Just like any work of art, you would want your tattoo to look beautiful. A symbol or element’s aesthetic value is one of the main factors when it comes to choosing a tattoo design. And what could be more beautiful than flowers? Flower tattoos are all the rage now, even for men. They are the symbols of nature beauty in the world. But more than that, each kind of flower you see has their own deeper significance in the world of tattoo.
In the past, flowers may have been more of a women’s design than men. If ever men choose a floral element, they would often choose the rose. However, ever since society and people’s view of tattoos became more positive, tattoo enthusiasts has also evolved in their styles. What can be deemed as men’s design are now seen on women’s bodies and vice versa. It is no surprise to see a man donning a beautiful bouquet on his sleeves.
That being said, here are some of the most amazing flower tattoos in the tattoo industry. You can choose from designs that are not just beautiful but also rich in meaning.
History of Flower Tattoos
Flowers have existed far longer than humans. According to scientist, there were fossils of flowers that existed during the era of the dinosaurs – far longer before humanity existed. As a big part of nature, it would be no surprise if native tribes around the world would be inspired by their beauty.
Many argue that tattooing has been since 12,000 BC. Its purpose was different from culture to culture. Others see tattooing as a form of entry into manhood. Other tribes and culture use tattoos to ward off evil and call on the power of deities and nature spirits. Meanwhile, other cultures perceive those with tattoos as the higher ups of the society or a signature of beauty.
Nonetheless, all these cultures have one thing in common: they get inspiration from their environment. It can be seen in their art – from paintings to sculptures. Flower tattoos may have been a big thing back then, especially for women. They use beautiful flowers to decorate their body and soon, their headdresses and clothes.
Now, flower tattoos are more than just for decoration. Many choose a floral design because of their deeper meanings.
Popular Flower Tattoos and their Meanings
Since flower tattoos have gone extremely popular, we can say that there are some types of flowers that are the common choices for tattoo enthusiasts. These are the floral inks you might have seen several times. But what do they mean?
Roses
As said, roses may have been one of the – if not the most – popular flower tattoo symbols. Why not? It’s amazingly beautiful has a several meanings than one. It could depend on how it was depicted, how many roses are in your tattoo and what color it is. Going into the deeper meaning of rose tattoos would actually be an entire article about itself. And so, we’ll just jump into the general meanings based on the colors.
Red roses are the most popular and this is a symbol of love and passion. Pink roses is known for happiness and grace; white is for purity, innocence, and also silence; yellow roses are for new beginnings, friendship and joy; purple roses are known to represent love at first sight; orange roses are for desire and for enthusiasm; and blue roses are to symbolize something that is impossible, unattainable, or a fantasy.
Daisy
The daisy was named after the expression “day’s eye.” This was because it opens when the sun comes up and closes when it is nighttime. Generally, daisies are symbols of modesty and simplicity in the tattoo industry. However, just like the rose, the daisy can also have various meanings depending on what color it was depicted on your tattoo design.
Here are the meanings of a daisy tattoo based on the color:
- Blue – When your daisy is color blue, it represents your emotional or sentimental side.
- White – Just like the rose, a white daisy represents innocence.
- Yellow – This symbolizes cheerfulness and intelligence
- Red – Red daisies reflect boldness and youthful energy.
Lotus
The lotus is a big symbol in the Eastern culture. It has a big role in many Asian countries like China, Japan, and India. And, just like the first two flowers on our list, the lotus has a far deeper meaning than its general one. Again, it would all depend on its color and how it is depicted. Nonetheless, the lotus is pretty much a symbol of resilience and purity.
Apart from that meaning, here are more color-specific meanings:
- Blue – This represent intellect and intelligence. More often than not, blue lotus flower tattoos are depicted as half closed – half opened. It is to symbolize humanity’s openness to learning new things.
- White – White lotus tattoo is for knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.
- Pink – A pink lotus is said to be Buddha’s lotus and therefore has big religious symbolism.
- Purple – The color symbolizes a mystical view or spirituality and religion as well as a homage to Buddhist deities.
- Red – A red lotus is known as the heart lotus which means it could represent the state of your heart.
Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms are beautiful but they can only be found in a few places on Earth unlike that of roses and daisies. They are especially popular and abundant in Japan. However, their lifespan and beauty fades rapidly but they are indeed one of the most amazing trees and flowers in the world.
As a tattoo design, the cherry blossoms symbolize empathy, and an appreciation for the ephemeral. Since they do not last longer than most flowers, they are also known to represent humanity’s mortality.
Chrysanthemum
These beautiful flower often blooms in Autumn, unlike many other plants and trees that grow around Spring or Summer. This flower is perhaps known for its vibrant colors and seemingly thousands of little petals. As one of the more popular flower tattoos, the chrysanthemum got its meaning from the season it blooms. It represent the transition of life to death – rightfully given since Autumn is pretty much where everything usually dies and the season before Winter – where everything is frozen or dead.
But it also have beautiful meanings such as royalty and perfection – thanks to its beauty.
Sunflower
Out of all the flower tattoos, the sunflower might be the most popular this year. It has become a symbol and has been used in the fashion business and even in the interior design section. It’s equally getting more recognition in the tattoo world as well.
The sunflower can be very versatile and can be used as a minimalist design to a complex one. You can use one single stalk of sunflower or have a bouquet. Nonetheless, people choose this design because it radiates positivity. In today’s society, it is one thing that we need most.
As a tattoo, the sunflower simply means happiness, bubbly, joviality, joy, and warmth.
Tulip
Tulips are usually seen as sensual and graceful. They are a thing of beauty and many people might actually vote for it as the most beautiful flower in the world. It comes in various colors from white to extraordinary mix of shades.
As a flower tattoo, the tulip is often deemed as a representation of beauty itself. However, many believe that it also represents delicateness, opportunity, advancement, prosperity and even guilty pleasures.
Poppy
Poppies might be the color of passion and sometimes even happiness – red. But this is one of the flower tattoos that does not really have a happy meaning but still very beautiful. Poppies as tattoos represent eternal sleep and in most cases, used to remember those who died in war. Usually, poppy tattoos include other elements such as the name of your loved one and even a cross.
More Flower Tattoos with Meanings
While above may be the most popular choices for a great number of tattoo enthusiasts, there are still so many flowers around the world. Of course, not all have been turned into a model for body art. Still, there are lots that you may have seen once or twice.
Here are more flower tattoos that are getting popular these days and the meanings behind each one:
- Peony – The flower is known as the King of Flowers in Japan. As a tattoo, it symbolizes wealth and elegance.
- Amaryllis – This red, bulbous flower is usually found in the warmer places in South Africa. It is a symbol of encouragement or success after a struggle.
- Daffodil – Daffodils are yellow flowers that represent honesty, forgiveness, faith, and truth.
- Hibiscus – Hibiscus has two different meanings on two countries. In Japan, this flower is a symbol of gentleness but in Hawaii, it represents respect, royalty, and power.
- Lily – The lily is perhaps the most classic symbol of femininity and purity.
- Dahlia – Among the flower tattoos, this is one of those that represents something negative as it could symbolize a looming betrayal. Nonetheless, it can also be a symbol of change.
- Orchid – In Japan, the orchid is a known as a common symbol for bravery. Meanwhile in China, it’s a symbol of prosperity and fertility.
- Magnolia – This is a popular flower tattoo design that signifies love of nature, life, and beauty.
Flower Tattoo Styles to Try
There is the traditional way of doing tattoos. It’s the 2D style with the dark outline and bold colors. But there are more innovative ways to make your tattoo look more amazing and unique. These are the styles you might want to try for your flower tattoos.
3D style
This style of tattooing is perhaps the most sought after these days. There are more and more tattoo artists who have mastered the art of making tattoos look real or at least, photo-realistic. In order to do that, they have to mix several techniques in tattooing. There is the shadowing, highlighting, blurring, and an exceptional skill at drawing.
Many tattoo enthusiast love a 3D flower since it’s quite easier to achieve than most elements. And when done right, it can look absolutely stunning. The petals look alive and blooming. There appears to be depth as if the flower was simply placed on your body.
The 3D style would look amazing on flowers such as roses, chrysanthemums, lilies, and peonies.
Minimalist style
Minimalist style is a growing trend in the tattoo world. This is a great style for women and for those who don’t want bold tattoos. The style involves crisp lines, more negative space, and sparse color palettes. The end result is a simple yet stunning design.
There are several ways to create a minimalist style for flower tattoos. You can recreate the drawings you did back then at school. But of course, you’d want it to look closer to the actual look of the flower. Apart from that, you can also create a smaller design with lighter and sparse color palette.
Watercolor style
3D styles often opt for harder and more solid colors. Meanwhile, the minimalist style usually includes lighter shades and even no color at all. But flowers are meant to be colorful, beautiful things. If this is what you want, you should definitely try the watercolor style.
Just like the minimalist style, it is a growing trend in the tattoo industry. This style includes a coloring style that resembles that of a watercolor paint. The shades are lighter than usual and often has that ombre effect, as if brushing a watercolor brush and the initial impact is darker until it becomes lighter. Most of the time, this style also includes “drops” of color.
Japanese style
This is more similar to the traditional style of tattooing than the others on the list. However, one big difference is the bolder outlines and the more vibrant colors. If you take a look at traditional Japanese tattoos or even paintings, you’ll get the gist. This would look extremely good for cherry blossoms or peonies or if you add a few elements to your floral design.
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