Celtic Knotwork Tattoo Designs

Celtic Knotwork Tattoo Designs

Celtic knotwork is world famous as the most beautiful aspect of the ancient Irish illuminated manuscripts. The interwoven patterns are instantly recognisable as the unique and special flowering of the Celtic soul, captured forever in the holy books and now in the skins of modern body art enthusiasts.

Why Choose the Celtic Knot TattooThough a casual observer of a Celtic knot tattoo may see it as merely a piece of beautiful body art; the meaning of this Celtic symbol has much deeper roots. Most Celtic knots are of a rich design of spirals, mazes along with knots. The Celtic knot tattoo is complex plenty of of the designs were used along with zoomorphic animals in Celtic stonework, woodworking & jewelry. The Book of Kells, the famous Irish book is where most of today’s tattoo artists get their inspiration for the body art requested by those wishing to display their Celtic heritage.

Celtic knot tattoos are popular even among people that have no ties to Celtic ancestry. they are beautiful pieces & plenty of wear them basically for their visual beauty. For those of Celtic descent, they can have a myriad of meanings depending upon where in the Celtic world their roots lie & the design of the Celtic knotwork they select for their Celtic knot tattoo.

Body art is a personal decision  what you have displayed on your body is often a close & long held belief. Tattoos are a way of showing the world what you believe in or who you love. Celtic knot tattoos are very popular for both young & old & male or female. Take a look at the plenty of Celtic knot tattoo designs & decide on the ideal one for you.

Celtic Four Leaf Clover Tattoo Designs

Celtic Four Leaf Clover Tattoo Designs

A brief overview on four leaf clover tattoos: Four leaf clovers have long been a symbol of good luck–but why? Four leaf clover tattoos are incredibly common, and yet, other good luck symbols, like horse shoes or rabbit’s feet are not so common. What makes four leaf clovers so special?

Typically, associated with Ireland’s rolling hills and legends of leprechauns, the four leaf clover is actually closely related with the shamrock, which is considered a charm against evil. The difference of course is that a shamrock is quite common and only has three leaves. The fourth leaf is actually caused by a genetic mutation. As a result, one leaf is often smaller than the other three, but in media imagery and today’s pop culture all four leaves are of equal size. But what do they mean?

Symbolically, one leave is for hope, one for faith, one for love, and one for — you guessed it — luck. The reason these plants are associated with luck most of all is probably because of how rare they are. Many people have spent hours crawling through the grassy fields on sunny afternoons and still haven’t found one.

Because four leaf clover tattoos are so common, there is a vast array of designs available for them, ranging from solid green and plain, to sporting complex shading and texture with adornments like Ireland’s flag, a crown, or a white dove.

Many four leaf clover tattoos are adorned with flowers surrounding the actual clover to add some color and dynamics to the tattoo. Others feature ribbons or sashes encircling the clover and giving the tattoo a grander, even regal appearance. And because four leaf clovers symbolize luck, it’s not at all uncommon to see the word ‘luck’ either above or below the clover in various styles of script.

Also, to emphasize the connection between four leaf clovers and Ireland, oftentimes Celtic symbolism is connected with clover, such as a Celtic cross, Celtic knot designs, or even the great tree of life from Celtic mythology.

Most people can remember the days when they searched their backyards for four leaf clovers, so it’s not at all hard to understand why four leaf clover tattoos are so popular. And if it truly does bring good luck, it never hurts to have one.

Celtic Shamrock Tattoo Designs

Celtic Shamrock Tattoo Designs

As the old saying goes “To be born Irish is to be born lucky.” Celtic tattoos of a shamrock have been a popular tattoo over the years and are known for brining luck. Having a good luck charm such as Celtic shamrock tattoo is said to improve your luck because it will make you more aware of your surroundings and opportunities therefore making you more likely to adopt a resilient attitude which in turn helps you to make your own luck. A Celtic tattoo of a shamrock is a great way to signify and represent ones luck. Several Celtic symbols are known to represent luck such as claddaghs, bells, harps, horseshoes, rainbows, etc. However shamrock tattoos are know to be the luckiest symbol of the Celtic culture and thus are a popular tattoo.

Shamrocks have been considered a lucky symbol ever since the legend St. Patrick used a shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity. One leaf for the son, one leaf for the father, and the final leaf for the Holy Spirit. The shamrock is the most recognizable symbol of Ireland. Celtic tattoos of a shamrock can be a great way to display your Irish heritage. The Irish, like their Celtic ancestors connect deeply with nature and shamrock tattoos can represent a profound love and respect for nature.
It’s important to note that a four leaf clover shouldn’t be confused with Ireland’s beloved shamrock. The 4 leafs represent hope, luck, faith and love.

What’s great about Celtic Shamrock tattoos is that they can be small enough to wear almost anywhere on your body. Your hip, lower back, arm, hand, foot, ankle, back of your neck, all are perfectly acceptable locations. Also keep in mind that it’s a great idea to combine shamrock tattoos with other Celtic designs. It allows for your tattoo design to be unique and out of the ordinary. For example, you might want to pair up a shamrock with a claddagh which can represent friendship, loyalty, and love. You might have a shamrock placed inside of a Celtic cross, or you could have a Celtic knot entwined with a shamrock. The possibilities are never ending.

In conclusion, shamrock tattoos can be the perfect embodiment of the Celtic culture and is one of the oldest and most popular symbols.

Celtic Cross Tattoo Designs

Celtic Cross Tattoo Designs

The Celtic cross looks like a Christian cross but with a circle around the intersection. Celtic cross tattoos can be a very flexible design because the cross often consists of distinctive knot work making Celtic cross tattoos both decorative and meaningful to whoever has them. Also known as the High cross, Ionic cross, and Irish Cross the Celtic Cross is often associated with faith and eternity.

The Celtic cross is known as an ancient and sacred symbol with a long and mysterious history. Believed to be a pre-Christian version of the Solar cross the Celtic cross is also linked with the God of Thunder, Taranis. The cross became the symbol of the Celtic Christian Church after the Celtics converted to Christianity. Stone structures of the Celtic cross can be found in Ireland on the grounds of monasteries. Other structures can be found in Wales, Scotland, and England. All of these were Celtic lands and the stone structures will likely reside in churchyards and market squares.

Celtic cross tattoos often contain a ring which seems to puzzle people as to what it actually symbolizes. Some believe that the ring symbolizes a crown of thorns or a halo. For pagans the ring often symbolizes the sun or the moon. It is also believed that the Celtic cross is an astrological navigation instrument. There are also a number of beliefs as to why the Celtic cross has a circle around the arms. One interpretation is that the circle represents the everlasting love of god and the everlasting life in Heaven. Another belief is that the circle represents eternity and combined with the cross symbolizes the infinity of God’s love.

If you’re Irish, Welsh, or Scottish obviously Celtic cross tattoos are popular because of your Celtic connections and your family history. Although, one does not have to have a Celtic connection to wear Celtic cross tattoos. It’s a design that will serve the purpose for anybody that associates a cross with religious or spiritual significance. The Celtic cross has a beautiful symbolic representation of faith. Its loops, knotworks, spirals, and beautiful lines make it truly a great piece of art for anyone. Check out our great collection of free tattoo designs and patterns for Celtic cross tattoos.

Celtic Tattoo Designs

Celtic Tattoo Designs

Celtic design tattoos are becoming very popular. Celtic design tattoos are recognized immediately not only for their meaning but because they are truly striking tattoos. Celtic design tattoos are mostly black but different shades of color are becoming increasingly popular. Celtic designs are considered to be self-expressive because you get to apply meaning to your particular Celtic design tattoo because of the flexibility of the definitions regarding Celtic art.
Popular Celtic Design Tattoos

    Celtic Butterfly Tattoos – representing rebirth and transformation. The Celtic butterfly design can also represent a person’s soul.
    Celtic Cross Tattoos – this Celtic design signifies eternity, faith, and the proof of God’s love. The Celtic cross includes a circle at the top of the cross.
    Celtic Claddagh – the claddagh design is a heart with a crown that is held by two hands. The heart symbolizes love, the crow loyalty, and the hands friendship.
    Celtic Knot – symbolizing the entwining of physical and spiritual paths of our lives the Celtic Knot tattoo has always been popular among Celtic design tattoos. The interwoven patterns and the extended loops, spirals, and turns symbolize eternity and they cycle of death and rebirth. An armband tattoo with knot designs is a tasteful and very common idea for Celtic design tattoos. The complex knots tend to form geometric shapes including triangles and circles. A circle will often represent eternity or continuum of life forces. Shaped like a triangle, the Celtic trinity knot symbolizes, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit or mind, body and spirit.
    Celtic Tree of Life – The tree of life symbolizes a bridge between heaven and earth. The designs consist of branches which reach out to heaven while the roots grip the earth. This Celtic design also represents the axis mundi (center of the world) by using the Tree of Life as an axis symbol that connects three planes: the roots representing the underworld, the trunk meets the earth, and the branches reach for the sky.
    Celtic Heart Design – This tattoo is said to be the most romantic of all Celtic design tattoos. Also known as the love knot tattoo it generally represents the union of souls. Often this tattoo design is formed from one continuous line with a complex weave that is heart shaped.

The Celts have long believed that animals taught people how to live in harmony with nature. Celtic zoomorphic tattoo designs associate symbolic meanings with a certain animal. Let’s take a look at some possible Celtic tattoo designs that have to do with what certain animals represent in the Celtic culture.
Animals for Celtic Design Tattoos

    Boar: ferocity
    Bull: strength
    Deer: fertility, renewal, and abundance
    Dog: luck and loyalty
    Dragon: power and magic
    Horse: beauty, speed, vitality, and rejuvenation
    Lion: nobility and strength
    Peacock: purity
    Raven/Crow: death
    Snake: healing, fertility, and rebirth

Celtic design tattoos are a great way to express your homage to the Celtic culture. With thousands of Celtic design tattoos out there coupled with their deep symbolism and rich meaning it should be fairly easy for anyone to pick out a Celtic inspired tattoo.