A image of a Wing or Wings as a tattoo design, of course, means flight. But if we give wing to our imagination for a moment, if only as a romantic sign, we can say that they mean the escape from the bonds of earthly existence to the limitless freedom of the spirit. Wings stand for peace, love, and the link between earth and sky — between the human and the divine — and as symbols of high quality and freedom. Wings known with creatures such as dragons, griffins, winged horses, and with the more delicate world of fairies, butterflies and bees have an element of the magical about them.

As tattoos, the wing design is often infused with uplifting or spiritual meaning — the angel motif for instance, a symbol of guidance and protection. For those who dream of soaring the skies like a bird, the wing symbol takes on the feathery aspect of a bird. As a tattoo design it can reflect the power of the eagle or the lightness of the butterfly. It is also worn as a badge of completed by those who have “earned their wings” through trials or training. Such stories form the basis of many myths around the world.

Wings combined with a “love” symbol is one of the most popular tattoo motifs. Heroic and spiritual, this combo has mystical and religious associations that go back thousands of years. For the Sufi mystic, the winged heart symbolizes the heart’s yearning for heaven. Wings transform the gravitational pull of the earth into a spiritual “pull” to a higher way of being. For the artist, it has been a favourite metaphor, not only for freedom, but also for shelter and redemption.

In heraldry, wings represent valour and bravery of the highest order — nothing less than a death defying act. An angel with three pairs of wings represents dignity, glory and honour.

In the ancient world, wings represented power and speed. Many statues and images from ancient civilizations depicted an animal, such as a lion or horse, sporting wings. The gods were sometimes “winged” as well, symbolizing their power to fly through the air. The Greek God Hermes had wings at his ankles, as did the Roman God, Mercury. Over the centuries, many of the ancient wing symbols were incorporated into modern cultures and religions.

Getting a tattoo is a big decision. Once you have committed to it, you must carefully choose the best design to get, because it will be with you forever. For many people, wing tattoo designs are the most appropriate choice.

Getting Your Wings

If you have decided that you want a pair of wings, you have a few different options. Tattoo galleries are full of wing designs, due to their rising popularity. You can start there, if you’d like, or you can make your own design. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Angel wing tattoos: Many people have chosen to have a pair of angel’s wings tattooed on their shoulders or upper back. While the reasons for this vary, most people choose to do this to symbolize religious beliefs or personal struggles.

Devil wings tattoos: These, of course, are similar to angel wings in size, location, and reasoning. Again, this can be a religious affiliation, or simply an expression of the wearer’s bad side. This is often preferred by people who like to have fun and enjoy life, and worry about the consequences later.

Fairy wing tattoos: Fairy wings are usually an expression of the wearer’s interest in fantasy. Again, they are usually inked on the shoulders or upper back. These tattoos are usually favored by women, rather than men, because of the feminine connotations that fairies possess.

Butterfly Wings Tattoos: Again, these are often preferred by women. This design is usually an expression of a person’s enjoyment or closeness to nature, since the butterfly is usually regarded as one of nature’s most beautiful creatures.

Usually, these tattoo designs are fairly large and intricate, to give the impression that the wings are real. Also, they are often multi-colored, especially in the case of the butterfly or fairy wings. Combine all of these aspects, and you will find that wing tattoos can become very costly. You will probably find out, as well, that you will need to schedule several sittings to complete the tattoo. This is very common for any large or extremely intricate tattoo.

Many people decide that they do not want to invest that much time, money, or skin to a tattoo. If this is the case, you may want to consider another design. However, if you still want your wings, there are other options. Instead of angel’s wings, get an angel with wings tattoo. Instead of butterfly wings, get a small butterfly.

The suggestions in this article are just that. There are dozens of options available to you if you want your wings. You can get tribal wing tattoos, dragon wings tattoos, or anything else that you want. The choice is yours. Regardless of the style that you choose, just make sure that you can afford the money and time that you will have to invest. Most importantly, make sure that you can live with it for the rest of your life.

Having a tattoo on your skin is a huge decision to make. A tattoo cannot be erased easily from the skin and possibly will be there all your life. Several individuals who made the decision to get inked opted to have the wings design for their tattoos.

For options of wings tattoos, the available designs are quite a few. Here are some of the suggestions which will assist you in finalizing which type of wings design is perfect for you:

* Angel Wings

Most people would have wings tattoos on their backs and shoulders that will appear like they really have angel wings. A lot of people who opted for this design get it for symbolism or spiritual meaning.

* Demon Wings

Same with the angel wings, people choose this style for symbolism and spiritual orientation.

* Fairy Wings

Individuals who are supporters of fantasy art would love to have this design. Ladies usually prefer this but men can also go for this type of ink, it just depends on how you will be presenting the wings on your tattoo design.

* Butterfly Wings

This kind of tattoo is enthused by one of Mother Nature’s good-looking creations which are the butterflies. Similar to fairy wings, the women are often seen with this design.

These wing designs are oftentimes drawn huge. Typically, they are in extremely complex design. If you will prefer the fairy or butterfly wings, you may want to have it in multicolor ink. But if you do not have that budget to spend for a glamorous tattoo, then you can always choose to have a design in a smaller version.

Tattoos can have a very special meaning in a person’s life. Whether they are wing designs or any design that you may like, think clearly before finalizing your choice of getting it.