Small heart tattoo. Heart tattoo

Long gone are the days when tattoos were the prerogative of brutal men and were perceived extremely negatively. Today it is not only a way to decorate the body and emphasize individual style, but also a real opportunity to change one’s destiny, directing it in a new direction. It’s not for nothing that all esotericists talk about the importance of the chosen symbol and its place on the body. One of the most popular not only among the fair half of humanity, but also among guys remains a tattoo in the shape of a heart. What is the meaning of this sign, and what are the most popular examples of its application?

Symbolism of the “heart” tattoo

Many centuries ago, people realized that the heart is the source of the entire spectrum of emotions experienced by a person. It can see and feel, it can hurt and be torn from anxiety, resentment and disappointment, in it gardens bloom and birds sing out of happiness and love, it makes important intuitive decisions. It is not surprising that all these emotions can be reflected in a tattoo, depending on the personality of the owner and the integrity of the composition of the design.

There are several most popular options for depicting this symbol:

Framed with inscriptions, often indicating the name. Such a sign indicates great love for the specified person or the significance of some event in the life of the tattoo owner. For example, the presence of flags can signify devotion to a particular country or passion for travel.
With wings, which symbolizes first love with pure thoughts. The presence of a rose will also indicate tender feelings.
With an arrow stuck in it. This means that love brings painfully pleasant suffering to the owner. If the heart is pierced by a sword, spear, dagger or nail, this indicates emotional trauma or betrayal inflicted by a loved one. A broken heart, indicating disappointment in love, has almost the same meaning.
Surrounded by church symbols: crosses, angels, halos. This tattoo expresses respect and devotion to religion.
With a nearby keyhole and key. Such a sign reveals a person who is preoccupied with finding his soulmate. If a couple of lovers gets this tattoo, they want to emphasize their ideal compatibility and spiritual closeness. Heart halves pinned by two lovers have a similar meaning. They often get stuck on the hand. In this case, when the halves are combined, a whole composition is created. But if one person decides to get such a tattoo, most likely he feels “cut in two” by the betrayal of his loved one.
A heart with arrows and swords located around but not piercing it is a sign of strength and courage. This tattoo was very popular among medieval knights.

It should be noted that the closer the design is to the owner’s heart, the more importance he places on the meaning of the tattoo.

Color matters

In addition to the direct composition, the chosen color scheme is also of considerable importance. For symbols that carry a sad and tragic connotation, the choice of darker colors is typical: black, dark blue. But for romantic scenes, bright and cheerful colors are more suitable.

The golden tone means love for the Almighty, and the white color traditionally symbolizes a person who has dedicated his life to caring for sick people. It’s not for nothing that such tattoos are popular among volunteers.

Differences between women's compositions

The symbolism of this tattoo does not differ by gender. The difference, as a rule, lies in the choice of its size and location. The big advantage of such a tattoo is the ability to make both large-scale drawings and apply very small symbols. Thanks to this, the heart is one of the few tattoos that looks harmonious on any part of the body, for example, on the finger or neck.

Men often prefer voluminous compositions located on the back, chest and shoulders. A girl will most likely choose an elegant heart on her wrist, lower back or ankle.

The fashion for various permanent images is constantly changing, but one symbol has remained relevant for several centuries. The heart tattoo has gained such enormous popularity not only due to its sensual meaning, but also due to its versatility. Depending on the execution technique and the presence of various additional details, it is equally suitable for both brutal men and sophisticated women.

The meaning of a heart tattoo

As a rule, the described symbol is used to denote romantic feelings, sympathy and love. There are 3 versions of its origin and rooting in world culture:

The shape of the heart is very similar to an ivy leaf, which in Hellenistic mythology was considered an attribute of the god of wine Dionysus. One of the meanings of this sign was passion, including its obscene meaning; for example, the emblem of “houses of brothels” or brothels was often an ivy leaf.
Swans swimming towards each other form a heart with their necks the moment their beaks touch. These birds symbolize fidelity, pure and devoted love, and the choice of a partner for the rest of your life. These qualities are transferred to the described image. Therefore, newlyweds sometimes get a heart tattoo on their ring finger as a sign of eternal love.
The female reproductive organs and small pelvis are very similar in outline to the symbol in question. In this regard, in Ancient Greece, the heart, in addition to a completely understandable erotic meaning, was associated with fertility and the birth of a new life.

In addition, each owner of such a permanent design puts personal meaning into it. For example, a heart and arm tattoo are often inked with the inscription “mom” or the name of a specific person. In such cases, it symbolizes sincere and strong affection, gratitude and respect.

Broken heart tattoo

The meaning of the drawing in question also depends on the technique of its depiction. A split, shattered or torn into two halves heart reflects mental suffering and anguish, grief and sadness. It is a symbol:

lost love;
treason or betrayal;
loss of a loved one.

In combination with a date, such a sign serves as a reminder of a sad event that led to a difficult internal state, it could be the death of a friend or loved one.

Heart tattoo with additional elements

Like other symbols, the heart is often printed together with other patterns. The presence of such complementary details concretizes or even completely changes the meaning of the tattoo.

Popular elements that are applied along with the heart:

Wings. A symbol of flight and overcoming any adversity and obstacles in the name of love, angelic purity and innocence.
Crown of thorns. For true believers, such an image is a reminder of the suffering and torment that Jesus Christ had to endure for the atonement of human sins.
Infinity. The presence of this symbol seems to enhance and multiply the classical meaning of the composition. An infinity tattoo in the heart means eternal love, without beginning or end, beyond the concepts of time and space, life and death.
Sword and arrows. If these attributes are tattooed next to a heart, they speak of the courage, bravery and bravery of the owner of the tattoo. Such combinations were popular back in the Middle Ages among knights and warriors, participants in crusades. When arrows or swords pierce the heart, the drawing is associated with the torment and suffering that unrequited love, betrayal or betrayal brought to a person.
Rose. A symbol of tender romantic affection, the emergence of deep, sincere feelings for a certain person.
Key and keyhole. Often this composition is stuffed to emphasize ideal compatibility with a partner. Sometimes a drawing means a desire to find a “soul mate.”
Anatomically correct heart. This image is popular among cardiology patients who have undergone major, life-saving surgery or organ transplantation. It symbolizes gratitude for salvation and at the same time does not allow one to forget about the care of doctors and the nobility of the donor’s relatives.

Container of the soul. This is how most people perceive the heart. The exception is the Japanese. For them, the seat of the spirit is the stomach. Hence the tradition of hara-kiri. This is not just a blow to the flesh, but the killing of the soul. Some peoples, for example, Mexicans, think that the essence of a person is hidden in the head.

However, the majority of the planet's inhabitants believe that the soul is where emotions are born, and this is the heart. It is possible to express feelings through his images. Many paintings, including wearable ones, are dedicated to the “human motor”. Heart Tattoo can be realistic or stylized. Let's consider the meaning of any options.

The meaning of the “Heart” tattoo

Heart tattoo, which resembles the suit of hearts, can be associated with passion and fun. Historians believe that the symbol comes from a simplified image of an ivy leaf. This plant grew in abundance in the lands of Ancient Greece and was considered an attribute of the God Dionysus.

He was responsible for winemaking, entertainment and sensual impulses. Amphoras have survived in which Dionysus is depicted wearing a wreath of ivy, which actually looks like a series of hearts.

Tattoo "Heart" - photo, which can also speak of lust, a certain ease of morals, debauchery or voluptuousness. The interpretation, again, is associated with Ancient Greece. In the 4th century, brothels began to be celebrated with the symbol of Dionysus. The ruins of a couple of buildings in the city of Efis have been preserved.

The tattoo also has a vicious connotation when associated with playing cards. They are a sign of excitement, risk, and sometimes the criminal world. So that there is no doubt, What does a “Heart” tattoo mean?, the craftsmen are asked to refine the symbol and connect it with other landmarks. So, if a heart is made up of the curved necks of two swans, associations arise only with the fidelity of these birds, purity of feelings, and devotion.

Tattoo "Heart with wings" is not without parallels with angels, Christian. The drawing indicates lightness in the chest, a readiness to flutter from the surging feelings. This is not necessarily love for a specific person, but also for humanity in general, or life. The picture is involuntarily associated with the sky.

By the way, according to Christianity, it is a person’s heart that is weighed in heaven after his death. Down is placed on the second pan of the scale. If the “human motor” does not outweigh, it means that the deeds of the deceased are righteous, and he is worthy of heaven.

Therefore, “Heart” with scales is a story about awareness of one’s actions. The sketch speaks of a willingness to take responsibility for them and feelings that push them to do certain things.

A realistic image of the heart is usually associated with scientific facts about the “human motor”. becomes a symbol of energy. According to scientists, the heart secretes so much of it that it is enough for a 32-kilometer run of 20 trucks.

This is the amount of energy released in just one day. Heart tattoo, sketches in the style of realism, they also become signs of life itself. The “engine” stops only with the death of a person. It begins to beat already on the 21st day after conception.

Heart tattoo for men

Representatives of the stronger sex tend to choose sketches with a religious or philosophical meaning. Emphasis is rarely placed on feelings. This is the prerogative of women. Men, for example, order Heart tattoo on hand with rays emanating from the image.

It turns out that the symbol is superimposed on the daylight. The latter is the center of the solar system. The heart is the center of man and life. It turns out that a tattoo means the foundation, the starting point.

An example of a man's tattoo from religious symbolism is a heart with a crown of thorns. The drawing was created in the 16th century. Then it became a sign of Christ and the Jesuit Order. Those who joined the order became envoys of the Pope to other lands.

The mission is to fight against the reformation, to promote the true faith. The Jesuits were mostly men. The ideas of the order are alive to this day. But a tattoo can also simply mean Christ, admiration for him and his deeds.

Men often order "Heart" tattoo with inscription. As a rule, these are quotes. So the French prose writer Julbern Sesbron said: “Bad hearts are the last to wear out.” The English poet Alfred Tennyson said: “A good heart is worth more than any title.”

Russian publicist Alexander Hertsin noted: “He who builds a house on only one heart, builds it on a fire-breathing mountain.” Each of these phrases can become a reason for philosophical reflection and tattoo.

Heart on chest Gentlemen often associate them with historical facts and military themes. Such drawings can indicate one’s native country or city. The emblem of the St. Petersburg regiments under Peter the Great, for example, was a flaming heart in a princely mantle and crown.

There are many family coats of arms with a famous symbol in Russian history. Clan is the property of a man and is carried on through the line of the stronger sex. It is not surprising that the descendants of the Zherebtsovs, Menshikovs, Zotovs, Legkobytovs, Kutaisovs are called wear a heart tattoo. It is present on the coats of arms of all these nobles.

Heart tattoo for women

Representatives of the fairer sex perceive tattoos as an opportunity to express their feelings and dreams. So, "Two Hearts" Tattoo- a sign of love, being in a relationship. Sometimes they order one drawing, but with two inside. As a rule, a realistic heart becomes the “frame” for a guy and a girl merging in a kiss. It has more space and makes it easier to arrange silhouettes.

It is also considered feminine Broken Heart Tattoo. Men usually prefer to remain silent about the suffering they have experienced. Ladies, on the contrary, are not inclined to hide their experiences. With the help of tattoos, the girls seem to be saying to others: “I’ve been through a lot, and it won’t be easy to heal the wounds on my heart.”

Representatives of the fairer sex are characterized by romanticism, belief in fairy tales, and miracles. Therefore, stories are taken from legends, books, films. The reason for fantasy becomes, for example, "Inkheart". Tattoo named after the literary trilogy and the film based on it.

The story tells about ordinary people getting into the pages of a book, and its heroes into real life. The tattoo dedicated to the fairy tale is an image of the volume from which the villain Capricorn came to people. Inkheart is just a cover picture and a title.

Regarding the scale of tattoos, girlish versions are usually miniature. Unlike men, ladies often choose Heart tattoo on finger. The miniature image is playful, easily covered with a ring, or hidden between fingers. This is so cute, in the spirit of the weaker sex.

Many ladies do not want to stick out their tattoos or cover large areas of their body with them. I want to preserve natural beauty, but express individuality. Even small ones can cope with this. Men view the body as a canvas; they want to paint the entire space.

Popular designs for “Heart” tattoos

If you don’t separate tattoo wearers by gender, several sketches are among the leaders. Leading by location Heart tattoo on wrist. It is symbolic, because the pulse can be heard there. Expected and in demand tattoo under heart.

Regarding image items, in favor "Rose and Heart" tattoo. This is a double symbol of love. Guys, as a rule, complement the picture with third and fourth elements - skulls, weapons, metal parts. They make the drawing look masculine. Associations with strong feelings become not pretty, but passionate and even dangerous.

It is worth noting that the popularity of sketches, as a rule, depends on the fashion trends of the design. One of the new products is . The master makes a colorful painting that resembles brush strokes.

Blackwork is also trending. According to his philosophy, the heart can only be black or gray. It is not surprising that girls vote for watercolors, and many men wear blackwork tattoos.

The heart is an ancient symbol, denoting the entire palette of deep emotional experiences and human qualities. A tattoo can have both a positive and negative context.

In the first case, the drawing means love, courage, friendship, devotion. This is a symbol of the unity of loving hearts, the source of human vitality. In the second case, a tattoo can be a sign of mental pain, suffering, disappointment, tragic love, betrayal by a loved one.

Popularity of heart tattoos at different times

Even in ancient tribes, tattoos were tattooed on special occasions. Each of them had a certain meaning and often corresponded to a certain status in society.

So the heart tattoo became very popular starting in the 50-60s of the 20th century. For example, in biker culture. The image of a heart with wings to this day symbolizes freedom, heroism in the name of love. This tattoo among sailors had a similar meaning. The military filled their hearts with the names of loved ones for whose sake they fought at the front.

Since the late 90s, the white heart has become widespread among volunteer organizations, symbolizing help to the sick.

The guys

A heart tattoo, like any other, has a special meaning for its owner. Therefore, it is often specified by adding elements in the form of an inscription to the image. Tattoo may contain:

names (of a loved one, the word mom in the form of the inscription MOM);
abbreviations (religious symbols of ХВ);
individual phrases (in Latin, tattoos in the form of hieroglyphs);
fragments of text (quotes, etc.).

The meaning of a tattoo depends not only on the image itself, but also on its location. The closer to the heart, the greater the significance of the tattoo.

The image of a heart pierced through by an arrow is usually tattooed on the back and means that the guy is tempted by the girl forever. If there is a thorn in the picture, it means that love brings both joy and pain.
A bleeding heart also speaks of mental suffering.
For girls

The image of a heart on a girl’s shoulder, chest, wrist or side is usually done in a more restrained style. The meaning does not differ much from men's tattoos.
A heart melting under a candle signifies passion. A lot of hearts on the wrist or on the back of the neck can indicate that a girl is falling in love. A tattoo in the form of a combination of hearts and birds speaks of the attitude towards love as free flight.
In places of detention
The heart tattoo, as a separate design, is not particularly popular among prisoners. It is applied as an additional element to other, more significant symbols. Previously, the heart was applied along with flowers, doves, plant patterns and other things. Now tattoos have a more restrained and laconic design.
A classic meaning is a tattoo that depicts a woman stabbing a knife, dagger or sword into her heart. This image speaks of a relationship in which the beloved broke the man’s heart.

The meaning of a heart tattoo with a needle is that drugs ruined love. The heart and anchor can usually be seen in people associated with the sea. Less often, such an image has the meaning of devoted love.
In other cases, a tattoo with a heart can mean that a person has been convicted of pedophilia and debauchery of minors. This symbol is also applied in the form of a heart suit. Then the location of the heart matters - up or down, which indicates an active or passive sexual position.
In places of detention, the location of the tattoo on the body is of particular importance.

This main organ was associated with the deepest and most painful human feeling - love. Thus, the heart symbol became an instant reminder that love is everywhere. Of course, tattoos have become one of the ways to use the heart symbol to express feelings and affections. Many people choose heart tattoos that symbolize different things for them: love for a person, for a parent or perhaps a pet, love for music, art, sports, and so on. The design, shape, color and size of the tattoo can vary. There are simple minimalist tattoos and there are complex 3D realistic heart tattoos that people choose depending on their preferences.

Meaning of heart tattoo

Black Heart. A symbol of sad loss, most often associated with death. A sign of grief for a relative who has passed away, a symbol of the end of a relationship or in memory of a tragic event.
Broken heart. The general meaning is deception in love. People decide to get this tattoo if a loved one has left or cheated on them, to show the world how painful love can be.
Celtic heart. Celtic tattoos are praised for their beauty and people usually choose them because they like the design. They symbolize strength, the union of souls. Celtic knots and spirals are also very popular among tattoo enthusiasts.
Heart and dagger. Two meanings: a stabbed heart or love suffering. People choose in whose lives love no longer has power and is not capable of causing pain. If a dagger pierces the heart and blood flows from it, it is a sign that love makes a person suffer. Most often the performance style is old school.
Heart and fire. Symbol of passionate love. It can be dedicated to another person or as a general characteristic of a person. If the whole heart is on fire, it is a symbol of all-consuming passionate love that brings pain.
Castle in the shape of a heart. A sign that the owner of the tattoo has a heart closed to love. If there is a key nearby, it is a sign that a person is waiting for his soulmate. It can be a paired tattoo: one of the lovers has a heart with a lock, and the other has a key to this lock.
Realistic tattoo of a heart as an organ. Such tattoos are not common. People who want to be unconventional choose this design. Because of the realism of the image, such a tattoo is chosen by people whose professional activities are related to saving lives - cardiologists or other medical specialists.
Religious heart tattoo. Christian tattoo, a symbol of love for Jesus Christ and faith in religion. A heart is depicted surrounded by thorns, with angel wings and a crown on top. In some cases, the crown on top is replaced with a cross with rays emanating from it.
Sewn up heart. A sign of pain and suffering experienced because of love.
Heart with wings. A symbol of freedom of the soul, a sign of liberation from sick addiction.
A bleeding heart. Symbol of lost love.
Twisted spiral in the shape of a heart. This style of heart tattoo became popular thanks to the famous musician Marilyn Manson. It symbolizes mad love and is called “heart spiral” among the musician’s fans and followers.
Heartagram (heart-a-gram). The symbol of the band HIM and its lead singer Ville Valo. Represents the sign of the heart combined with a pentagram. The meaning of such a tattoo is the unity of love and death.

Tattoo color meaning

Red – love, power, danger.
Pink – romance, kindness, tenderness, color of life.
Orange – energy, happiness, passion.
Yellow – jealousy, betrayal.
Green – hope, freshness, youth.
Blue – eternity, loyalty, honesty.
Blue – trust, calm.
Purple – frivolity, carelessness, nostalgia.
Lilac – bright future, harmony.
Black – mourning, misfortune, death.
Gray – strength of mind, friendliness.
White – purity, innocence

Choosing a place on the body for a heart tattoo

The meaning of the tattoo will not change depending on the place of application. It all depends on the sketch, size, style
fulfillment and personal desire. A heart tattoo combined with many other elements is better.
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