Feather tattoo: meaning and 150 photos to inspire you

Are you thinking about getting a new tattoo? Take a look at the photos of the best feather tattoos: you will be surprised by the many meanings and the many styles that can be adopted to represent this special symbol!

FEATHER TATTOO

The feather is a traditional tattoo , much loved and requested by both women and men. Choosing to make a feather tattoo is a very important choice because it is full of meaning.

In fact, feathers are among the designs that have major interpretations , so it is not so easy to understand the reasons behind the choice to make a feather tattoo. It is therefore important to discover all the multiple meanings of this symbol.

FEATHER TATTOO MEANING

Why do you get a feather tattoo? The meanings are many and vary according to the type of feather or the mythological, religious, anthropological or cultural reference to which you want to inspire. To understand the meaning of the feather tattoo, we need to look back from the ancient tribal traditions up to the legends to the most modern symbologies.

According to the American Indians,  feathers were a magical means through which to make dreams and desires fly , so that they could come true.

For the ancient tribes , feathers represented social status but also strength , as they often adorned weapons, such as spears. Furthermore, at this juncture, feathers were useful in case of battle to send messages: these were carved according to secret codes to be able to communicate with one's companions.

In ancient Egypt, on the other hand, the goddess dealla justice Maat was depicted with a feather on her head and long and thick wings, made up of colored feathers.

In Roman times , feathers symbolized speed .

In the Middle Ages they represented wisdom , being feathers used to write. You may not know that the first stroke of the feather, the strongest and thickest, is called "quill" and hence the word inkwell, which is the ink container in which the feathers were dipped.

In the modern age, the tattooed feather can mean lightness , the ability to fly that distinguishes birds from other living beings, but also beauty , vanity and royalty .

Furthermore, by choosing the feather of a specific type of bird or bird, we can refer to its characteristics:

The  Owl's feathers  express the wisdom and magical aspect of this nocturnal animal.

The peacock feather  evokes beauty and sexual attraction. In fact, the peacock (male) shows his tail of feathers in bright and iridescent tones to attract females. In this regard, did you know that in India, even today, the peacock is considered a symbol of eternal love? Tattooing a peacock feather can in fact represent a romantic declaration of love.

The swallow's feathers have a meaning associated with sailors. In the early 1900s the sailors, after having traveled 5 thousand miles, tattooed a swallow's feather and when they reached 10 thousand miles they tattooed a second swallow. It was a symbol that communicated their courage and their ability to travel. Swallows are known for their long journeys when they migrate to Africa during the winter in search of mild temperatures. So the swallow is a perfect tattoo for those who love travel. The swallow is also a symbol of fertility, of the changing of the seasons and in the Christian religion it represents the resurrection.

The feathers of the phoenix evoke the mythological bird known as the "phoenix Arab" known for being reborn from its ashes after death. This sacred bird has become a symbol of the resurrection, of the ability to return to life after death, but it is also a symbol of spiritual rebirth and divine wisdom. It represents the dream of immortality and the great strength of those who never give up in the face of life's difficulties.

Goose quills were used in the past as writing tools and therefore have a strong link with the ability to write that poets and novelists have.

The feathers of the eagles represent cosmic power, in fact the eagle is the king of birds: it is the equivalent of the lion for mammals. Its flying high where no other bird can reach makes the eagle a symbol of ascension from earth to heaven. Moreover, precisely because of its ability to get closer to the sun, it is considered a solar bird, or "bird of fire" able to challenge the sun to get close to its rays without getting burned. The eagle also symbolizes the light, the sky, the supreme forces, it is the sacred animal to Zeus.

The falcon's feathers recall strength, speed and intelligence for the raptor's ability to strike its prey and fly at very high speeds. In fact, the hawk is one of the fastest animals in the world as well as being a careful observer. The ancient Egyptians associated it with the figure of the God Horus who was represented with the head of a hawk. The Greeks instead considered him the messenger of Apollo.

Last curiosity about the size and meaning of the feather tattoo linked to the number of feathers . The feathers are used in the sector of the military forces as ornaments of the hats of Alpini or Bersaglieri. In this context, the larger and more numerous the feathers, the higher the rank and military merits of the wearer.

WHERE TO DO TATTOOS WITH FEATHERS

We have discovered the many possible meanings of the feather tattoo, but what are the best places to actually do this beautiful tattoo? The positions are countless, and choosing the perfect one is the first step to having a beautiful, perfectly executed tattoo .

The feather in fact has an elongated shape , therefore it should be tattooed in a suitable area , which can welcome it in a harmonious way to enhance it to the fullest. So if you want to be inspired in discovering the most beautiful feather tattoos, keep reading this article!

FEATHER TATTOO ON THE NECK

The neck is a very visible but at the same time very interesting area. Choosing a feather tattoo on the neck is indeed a bold but elegant choice , because the lightness of the subject goes well with this very sensitive area of ​​the body.

The feather tattoos on the neck that we show you in the following images are very beautiful because they almost simulate the spectacular dangling earrings that adorn the face.

 

 

 

FEATHER TATTOOS ON THE BACK

The tattoos on the back are very interesting because, given the large area it is possible to recreate feathers in real size , just like those of the peacock, which can cross it completely, creating a truly beautiful effect.

FEATHER TATTOO ON FOOT

The tattooed feet are considered very sensual , especially if adorned with feathers they are really very intriguing. It is possible to choose to have feather tattoos all over the back of the foot or to have them come down from the ankle, as if hung from an anklet.

 

 

 

 

COLORFUL FEATHER TATTOO OR BLACK AND WHITE?

The choice is difficult: are colored tattoos or black and white ones more beautiful? The choice is certainly subjective because colored tattoos can be beautiful but in the long run they end up tiring because they are too 'present', in the same way, however, a black and white tattoo could be annoying because the appearance is 'too dark'.

Of course, the choice of a colored or black and white feather tattoo is absolutely personal and must also be dictated by the style you want to give to the tattoo and the design chosen. Let's observe together with many photographs of the beautiful feather tattoos both in color and in black and white!

BLACK AND WHITE FEATHER TATTOO

The black and white feather tattoos are very elegant and are able to give this light subject great three-dimensionality thanks to the play of light and shadow that these two shades recreate.

COLORFUL FEATHER TATTOOS

To make the tattoo of a feather with colors beautiful we can use the watercolor technique , thus creating a watercolor tattoo, or make the drawing pop and fun thanks to the use of full and lively colors.

Similarly, colored feather tattoos can be very realistic thanks to the color because they reflect the colors of the plumages of birds, such as those of the splendid wings of parrots or of royal peacocks .

 

 

 

 

STYLE TATTOO WITH FEATHERS

The style of feather tattoos can be very different and very personal. In fact, we can create feather tattoos that are transformed into other elements, such as small flocks of birds, or they can have precise styles, such as the Indian one . The tattoos with feathers combined with inkwells and writings are also very interesting , as well as those with the beloved symbol of infinity. Let's look at many of them together below!

FEATHERS TATTOO WITH BIRDS

The feather that softly transforms into a flock of birds is a much loved and trendy design lately. This design represents freedom and lightness, the desire to fly. A similar style is also taken up by the tattoos with dandelions that turn into flocks of birds.

INDIAN FEATHERS TATTOO

Are you passionate about American Indians ? Indian feather tattoo is definitely the one for you! In this case it is possible to create an interesting and tasteful design by combining the simple feather with a dream catcher or pearls and decorations with a tribal appeal.

 

 

 

 

FEATHER AND INFINITE TATTOO

The symbol of infinity is much loved, so we can combine it with the feather to represent extreme freedom , but also love and passion.

 

 

 

 

PEN TATTOO

We haven't written with bird feathers for a long time , but for many this symbol remains very fascinating, so those who love to write or are fascinated by ancient times can choose to tattoo a beautiful pen with inkwell.

FEATHER TATTOO WITH WRITINGS

It recalls the previous style of writing with the pen that of feather tattoos with writings, a wonderful choice for those who want to combine the lightness of the feather with a message that represents it, a warning, a memory or an important name.

 

 

 

 

HOW FEATHERS ARE MADE

We also take a look at the morphology of the feather to learn how they should be drawn to look as realistic as possible . Feathers and feathers are horny skinned formations that cover the epidermis of birds. The plumage is one of the most complex elements of vertebrates, the feathers are created thanks to the proliferation of the epidermis cells that produce keratin . The feather of birds is a dead part, which we can consider as the fur of mammals and serves them to protect themselves from the cold as well as to fly.

The structure of the pen is composed of the quill, the part that attaches to the body, and the rachis, the continuation of the quill (the rigid part that represents the skeleton of the pen). The flat surface of the flag is attached to the rachis, formed by many small blades or barbs, from which the barbules branch off, equipped in the margins with very small hooks or eyelashes. L

FEATHER TATTOOS PHOTO GALLERY

Don't have enough yet? Here are many other feather tattoos for you to inspire you to create your perfect tattoo together with your trusted tattoo artist!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you like feather tattoos ? Let us know which style you like best by leaving us a comment!

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