Sparrow Tattoo Designs

Are you planning to get a bird tattoo? Swallow tattoo, American eagle tattoos, hummingbird tattoo and sparrow tattoo are some of the popular bird tattoos. If you are planning to get a tattoo of a sparrow, you must understand the history and symbolism of this bird tattoo. It may mean different things to different people. The use of design elements and blend of beautiful colors surely adds beauty to this tattoo. As far as the history of this tattoo is concerned, the sailors were one of the first people to popularize these tattoos. For them the sparrow bird was a symbol of good luck, therefore they used to get it inked on their body. Since sparrows stay close to land and don't fly too far, spotting a sparrow became a sign that the land was near.

Sparrow Tattoo Meaning

Like most other bird tattoo meanings, the meaning of sparrow tattoo has diversified as well. This bird tattoo has been associated with various emotions. It is symbolic of ideals such as freedom, love, loyalty and success. These tattoos are also used as memorial tattoos. The ancient Egyptians had a belief that sparrows had the ability to catch the souls of the departed. Similarly the sailors also linked the sparrow to the end of their journey on the waters. Spotting a sparrow meant that they were about to reach the land and would soon be united with their loved ones. These tattoos are also linked with the prison culture, prisoners have popularized this tattoo for symbolizing their freedom from prison. This tattoo is also used to express profound love and loyalty.

Design Ideas

The sailors were among the first people to popularize this tattoo and that explains the popularity of the nautical theme. One can have the tattoo of nautical stars and other oceanic symbols along with this bird tattoo. Tattoo artists also incorporate ships, stars and flags in the designs. You could have a tattoo showing a sparrow hovering over a coastline or diving into the water. The memorial tattoo designs generally show the sparrows holding a banner mentioning the name of the person being memorialized. Using calligraphy for the name would be a great idea. Another popular design is showing two or three sparrows diving towards the nautical star. This tattoo design is symbolic of the freedom to love and be loved in return. You could also use other design elements and tattoos to make your tattoo more meaningful.

The art lies in the use of beautiful colors. This can be inked anywhere on your shoulder, arm, chest and feet. Girls, you could include flowers, butterflies, hearts and other popular design ideas in your tattoo design. You could have two sparrows to symbolize profound love. Sparrows carrying a rose or a necklace in their beak, a flying sparrow, or a sparrow perched on a branch are all popular tattoo design ideas. This bird tattoo has become more popular with girls since the character of Jack Sparrow was played superbly by Johnny Depp in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. Several designs have come up since then. Guys could get this bird tattoo on the back. You could get a tattoo of a sparrow against a rising sun or around the waves of the sea. You could have a cartoon-style tattoo or a more realistic version of the sparrow. Whether this bird is inked as a memorial tattoo or as a tattoo symbolizing your principles, it simply looks perfect.

These were a few sparrow tattoo designs. These tattoos are not only meaningful tattoos but also have an old history. There is no dearth of design ideas for this bird tattoo. If you are thinking of getting a tattoo of a bird, do consider a sparrow tattoo.