How to design your tattoo with meaning

Your first tattoo is an important one: for most people it’s less about the looks, and more about the meaning behind it.

But how do you go about designing a tattoo with meaning to it – to yourself, mostly? What should you keep in mind, and what ‘’rules’’ should you completely let go off? I’ll give you some tips and ideas in this blog about how you can find a design that is perfect for you.

Een betekenisvolle tattoo

Does a tattoo always have to mean something?

Not necessarily, but let’s be honest: it always shows a part of your personality, even if there’s no deep meaning or moving story behind it. So even the silliest tattoos still have meaning somehow: they’re an outburst of you as a person, on your own skin.

Should a meaningful tattoo always be unique?

To be fair, most things have been tattooed before. Unless you design your own custom tattoo, or combine names and dates, it likely already exists on someone else’s skin. So don’t try too hard to find something unique, to the point where it gets hard to understand or see what it is. It is the combination of the tattoo and YOU that is unique, and gives meaning to it.

Can’t stand the idea of having a tattoo that someone else already has, especially because of the story behind it? Then a custom Discreet Tattoo is the way to go.

Combining shapes with words

Many first-timers will lean towards reinforcing the meaning of their tattoo with a shape or image that goes with it. Or they simply can’t pick between just text, or just a shape. A quote about time? Let’s put a clock in the design. Love? Hearts!

A design should be for you

Of course, whether you do this is a matter of personal taste, style and preference. But when designing your tattoo, keep in mind that it is for you: you don’t have to alter the design or add things to make it clearer to others.

A butterfly could tell a complete story to you, without any mention of a butterfly whatsoever, no words needed. In the same way, one word alone could remind you of an entire year of travels and adventures, without the need of putting an airplane next to it. Find a shape or word that means something to you!

Tattoo with meaning

Symbolic tattoos

Can’t decide between either? You don’t like how the word or words look on your skin? Not a fan of most fonts, or does the quote simply not fit on the body part where you would like to get your tattoo? That’s where a Discreet Tattoo comes in.

Have you ever thought of converting that meaningful word, that quote that describes your life perfectly, or those lyrics that have shaped you into elegant symbols? With a Rune or Mandala-style tattoo you can do exactly that. It gives a unique shape to words and numbers, one that not everyone can read – making it all the more personal.

Want to pick my brain about a design or get your own Discreet Tattoo within 5 working days? Let’s chat or get yours now!