Cool Tattoos For Girls - Searching For Great Designs

Finding cool tattoos for girls is not the hardest thing in the world to accomplish. It's the part that deals with locating the "quality" artwork for your tattoo which is the problem. Too many women are running into the same kind of generic, low end designs that just don't cut it. If you are using a search-engine to find your designs, you need to listen up. I will also tell you how to uncover tons of top notch galleries that you have never seen.

The number one reason I say not to rely on a search engine to find cool tattoos for girls is because of the quality of the images you will find. Most of the tattoos galleries you will bump into will be nothing but low end websites that plop any kind of image on their pages, as long as it looks decently good. In fact, most of the designs they put up are over eight years old and already posted on about two hundred other galleries across the net. Where's the originality in that?

When looking for cool tattoos for girls through a search0engiene, that's not even the worst part, though...

The worst issue is that a ton of the images at these tattoo galleries were not even supposed to be used as a real tattoo! That's right. Like I said, they don't care what kind of designs they plop on their site, as long as they get more cool tattoos for girls up. It's sad, because many women end up picking a design like this and go to get it tattooed. Little do they know that it won't look anywhere near as good as it looked on paper. That's what happens when images are implemented as a tattoo when they weren't drawn that way.

Ok, enough of that. Here is how to locate tons of cool tattoos for girls that you will appreciate...

It's not some new revolutionary way of searching on the web and there are no hoops to jump through to find truly cool tattoos for girls. It's actually as simple as becoming friends with internet forums. There are a ton of huge forums on the net and tattoo artwork happens to be a very large subject inside of a lot of them. With that said, you better believe that the subject about finding the quality tattoo galleries comes up a lot. This is like striking oil for you, because this is where a slew of links are posted by the women that have found the hidden galleries to there that you just can't seem to locate when relying on a search-engine. You can find any cool tattoos for girls you want and they tend to be far superior in quality to the ones you have been seeing. It's just a simple and fun way to locate the perfect tattoos for your tastes.

No matter which cool tattoos for girls you might be in search of, just make sure that the one you choose is the one you are 100% sure about.

A Bouquet of Hawaiian Flower Tattoo Pictures

Many people like to have flower designs applied as tattoos to their body and a Hawaiian flower tattoo picture is one of the most popular images for this as it’s a very beautiful flower. Because of the intense colors that are present in many flowers the tattoo artist sometimes needs to go over a design for a flower a few times with different colors of ink that can accentuate the colors in any flower tattoo.

Some people have small tattoos of flowers on their ankle or wrist for example while others may have a flower that covers half their body. Some cultures value flowers mush more than others and this is one of the reason why some cultural groups prefer to have flower tattoos on their bodies more than others. In many cultures for example, the flower isn’t viewed as a fragile symbol of beauty as it often is in North American culture. In some cultures the flower is associated with strength and power and this is why some men have flowers as tattoos and don’t think anything is feminine or fragile about it.

Many women, when they can’t decide on what they might like for a tattoo, choose flowers more often than not simply because they know that they will like the design for many years to come. There are many styles and types of flower designs in tattoo shop catalogs that the customer can choose from. These designs can also be highly modified to make them even more unique for the customer.

Many Hawaiian people have flower tattoos due to the flower’s integral attachment to their past. Many of their tales have flowers as part of the story and that’s also why the lei – or rings of flowers - are associated with their state. Flower tattoos can be in any of a thousand colors and some will look better than others on different people.

Many women when they choose a flower motif as their tattoo image will choose the red rose simply because it’s associated with romance and true love. Others will choose the daisy or sunflower because it’s associated with vibrancy and life. The main thing to remember is that if you want a flower tattoo you should make sure that whatever design you decide upon is what you really want. Doing research on web sites devoted to tattooing or to flowers and flower designs can help you decide on which design might be right for you. The nice thing about having a flower tattoo is that if you want another style of flower someday you can simply have the tattoo artist ink one in next to the other one. Pretty soon you may have a whole bouquet of flowers on your body, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

The Tribal Tattoo Art

Tribal tattoos are generally influenced by tribal art from native and indigenous tribes. The tribal tattoo art comes from the older tribes such as the Celtics (Ireland, Scotland, & Wales), the Maori Tribe (indigenous people of New Zealand), the North American Tribal, the African Tribal, the Marquesan (Polynesian inhabitants of the Marquises Islands) and the tribes of Borneo.

Celtic Tattoo Art

Celtic tattoo art come from Ireland. Celtic knot tattoos are some of the most popular and most common designs, featuring loops with no end that symbolize a never ending cycle of dying and rebirth. There are also Celtic cross and animal tattoo designs as well

Mori Tribal tattoo Art

The Maori, the aborigines of New Zealand, call their tribal tattoo "Moko" and Mori art is incredible to behold. To the Maori, a person's Moko designs enhanced their prestige and show transition from one social status to another. At its highest level, Moko designs proclaimed the sacredness of chieftainship.

North American Tribal Art

There are many Indian tribes in North America and many different traditions for tribal tattooing. It was very common for tattoos to denote rank within the tribe. Take the Illinois Indians for example. It was quite common for weapons of war to be tattooed upon the men and it is suggested by some that the women received tattoos of tools used for labor. The tools of war outranked the tools of labor. This was, to the best of my knowledge, their tradition. They seemingly kept their practices to a minimum.

Samoa Tribal tattoo art

The Samoan tribal tattoo was done with a carved boar tusk, sharpened with a piece of coral, attached to a turtle shell, and then affixed to a stick. This tool is used to carve the designs into the flesh by tapping it against the skin and then a mixture of candle nut soot and sugar water is rubbed into the resulting wound.

Marquesan Tribal tattoo art

Sea-faring Polynesians from Samoa colonized the Marquises Islands as early as 300 A.D. They were warring tribes who sometimes cannibalized their enemies. Marquesan art is very uncommon. Most tribal tattoos are done with one specific object and the size variation is minimal. This is not so with the Pacific.

African Tribal tattoo art

Tribes in Africa do not use pigment for tattooing, they cut the skin and either the wound is packed with a substance so that it becomes raised or it is rubbed with ash or sand until the wound rises up, then the scar is the tattoo.

Borneo Tribal tattoo Art

Borneo is the third largest island in the world. The Dayak people reside here for centuries, they believe that spirits are in everything around them. For this reason they believe that by tattooing an object or creature on them they can draw energy from these spirits.

While the tribal tattoo was originally used to identify members of specific tribes, represent battles fought, and to serve as the symbolization of social status, today tribal tattoo art is a popular fashion. a lot of people today choose various designs simply for aesthetic reasons. Some of the most popular designs include dragon, butterfly and suntribal tattoos. This tattoo can be put virtually anywhere on the body, The back and arms are usually the most common areas where people have them applied, but the ankle, calf, and chest are also used.

The Tribal tattoo art expresses personal freedom and uniqueness of the wearer. Tribal art has a simple appeal that reinforces a positive feeling about ourselves and connects us to ancient mystery of the tribal rituals, which faded away with history.

Rap Tattoo - The New Trend of Rap Stars

Many different tattoo designs gain popularity, especially owing to their meanings, symbolism and the interest they create among individuals. Some good examples are tattoos in relation to civilizations (like Aztec, Celtic, etc), flowers (like lotus, rose, etc) and many more. Similar to these tattoos, sport-savvy people tattoo their favorite sports team's logo or sports star's number and lovers of rap artists tattoo their favorite rap artists.

Recently rap tattoos have become more popular among the music lovers. This has led to an extraordinary blend of cultures. Many of us want to copy the hot trends among the celebrities. Though only celebrities, singers, movie stars, etc had the public attraction, now the rap artists have come up similar to their levels and form the next class of celebrities. Among those artists, the anti-hero sort has won over all other types.

News in the 24/7 television channels are mostly regarding these rich gangsters and their experience in making their rap videos. This particularly fits in those rap stars like Hummer appearing with gold chains in his videos or Lincoln Navigator appearing with hot babes and wearing tongs in his videos. Which guy in his right mind will never want to be in such a dream? Even those who are not interested in rap or who comment outwardly that it is never their dream, will certainly have an internal attraction to such a life.

These dreams were the basis for the new trend of rap artists in tattoo art. Recently, there are a huge number of individuals getting a tattoo of their favorite rap artists. Even the most visited pages on the internet will be those tattoo galleries, which contain some great ones like Nelly tattoo, 50-cent tattoo or Tupac. In addition, many more are requesting the latest photos or copies of their favorite rap stars to get tattooed. The most popularly requested one is the copy of Nelly with cards, spelling the letters N E L L Y one on each card.

Such items are gaining fame and they have produced a strange blend between the celebrities and the gangster rap artists. All those days when people expected a tattoo with an angel are gone.

Urban Tattoo Gallery - Don't Settle For Less Get Instant Access to a Reputable Urban Tattoo Gallery

Tattoos are worn as a way to express your self to others. The tattoo's size, shape, style, color and placement are all things that you have to work with in your attempt to express your unique identity. All these factors are dependent on one another, so if you change one, it often means that you have to change at least another as well...often giving your tattoo a completely different meaning and feel.

Choosing your tattoo design is not something that should be taken lightly, as the tattoo itself is going to last much longer than the spur-of-the-moment decision when selecting it! You do not want to regret your decision a few months, or even years down the line! So your first step is to go and think about why you want a tattoo. What are the feelings that you want it to convey? Do you want it to quietly represent a certain aspect of your personality, or do you want it to scream a loud message to all? Do your lifestyle choices limit your placement options? What will your tattoo look like from a distance? Or what will it look like at first glance?

What ever your reason, an Urban Tattoo may be the perfect design to choose to represent the "unique you". Most experts agree that the best tattoos are those that use the contour of your body to add to the effect of the design, so keep this in mind when choosing your Urban Tattoo design. You do not want it to look distorted when you move in a certain way.

So where do you find that perfect design? You could easily opt for one of the so called "Flash" designs wildly found in one of your local tattoo parlors. The problem with these designs is that they are by no means unique...this could be a problem considering you want your tattoo to represent the unique you! And even if you did find one that was mildly editable by the artist, when choosing one of these designs in the tattoo parlor you can not do so completely on your own time, you tend to feel rushed into making a decision - After all, no one wants to go and bother our local tattoo artist for hours on end while "browsing" through his designs!

So what's the answer then? Get access to a specialized online Urban Tattoo Gallery. A Quality online gallery will give you access to some of the worlds best award-winning urban tattoo designs. You will by no means be limited to the ready-made designs of your local artist. And you will have access to international award winning artists' work - something you will most definitely not get in your local tattoo studio. And best of all, once you have access to the gallery, you can browse in the comfort of your own home, completely on your own time. So if you want to find that perfect Urban Tattoo design, get access to a reputable online gallery. Take your time to find the perfect design. Print it off onto tattoo paper and drop by your local tattoo parlor.

Female Tattoo Gallery - Popular Tattoos Women Want

Nowadays, tattoos are no just for bikers who want to show how much pain they can endure. Tattoos have moved into mainstream culture where anyone with an appreciation for beauty and art can have one.

The greatest growth by far in the tattoo culture is that of women. Tattoo artists report that the majority of there clients are women. Added to that, women are better able to deal with the process of applying the tattoo than men!

Choosing a design and placement for the tattoo is extremely important for women. More time is taken when choosing and adapting the designs to give more meaning.

Although women are choosing larger and bolder designs than before, the emphasis is always on sophistication. This gives an aurora of "mystique" and a hint of "badness", instead of "rough and ready".

Two areas are generally favoured spots for tattoos.

Lower back and tail bone Tattoos The lower back area is a sensual spot to have a tattoo. It gives the appearance of being accidentally 'flashed' instead of always visible. This is extremely tantalizing to the viewer as forbidden fruit usually is.

The designs for this area are usually V-Shaped to accentuate and flatter the hourglass shape of the female form.

Favored designs include; Angels, Butterflies, lions, insect wings, hearts, celtic crosses, serpents, dragons, Lotus and other flowers.

These designs are decorated with wings and tendrils to create balance and beauty.

Meanings of designs The lotus flower: Beautiful design for the lower back. Represents the past, present and future.

Other flowers: Represents femininity and fertility.

Animals: Represents fertility and vitality.

Dragons and serpents: Symbolize Trouble!

Eagle: Represents courage and determination to becoming more than what you are.

Foot and ankle Tattoos Foot and ankle tattoos are symbols of simplicity and purity. These are preferred by many professional and career women as they are not overbearing and are very personal.

Popular designs include; flowers and roses, frogs, eagle heads, necklaces, rosaries and crosses.

Stomach Tattoo Ideas

Have you been crawling the internet, probably Google Images, to find stomach tattoo ideas or a number of other design ideas? Well if so, then I bet you have been finding a lot of the same examples of tattoos over and over, either that, or none that are really appealing enough to have permanently tattooed onto your body for life. I know that was the case for me, and it drove me nuts because I really wanted to find the perfect design that would not leave me feeling like I was settling for something less than I envisioned.

I do not think anyone should have to settle for their first or last tattoo even, this is why I am writing to inform you of a resource that will be of great help whether you are in need of unique stomach tattoo ideas or any other number of design ideas for all of your tattoo wants. The resource is a membership to one of the popular tattoo websites available.

By joining one of these membership websites, you will have the ability to browse thousands of creative tattoo ideas, tattoo videos, uploaded pictures of other members tattoo work, and even a directory of tattoo studios in 38 different countries; paying a onetime fee of around 30 dollars, will basically get you the Cadillac of tattoo experiences, for life.

If you cannot justify spending a few dollars on reducing the stress that accompanies finding awesome stomach tattoo ideas or any other tattoo design idea that you might want throughout the course of your life, then you can easily justify it by dividing the cost between you and a friend who can then both use the same membership to access the site you choose.

Whether you are searching for one tattoo or plan on maybe getting more later, a tattoo membership website is the best and most efficient choice you can make. The few sites that stand out amongst the pack are Tattoo-Me-Now, Tattoo My Brain, and Chopper-Tattoo. My personal favorite is Tattoo-Me-Now because of the amount of extra features they offer in addition to their stomach tattoo ideas and thousands of other designs, for a price that is not much higher than that of its competitors. Although their extra features are not completely necessary, they create the sense of a community, which I enjoy.

Bird Tattoo Designs, the Wonderful Artwork

Bird tatttoo design you may still be rarely met. But I believe you will be different with a tattoo design this one.

No matter what kind of bird tattoo designs you are looking for online, there are many choices to consider. There is a lot of foul, rancid artwork out there that you need to watch out for, though. It's generic art that might look good on paper or your computer screen, but this stuff won't look even half as great once inked on your skin. That's why we need to go over a few simple things.

The web seems to be tainted with a lot of "less than" artwork that should never be settled on. This holds true even for a niche like bird tattoo designs. It's not that the material you are finding is unsightly, because some of it can look very pleasing to the eye. It's the fact that they are cookie-cutter pieces and the fact that they were not truly drawn to be made into real tattoos.

You may have already noticed all of this when looking for bird tattoo designs, and if you have, then good for you. If you haven't, then you will need to know this next point. It's the fact that search-engines are very inconsistent with helping you find the quality artwork on the web. Notice that I typed the word "quality". You see, search-engines are indifferent to the type of websites it locates for you. This is especially true when it comes to websites with galleries of tattoos. You are most likely using engines to locate bird tattoo designs. It can sometimes be revolting how many generic, cookie-cutter places pull up in search results. They all seem to have the same exact content as the next place, even when it comes to bird tattoo designs. The web is soiled with this type of website. Most of the artwork for bird tattoo designs these places have is well over seven years old.

You don't want to waste you time sifting through so much generic content, so I will show you a great way to bypass most of the cookie-cutter stuff out there. This will also be the way to locate the quality bird tattoo designs you are after. The way to stay away from a lot of the untrustworthy websites is to take a couple of minutes to sift through internet forums. They are not even close to being as inadequate as search-engines. They are usually filled with honest people who share their findings with others. Most generic websites can be eliminated from the equation when you read posts about tattoos from forums.

You will be able to locate the hidden websites that have quality bird tattoo designs, or any tattoos you might be considering. The last thing you want to do is make some knee-jerk reaction and settle on tattoos that you might end up hating. Forums are your way around those kinds of bird tattoo designs. There is just so much unique insider information in forums that is untapped for the most part and it can help you on your journey to find tattoos that fits your particular tastes.

It's pointless to keep looking through the same generic bird tattoo designs, so it might be in your favor to expand your searching options.

By : Phie

Flower Hawaiian Tattoo

Women's synonymous with beauty. Women are like flowers. Even women do not often make the flowers as a their design tattoos.

A flower Hawaiian tattoo is a very classic design for a woman. This peaceful artwork can make wonderful tattoos, but finding the quality artwork online can be hard. Here are some surefire tips to find the good art, as well as why the generic websites are to be avoided.

As a woman, you have no doubt looked all over the internet, trying to find the perfect flower Hawaiian tattoo design. I have seen it first hand when it comes to some many styles of tattoos, in which a female either gives up on their search, or ends up settling for some generic design that they do not really want. What you have to remember is that you should not have to settle for anything. Don't rely on a Google search, or content from some generic, ransom website that has tattoos. The designs a lot of those websites have is over six years old and most of the content is already plastered all over the internet. Who knows how many females might have that flower Hawaiian tattoo inked on their skin already. This is not what you want as a woman. You want a fresh, quality design that you will be happy with for a very long time to come.

Now, here is something great about choosing flower Hawaiian tattoo designs. While most styles and designs change with the time, this wonderful piece tends to stay the same, which is a very good thing. You may not know this fact, but the flower Hawaiian tattoo in question is actually a Hibiscus. These are gorgeous flowers that can come in a wide variety of colors. These flowers represent purity and an very tight connection with nature and the entire natural world. The serene island vibe this design gives is very classic.

Now, here are some easy ways to bypass the generic designs online, even if what you are looking for is a specific flower Hawaiian tattoo ...

It all starts with internet forums. A forum is an amazing place, filled with insane amounts of information on any given subject, yes, even when looking for a flower Hawaiian tattoo design online. Remember, people (and especially a woman) love to brag when they find a hidden treasure, such as a website with tattoos that has tons of original content to choose from. There is not better place on the internet for females to spread the word to other females looking for the same thing than by posting in a forum and you can reap the benefits.

As a female, you want your ultimate design to be original and of good quality. Finding a fantastic flower Hawaiian tattoo design online does not have to be hard anymore, so go ahead and get the designs and tattoos that you have always wanted to find on the internet.

By : Phie

Mahendi Tattoo

In the warm climate of the Middle East, the heena plant, which has the scientific name Lawsonia inernis, grows beautifully. Over the centuries, inhabitants of the countries in the Middle East have learned how to crush the henna leaves, and to thus produce a powder. If that powder is mixed with mehndi oil, it can be applied to the skin.

Why would someone want to put a mixture of oil and powder on the skin? Well, that powder happens to contain chemicals called tannins. Those tannins give the powder from the crushed leaves the ability to stain objects touched by the powder. When mixed with mehndi oil, the powder can stain skin. The skin becomes one of various shades of brown.

The Egyptians used to rub henna and mehndi oil on the fingers of deceased Pharaohs, before beginning the process of mummification. Later, various cultures encouraged the creation of henna/mehdhi tattoos. Each culture had its own unique type of henna/mehndi tattoo.

Arabs chose to put large flowery designs on their hands and feet. Indians preferred to make fine lines in each henna/mehndi tattoo. They painted their hands, forearms, feet and shins with lacy henna/mehndi designs.

As the inhabitants of the Middle East began to trade with Europeans, the stain created by henna powder became familiar to some Europeans. Then as other Europeans traveled to all four corners of the globe, those traveling Europeans, some of whom had become familiar with the henna/mehndi designs, met Polynesians who wore a darker and more permanent skin design-a tattoo. That meeting paved the way for creation of the henna/mehndi tattoo.

Although the Polynesian-style tattoo last much longer than the henna/mehndi tattoo, not every person wants to have a permanent design on his or her skin. Many people like to have the ability to remove a tattoo, much like a woman can remove make-up. Those people are eager to purchase the henna/mehndi tattoo kits, kits available at various sites on the Internet.

Such kits include stencils, design books, transfer tattoos, bindis and faux body jewelry. They allow a person to put a blue or black tattoo on any part of his or her body. Such a tattoo remains on the skin for one to four weeks.

The makers of the henna/mehndi tattoo have sought to capitalize on the familiarity of hair dyes with henna. In the United States, the FDA has recognized the safety of such hair dyes. The FDA has not, however, given a nod of approval to the selling of henna/mehndi tattoos.

The original skin stains made by the henna/mehndi mixture were either brown, orange brown or reddish brown. Such stains contained only the chemicals in the henna plant, plus the chemicals in mehndi oil. The blue and black tattoos created from the henna/mehndi kits have additional chemicals.

One of those chemicals is coal tar. The scientific name for coal tar is p-phenylenediamine (PPD). The FDA has found that many people are allergic to PPD. That finding has forced the FDA to seek restrictions on the importation of henna/mehndi, skin staining products.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Henna---Mehndi-Tattoo&id=887613

Zodiac Sign Tattoos

Zodiac signs have always been a powerful cause of fascination for people since constellations were created and named, since men used stars to navigate their way at sea. The notion that the heavens can somehow shape our personalities and influence our actions and even daily activities is alluring. This, more than anything else, is why zodiac symbols are among the most sought after tattoo designs today.

Zodiac characters are cross-cultural symbols; various cultures have their own versions of the zodiac system and provide different names for each sign. The widely known and commonly used Roman names of the symbols have been used for centuries, but the signs of the zodiac themselves had already existed and been used by ancient Babylonian astrologers for millenniums. Each sign has its own specific identity and meaning. According to astrology, people who are born under the same sign are believed share common characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. The twelve Roman zodiac symbols are Aquarius, Capricorn, Pisces, Aries, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius, Libra, Scorpio, Virgo, and Taurus.

Many of us feel a profoundly personal spiritual connection with their personal Zodiac sign. 95% of people who choose to get a zodiac tattoo pick the sign they we born under, while the remaining percent pick the zodiac symbols of their family and loved ones. That means that choosing a zodiac sign as a tattoo is a very personal and spiritual statement, an extension of your own identity.

Are you wondering if a zodiac tattoo design would work for you? To answer that, you have to ask yourself whether you really take astrology to heart. For instance, do you always refer to your horoscope every day? Have you gone as far as having a personalized chart made for you? Are indicated zodiac sign compatibilities a guide for you in choosing a romantic partner? If your answer is yes to all questions, then it is clear that you seriously take astrology and that it is an integral part of your belief system. You should really get a zodiac tattoo then.

To make your zodiac tattoo more interesting, you might want to add in other styling items that are also symbolic by themselves. Here are some suggestions:

• You can choose black ink or colors, and bold tribal-style designs or lines with an Asian or Celtic flair. You can also incorporate zodiac symbols into larger or more intricate designs.
• Each zodiac sign has its own color, although astrologers still disagree about the matching of colors with the signs. For instance, Taurus is represented by pink, white, or blue, depending on what reference you use. You may want to use one or a combination of those colors to tattoo your design.
• You can also choose your tattoo's colors according to your birth stone. Birthstone charts vary according to the culture where they originated as well. But these charts give you a few color options while still being technically correct.
• Aside from gemstones, certain flowers are also connected to each sign. The Aries' flower is tiger lily. Cancers might choose a tattoo integrating honeysuckle and pomegranate. Astrologers may again have different lists on this, so be sure to research carefully on your own.
• You could also incorporate the element-earth, air, fire, or water-your sign is part of into your design.
• Zodiac signs are cross-cultural symbols. You may want to check out zodiac illustrations of other cultures, such as Chinese or Celtic images. These may appeal to your more aesthetically. Just be sure research well to find the right design, symbol, and meaning for you.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Zodiac-Signs-As-Tattoos&id=1562564

Chinese Zodiac Tattoo Symbols

Chinese zodiac tattoos are gaining attention among tattoo buffs - Westerners and Easterners alike - worldwide. While all are primarily used for divination, zodiac signs are distinctly unique and vary from one culture to another. What sets Chinese zodiac symbols apart from the others is that they do not match up to cycles within the year; neither do they correspond to constellations. Instead, Chinese zodiac signs correspond to a longer cycle of twelve years.

Furthermore, Chinese zodiac signs integrate the elements of metal, wood, fire, earth, and water. These five elements are associated with a zodiac sign, and as such, provide sixty possible personality variations for interpretation. This, above other reasons, makes Chinese zodiac tattoos more individualized and just the right thing for a very personal tattoo.

Aside from having elements and animals, the Chinese zodiac also assigns a different color for each year. The colors are sorted by the stems and relate to the elements. Metal is white, Water is black, Wood is green, Fire is red, and earth is brown.

Another distinguishing characteristic of the Chinese zodiac is that it refers to the lunar calendar cycle. It takes into account the monthly phases of the moon and incorporates them to further typify zodiac personalities, daily horoscope, and prediction of events. The only aspect that makes it similar with the more widely known Roman zodiac is its use of twelve animals as signs. They are, however, illustrated as Chinese characters.

The following are the twelve Chinese zodiac animals:

Rat: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

Ox - 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997

Tiger - 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998

Rabbit - 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999

Dragon - 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000

Snake - 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001

Horse - 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002

Goat - 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003

Monkey - 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004

Rooster - 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005

Dog - 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006

Pig - 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

However, very interestingly, some web sites assert that there is only one character for the term zodiac. This symbol is modified by the proper birth month of the person who wears it to reflect the true zodiac sign. The variation is likened to how an English pronoun is modified by a pronoun.

Choosing a Chinese zodiac tattoo gears more towards identity symbolism and expression, rather than a manifestation of what we value in life because it caters closely to an individual, leaving very little room for generalization. As a tattoo design choice, a Chinese zodiac symbol would represent your birth year, your element, and can mean nothing else. It does not matter if you are Chinese, Asian, or Caucasian. It also does not matter whether or not Chinese astrology is part of a personal belief system. All the same, choosing Chinese zodiac signs as tattoo designs can oftentimes be surprisingly revealing - it provides a vivid glimpse of how the bearer of the tattoo views his own personality.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1425166