Trees have a big role in our ecosystem. Trees give us oxygen, shade, and they suck water from the ground to help us avoid the flood. For millions of years trees have always helped us human beings in so many ways and ever since the beginning, trees have been doing its job by maintaining the balance in the ecosystem.
The Tree of Life is an idea that passes the culture regardless of its origin. It reached through a lot of religions, cultures, and philosophies. Even though it has a different meaning in each culture and has different visual representation the core concept of it never changes.
It’s Meaning
Throughout the history, this design has been called with different names like the Tree of Immortality, the Cosmic tree and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tattoo represents the interconnections between life and that all hope, life, knowledge, and love came from the same source. It also represents the human nature of oneness, wisdom, progression, salvation, abundance and eternity.
Most tattoo artist when making this design they usually draw the branches and the roots of the tree in intertwining circles, it shows the thought of cycle of life and the progressive growth. Tattoos like these are mostly deeply spiritual and have true meaning to those who get them.
The meaning of the tattoo also depends on which part of the tree is in the design. If it’s only the roots of the tree is included it wants to represent the growth and development, it is also a reminder to never forget what you’ve gone through and where you came from. If the design only uses the leaves it symbolizes the rebirth and regeneration. It also symbolizes that there are more opportunities in the future.
6 Different Types of Tree Tattoos
There are so many different types of trees in the world and each tree portends a history. This tattoo is timeless and classical which is perfect for people who are looking for tattoos that are never going to be out of style. It will still be trendy even after a decade or so. Below are different types of tattoo that might interest you:
⦁ The Tree of Life Tattoo
This is the most popular and common design that is used by both men and women. This tattoo has no particular design; all of them have exceptional resemblance even though they aren’t the same. This tattoo holds different interpretation, generally, it means that the tree resembles the human’s life. The tattoo commonly includes a whole tree, it includes the roots, trunk and all the leaves. Sometimes the tattoo includes the shadow of birds to portray a clearer message.
⦁ Birch Tree Tattoos
Birch trees are highly admired by different cultures it generally symbolizes rejuvenation, restoration, rebirth and new beginnings. This is because these trees can easily occupy places that are once destroyed by the harsh natural disasters, the trees grow quickly and can easily replace the trees that are broken down. Birch trees can grow to any kind of soil and can outlive places where no other trees can. That’s why most people choose this tree as their tattoo design because it inspires them to go to places where no one else will go to and reminds them to be different from the others.
⦁ Celtic Tree Tattoo
This design is a knotted tree that is often drawn in a circle that represents the world. It connects between heaven and earth with its roots all the way below the world and its branches that reach all the way up to the heavens above. The roots’ knotted design means an infinite loop or eternity. Some Celtic tattoos have branches that connect with the roots, it’s just a way to represent the link between the heaven and earth. Others will have fruits, animals, and flowers to further explain that the tree sustains the equality of all forms.
⦁ Cypress Tree Tattoo
This is commonly seen in graveyards and cemeteries. Today and even during the old times, the cypress tree symbolizes grief and mourning that is why it is always seen in cemeteries. The tree also symbolizes death because of its incapability to regenerate when cut down. The cypress tree isn’t always correlated with negative things, it also symbolizes durability and lastingness since it can live for thousands of years.
⦁ Cherry Blossom Tree Tattoos
The Cherry Blossom symbolizes feminine beauty that is why it is popular among women. The Chinese know that the cherry blossom is more about femininity and grace while the Japanese see the tree that symbolizes womanhood and also as the symbol of life.
⦁ Palm Tree Tattoos
The palm tree is also one of the most popular trees that are used for a tattoo design. The tree is highly affiliated with the beach, summer, and relaxation. People with this kind of tattoo will be seen as an adventurous type or an outgoing person that loves to spend time near the beach.
Placement for Tree Tattoos
Having the perfect place for your tattoo also plays an important part in carrying the tattoo’s meaning. The perfect placement for the tattoo for both men and women is on the arms and shoulders, this is to make the tattoo look more vibrant and daring and it doesn’t show much skin for those who are conservative. For those who are not conservative around the chest area would be a perfect place to put the tree tattoo not only will it be sexy and alluring but also it would also remind you how much you love your tattoo.
Preparation Tips
Just knowing the basics would be enough for the preparation of your tattoo.
First, prepare the design you like and ponder it if you really like it or not. Choose a classic design that you can appreciate even as the time passes-by and that it will not be outdated even if more than a decade passes.
Second, call for an appointment and choose your desired day for the process. Also do a research of the shop to check their skills, ability and their health standard.
Third, be in good health when getting your tattoo. Keep yourself hydrated to make your skin healthy and eat a decent meal and drink lots of water beforehand because the process may take long hours.
Fourth, just relax during the operation. Ask your artist for a break if you cannot bear the pain.
Average Cost for the Tattoo
Just like every tattoo the price range for the tree tattoo depends on its size the bigger the tattoo is the larger the cost. It also depends on its details, the more detailed the tattoo is the more the price goes up. There are also artists that charge hourly, the longer the process is the higher the service cost. Don’t be too thrifty when it comes to the cost of your tattoo, a cheap price doesn’t make a good quality tattoo.
The Aftercare
Once the procedure is done, you don’t just go on your merry way thinking that you’ll only have to wait several days for your tattoo to heal. You still need to learn about the proper way to take care of your tattoo because it is not just a wound, it’s a tattoo wound that needs special treatment to not just heal properly but to also maintain the quality of the design.
Your tattoo artist will not be with you for the whole day, so he/she will give you a few instructions on how to take care of your tattoo while it’s healing:
⦁ Only take off the wrapping after the said time that your artist required. The wrapper commonly stays on your tattoo for 2-6 hours and not more than 6, it actually depends on how big the tattoo. This is to protect your tattoo scraped by other people or your clothes and to prevent it from having infection once you leave the shop.
⦁ After removing the wrapper, wash your tattoo with mild hypoallergenic soap and do it gently so that it won’t get irritated and make its healing slower. Also, put some antibacterial cream on it for extra protection.
⦁ Avoid exposing your tattoo in the sun so that your tattoo won’t fade easily even after it heals. This is also to help maintain the vibrant colors of your tattoo for a long time.
The trees not only just maintain the balance of the earth but also provide the needs of all the animals, insects and humans. They provide shelter, food, and oxygen for us living things and many more. An image where people get tree tattoos to support the environmentalists for their love of trees, and a way of defending and giving voice to the trees that are being cut down because of industrialization. So, by getting one of these tattoos you can join the environmentalists that give awareness and help save the remaining trees in the forests in the simplest way possible.
