses a number of design tricks to create a stunning tattoo. First, the tattoo artist has used contrast between black areas and light colors. The dark outlines make the colors on the wings stand out. Secondly, the shading on the wings is natural and appealing, giving the finished tattoo design a professional quality. Thirdly, the tattoo artist has used a simple but effective trick to make the tattoo seem to stand out against the skin, as though it is a real, 3-dimensional butterfly sitting on the girl's shoulder; he's added a shadow. The shadow gives the design depth, tricking the eye into believing that there is a small amount of distance between the edge of the butterfly wing and the girl's body. [source]

Above: This full back tattoo uses a tribal design style for a clear, simple effect. The butterfly wing design is built using only black shapes that outline empty areas of skin. The result is an elegant tattoo design that has a darker, heavier feeling than a delicately colored tattoo would. In a way, this is the gothic cousin of the fairy-styled butterfly tattoo. [source]

Above: The tattoo artists has given this dragon butterfly wings to create a fantasy creature that is colorful and unusual. The blue of the body stands in contrast to the reds and greens on the butterfly wings. [source]

Above: This butterfly tattoo design uses fantasy patterns as decorations on the wings. The finished result is a colorful, interesting tattoo design that is fun to look at. As a symbol this butterfly tattoo reveals the fun-loving nature of the girl who owns the tattoo, symbolizing a love of art, color and spirituality. [source]

Above: The artist has included tiny details in this butterfly tattoo design, even paying attention to the natural shape of the body of the insect. The contrasting colors of blue and yellow add visual interest to the butterfly tattoo. In Japan, if a butterfly flies into your room, it's a sign that someone you love will visit you soon. [source]

Above: This skull butterfly tattoo design is a hybrid of symbols. While butterflies can symbolize the spirit and new beginnings, skulls represent death and endings. In a way, the symbolism works, because in order for something to be "reborn", it must first die. Personal transformation is a process of one state of being ending so that a new state of being can emerge, similar to the caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly. [source]

Above: This cute butterfly tattoo is based on a hippy doodle and includes a wealth of symbolism in the form of eyes, hearts, ladybugs, a yin yang, a peace sign and a sun and moon. The design is based on the client's own drawing, which gives this butterfly tattoo a highly personal meaning. [source]

Above: This butterfly tattoo design has a devilish essence to it. The tattoo artist has added horns to the butterfly's wings and used fiery colored inks. In mythology and fairy tales, winged creatures such as fairies were often beautiful and a bit dangerous. This butterfly tattoo perfectly captures the essence of these devilish fairy tale creatures. [source]

Beautiful Butterfly Tattoos

Butterflies are a very versatile subject for tattoo designs. Their shape is easily recognizable in silhouette, which means that butterfly designs can be stylized and transformed while still retaining the beauty of their natural form. Butterfly tattoos can be inked into the skin anywhere on the body, though the most popular places for butterfly tattoos are the shoulders, lower back, neck and chest.

Butterfly tattoo designs are very popular, which means that there are a lot of people out there with tattoos of butterflies. If you're considering getting a butterfly tattoo, try to personalize the design in some way. Perhaps include the initials of people you love in the design of the wings, or combine the design elements of the butterfly with those of another creature, symbol or element. For example, if you consider yourself a fiery person, perhaps design the butterfly wings so that they appear to be made of flames. Or if you enjoy reading and writing, make the butterfly wings appear to be pages out of a book. Because butterfly tattoos are so popular, it's fairly easy to end up with a design that is similar to someone else's. This is why it is important to create a butterfly tattoo design that is customized to your own needs.

Above: This full back tattoo of butterfly wings uses natural shapes, patterns and colors to create an organic looking design. This reveals that the wearer of the tattoo has a love of nature while still enjoying flights of fantasy; she's given herself fairy wings. [source]

Above: This stylized tattoo design uses elegant lines to create an elegant and feminine butterfly tattoo. Even though the artist has added swirls to extend the design outwards, the silhouette of the butterfly is still easy to recognize. The butterfly, along with the swirls, creates a feeling of lightness. This adds to the sensation of freedom that is associated with butterfly tattoos. [source]

Above: Tiger tattoos represent strength and masculinity, whereas butterfly tattoos represent spirituality and femininity. When combined, butterflies and tigers create an interesting balance between the male and female elements of the human soul. Psychologist Sigmund Freud believed in the Animus and Anima, the male and female halves of the psyche. Such an image balances the essences of Animus and Anima. [source]

Above: This clever tattoo design is based on a Photoshop animal hybrid art work. An elephant's ears have a similar shape to butterfly wings, making this animal combination an attractive success. The resulting symbolism is interesting. Elephants generally symbolize remembrance and steadfastness; meanings that stand in stark contrast to the symbolism of butterflies. [source]

Above: Butterflies can make a fun tattoo design for a girl, symbolizing joy and lightheartedness. The above butterfly tattoos use the natural patterns found on butterfly wings, though butterfly tattoo designs can also be fantastic creations of patterns and color. [source]

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The Best Photorealistic Drawings

Photorealism is an art form in which artists create drawings or paintings that look like photos. However photorealistic a drawing may be; the artist's personality will leak into the art work, giving the finished result a unique essence of its own.

Fantastic Photorealistic Drawings

Truly fantastic photo realistic drawings use a combination of perspective, proportion and lighting to create a realistic effect. If any of these design elements are not adhered to, the finished work will not withstand close scrutiny. Shading and highlights are especially important, as they define the 3D realism of the drawing. If the shading is not smooth, the drawing looks less like a photo and more like an art work.

Above: Jono Dry is a young artist from South Africa who draws photo realistic drawings based on his own photos. With no artistic training, Jono is an example of true raw talent and artistic passion. [source]

Above: Another example of Jono Dry's photorealistic pencil drawings. Both of the above art works are from a series of nudes celebrating the beauty of the female form. Dry's realistic figures stand in stark contrast to their black backgrounds, a style that emphasizes the effect of light on skin. [source]

Photorealistic Drawings as Home Decor

Photo realistic art works are quickly becoming popular media online, and as a result, many prints of photorealistic drawings are finding their way onto online shopping sites like Etsy.com. These interesting pictures of photographs are fast replacing actual photographs as home decor, as a photorealistic drawing of a portrait or favorite photograph is visually more interesting than the actual photograph.

Above: Linda Huber's photorealistic pencil drawing of Michelangelo's famous sculpture, David. The art work includes the imperfections in the weathered sculpture, such as nicks and scratches. [source]

Above: Another photorealistic pencil drawing from Linda Huber, this time of a lightbulb. Glass is difficult to draw realistically, because it is both translucent and reflective. Huber is an expert at manipulating the eye into believing that what it is actually seeing is a photograph. [source]

Above: A beautiful photorealistic animal portrait of a cat, drawn in pencil and graphite. Fur is extremely difficult to draw photo realistically, yet artist Paul Lung seems to have discovered the secret of drawing convincing hair. [source]

Above: Another photorealistic animal portrait by Paul Lung. The use of highlights and shadows creates an image that seems almost 3D, with a clarity usually only found in high quality photos. [source]

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Antique Absinthe Poster Designs

Absinthe is an alcoholic beverage made from herbs such as anise, fennel and wormwood. The drink is high in alcohol and can cause mild hallucinations, making it a popular recreational drug of the late 19th century.

The Tipsy History of Absinthe
Wormwood was used by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians for use in medicinal tinctures. Over time, other herbs were added to the drink and the distillation process refined until in the 18th century, absinthe was produced. For the next century, absinthe was recommended by doctors as a healing elixir. In the 1840s, French troops were even given absinthe as a malaria preventative. The soldiers returned home with a taste for the aniseed-flavored wine, and the popularity of absinthe spread rapidly throughout France and Europe.

Above: An antique illustration of the green fairy, the personified symbol of absinthe. [source]

Above: A different take on the green fairy symbol that was introduced in the top illustration. In this postcard painting, four cherubs with green wings are showing the euphoric effects of the drink. 

Above: A poster advert for pink absinthe, a drink that was popular with women. [source]

Preparing Absinthe

There are two main preparation methods for absinthe, the French Method and the Bohemian Method. In the French Method, absinthe is poured into a glass, and covered with a strainer. A cube of sugar is placed on top of the strainer, and water poured over the sugar into the glass. The absinthe turns cloudy with the addition of water, resulting in a milky-looking drink.

The Bohemian Method is similar in set up to the French Method, except that fire is used in place of water. Absinthe is poured into a glass, covered with a strainer and a sugar cube placed on top of the strainer. The sugar cube had been pre-soaked in alcohol, often more absinthe. The cube is then set alight and dropped into the absinthe, lighting the alcohol. A shot glass of water is added to douse the flames. Sometimes the flames are allowed to self-extinguish, burning away all of the alcohol, but it is more popular to douse the flames before the alcohol is burned off.

Above: A bourgeois man pours water over a cube of sugar on a decorative strainer. The sugared water mixes with the absinthe in the glass, diluting it and sweetening it. [source]

The Demise of Absinthe

In the early 1900s, absinthe was banned in many countries. It was said that "Absinthe makes you crazy and criminal, [and] provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis". The drink, which had previously been enjoyed by people of all classes, suddenly became unpopular, and it was believed that absinthe drinkers were uncouth louts and layabouts. 

In Switzerland, absinthe bans simply forced the absinthe producers to sell their wares on the black market. Underground Swiss distillers created a form of clear absinthe which was easier to hide from the authorities.

Above: An anti-prohibition poster, condemning the authorities for banning the popular drink. The illustration parodies the burning of witches during the Christian Inquisition. [source]

Above: A propaganda poster depicts a skeleton bartender pouring absinthe for a customer. The poster portrays the absinthe drinker as sickly and hopeless. He is such a loser, in fact, that a mongrel dog has deemed his satchel worthy of becoming a urinal. [source]

Above: A late 19th century depiction of a woman drinking absinthe. This poster was illustrated during the heyday of absinthe consumption and will remain an eternal reminder of the Victorian-era popularity of this drink. [source]

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Beautiful Tattoo Designs for Girls

Feminine tattoo designs are made up of images that represent women, such as lace, ribbons, butterflies, flowers and birds. Tattoo designs for women often include intricate detail and delicate colors, design aspects that add to the feminine appeal of the design.

Birds in Feminine Tattoo Designs
Birds represent beauty, freedom and flight. Some birds have cultural significance, whereas others are simply prized for their beauty. Most bird tattoo designs are chosen because the bird in the design has a personal meaning to the person being tattooed.

Above: This colorful tattoo of a peacock is completed with flowers. The artist has based the design on curves, so that the tattoo compliments the shape of the girl's body.

Rose Tattoos for Women

Roses are associated with love, romance and femininity. As Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". The flower petals of roses naturally occur in a variety of female shades; pinks, reds, and oranges. 

Above: The tattoo designer has used symmetry to give a sense of order to this woman's back tattoo. The darker colors and art style give the finished tattoo a gothic feel, which compliments the bows on her thighs.

Lace is for Ladies' Tattoo Designs

For hundreds of years, women have worn lace to accentuate their feminine nature. This delicate clothing decoration is tricky to create in tattoos, because the ink tends to spread under the skin over time, blurring the fine lines of the lace. 

Above: This lace garter tattoo design is a perfect way for women to show off their feminine side. It is both classical and sexy, a combination of the old and the new.

Butterfly Tattoos for Girls

Butterflies boast a mosaic of colors and patterns, and the only limitation a butterfly tattoo design has is the designer's imagination. Butterfly tattoos are often chosen to represent beauty, freedom and lightheartedness. 

Above: This girl has chosen to keep the natural colors and patterns of these butterflies in the tattoo design.

Blossoming Branches Tattoo

The image of the blossoming branch is a symbol of spring, renewal and new beginnings. Tattoo designs of this kind are often based on the cherry blossom tree, honoring the tree's interesting branches and beautiful flowers.

Above: Tattoo designs of blossoming branches have an interesting aesthetic make-up. The colorful flowers on the linear background of branches creates a detailed, feminine silhouette that is hard to mistake, even from afar.

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Flower Tattoo Design Ideas

Flower tattoo designs can be symbolic or purely decorative in nature. Floral tattoos are often a symbol of femininity and are placed on the body in specific areas that compliment and flatter the female form.

As Pretty as a Flower

Flower tattoo designs can be small, simple images, or large, detailed art works. Most flowers are easily recognizable, yet there are a few that are more popular than others, such as roses, lilies and daisies.

Above: This flower tattoo design incorporates birds and butterflies to create a feminine garden on this woman's back.

Above: Abstract flower tattoo designs, such as the one above, mimic the elegant curves of flower petals to create a floral effect. Each petal is placed to draw the eye to the focal point of the design; the center of the flower. In nature, the structure of flowers draws nectar and pollen seeking insects and birds to the center of the flower by having the petals "point" to the center of the blossom.

Above: Cherry blossoms are a popular subject in Japanese art and design. The juxtaposition between the dark, angular branches and the delicate, soft flowers create an attractive image off the balance between opposing elements.

Above: This flower tattoo design uses soft shading for the lotus flowers and crisp, curling lines as a background. 

The Feminine Arts

For centuries, women have sought ways in which to highlight the sensuality of their bodies, turning to cosmetics, clothing and hairstyles to accentuate their femininity. It is only in the last few decades that it has become acceptable for women to have tattoos inked into their skin, and many women have taken advantage of this trend to use their skins as a canvas.

Above: Daisy flowers became a popular symbol for peace during the hippy revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Daisy tattoo designs are fun and elegant, symbolizing peace and innocence.

Above: Roses are one of the most popular flowers used in floral tattoo designs. The rose flower represents passion, sensuality and love and is found in both male and female tattoo designs.

Above: The tattoo artist has used water in this design to compliment the lotus flowers. The contrast between the blue of the waves and the warm colors of the flowers balances the design and makes the flowers stand out.

Above: This Japanese tattoo design boasts a butterfly in a garden of flowers, both of which are symbols of femininity. The blue colors of the butterfly design stand out against the orange shades of the flowers, turning the butterfly into a powerful design element.

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