Best Tattoos

An increasingly popular motif in tattoo parlours is the ambigram a graphic figure that can be flipped, mirrored or inverted, yet whichever way the script or the figure is viewed, it still spells out the same thing. It is sometimes referred to as an 'inversion' or 'flipscript', but regardless of the description, most people appreciate it as an optical illusion. The shifting positive and negative spaces can play tricks on our visual perception, casting a spell on the beholder.

For tattoo aficionados, there's a dictionary of ambigram designs to choose from, and a great range of scripts and fonts, from simply elegant to graphically gothic. A design may consist of a single word or an entire phrase. Depending on the ambigram's concept, it can be rotated, reversed, or reflected in mirrors, with the meaning sometimes changing, sometimes remaining the same. Looked at one way, you might see a devil, but turn it around and an angel appears, or at least the way the figure is spelled! The best tattoo artists can create an optical illusion with an intriguing graphic design that never fails to intrigue.

According to practitioner John Langdon, ambigrams were independently invented by himself and by Scott Kim in the 1970s. Kim used the name Inversions as the title of his first collection in 1981. The first published reference to "ambigram" was by Hofstadter, who attributes the origin of the word to conversations among a small group of friends during 1983-1984. The 1999 edition of Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach features a 3-D ambigram on the cover.

John Langdon is truly one of the great ambigramists, his work appearing on the covers of some recent best-selling books. Popularity of the ambigram soared when they were intertwined into the plot of Dan Brown's bestseller 'Angels and Demons', the prequel to The Da Vinci Code. Langdon produced ambigrams that were used for the book cover, and a link to his website from Brown's meant he was "suddenly inundated" with commissions. In fact the name Robert Langdon (the hero from the novel) is also an appreciation to Mr. John Langdon.

Ambigrams are popular with graphic artists, due not only to their unique symmetry but to their mysterious quality so readily appreciated on music albums and book jackets. Paul McCartney is but one of many rock musicians who have featured an ambigram on at least one of his albums.

Many people choose to get an ambigram tattoo on their forearm, where they can flip it one way or the other, giving viewers the full effect of the design.

Ambigrams usually fall into one of several categories:

Rotational
A design that presents several instances of words when rotated through a fixed angle. This is usually 180 degrees, but rotational ambigrams of other angles exist, for example 90 or 45 degrees. The word spelled out from the alternative direction(s) is often the same, but may be a different word to the initially presented form. A simple example is the lower-case abbreviation for "Down", dn, which looks like the lower-case word up when rotated 180 degrees.

Mirror
A design that can be read when reflected in a mirror, usually as the same word or phrase both ways. Ambigrams that form different words when viewed in the mirror are also known as glass door ambigrams, because they can be printed on a glass door to be read differently when entering or exiting.

Figure-ground
A design in which the spaces between the letters of one word form another word.

Chain
A design where a word (or sometimes words) are interlinked, forming a repeating chain. Letters are usually overlapped meaning that a word will start partway through another word. Sometimes chain ambigrams are presented in the form of a circle.

Space-filling
Similar to chain ambigrams, but tile to fill the 2-dimensional plane.

Fractal
A version of space-filling ambigrams where the tiled word branches from itself and then shrinks in a self-similar manner, forming a fractal. See Scott Kim's fractal of the word TREE for an animated example.

3-dimensional
A design where an object is presented that will appear to read several letters or words when viewed from different angles. Such designs can be generated using constructive solid geometry.

Perceptual shift
A design with no symmetry but can be read as two different words depending on how the curves of the letters are interpreted.

Natural
A natural ambigram is a word that possesses one or more of the above symmetries when written in its natural state, requiring no typographic styling. For example, the words "dollop" and "suns" are natural rotational ambigrams. The word "bud" forms a natural mirror ambigram when reflected over a vertical axis. The words "CHOICE" and "OXIDE", in all capitals, form a natural mirror ambigram when reflected over a horizontal axis. The word "TOOTH", in all capitals, forms a natural mirror ambigram when its letters are stacked vertically and reflected over a vertical axis.

Symbiotogram
An Ambigram that, when rotated 180 degrees, can be read as a different word to the original.

Ambigrams are exercises in graphic design that play with optical illusions, symmetry and visual perception. Ambigram lovers value especially those with a relation between form and content.

Get inspired by some really great images and photos in our Ambigrams Tattoo Designs Gallery

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Selling your tattoo designs doesn't mean you have to build your own tattoo store in a mall or anywhere else. For the first-time sellers, it is recommended to sell tattoo designs on the Internet first and see how many of your target customer population would appreciate and purchase your original designs. In selling tattoo designs, you just have to learn about the basics of joining the online community where people buy and sell tattoos.

Protect Your Items

Tattoo designs and other types of visual items can be easily copied if you're not careful. Other people can actually duplicate your designs if your original designs are not protected. So, better get your designs copyrighted accordingly to prevent any business mishaps. Don't forget that tattoo artists often get themselves involved into legal problems because of failure to protect their own works. Also, getting copyrights before you sell tattoos will help you determine if you have unknowingly copied another artist's design, thereby giving you time to re-create your work and prevent legal consequences at the same time.

Show Your Designs to the World

Before, the works of tattoo artists can be viewed either going directly to their workplace or meeting them at a tattoo convention. Now, it's easier for tattoo artists and sellers like you to sell tattoo designs as you can make your own virtual portfolio. By just using basic applications and programs like Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Paint, etc, you can already make various design portfolios according to the tattoos' categories. Then, you can upload them to your web store on the Internet to be viewed by millions of people who are looking for new and authentic designs.

Begin Your Online Business

The first step in selling your tattoo designs online is to create a website of your own. Your website should contain a Homepage, which will show three to five original tattoo designs that can capture the attention of your target customers. Then, create an "About Us" page so that they will know about you and your business, and learn about your legal operations. The next webpages should bear your tattoo designs according to their respective categories. Also, you need to incorporate a viable payment scheme wherein your customers can have the option to pay via online payment processors like PayPal, or through credit or debit cards.

If you are doubtful about opening a business website or a web store, then you can count on online marketplaces like eBay.com where you can upload your designs and sell them either in full price or by auction.

Make Your Brand Known

In order to reach out to more of your target customers, you need to learn how to use effective techniques on advertising your brand, website and web store. Currently, the most efficient way of promoting your products online is social media. Yes, now you can utilize your Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Friendster, LinkedIn and other social networking accounts to get more leads to your webstore and sell tattoos. SEO specialists are also available for hire to help you spread about your tattoo design business.

Tattoo artist-sellers like you need multiple tattoo designs and tattoo ideas for your tattoo gallery in order to sell more items in your website. Through these steps and tips, you are sure to sell tattoo flash art and designs more effectively.

View the original article here

Tat designs are only limited by an individual's imagination. One reason tattoos are so popular in recent years is that they allow a person to express something unique about them. While a huge variety of tattoo designs are found throughout history in many different cultures, the internet provides a new generation of tattoo enthusiasts a way to explore a huge variety of designs from multiple resources. It's like having the world's largest tattoo parlor at your fingertips! Here are some things to remember when searching for some cool designs:

• Even if you have something specific in mind, take a look at a large variety of options and different images. Remember that this is going to be a permanent part of you, so take your time and look around.

• The internet is a great resource for finding tattoo art. There are many sites dedicated to various forms, but it's best to find those sites that have a large variety of tat designs in one place from a variety of artists. If the image inventory is large enough it can be a sort of "one stop shop". The key is to have a good variety from different styles.

• The method used to create your tattoo hasn't changed too much over time, even if the equipment has. Remember that tattoos can be painful when the work is being done, but they generally heal quickly. Before deciding where to get your cool tattoo, consider the more sensitive areas - the sternum, ribs, hands and feet. Of course everyone has different levels of tolerance so don't automatically assume it's going to be very painful.

• Once you find some cool tat designs, make sure you can explain the one(s) you want clearly to the tattoo artist doing the work. One great thing about looking online is there are many sites today that allow you to simply print the design so you can take it with you.

• You can always use what you see online for ideas to create your own design. Some sites will even allow you to design the tattoo yourself. However, if you have an idea what you want, most tattoo artists will be able to work with you to get the end result you want. That's a big part of their job.

• Consider the different varieties or styles of tattoos - tribal, artistic, languages such as Chinese characters, stars, images of animals, and the list goes on. While the ones listed here are some of the more popular today, the great thing about looking at an online resource is the sheer variety of tat designs that can be viewed from a very diverse group of artists from all over the world.

• Finally, consider your skin tone and your build when looking at all your options. Certain colors may look better on some people that on others. The tattoo artist you choose should be able to help you with this.

Tattoos have existed for thousands of years, and due to their popularity in recent years, we are only seeing this art form expand. Do remember before getting any tattoo to do a little investigation on the shop and make sure you see some of their other work. Then show them your tat designs and don't look back!

To check out some of the coolest tat designs online, have a look at one of the most highly rated tattoo membership sites. A huge selection, superior quality, shop information, and unique tattoos make this site the best place to find your tattoo today! http://www.cooltatdesigns.com/

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Tattoo designs on the ankle are desired by most women and girls. It is placed on or around the area of the ankle and is very sexy and cute. Ankle tattoo designs can easily be concealed. In general the designs are kept small, simple and inconspicuous, and will draw attention if needed by simply lowering the sock or raising the leg of your pants. The appearance of the tattoo design on the ankle is extremely feminine, which sets you apart from the rest.

Ankle tattoo designs are available in a wide variety of design and colors and you must ensure you choose one that is suitable to your personality and taste. Some of the popular designs include the butterfly, star and flowers. These unique and sought after design are great to accentuate a women's ankle and looks great during spring and summer time of the year.

When choosing this type of design, extra care should be taken as the skin around this area of the body is fairly thin and requires good after care. But, if done correctly, there is no reason why you should not end up with your dream tattoo. One of the most important facts here is protecting your ankle during the healing process, which may take longer than other locations on the body.

The area around your ankle is quite bony and has many nerves leading into the foot. If you find this too painful and still want to go ahead with your tattoo, then you should consider having this done in stages. You can first have the outline done thereafter return to the artist to have the design inked in stages, then lastly the shading and colouring.

The biggest obstacle after you have acquired your ankle tattoo is that your foot is always moving and shoes, boots or sandals tend to rub which slows down the healing process of the tattoo. In some cases it may require a touch-up. It is therefore best to do the ankle tattoo during summer time or whilst on a break away from work. So the best advice for a speedy tattoo recovery is not to wear anything around the feet at all.

The tattoo design on the ankle requires an artist with a very high level of skill and experience. Be sure to ask your tattoo artist if they are qualified and also request samples of previous work done by them. In this way you can rest assured that you will have peace of mind before and after the work is done.

It is a good idea to do thorough research before selecting your design for your ankle as this is a permanent fixture to your body. It is always advisable to seek medical assistance first, prior to being inked. Speak to a healthcare practitioner about your particular needs and get the best advice before starting your tattoo journey.

Miami Ink Tattoo Designs gallery offers top quality tattoo designs on ankle together with a complete learning centre and video vault to help you choose your dream tattoo today

View the original article here

Tattoos are en vogue and they can be an excellent way to express your ideas and emotions. People use various tattoo designs to project moments of great joy in their life. Some people often get in touch with tattoo artists and create a good design to last for their lifetime. A lot of tattoos are based on some event that made a difference to the life of the individual. These events could be happy ones or a day of memory. Even tattoo artists work tirelessly for years to perfect their art and their skill. These artists are very passionate about art and depend on the best techniques to bring these designs to life.

Every nation has a distinct tradition of tattoo designs. The designers are well versed with current trends in the field of tattoo designs as well as their traditional heritage. Tattoos are not a new form of art; their roots can be traced back to more than a thousand years. The technique used to embed ink into the skin has not changed much in a thousand years. But the equipment used for the task has changed. Some primitive cultures that still exist around the world still use the older method of embedding ink in the skin to create a tattoo. Tattoos signify the wild spirit within people, and they can be used to bring out the inner rebel in the form of your designs.

Everyone has seen a tattoo at some point in their life and wished to wear one of their own. But the process of selecting a tattoo requires some analyses. It is not recommended to select any tattoo designs for their appearance. The best person to guide you is your artist. Looking at you physique and your skin tone, they can suggest the best designs for you. This is a great way to get the right tattoo to express your thoughts. A lot of tattoo designers use different techniques to create the best tattoo for their clients. The culture, the taste of the clients, the design and even the skin tone play a role in the equipment and the style used in the designing process.

Most of the inks that are used to create good tattoo designs are approved by the USFDA and need to be suitable for use on the human skin. The fact is that professional tattoo designers only use the latest innovations in design equipments. These equipment are combined with the ancient traditions to help the clients find a solution to their designs. Learning different styles from across tattoo cultures is essential for most professional designers.

Tattoo designs for Men are growing in style, diversity and quality in the market. You can also gift your loved one a tattoo session. Artists usually charge by the hour. Some artists charge by the design or the quality of the ink. Depending on the size of the tattoo, it can take more than a single session. Tattoo creation can also be a bit painful if you have sensitive skin. But the swelling would heal in no time and there are creams that you can use to ease the swelling of tattoo creation. The internet is the best place to find tattoo artists.

Gupta Rajiv is the author of this article on Tribal Tattoos Designs.
Find more information, about Online tattoo designer here

View the original article here

Selling your tattoo designs doesn't mean you have to build your own tattoo store in a mall or anywhere else. For the first-time sellers, it is recommended to sell tattoo designs on the Internet first and see how many of your target customer population would appreciate and purchase your original designs. In selling tattoo designs, you just have to learn about the basics of joining the online community where people buy and sell tattoos.

Protect Your Items

Tattoo designs and other types of visual items can be easily copied if you're not careful. Other people can actually duplicate your designs if your original designs are not protected. So, better get your designs copyrighted accordingly to prevent any business mishaps. Don't forget that tattoo artists often get themselves involved into legal problems because of failure to protect their own works. Also, getting copyrights before you sell tattoos will help you determine if you have unknowingly copied another artist's design, thereby giving you time to re-create your work and prevent legal consequences at the same time.

Show Your Designs to the World

Before, the works of tattoo artists can be viewed either going directly to their workplace or meeting them at a tattoo convention. Now, it's easier for tattoo artists and sellers like you to sell tattoo designs as you can make your own virtual portfolio. By just using basic applications and programs like Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Paint, etc, you can already make various design portfolios according to the tattoos' categories. Then, you can upload them to your web store on the Internet to be viewed by millions of people who are looking for new and authentic designs.

Begin Your Online Business

The first step in selling your tattoo designs online is to create a website of your own. Your website should contain a Homepage, which will show three to five original tattoo designs that can capture the attention of your target customers. Then, create an "About Us" page so that they will know about you and your business, and learn about your legal operations. The next webpages should bear your tattoo designs according to their respective categories. Also, you need to incorporate a viable payment scheme wherein your customers can have the option to pay via online payment processors like PayPal, or through credit or debit cards.

If you are doubtful about opening a business website or a web store, then you can count on online marketplaces like eBay.com where you can upload your designs and sell them either in full price or by auction.

Make Your Brand Known

In order to reach out to more of your target customers, you need to learn how to use effective techniques on advertising your brand, website and web store. Currently, the most efficient way of promoting your products online is social media. Yes, now you can utilize your Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Friendster, LinkedIn and other social networking accounts to get more leads to your webstore and sell tattoos. SEO specialists are also available for hire to help you spread about your tattoo design business.

Tattoo artist-sellers like you need multiple tattoo designs and tattoo ideas for your tattoo gallery in order to sell more items in your website. Through these steps and tips, you are sure to sell tattoo flash art and designs more effectively.

View the original article here

Tattoos are a common thing these days. They are more popular than ever before. Research has shown that nearly 1 in 4 people have at least one tattoo. There are many designs to choose from, giving people a chance to be creative. Below, we will take a look at some of the most popular tattoo designs.

Tribal tattoos are among the most popular designs. They have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years and they are always evolving and becoming more and more complex with their designs and styles. Tribal tattoos can either be the traditional black style that cover the arms and the legs or the more colorful styles that can cover every area of the body. The colorful, more modern look is becoming more and more popular when compared to other styles.

The “old school” styles of tattoos are also popular. Anchors and things like that are making a great comeback these days and not just with sailors. These styles were very common and very popular back in the 60s. They are rapidly gaining their popularity back, as females and males are getting anchors and swallow designs tattooed on them more and more.

Lower back tattoos are the most common for women. The lower back is one of the most sexual and sensual areas on a women, making the ideal spot for a tattoo. Tribal designs are the most popular, although flowers, dragons, and other symbols make great tattoos as well. The lower back offers plenty of natural curves as well, which can make for an innovative tattoo. Often times, women tend to include tribal that spreads, covering the base of their hips as well.

Dragon designs are another popular type style of tattoos. They were popular in the past, and are now starting to get their popularity back. There are a lot of different dragons to choose from, including the mythical dragon and ancient Chinese dragon. Dragons are great on the chest for males and the back for females. Dragon tattoos can be virtually any size, although most males tend to have them cover one side of their chest or the upper region of their arms.

Celtic tattoos are also popular as well. They are mostly seen with those who have a Celtic heritage, although some with no Celtic heritage have them as well. They offer a variety of symbols and designs, providing universal meanings for everyone. Often times they are mixed with tribal tattoos to create a more innovative tattoo.

There are several other types of tattoos out there, although the above are the most common. Tattoos can be very creative and innovative; it all depends on what you want. If you’re looking to stand out and be truly creative – you can always have a professional tattoo artist design one for you.

In the world of tattoo designs there are thousands of potential tattoos to choose from. Each and every day, there are new designs added to studios and online tattoo websites. Tattoos are becoming more and more popular these days, making the designs all the more important. Although flowers and other designs are popular, tribal designs seem to be among the most common.

The one thing that sticks out with tribal tattoos is the innovation. Tribal tattoos feature unique artwork, with most being more or less solid black with no other colors. Tribal can have several different meanings as well, as it all depends on the image that the artist is trying to bring to life. Tribal can either be a design that the artist already had or the artist can take your feedback and do the entire tattoo freehand as he goes along. Experienced tattoo artists can normally do great work freehand – as it gives you the ability to make changes as he goes along.

Some of the most popular designs with tribal tattoos include skulls and letters. Unique designs are also very popular, especially those that wrap around the arms or the back. Tribal can be put virtually anywhere on the body, just like any other tattoo. Depending on the tattoo design you have in mind, it may take quite a few hours before the artist has finished. With the larger tattoos, you may need to come back to have the work finished.

Before you decide to get a tribal tattoo, you’ll first need to decide on the design. If you don’t have an idea in mind, this can take you quite a bit of time. You can look online for some ideas, or look at some of the already made designs at your local tattoo studio. If you see something that you like but you want to be a bit more creative, you can always add to the design. For example if you see a tribal skull design that you like, you can make it bigger or change just about anything in the tattoo design that would make it unique for you.

If you want the entire tattoo to be unique and creative, you can always have your tattoo artist draw the entire tattoo from scratch. You can give input as well if you want, to ensure that the design matches what you have in mind. Drawing a custom tattoo can take anywhere from an hour to several hours, depending on the size and detail of the tattoo. Tribal tattoos that have a lot of detail can be a bit complex, both to draw and to tattoo. No matter what you have in mind for your design – you can rest assured that it can be accomplished with tribal design tattoos.

Each and every one of us is always on the lookout for great deals and any way to save money that we can find. With the Internet being so popular these days, many people often turn to the Internet for free tattoo designs. For most of us, free is always the way to go. When you stop and think about it, a free tattoo design sounds a lot better than paying as much as $150.00 for one at a tattoo studio. The fact about it is simple - someone could just as easily draw their tattoo design themselves and then pay the tattoo artist to put the tattoo on them.

If you give it some thought, you may begin to wonder if free tattoo designs are actually worth it in the end. The fact of them being free is always great, although you may wonder if the design is something you would like to display permanently on your body. When you show your new tattoo to friends, they may think negative thoughts when you tell them that you got the design free off the Internet. Each and every time you show your tattoo people will want to know about the message and the design, which you’ll probably need to think about.

All of us are familiar with the old saying “you get what you pay for”, and it’s truly no different in this scenario. Although there are hundreds and hundreds of websites on the Internet that provide free tattoo designs, few of them are really worth the interest. Most of the free designs out there on the Internet are very poor quality. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to wait and have a professional tattoo artist make the design for you.

Those who choose to go with free tattoo designs will tell you that tattoos are very expensive and they can’t afford to have a professional tattoo artists draw up the design. Some people, when dealing with custom tattoo designs, will say that their tattoo artist doesn’t do custom designs or that he just don’t want to do theirs. Although most of this may be true to an extent, there truly is no better way to get a tattoo than using a design made by a professional tattoo artist.

As most already know, free tattoo designs are normally made by those who know next to nothing about tattoo designing. In most cases, these designs are made by someone who is looking to make a quick profit instead of a true professional tattoo artist. You can easily tell that they aren’t professional quality simply by looking at them. Most free designs have poor quality, poor lines, and often times the work appears to be made on a personal computer. You certainly wouldn’t want to use something like this with your tattoo – simply because you will be showing it the rest of your life.

If you spend a lot of time searching on the Internet for free tattoo designs, you may be able to find a few with good quality. There are some good quality designs out there, although you’ll probably have to search quite a bit to find them. It’s best to have an idea in mind about the tattoo you want then look for it that way. Although it may take you some time, you could very well find it. If you do come across it as a free tattoo design – you should always triple check the quality before you decide to have it done.

Tattoo designs on the ankle are desired by most women and girls. It is placed on or around the area of the ankle and is very sexy and cute. Ankle tattoo designs can easily be concealed. In general the designs are kept small, simple and inconspicuous, and will draw attention if needed by simply lowering the sock or raising the leg of your pants. The appearance of the tattoo design on the ankle is extremely feminine, which sets you apart from the rest.

Ankle tattoo designs are available in a wide variety of design and colors and you must ensure you choose one that is suitable to your personality and taste. Some of the popular designs include the butterfly, star and flowers. These unique and sought after design are great to accentuate a women's ankle and looks great during spring and summer time of the year.

When choosing this type of design, extra care should be taken as the skin around this area of the body is fairly thin and requires good after care. But, if done correctly, there is no reason why you should not end up with your dream tattoo. One of the most important facts here is protecting your ankle during the healing process, which may take longer than other locations on the body.

The area around your ankle is quite bony and has many nerves leading into the foot. If you find this too painful and still want to go ahead with your tattoo, then you should consider having this done in stages. You can first have the outline done thereafter return to the artist to have the design inked in stages, then lastly the shading and colouring.

The biggest obstacle after you have acquired your ankle tattoo is that your foot is always moving and shoes, boots or sandals tend to rub which slows down the healing process of the tattoo. In some cases it may require a touch-up. It is therefore best to do the ankle tattoo during summer time or whilst on a break away from work. So the best advice for a speedy tattoo recovery is not to wear anything around the feet at all.

The tattoo design on the ankle requires an artist with a very high level of skill and experience. Be sure to ask your tattoo artist if they are qualified and also request samples of previous work done by them. In this way you can rest assured that you will have peace of mind before and after the work is done.

It is a good idea to do thorough research before selecting your design for your ankle as this is a permanent fixture to your body. It is always advisable to seek medical assistance first, prior to being inked. Speak to a healthcare practitioner about your particular needs and get the best advice before starting your tattoo journey.

Miami Ink Tattoo Designs gallery offers top quality tattoo designs on ankle together with a complete learning centre and video vault to help you choose your dream tattoo today

View the original article here

Selling your tattoo designs doesn't mean you have to build your own tattoo store in a mall or anywhere else. For the first-time sellers, it is recommended to sell tattoo designs on the Internet first and see how many of your target customer population would appreciate and purchase your original designs. In selling tattoo designs, you just have to learn about the basics of joining the online community where people buy and sell tattoos.

Protect Your Items

Tattoo designs and other types of visual items can be easily copied if you're not careful. Other people can actually duplicate your designs if your original designs are not protected. So, better get your designs copyrighted accordingly to prevent any business mishaps. Don't forget that tattoo artists often get themselves involved into legal problems because of failure to protect their own works. Also, getting copyrights before you sell tattoos will help you determine if you have unknowingly copied another artist's design, thereby giving you time to re-create your work and prevent legal consequences at the same time.

Show Your Designs to the World

Before, the works of tattoo artists can be viewed either going directly to their workplace or meeting them at a tattoo convention. Now, it's easier for tattoo artists and sellers like you to sell tattoo designs as you can make your own virtual portfolio. By just using basic applications and programs like Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Paint, etc, you can already make various design portfolios according to the tattoos' categories. Then, you can upload them to your web store on the Internet to be viewed by millions of people who are looking for new and authentic designs.

Begin Your Online Business

The first step in selling your tattoo designs online is to create a website of your own. Your website should contain a Homepage, which will show three to five original tattoo designs that can capture the attention of your target customers. Then, create an "About Us" page so that they will know about you and your business, and learn about your legal operations. The next webpages should bear your tattoo designs according to their respective categories. Also, you need to incorporate a viable payment scheme wherein your customers can have the option to pay via online payment processors like PayPal, or through credit or debit cards.

If you are doubtful about opening a business website or a web store, then you can count on online marketplaces like eBay.com where you can upload your designs and sell them either in full price or by auction.

Make Your Brand Known

In order to reach out to more of your target customers, you need to learn how to use effective techniques on advertising your brand, website and web store. Currently, the most efficient way of promoting your products online is social media. Yes, now you can utilize your Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Friendster, LinkedIn and other social networking accounts to get more leads to your webstore and sell tattoos. SEO specialists are also available for hire to help you spread about your tattoo design business.

Tattoo artist-sellers like you need multiple tattoo designs and tattoo ideas for your tattoo gallery in order to sell more items in your website. Through these steps and tips, you are sure to sell tattoo flash art and designs more effectively.

View the original article here

An increasingly popular motif in tattoo parlours is the ambigram a graphic figure that can be flipped, mirrored or inverted, yet whichever way the script or the figure is viewed, it still spells out the same thing. It is sometimes referred to as an 'inversion' or 'flipscript', but regardless of the description, most people appreciate it as an optical illusion. The shifting positive and negative spaces can play tricks on our visual perception, casting a spell on the beholder.

For tattoo aficionados, there's a dictionary of ambigram designs to choose from, and a great range of scripts and fonts, from simply elegant to graphically gothic. A design may consist of a single word or an entire phrase. Depending on the ambigram's concept, it can be rotated, reversed, or reflected in mirrors, with the meaning sometimes changing, sometimes remaining the same. Looked at one way, you might see a devil, but turn it around and an angel appears, or at least the way the figure is spelled! The best tattoo artists can create an optical illusion with an intriguing graphic design that never fails to intrigue.

According to practitioner John Langdon, ambigrams were independently invented by himself and by Scott Kim in the 1970s. Kim used the name Inversions as the title of his first collection in 1981. The first published reference to "ambigram" was by Hofstadter, who attributes the origin of the word to conversations among a small group of friends during 1983-1984. The 1999 edition of Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach features a 3-D ambigram on the cover.

John Langdon is truly one of the great ambigramists, his work appearing on the covers of some recent best-selling books. Popularity of the ambigram soared when they were intertwined into the plot of Dan Brown's bestseller 'Angels and Demons', the prequel to The Da Vinci Code. Langdon produced ambigrams that were used for the book cover, and a link to his website from Brown's meant he was "suddenly inundated" with commissions. In fact the name Robert Langdon (the hero from the novel) is also an appreciation to Mr. John Langdon.

Ambigrams are popular with graphic artists, due not only to their unique symmetry but to their mysterious quality so readily appreciated on music albums and book jackets. Paul McCartney is but one of many rock musicians who have featured an ambigram on at least one of his albums.

Many people choose to get an ambigram tattoo on their forearm, where they can flip it one way or the other, giving viewers the full effect of the design.

Ambigrams usually fall into one of several categories:

Rotational
A design that presents several instances of words when rotated through a fixed angle. This is usually 180 degrees, but rotational ambigrams of other angles exist, for example 90 or 45 degrees. The word spelled out from the alternative direction(s) is often the same, but may be a different word to the initially presented form. A simple example is the lower-case abbreviation for "Down", dn, which looks like the lower-case word up when rotated 180 degrees.

Mirror
A design that can be read when reflected in a mirror, usually as the same word or phrase both ways. Ambigrams that form different words when viewed in the mirror are also known as glass door ambigrams, because they can be printed on a glass door to be read differently when entering or exiting.

Figure-ground
A design in which the spaces between the letters of one word form another word.

Chain
A design where a word (or sometimes words) are interlinked, forming a repeating chain. Letters are usually overlapped meaning that a word will start partway through another word. Sometimes chain ambigrams are presented in the form of a circle.

Space-filling
Similar to chain ambigrams, but tile to fill the 2-dimensional plane.

Fractal
A version of space-filling ambigrams where the tiled word branches from itself and then shrinks in a self-similar manner, forming a fractal. See Scott Kim's fractal of the word TREE for an animated example.

3-dimensional
A design where an object is presented that will appear to read several letters or words when viewed from different angles. Such designs can be generated using constructive solid geometry.

Perceptual shift
A design with no symmetry but can be read as two different words depending on how the curves of the letters are interpreted.

Natural
A natural ambigram is a word that possesses one or more of the above symmetries when written in its natural state, requiring no typographic styling. For example, the words "dollop" and "suns" are natural rotational ambigrams. The word "bud" forms a natural mirror ambigram when reflected over a vertical axis. The words "CHOICE" and "OXIDE", in all capitals, form a natural mirror ambigram when reflected over a horizontal axis. The word "TOOTH", in all capitals, forms a natural mirror ambigram when its letters are stacked vertically and reflected over a vertical axis.

Symbiotogram
An Ambigram that, when rotated 180 degrees, can be read as a different word to the original.

Ambigrams are exercises in graphic design that play with optical illusions, symmetry and visual perception. Ambigram lovers value especially those with a relation between form and content.

Get inspired by some really great images and photos in our Ambigrams Tattoo Designs Gallery

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Tattoos have been around for centuries and there are a wide range of tattoos that are considered "traditional" designs and are still very popular with a lot of people. Then there are others who prefer to have their own custom designs created that reflect their own personality. It might leave you wondering as to what exactly is the difference between custom tattoo designs and traditional designs and is there a difference in their pricing and the time and effort that they take to come to life.

The "traditional" designs are generally characterized with a lot of black in it and minimalistic use of other colors. This is because, for many years the ink used for tattooing was not available in a variety of colors like it is today. The colors available were just basic colors like brown, white and black. With such a limited number of colors, many of the traditional designs consisted of just the black outline. A lot of these tattoos also were characterized with a ribbon with text on it such as an anchor with the name of the sailor's ship on it, or a pin-up girl with the girlfriend's name, or a heart with mom's name on it.

The "traditional" designs have an amazing variety of categories including angels, animals, flowers, crosses, pin-ups, skulls, military symbols, as well as zodiac and other tribal designs. These designs are all characterized with heavy black outlines and basic colors, but they can still be quite beautifully designed to keep up with the current trends and applied in a creative way to give a fresh and young look.

To differentiate "custom" designs from the "traditional" ones is a difficult task because both have their own importance and fans. The custom designs, on the other hand are unlimited in terms of ideas, designs, and even the placement of these tattoos on the body. Tattoo enthusiasts today don't mind having a tattoo on a body part that may be difficult to maintain, impossible to hide or painful to have tattooed. Hence, there are some basic steps that people follow in order to create their own custom designs:

1. Have an idea in mind for the tattoo design or theme and decide where it should be placed on the body.
2. Talk to some experienced and skilled tattoo artists and take suggestions/ advice on the specifications of the design and get it drawn out so that they know what exactly you want your tattoo to look like.
3. Get a tattoo stencil of the custom tattoo design created by a talented tattoo designer so that it is a one of a kind tattoo.

For those who are not artists, but want a custom tattoo done, there are millions of samples and tattoo designs available online that can be uses as a basis to create a custom tattoo. Think of finding one that is close to the idea in mind, and modify it to match your personal tastes and preferences. Sometimes that is done by combining elements from multiple tattoos to create that one-of-a-kind tattoo.

Also, consider colors that are to be used in your new custom tattoo design. Sometimes there are samples available in one color that can be changed to another color in order to make it more personalized.

Though there is a lot of difference between custom tattoo designs and traditional designs, there are some great traditional designs currently available as well as amazing new designs that people can create from their own ideas. Take a look at the wide range of styles, colors and patterns available to have ideas to ensure that the best custom design is created for you. There are so many styles available that the perfect design is not difficult to create. Good luck!

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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Many individuals have cross tattoos on their bodies. Many more want to have the same placed on their skin. The common idea is that this is nothing more than a trivial act and casual drawing. This is false. The cross is a very important icon of human civilization. It is filled with meaning. Recreations of it partake of the same relevance and value. Each version and inscription is rich in symbolism and representations. It is more than just a pattern engraved on a person's skin. By having it an individual adopts a certain meaning for it.

There are many variants of the cross tattoo. They come from the versions of the cross that are in use today. Each one has a set of meanings and a unique story behind it. It can be said that, in general, the cross is a symbol for many ideas and concepts. It is a repository of diverse and contrasting ideals. It is not unlike human nature in this regard. It is not just about Christianity. It is more than that.

Many people do not know that aside from religious ideals the cross stands for life, the meeting of the physical and spiritual realm as well as immortality. These are all ideas that are important to man throughout his past and even present. This symbol can be considered the foremost representation of what man has achieved. A cross tattoo on a person's body is more than just a form of body art. It represents the kind of cultural and social development man has attained. This aside from what the person who have it intend for it to stand for.

The affinity of man towards the cross is said to be based in his psyche. Cross tattoos are something that everyone can relate to. This also implies the cross tattoos are not meant to be appreciated in the context of a faith of cultural base. This icon is meant to be much more than that. It can even be an embodiment of what it is to be human. Its many meanings despite a general form relate to the human condition. People may have the same form but different personalities.

The basic contradiction in the design of the cross tattoo is the same in human nature. All humans are the same and yet they are different. They are all beings with tangible forms and yet they are more than that. These attributes are the same for the cross as used in tattoos. It is also a sign open to many interpretations and yet it is still a cross. This is manifested by the "tau" and the Celtic cross. It takes on varying meanings under different perspectives just like human nature.

The cross tattoo is more than just a form of creative expression. It constitutes the development of human thought and knowledge. It is a complex but equally simple icon. This two defining traits are the same as that of individuals. Each is a careful balance and mix of relative traits and common attributes. A person's difference and shared nature with others is the same as the difference and similarity of cross tattoos. This makes this more than just a drawing on a person's skin but as a definitive manifestation of humanity.

To find more perfect Cross Tattoos for you I recommend you have a look at Cross Tattoo Designs. They have more than 25,000 tattoo designs in their gallery.

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In the recent years, the meaning, standards, relevance and the craze for tattoos designs has changes significantly and people now prefer to have tattoos in such designs that give them a feeling of distinctiveness and belonging. Tattoo designs have evolved, giving people more options if they want to be tattooed and therefore, more and more people are interested in getting customized tattoos for their bodies. It is in the light of this trend, that there is a high demand for people/ artists who can create amazing tattoo designs. But there are some key things that you need to know if you wish to get the best designs.

Well, there are many ways for you to get or create a customized tattoo design. You can do this yourself, use the services of talented designer, start a tattoo design contest or select two or three designs from online marketplaces and merge them to create a great design for yourself.

Although it is very much possible for you to create a design yourself, but, before you can do that effectively and successfully, you need to consider several things. Designing a tattoo is very different from painting or drawing random objects. For instance, you may be clear about the size of the tattoo and the location on your body where you wish to place it, but are you skilled enough to draw the intricate details in the design? Have you got the experience to judge what colors will look best, considering the design, its size, skin tone, and the current trends so that it is easy to take care of the tattoo after it has been inked?

Secondly, you can find some great customized designs for your dream tattoo by browsing through online marketplaces. Marketplace designs are some of the best creations of talented designers that they put up for sale at a competitive price. You can find designs on different themes and order the one you like online. You get the stencil for the chosen design at your doorstep that you can take to your nearest tattoo studio for tattooing. There are lots of popular online marketplaces for this. You will be able to find a great personalized tattoo designs with such sites.

The purpose of these website actually is to provide a platform for budding as well as experienced tattoo artists to create designs for the clients based on their personal choices and tattoo ideas. It allows the designers to display their skill to the world without moving places. These sites even host custom tattoo design contests that serve as a medium where clients and designers interact and share the details and preferences about what they want in a tattoo design.

For instance, a designer, after signing up with the site, can participate in as many contests as he/she desires and can send as many sample designs as he/she deems necessary to match the client's expectations by following the instructions and specifications for the tattoo given by the client.

You can also conduct a contest to get great tattoo designs especially made for you. Interested designers will take part in your contest and take up the task of creating a design as a challenge. They put their best efforts into creating the design and what you get at the end of the contest is a custom tattoo design purely based on your preference and taste. It is a win-win situation for both the client as well as the designer.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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There are a number of ways to sell your custom tattoo designs. The first would be to open your own shop and try to create your own business. Although this can be quite a rewarding proposition, but is really very difficult and time taking. Also, finding a place on rent, buying equipment and furniture, hiring employees and incurring numerous other expenses make it a relatively expensive proposal. Even if the money is available to open a shop, it takes time to build up enough client base to make enough money to get established.

You could be the best tattoo designer in the world but if you don't get enough business, you won't succeed. Offering custom designs would be one aspect of your business that could help, but all in all, opening your own business, especially in today's economy is risky.

You could launch your own website to offer your services as a tattoo designer offering standard and custom tattoo designs. You can build the website yourself, or have someone build it for you, and then you have to figure out how to drive customers to it. This is not nearly as expensive as the traditional store at a physical location, but somewhat equally risky. It will take time for customers to find you and build up a customer base and in the meantime, you may not be making a lot of money.

As a website owner, you would be required to monitor your site frequently to see if you've received any tattoo design orders and many times, the customer won't wait if you don't have a collection of designs readily available.

One of the best ways to sell your designs is to register with an existing business online as a tattoo designer. All the expenses are taken care of by them and you just have to set your own prices and hours of work. Customers are already driven to the sight, look through the designs or start a tattoo design contest and select the tattoo, or tattoos, they find the best.

Joining an existing website that has a decent collection of tattoo designs in various categories, custom tattoos, and that allows hosting design contests makes life easier for a designer in a lot of ways. One, they already have traffic and have a set up that makes is easy for the customers to order designs/ stencils from the site. All you have to do is put your designs online and get paid when a customer orders one of your tattoos.

If the customer is looking for a custom tattoo design, or has started a design contest, the designer will be working with the customer to create that unique tattoo that the customer wants. The website you're signed up with takes care of all the administration of the site, payment processing, and delivery of the designs. They make your job a lot easier and as a designer, you can spend all your time and effort in creating a design to the best of your abilities.

Overall, the best option is to join an existing business offering tattoo designers the option of creating an individual account and letting them do all the upkeep. This would be the best way to sell your designs to the clients across the globe.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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For those who don't know why they want a tattoo, or get one on a whim, having a tattoo can be a painful decision because it's extremely painful (and very expensive) to get it removed completely. Do you know the top seven tips for the best custom tattoo designs? For those unsure of the best tips, read the following:

1. A tattoo should have a meaning for the one who sports it, and there should be a reason why the art is placed at a specific body part. So, having a flower, a dragon, or a Chinese symbol that is too common and doesn't have any significance to the wearer.

2. If you're having your first ever tattoo, get something small. Don't decide on one across the entire lower back or along the upper part of the arm as a first tattoo. There is some pain associated with the tattoo - after all they are sticking needles just under the skin and releasing the ink, so for those squirmy about getting a flu shot, this is like getting several hundred (or thousand) needle pricks. Make sure the pain is tolerable before embarking on a big and elaborate design.

3. A tattoo that you don't like after it comes to life on your skin is not a pleasurable feeling. It is painful to get a tattoo removed because it takes numerous appointments, and it's very expensive, so be sure the tattoo design you finalize is the one that you really wanted to have. Don't get one when drunk or on a whim, or just because everyone else is having a tattoo design.

4. There are many tattoo designs available, some very simple and straightforward designs with only one or two colors, and others, extremely intricate and detailed with many colors. The more elaborate the design the more colors are used. It means it will be a lot more expensive. Make sure the first one is affordable, and particularly the first one.

5. Know that there are several areas on the body that don't hurt that much while getting tattooed than others. For example; the ankles and neck are much less painful than the upper arm or shoulder.

6. Location of the tattoo is important as well. The owner's occupation should be considered, particularly for those whose employers don't allow tattoos to be shown (hospitals are a good example). Make sure that the tattoo can be completely covered up if there is a need to prevent it from being shown.

7. Know what needs to be done to ensure that tattoo heal properly. Keeping it clean, washing five times a day and using the antibiotic cream that the tattoo artist recommends. Don't scratch it while it's healing. Don't get it out in the sunlight. Keep it moist. Make sure the tattoo artist uses clean needles and fresh ink to avoid infection and diseases.

Tattoos are very personal body art, and should reflect the personality, style, and character of the person getting the tattoo. Do you know the top seven tips for the best custom tattoo designs? Be sure to know all the ramifications of getting a tattoo before ever making the commitment.

There are some amazing designs available, but make sure the tattoo artist is experienced, clean, and knows how to keep it clean and avoid infection.

Kristen Dunn is a tattoo enthusiast and professional tattoo designer who has created thousands of thought provoking, elegant, and funky tattoos for her clients. She has a vast collection of custom designs to her credit. Winner of several awards and accolades, Kristen is now a founding member of the world's largest custom tattoo design community at CreateMyTattoo. View her tattoo collection or read more on her blog here.

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