Finding a Turtle Tattoo that is Right for You

In Asia, the turtle was thought to have magic that could help you unite heaven and earth within your own life. To some ancient Native Americans, it was thought to contain the secrets of the power of female energies. Some believe that turtles can awaken the senses. No matter what you believe, if you are considering getting a turtle tattoo you might be surprised to know that there are lots of different choices. Choosing the right turtle tattoo for you isn’t really that hard, though. Here are some things to think about.

Style

The style of your turtle tattoo is very important to the overall look.

Tribal

This style is usually in black, with bold, stylized lines. A book of Celtic art would be a good place to find a tribal design of a turtle.

Cartoon

This style is for those who have a wacky sense of humor. You can find ideas for cartoon-like tattoos by watching kid’s shows, thumbing through the newspaper’s funny pages, or looking through coloring books.

Whimsical

If you loved Lisa Frank as a kid, then this is probably the type of turtle tattoo you are looking for. In fact, you may want to Google “Lisa Frank” to get ideas. This type of turtle tattoo screams for a rainbow colored shell, ribbons of water cascading down around it, and maybe even a heart or two.

The Meaning of Your Turtle

Your choice of turtle should reflect the style you chose as well as a meaning you would like to convey.

For example, you could pick a turtle that represents the huge sea turtle from the Japanese folktale Uraschimataro and the Turtle, or a little box turtle to represent the turtle in The Tortoise and the Hare.

Sea turtles were thought by Mayans to be associated with music and thunder. This may be your way to show a love for music.
You could pick the snapping turtle tattoo to convey a sassy attitude. Or, if you are patient and clam, look up “turtle totem” and get your inspiration from the turtles used for calming.

The colors you choose should also echo the meaning of your turtle. Blues and purples stand for royalty, but can also be very calming, as well as light green and pink. Red and black are very bold and are used together when trying to evoke power and strength. Yellow is usually used to mean friendship and joy. Red alone sometimes stands for love. White is the color used for purity.
No matter what turtle tattoo you choose, make it your own and wear it proudly.