Looking For a Botanical Tattoo Artist?
There’s definitely no shortage of floral tattoo artists here in Portland! After all, we’re not called the City of Roses for nothing! So – who are the best botanical tattoo artists? Depends on who you ask. We’ve lost count of how many nature-inspired tattoos we’ve done here at Anatomy Tattoo, but we see our floral body art all over town, and there’s a good chance you have too.
Whether you’re getting your first tattoo or you’re looking to add another piece to your growing garden of floral body art (see what we did there?!), our artists have the skilled hands and keen eyes necessary to bring the most beautiful and delicate flora and fauna to life.
Floral Tattoos and their Meanings
There are almost as many meanings as there are flowers in the world, and the traditional meaning behind many of the most popular floral tattoos can vary from culture to culture. A rose, for instance, can mean something entirely different in Japanese tattoo culture compared to its meaning in South America.
We’ve also had a lot of clients come to us for floral tattoos that are more sentimental instead of having any “traditional” meaning — a bouquet of mom’s favorite flowers, for example, or fresh herbs for a chef. Nature-inspired tattoos don’t even necessarily have to “mean” anything to you at all. We’ve done plenty of botanical pieces for clients who just want something beautiful on their bodies.
We research every tattoo we create, here are some of the meanings we have found over the years in our experience tattooing.
A lot of people think all tattoos have to mean something, we would like to use floral tattoos and other ornamental designs to suggest that people can accentuate their bodies with decorative tattoos. There doesn’t always have to be a story behind the image, sometimes we just want to make ourselves more beautiful.
Lotus Flower Tattoos
The lotus is one of the most important flowers in Eastern culture. In Buddhist symbolism, the lotus represents the purity of the body and mind. Lotus flowers also reflect a deeper spiritual meaning: despite being rooted in mud, the lotus flower rises through the muck and blossoms on long stalks. The color of the flower can also change its general meaning, including devotion, ascension, enlightenment, and rebirth. A good floral tattoo artist will help you pick out the right color if you’re thinking about a lotus flower to commemorate or remind yourself of a certain goal or journey in your life.
Cherry Blossom Tattoos
Another popular Eastern-inspired floral tattoo design, the cherry blossom signifies beauty and life in bloom for many cultures. Blooming cherry blossoms are a breathtaking sight, but they don’t last very long and soon fall to the ground before being scattered about by the wind and rain. It’s because of their short-lived bloom that cherry blossoms are so appreciated for their beauty, and also why many cultures see them as fleeting reminders to appreciate the beauty of life for the short amount of time we have.
Rose Tattoos
Roses reign supreme when it comes to floral tattoos, in large part because of the wealth of meanings given to these complex and beautiful flowers. Roses are most commonly associated with love and passion, but they are also considered as symbols of beauty and balance. Even the thorns are important. A rose tattoo with thorns may be a reminder that love doesn’t come without certain pains, or as a warning to others that they can look but not touch. More so than with other floral tattoos, the color of the rose can vary its meaning. Artists who specialize in rose tattoos can help you pick the right shade depending on why you’re getting a rose and what message you want to convey.
Peony Tattoos
Peonies, also known as the King of Flowers, are major cultural icons around the world, and in tattoo culture they have become one of the most popular and sought-after floral designs. The peony typically symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, but may also stand as a symbol of fragility and transition. In Japanese tattoo culture, peonies are often paired with strong elements like dragons and lions to represent the balance of power and beauty.
Orchid Tattoos
Another popular floral tattoo design, the orchid stands for many of our best traits, including courage, creativity, passion, and harmony. Orchids are also strong symbols of pleasure and sexuality. The flower’s reproductive organ is fully displayed and is a large part of the beauty we see. Also interesting is the fact that orchids are notoriously difficult to grow in captivity, whereas they flourish in the wild where other plants cannot. This has led many to associate orchids with free-spirited personalities.
BEST PLACEMENT FOR FLORAL TATTOOS
Nature-inspired botanical tattoos are a great way to add beautiful art to your body. Floral shapes are harmonious and flowing, and very easily adaptable to almost every curve of your body. Climbing plants and blooming flowers work perfectly on legs, arms, shoulders, the back, the torso — anywhere you can think of, or anywhere you have the room, a good tattoo artist can make it awesome.
Visit Anatomy Tattoo and let one of our experienced and professional artists give you a botanical tattoo you’ll love. You can look at our artists’ portfolios online or browse their collections in our shop. No matter the color, placement, or meaning, Anatomy Tattoo is one of the best places for a botanical tattoo in Portland.