Don't Make These Chinese Symbol Tattoo Mistakes

The Chinese people have a highly developed writing system that evolved at least 3000 years ago. Ancient writing has been found written on bone, brass vessels or pottery and bamboo strips.

The Chinese writing system has no alphabet, but relies on a large number of symbols that represents spoken concepts or ideas. It is important to note that a Chinese symbol is NOT a pictograph but represents the entire spoken word.

And don't even look for the Chinese alphabet because there isn't one. The alphabet is a Latin invention, which is a whole new can of worms.

The Kangxi Dictionary was created in 1710 A.D. by imperial decree to compile 47,035 symbols. Don't worry; the average Chinese person only needs to know five thousand symbols to pretty much read anything that is written in the Chinese language.

Now, let's talk about mistakes which is the biggest block when someone thinks about getting a Chinese symbol tattoo. What you think the Chinese symbol tattoo means, may not be necessarily so.

As you can imagine, before rushing off to get the Chinese symbols tattooed on your skin - DOUBLE CHECK with someone who CAN read and understand Chinese. And resist the urge to pull over the Chinese waiter and ask him to write out the Chinese symbol for you. He may not know exactly what meaning you really want and may unintentionally give you the wrong symbol.

You see, Chinese symbols are complex and can easily be mean something other than intended. Get the wrong one... and your new tattoo will be a permanent source of embarrassment to you!

Another fact is that Chinese Calligraphy is a precise art and sometimes strokes can be missing in your tattoo design. But don't panic! Your tattoo artist can easily fix those mistakes.

However, be warned that the artistic flair of your tattoo artist can turn your Chinese characters into gibberish.

Another thing, Chinese names are written in the reversed order. Which mean your last name goes before your first.

Let me pause here for just a minute... this is where things may get a little more complicated. Because your name is probably foreign to the Chinese language -- Chinese symbols will have to be picked out to pronounce your name. Remember there are no Chinese alphabets. So you will have to pick out one or more Chinese symbols that represent your spoken name.

Do you see what I mean? Getting a Chinese symbol tattoo can become a nightmare if done hurriedly without any thoughts whatsoever!

Nonetheless, Chinese symbol tattoos are very popular today because they are really beautiful. And because most of us in the Western Hemisphere cannot read Chinese, Chinese symbol tattoos becomes an exotic form of expression.

And let's face the fact that the real reason most guys probably want a Chinese symbols tattoo is because they are usually associated with martial arts or karate flicks. Men!
About the Author

Becky McClure believes that the MOST important word after you made the decision to get inked is Patience! Pick the right tattoo design. Pick the right location on you. And then pick the best artist you can find for your new body art.

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Where to Put Your Tattoo Choosing the Perfect Position for Your New Tattoo

Millions of people, in recent years, have tuned into the very special art of tattooing as a way to have something of permanent meaning placed on their bodies. You?re one of them, and you think having a tattoo would be absolutely mind-blowing, but you just don?t know enough about what kind of tattoo to get, or even more importantly, which part of your body you want tattooed.

The first thing you should decide is whether you want a tattoo that can be hidden. It depends largely on your own personality. If you approach the world with an ?in-your-face? attitude, you may want a tattoo positioned so that will be visible most of the time.

On the other hand, if you are somewhat shy or just like to keep secrets, having a tattoo on a place you normally keep covered may make you feel unique, and even a little sexy.

And keep in mind that a tattoo which seems perfect to you when you are in your twenties may leave you asking ?What was I thinking?? in later years. So don?t commit to a first tattoo positioned where you will be forced to look at it every day for the rest of your life.

Think about your social life. If it calls for you to attend very many upscale events, and you are female, are you going to want your tattoo visible when you wear a strapless dress?

But even if you are aristocracy, you can still can manage a tattoo. Lady Churchill sported a wrist tattoo which she simply covered with a diamond bracelet on state occasions!

Will having a plainly visible tattoo cause friction between you and someone close? For example, would you husband or wife see your tattoo as a come-on to others? If so, put it where it will be a secret for just the two of you.

Then there?s the work situation. Will your current or potential employer be OK with you sporting a visible tattoo? Many of them aren?t.

And then there?s the problem of weight gain or loss. The odds are strong that you will not remain at the identical weight you are the day you get your tattoo. And even if you do, the human body has an unfortunate tendency to reshape itself during middle age. A tattoo which looks great on the flat stomach of your 20s may be an embarrassment when you get middle-aged spread.

The same holds if you lose weight after your tattoo is in place. Your skin may become loose; how will that affect your tattoo?

You should also consider your pain threshold when deciding where to place your tattoo. The most painful tattooing occurs on designs close to the bone, like shins, elbows, and knees. If you are someone who breaks into a clod sweat at the thought of going to the dentist, you should probably limit you choice of tattoo locations to the more padded areas of your anatomy.

But once you?ve sorted through all the tattoo positioning pitfalls, you can get some visualization help at http://www.bmezine.com. They have several pages with photographs of recently completed tattoos which will give you a much clearer picture of how you might end up looking. The photos cover everything from foot and ankle to breast and collar bone designs of every possible size and intricacy.

Where you position your tattoo says nearly as much about you as your tattoo itself. So be sure to choose a spot which will let you enjoy your tattoo for the rest of your life!

Author: Matt Garrett - ? 2007 http://www.TopTattooDesign.Com

Discover how to avoid being the one in four who Hate thier new Tattoo, including simple Tattoo safety tips, in our your free Tattoo Guide : -

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Is The Tattoo Artist's Skill Underestimated?

Not just anyone can become a tattoo artist. It takes many hours of skill and practice to master this craft. On any given day, a tattoo artist may have many different requests to accomplish; some may be small and simple, others may be very detailed and intricate to produce. The scope of tattoos could range from something as simple as a cherry blossom or as large as a representation of New York City and everything in between.

Not only must a tattoo artist be excellent at drawing or tracing many amazing designs of tattoos, but many times the customer will come in with a tattoo design and want the tattoo artist to the customer?s idea or spin on it. By taking the idea of the customer, the tattoo artist must try their best to bring the customer?s idea to life. The tattoo artist must be able to relate to the customer, understand the customer?s request and be creative enough to materialize the idea. Some customers may come in with no specific tattoo design, just the idea of what they want the tattoo to represent, and leave it up to the artist to create the kind of tattoo they are requesting. That takes talent and creativity.

An artist has a blank canvas to work with and they can create many beautiful works of art. The tattoo artist, however, may be asked to tattoo anything from a bald head, elbow, or even a knee as part of the tattoo. Some tattoos may start on the back, or shoulder and go around the body to the front of the chest. Other tattoos may be larger in picture and need to be cut down, completely resizing the picture or symbol to fit the customer?s body, much like a pattern, while keeping the symbol or design completely in tact. They may have to free hand the entire picture or symbol over again. This could be quite a difficult task for the average Joe.

Obviously, without satisfied customers, the tattoo artist would have no business. Since tattoos are usually done to represent a special meaning to the customer, the tattoo artist needs to be able to be able to relate to people,giving them the kind of design or symbol their customers want and provide good customer service. If the tattoo artist doesn?t seem to be too interested in what you have to say he or she might have their own idea about how they want to do your tattoo and you could be sorely disappointed. It may even be worth it to travel to another city to have a tattoo done if you have found a great tattoo artist. Remember, a tattoo is a permanent mark on your body and can be very expensive to remove.

If you are into tattoos and have found a the perfect tattoo artist, you are fortunate. Let them know they are appreciated. These skills are not easily acquired by just anyone. Always make sure the tattoo artist is using sterile equipment and understands your request before you get your tattoo. By doing this, you could have a great tattoo to enjoy for a lifetime.

Cathy lives in Salt Lake City and is a free lance writer.

For more information about tattoos click here:http://tattoos4us.blogspot.com

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