Butterfly tattoo designs are some of the most popular tattoos, as well as some of the most beautiful designs. Although more women than men choose butterfly tattoos, some men have them as well. Butterfly tattoo designs can range anywhere from looking like natural butterflies to stylized fantasy or tribal style butterflies. The vast assortment of butterfly tattoo designs means that no matter what your personal taste or your reason for wanting a tattoo you can likely find a design that you love.
The butterfly itself is a beautiful creature, displaying perfect symmetry, astounding colors, beautiful shapes and a light, airy motion. Capturing the natural beauty of a butterfly in a tattoo can result in some of the most beautiful tattoo designs that overflow with warmth, richness and color.
If you look deeper than just the outside appearance of a butterfly you will find deep, symbolic meaning. Butterflies mean many different things to different cultures, though everything they are associated with is positive and uplifting.
Most commonly butterflies are used to symbolize change or transformation. Just as the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, a butterfly tattoo can symbolize a personal transformation in your life or a change that you are undertaking. Many people who choose butterfly tattoos choose them because they symbolize a new life or new beginning. It may be that you have started a new phase of your life, or left an old one behind. Personal change or transformation can have a life altering impact and you may want to capture it and honor it with a butterfly tattoo.
Even with the symbolism that is often attached to butterflies, sometimes a butterfly tattoo is just a butterfly tattoo and doesn't have any underlying meaning for the person who got it. Appreciating the beauty of the art without needing to assign meaning to it is absolutely fine. Sometimes the beauty of the design itself is what holds meaning for us.
As with any tattoo, the most important thing in deciding to get a butterfly tattoo is that you love the design that you have chosen and that it holds a special meaning for you - whether that meaning is deep and profound or whether it is just that you think it is beautiful and want to showcase the artwork on your body. As long as when you look in the mirror and see your tattoo it makes you smile then you will know you have made the right choice. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your tattoo - what matters is that it makes you happy.