Here is another installment of our Question and Answer Posts on tattoos.  The question today is from a young girl.  She wants to get a tattoo with her sister that represents or says “Friendship”.

Here is what she wrote:
“me and my sister want to get matching tattoos that say friendship we were thinking of getting it in chinese characters on our wrist

do you have any other ideas or other characters that mean friendship…thanks “

My first response is to take your time and dont rush into getting the tattoo.  If you are not sure what you want yet then you probably are not ready for the tattoo.  So here are some ideas that might work for a beautiful freindship tattoo.

Well, honestly it is important to pick something that is meaningful tot he both of you.  Since no one on this site knows that much about you both it is kind of hard to answer the question.  Tattoos are very personal and should say something about the person wearing them.

With all of that said I would suggest you take your time in getting the tattoo.  Some of the best tattoos that people love forever are the ones that took time to dream up, design and get tattooed.  The ones people end up hating are the ones they got with their buddies or friends on a drunken night out on a whim.  So don’t decide on a whim or because some message at Yahoo answers.  Instead take time to identify what is special about your friendship.  Is is the trust between you two?  Do you have some similar interests that could form a tattoo design?  Again take your time and contemplate for a while.  I can almost guarantee that when you put it on back burner in like a week or two the idea will hit you with a ton of bricks.

Here are some common tattoos that can represent friendship.

Claddagh Tattoo Design – A Celtic ring with a heart in the middle and two hands holding it.  This is often thought of romantically to represent boyfriend and girlfriend and even has become a wedding band.  However, the symbol also represent true friendship and it does not have to carry the sexual connotation with it.  It could very easily work for friendship.

Sun and Moon Tattoos -  This could also be a star and moon or any other pair of objects that are often associated together.

Yin Yang – The Chinese symbol.  I wont go into detail as you can Google it.  But it represent the two halves of nature and the world in one complete whole.

Ambigram Tattoo -  These are becoming very popular right now and look incredible.  They are two words (could be your names) that get combined together to make one word that can be read right side up or upside down.  So for example if your names were Lucy and Anne the two names would be combined.  Then when read one way it would say “Lucy” and when turned upside down it would read “Anne”.  The names have to be no more then two letters apart.  If your names don’t work you could also do an ambigram tattoo of two important concepts to your friendship.  Like Trust and Love or something.

Here is the question that I found posted over at Yahoo Answers and I thought it was pretty interesting.

“I’m 18. I’ve been thinking for a while about getting my first tattoo and I’m between a cherry blossom on my right shoulder blade(or right upper back, whatever you call it), or an anchor(more symbolic choice) on my left foot.
any thoughts?

Additional Details

1. i know i’m not gonna regret getting a tat because not only is it going to have meaning, it’s going to represent this stage in my life.

2. no, i’m not gonna have to worry about showing it at work.

3. i have a pretty high threshold for pain & i know the foot would be more painful but i don’t think that’s a reason not to do one there.

also i’m not getting this for a while. i’m waiting until summer, then i’m gonna get a henna tat of whatever i decide to see if i really like it.

Here is my response to the question.  There was a few other really good resposnes also.  Other then the occasional response of “you’ll regret it” a few people there took the time to really answer honestly.

So here is my response.

Let me just start by saying this is a question that you can really only answer by yourself as a tattoo is personal and as you already stated it represent this stage of your life.

However, with all of that said you seem to have already spent a great deal of time thinking about it and mulling over your choices which is good.  You also have a set location and a time frame in the future so you know it is not a rush decision.  You have done everything you can to come out with a tattoo that you are really going to love in the end.

I understand your wanting feedback in terms of the placement and design.

Both of the tattoos that you are considering have a rich tradition in the world of tattoos and also have fairly established meanings.  However, the reason that you get your tattoo and what it symbolizes about the stage in your life is really a personal choice also.

Some of the more traditionally meanings for the two tattoos are
Chery Blossoms – Are typically used in Japanese design motifs and tattooing.  Typically they symbolize great beauty, impermanence or the shifting of life.  The cherry blossom is often short lived and only displayed on the tree for a month in Japan.  It can also symbolize love between two people.

The Anchor tattoo of course is an old sailor tattoo.  It was typically a tattoo that a sailor would get after crossing the Atlantic their first time.  In the more ancient history or past the symbol was much like the fish and it was a symbol to show connection to the early Christian Church.  However, today it has become a symbol  for many in the Navy and sailors in general.  Also it is used pretty widely by tattoo artists for its traditional look at feel sort of a retro theme so to speak.

Those are some of the more common symbolism behind both tattoos.  Which one you pick should be up to you.

I personally could see the argument going either way.  The foot tattoo is apt to be more painful, yet you state you have a high pain tolerance.  The should tattoo might be less painful but it is also going to be more visible.  So there are positive and some down sides to either one.  I would probably go with the cherry blossom tattoo just because it is more unique and could be combined with a larger Japanese tattoo design at a later time if you chose.

Hottest Tattoo Designs For Girls

Are you thinking about getting a hot tattoo design for girls?  You see up until 10 years ago or less tattoo designs for girls were nonexistent for the most part.  Most girls that got tattoos had to get custom designed work done since most of the flash did not fit them.  Most of the girls that got tattoos back in the day so to speak had to fit into a male dominated field.  However, in recent years tattoos have become more mainstream and accepted.  Thus has lead to a phenomenal growth in the area of tattoo designs that girls and women find appealing.

Female Tattoo Shops
That’s right there are a ton of shops that are now run by and for females.  Just think of LA Ink the popular TV show with Kat Von D.  This has become part of the mainstream media and it is a predominately female run tattoo shop.  That does not mean that guys can’t go in there to get tattoos.  However, it does mean if you are a female and feel more comfortable in a more feminine environment you can always look for a female run tattoo shop or at least a female tattoo artist.  Thus way you don’t have to worry about the guys starring at you or ogling over you as you get your lower back, or thigh tattoo design.

Female Based Flash
There has also been an absolute explosion of more feminine types of flash design.  If you visit almost any tattoo shop these days you will find a wide variety of designs that are more appealing to females.  You can find anything from flower tattoos to hello kitty designs.  The list could go on and on from angel wings to hibiscus flowers.  This offers many more options for women and allows them to customize and tweak in an unlimited number of ways.

Don’t Get Stereotyped
Even though there has been an explosion of more feminine designs and a more friendly atmosphere for women getting tattoo designs it does not mean that you have to stick with a traditionally though of female tattoo design.  Some of the hottest tattoo designs for girls could be retro and old school designs.  IN fact if you want to get a big skull with a snake weaving through the eyes or a large dragon piece then by all means you should go for it.  The great thing about tattoos is the freedom that they can represent.  So do not go with societal norms to drive your tattoo design.  Instead look deep inside and pick designs and themes for your own tattoo that somehow speak to you.  Use the tattoo to represent something about yourself and not what you think society, your boyfriend or anyone else wants you to get.  Instead be free and express your inner self through your tattoo art.

Tattoo Designs For Girls
There honestly are more tattoo designs available that are appealing to women now more than at any other time in history.   So free yourself and go for it and most of all have a fun experience with your tattoo.

Here are some great ideas for finding just the right cute fairy tattoo design for you and your style. Read to find about about selecting an artist some design choices you can make and popular locations to get a cute fairy design done.

There is something just really sexy about foot tattoos on women. There are some of the most popular designs right now. They are are among some of the most frequently requested designs for women and it is easy to see why. It used to be that women would go for the lower back tattoo design however since many now feel that this has been over played and done too much there are many women who are choosing to go with something more unique and original and their journey for an original tattoo seems to be leading them frequently to foot tattoo designs.

If you are contemplating getting a foot tattoo design then you will want to know more about them. While these designs are super sexy and can make a great tattoo they also have some downsides you should be aware of.

The Good Things About Foot Tattoo Designs

If you have been contemplating getting a foot tattoo design then the chances are you should go for it. There are many advantages to getting one of these great tattoo designs. First of all the look super sexy and can be the perfect accent to a very sexy and intimate part of a women’s body. There are also a ton of great designs that work well on the foot. Many of the more feminine designs such as a butterfly, fairy, and flowers or vines all work very well on the foot. They are also a great place to get a tattoo because they are easy to cover up in a professional setting where tattoos are not acceptable. Then when you want to show off your tattoo it is very easy to wear a pair of sandals and display that tattoo. It really makes the perfect combination of hidden when needed and then being able to reveal your rebellious side when chosen.

Popular Design Choices

You should always choose a tattoo design because it is something you really want and not just pick one because the flash was on the wall or because you heard they are popular. However, with that caution it is very common for people to look at what other’s are getting for their tattoo design. It can be helpful to look at other peoples tattoo choices to help formulate what design you want. Some of the most popular foot tattoos are butterfly tattoos, fairy tattoos, angel tattoos, star tattoos and flowers of course. Many people also choose a feminine and delicate tribal design that is abstract but starts on the top of the foot and can extend up onto the ankle.

The Disadvantages Of Foot Tattoos

There are really only a few disadvantages with foot tattoos however they should be considered and thought about before choosing to get such a tattoo design. One of the disadvantages is they can be a pretty painful tattoo to get. It is hard to keep the foot still for a long period of time and some spots on the top of the foot can elicit a sort of knee jerk response where the pain is enough that you want to yank your foot away. So the jerk response coupled with the pain level of a foot tattoo can make it difficult to get. It can also take a longer time to heal such a tattoo. Often feet have to placed in shoes and while the tattoo heals it can be pretty sore and difficult to keep in a pair of shoes. Especially if you have to wear uncomfortable or tight shoes for work.

If you are considering getting a foot tattoo then you should go for it. However take your time and find a tattoo artist that can work with the ideas that you want to incorporate into your design.