Lion tattoos

What associations do you have with the image of a lion? Surely it is royalty, strength, aggression and beauty. In this article, we will try to most fully disclose the image of a lion, which has become so popular in the art of tattooing.

The meaning of the lion tattoo

The key meaning of the lion image is superiority and justice. Zoologists confirm that lions in the wild have the most pronounced leadership qualities. And looking into the past, in the way these predators of the feline family were treated by their ancestors, we can note – they were endowed with divinity. The lions are clearly seen in the images of griffins, the Egyptian sphinx, and so on.

The symbolism of the lion “lives” in many cultures, for example:

• In Egypt there were gods with the characteristics of lions – for example, the goddesses Sekhmet and Tefnut, who were depicted with the head of a lion. The former was considered the negative opposite of the goddess Bastet, representing unpredictability and chaos, as well as belligerence – this image is often applied by women who are independent, flashy and aggressive. The second goddess was endowed with the ability to control heavenly water, which is quite positive;
• Lions were depicted next to the goddess Ishtar – this allowed this image to be used as a symbol of fertility and righteous anger;
• There is a lion in Buddhist culture – it is a symbol of enlightenment of the spirit;
• Christianity used the image of the lion as a symbol of various saints and their importance to religion;
• The peoples of Africa have lions as a totem animal from which they wanted to take their strength, power, victoriousness and intimidating appearance.

The tradition of putting on the body of totem animals still exists today. People born under this sign of the zodiac also use tattoos depicting lions as talismans. But it is worth citing the most typical interpretations of the symbol of a lion as a tattoo – it is pride (pride in the negative sense), royalty, will to power, justice, willingness to defend themselves.

Sometimes you can find an explanation of the image of a lion as a body image – it is the victory over the burdens of the flesh by the will of the mind. However, such an interpretation is a bit illogical, based on the fact that one lion gathers around himself a whole harem of lionesses and enjoys it. Therefore, many men, wishing to celebrate their sexual irrepressibility, choose this very symbol for a tattoo.

No one restricts you in finding your own meaning that you want to put in a tattoo depicting a lion. Such tattoos are chosen not only by men, but also by women. It is worth noting a few of the most popular variations of lion images for tattoos:

• A lion and/or lioness with a crown – power, dignity and superiority. Such tattoos are very often chosen by couples in love to witness their strong feelings;
• A bared lion (there is also a female interpretation) – a willingness to protect themselves and defend their opinions;
• Combining a person’s appearance with the face of a lion is a way of expressing one’s sexuality or acceptance of one’s darker hypostasis;
• A lion (lioness) with a lion cub is the importance of family to a person.

Lion tattoo styles

Examining the sketches, you will be convinced – they are diverse. All because of the fact that lions are realistic to embody in any style that is used in the art of tattooing. However, there are several of the most popular styles:

• Realism;
• Linework;
• Minimalism;
• Graphic;
• New-school;
• Traditional;
• Ethnic;
• Watercolor.

Application Locations

For everything to be beautiful, first assess the size of the chosen sketch. If the sketch is narrative or large, then the drawing should be applied on the back, thigh or arm (sleeve).

No less popular are small tattoos with lions. Such tattoos can be placed on any part of the body – ankle, collarbone, shoulder, calf and so on.

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