| One of the hottest and fastest growing trends in | | | | throughout the Celtic artwork and especially in |
| tattoo designs are Celtic tattoos. They have | | | | illuminated texts. The lines being interwoven |
| been around for a long time however more | | | | forma spiritual path that can be followed much |
| recently they have grown in popularity. Their | | | | like a maze. |
| bold lines and deeply symbolic themes make for n | | | | Step Patterns |
| idea tattoo combination. They can be done as | | | | Step patterns are really just spiral patterns and |
| rather large designs or scaled down to fit in a | | | | thought to represent the same things |
| smaller area. The bold and strong lines often | | | | symbolically. A step pattern is a series of |
| work very well from a distance. Typically one | | | | straight lines that are bumped up next to each |
| will find Celtic crosses and other patterns that | | | | other and turn around on each other at right |
| feature traditional knotwork. However, there are | | | | angles. These also form a maze of sorts which |
| other styles out there. If you are considering a | | | | you start from the outside and then follow to the |
| Celtic tattoo you should know all of the different | | | | center. At the center is where the Haven and |
| design options that you have. | | | | Earth and joined together. Again is represents a |
| Tree Of Life | | | | spiritual journey. |
| The tree of life is a thoroughly Celtic symbol that | | | | Spiral Patterns |
| can been seen throughout the illuminated works | | | | The Celtic people and artists loved spiral |
| of art and in just about every type Celtic | | | | patterns. They were never ending series of lines |
| design. Many of the ancients held trees as at | | | | that would wrap back into themselves creating a |
| the center of their worship. They often | | | | never ending pattern. Again it was seen as part |
| envisioned trees as images of a mother that give | | | | of a spiritual journey. They of course would |
| life and sustenance. For the Celtic people the | | | | represent this journey in the lines but also the |
| tree was thought of as the center of the world | | | | artists who would create these intricate and |
| or cosmos. It had its roots going deep into the | | | | beautiful patterns were going through this spiritual |
| earth and the lower realms while the branches | | | | journey by making the spiral patters. These are |
| would reach up into the heavens and the spiritual | | | | typically done in a series of three of a multiple of |
| world above. Thus the tree of life has become | | | | three. The Celtics believed that all important |
| a strong symbol for balance and harmony. It is | | | | things in life came in threes: such as birth, death |
| a symbol for life, solidarity and balance. | | | | and rebirth or the body, should and the mind. |
| Knotwork | | | | The Celtic believed that this represented a never |
| Of course this is the most common form of | | | | ending cycle that kept returning back into itself. |
| Celtic artwork that is typically used today in | | | | They will be able to do a much better job of the |
| tattoo designs. It of course was used | | | | design than anyone else. |