Meaningful tattoos will always outshine those inked for no purpose. Sounds like a perfect plan, go for it! Just make sure you come back and post your picture, if you don't mind. Simple, but meaningful and I like that. You want a tattoo that you love, respect, and holds meaning. The exciting elements about tattoos, interesting is creative. There are many reasons to love these tattoos are we are going to start looking at the meanings behind some of the most popular ones. Nautical Tattoos There is a lot of history behind the nautical tattoo and that’s because as far back as the 16th-century sailors wore tattoos that they got while they were in the Pacific islands. Whether you choose a quote tattoo that you love from the list below and plan to go within a month, or you happen to remember one of the following quotes when its a Friday night tattoo roulette. Let's break down the meaning of John Wick's tattoos and the tattoos of the John Wick Universe. 10 HE MAY BE A MARINE CORPS VET Though John Wick's backstory hasn't been touched on yet in the films, his impressive hand-to-hand combat skill, firearm proficiency, body language, and tattoos indicate that he has a background in the military.

Sailor tattoos are some of the most popular designs out there because they hold a lot of meaning behind them. It could be because the wearer has been in the military or maybe is just an avid sailor. You could just love life by the sea. There are many reasons to love these tattoos are we are going to start looking at the meanings behind some of the most popular ones.

Nautical Tattoos

There is a lot of history behind the nautical tattoo and that’s because as far back as the 16th-century sailors wore tattoos that they got while they were in the Pacific islands. It was even discovered in Captain John Cook’s diary that there were indigenous people wearing the very same tattoos. During that time, sailors actually tattooed each other and they had to use whatever tools that they had at the time. Shockingly enough, in order to create a tattoo, they often used urine and gunpowder for the ink.

Symbolism Behind Nautical Tattoos

There was a reason why people got nautical tattoos:

It was a symbol of patriotism

They believed tattoos were talismans used to ward off back luck

A reminder of a certain triumph or place that was visited

Mementos used to mark milestones in their voyage

The maritime men at that time were very superstitious and they had every reason for it. The conditions that they worked in were often unpredictable and dangerous. Their lives were at the mercy of luck and there was no other way around it. In order to stay safe, they would wear these images on their bodies to ward off bad luck and bring about good luck.

Ship Tattoos

We see these ship tattoos a lot and they can come in many shapes and sizes.

Sailors loved ship tattoos because they were a metaphor for them. It was where they went to work on a daily basis and it also stood for adventure. Sailor Jerry was a well know sailor and he loved ships. He actually owned master papers on every major ship vessel. He had clipper ship tattoos that were legendary and they represented not only his love of ships but the call that he had to go on an adventure. He always had that determination to be “Homeward Bound’ and that was what his tattoos represented.

The Lighthouse

The lighthouse was another natural tattoo for sailors to get. The lighthouse represented a safe haven, the very thing that would lead them home safely. It’s not surprising that some sailors would want the lighthouse represented. There have been many a sailor that has died at sea because they couldn’t find the lighthouse. It’s the one thing that they can depend on in times of distress.

The Anchor

Poker Tattoo Meaning

The anchor is another symbolic tattoo and it represents security in a sailor’s life. Not only that but it represents stability. You will often see anchor with women or even names like the word “mom” because it goes right to the core of what stabilizes them whether it’s a soulmate or family. The anchor has become more popular over the years and even people who just like to sail will have the anchor tattoo. It’s the tattoo the represents what is steady and stable in your life.

Places To Visit

A lot of sailors would have the places that they visited tattooed on their body and this is a great example of a geometric tattoo with the same type of symbolism.

Pinup Girls

Pinup girls were super popular during that generation and sailor would often depict them on their bodies. Sometimes sailors would go months without seeing a woman so the pinup girls would remind them of what they had back home waiting for them. It was almost a sense of having some female company with them on the trip.

“Show me a man with a tattoo and I’ll show you a man with an interesting past.” –Jack London

Represent The Sailor Within

This isn’t the type of tattoo that you would expect on a grown man but it’s right up there with representing the life of a sailor. We can’t help but love the skunk but it might be just “too cute” for everyone.

The reason why anyone gets a tattoo done is that they want to mark something in their life. They are now considered to be art forms and most of them have a meaning or some form of symbolism behind them. It’s a symbol of creativity and it allows you to show off your personality.

It can still be seen as a mark of a criminal and lowlife but we are growing beyond that stereotype. Nowadays just about anyone can get a tattoo and it’s not seen as such a shameful thing any longer.

The Old School Sailor

This is truly a work of art and it could practically be a portrait, how could we not love it? This is an old school sailor image and it probably represents the owner’s life as a sailor himself. It’s a great style that anyone would love. It gives off a feeling of nostalgia and speaks of a different time. Anyone with a tattoo like this one should be proud.

Skull Tattoos

Skulls are a popular style in the nautical world and outside of it. A tattoo is a big commitment regardless of what tattoo you choose. We are agreeing to have a tattoo on our body for the rest of our lives and even beyond. Skulls are a popular theme because of the obsession that we have with death and dying. These types of tattoos were popular in Sailor Jerry’s day because it was the marks of an adventure, mercenary or warrior. These skulls represented the lives that had to face death on a regular basis. These skulls were basically inoculating sailors from death itself.

Lover Tattoos

These tattoos obviously represent lovers or love that was left behind. It could be something that allows a sailor to remember that his wife or girlfriend is at home waiting for his safe return. It’s definitely a sweet reminder that love pulls us through our darkest days.

Nautical Tools

“A sailor without a tattoo is like a ship without grog: not seaworthy.” –Samuel O’Reilly, tattooist

The Seaman Lore

As we said before sailors were tattooing each other while at sea. It’s kind of scary to think about it because they could have been easily prone to infection depending on the tools that were used. There were many unique characteristics to the tattoos that seamen chose. They used tattoos to show off all the accomplishments that they had while at sea but not just that, they wanted to bring good fortune to their lives as well.

There are many meanings behind certain tattoos. For example, a sea turtle could signify a sailor that had sailed across the equator. A sailor that gets a rigged ship tattoo represents his adventure around the treacherous Cape Horn. Many other tattoos will represent travels that a sailor has made or things that would bring them protection while they were at sea.

Nautical Tools

These, of course, represent destinations at sea whether it’s ones that have been made or ones that a seaman is looking forward to making.

Pirate Love

For anyone that has watched Pirates Of The Caribbean, you have that desire to live on the sea like a pirate. it’s that fantasy ideal of living in true freedom and being a badass. This is a gorgeous tattoo with a ton of detail. The sleeve tattoo is great for a long ship design like this one because it extends the length of the arm. Who wouldn’t want a tattoo as gorgeous as this one? It’s absolutely beautiful. If you are looking for a sleeve, then you can’t go wrong with a style like this one.

3D Styles

Talk about a great tattoo that just jumps out at you. The tattoo is mostly black and white but there is a bit of color that makes the look punchy. We love these 3D looks and a ship is the perfect design to show it off.

The Tough Guy Look

Sailors have always had a reputation for being rough and tumble kind of guys. They were known to be rough around the edges. Having tattoos all over their bodies certainly helped with getting that reputation. Back in the day the only people to have tattoos were rough people on the wrong side of society. It was the same for many other cultures as well.

In the 19^th century, Japan tattoos were associated with criminal activity to the point where they were outlawed at one point. They were outlawed until the mid 20^th century. The outlaw came into effect due to the crime syndicate who would walk around with full body tattoos. They weren’t put on the body with modern tools either, they were created on the skin with large hand-held needles and hopefully a steady artist’s hand.

Tattooing has certainly come a long way and is no longer outlawed in countries. But there is still a taboo that seems to surround tattoos and some people still associate it with prison life, gang culture and low-class cultures.

It is fading thankfully and these days tattoos are considered to be an art form and a way of expressing our personal lifestyles. These days it’s perfectly normal to see celebrities rocking tattoos as if it’s mainstream. Tattoos have become so popular that there are probably more celebrities that have them then there are ones that don’t. It’s not a mark of rebellion anymore but more of a personal expression of ourselves.

Tattoos may be more acceptable now than they ever have been before but that doesn’t mean that they should be taken lightly. Tattoos are supposed to be forever and if you get one on a whim, you will likely regret it.

A Ship To Remember

Poker Cards Tattoo Meaning

This is likely the ship that this sailor spent most of his time on. You can see by the design that it’s very patriotic so it was likely from his time in the military.

Mermaid Designs

Of course, anyone who has been at sea believes that they will one day see a mermaid. they have always been part of the seaman’s lore.

Swallows

Swallows hold a special place in a sailor’s life because it marks the point when a sailor has sailed 5000 miles. That’s a lot of time put in at sea. These beautiful creators are popular in the sailing world because they also symbolize the idea of returning home. This idea of returning home comes from two places. The first places come from the migration pattern of a swallow when they return home to San Juan Capistrano. The second place that it comes from is the belief that if a sailor dies while he is at sea, swallows will carry his home to heaven. Sounds sort of magical, doesn’t it?

Message In A Bottle

The message in the bottle idea comes from the idea that a sailor can through a bottle into the ocean and that a message could be carried back to his family if he doesn’t return home.

Sea Creatures

Sea creatures are always popular because they are powerful depictions of animals in the sea. This is a beautifully colored tattoo that anyone would love.

Sailor Moon Tattoo

For anyone who grew up watching the TV show, Sailor Moon, you know exactly what she represents. This was a favorite character from many of our youths and if she was a favorite of yours, then she might be a tattoo choice that you want to have.

Pinup Sailor Ladies

What’s better for a man than to represent his life as a sailor and to represent women, which is something that he misses when he is away from home. Being a sailor is not an easy life and these tattoos represent thousands of stories from over the years from sailors who worked hard.

If you are thinking of getting a tattoo of some playing cards, you have a lot of options. It might be difficult to decide on which card or cards you want to have tattooed on your body because there are so many different meanings for the cards. The three of clubs will represent something completely different than the ace of spades. Whether it is pop culture or ancient symbolism, these cards are representative of certain ideas that you might hold so you will want to do some research before getting your tattoo.

In this case we are talking about the king of hearts. Looking at this card, you might think you have a pretty good idea of what this symbolizes. Hearts are always a symbol of love but there are also meanings that aren’t so easy to see and in addition to that, people get tattoos for different reasons, so you might have to ask the person with the tattoo what it means to them.

In this post we will talk about the reasons someone gets the king of hearts tattoo and what it might mean to them versus what it has symbolized over time. We will also review some of the ways people have gotten the king of hearts tattoo and some of the different variations of this tattoo. By the end of this post we hope you have a better idea of the king of hearts symbolism than you had when you first opened this page.

About the King of Hearts

The king of hearts is a powerful symbol. Not only is it naturally a strong card when playing poker or other card games, but it also has symbolism that is deeper than that. Someone getting the king of hearts tattoo might have something in mind and there is a history of meaning behind this card.

Some people call the king of hearts the suicide king. The four kings in a deck of cards are symbolic of rulers that have existed throughout time. The king of clubs is said to represent Alexander the Great, king of spades represents David of Israel, the king of diamonds is likened to Julius Caesar while the king of hearts has generally represented Charles VII of France who was said to not be completely stable. Charles is said to be the only one of these rulers above that was able to see the cards come to fruition and see his representation.

The idea of having the king of hearts represent Charles happened at the beginning of his rule but he wasn’t able to see the results until later in his life after he gotten very sick with a fever. Charles began to learn to play cards while he was bedridden and played a version of black jack.

Because the fever that Charles experienced had him bedridden for the rest of his life, he had plenty of time to play with these cards. As time passed, Charles got weaker and was convinced that one of the reasons this was happening is because he was likened to a card that was thirteenth card in a suit and thirteen was bad luck. He claimed he was close to figuring out the secrets of the number and that he was seeing it everywhere he looked. The things he talked about were blamed on the fever and he was said to be insane when Louis XII (his son) sat on the throne in the place of Charles.

Many months after the end of Charles’ rule, a doctor went in to check on him only to find the ex-king standing in the middle of floor with a large sword. What he said next could be translated to something to the effect of him figuring out the secret of the number thirteen and that it wasn’t meant for any mortal to see or understand. At that point, Charles picked the sword and ran it through the left side of his head and pushed it all the way through his head.

Charles was deemed as the mad king and the image of the king running a sword through his head was adjusted to show on all king of hearts cards going forward. Even though it isn’t as graphic as it used to be, if you look at the king of hearts, you will see this image.

King of Hearts Tattoo Meaning

Some people say the king of hearts tattoo is representative of the mad king Charles and might be a symbol of insanity. However, most people that get this tattoo choose to look at it a different way. Because hearts are associated with love, the king of hearts is usually used to express the same sentiment. There are many ways to show this image to represent what you want in a tattoo and below are a few examples of king of hearts tattoo and what they mean for those that have it.

King of Heats Card Tattoo

Some people simply get the king of hearts tattoo to express their affinity for love or potentially a love for playing cards. Many consider themselves to be lovers and not fighters. They say they are the king of their own domain and to have the king of hearts tattooed symbolizes the love used in ruling this domain.

King of Hearts and Queen Tattoo

Poker Face Tattoo Meaning

Many couples will get the king and queen of hearts tattoo so represent their devotion to each other. In many cases you will see the man with the king of hearts tattoo while the woman has the queen of hearts. It is a great way to show your devotion to your lover. Nothing says commitment than matching tattoos.

King of Hearts and Rose

Poker Chip Tattoo Meaning

We have also seen the king of hearts with a rose in the tattoo. The rose is also a symbol of love and along with the color red, the king of hearts tattoo can be empowered by the image of the rose added to the tattoo.

Whatever way you decide to get your king of hearts tattoo will be up to you. The meaning is unique to you and you should get it for any reason you deem right. Just make sure to find someone you feel comfortable with to tattoo this image on your body and if you can’t find the one you are looking for, reach out to us at Tattoo SEO.