Celtic Family Trinity Tattoo

Dedication tattoos are special, timelessly attractive, close to the heart. For this man we researched through my archive of many Celtic triangular designs and picked out three different ones that he felt resonated for him as representing three family members. The triangular knots are all tiny parts of ancient illuminated manuscript pages, and when made the same size and joined together made up a balanced and quite unique whole. The initials of the loved ones are fitted into the central knot, and complete the symbolism.

Family Trinity Tattoo by Pat Fish

The symbolism of wearing a tattoo that shows love for ones family is timeless. This pattern has openings in the center for initials, and is formed of a continuous line that unites three different and complementary Celtic knots from ancient illuminated manuscripts. Each is assigned to a different family member by this wearer, and could be colored like a birth stone ring.

Surf Babe

A local surf babe got this swirl of Celtic spirals and triquetras between her shoulder blades, and after the obligatory healing waiting period she will proceed to be quite the sight in the surf!

Surf Babe Spiral Tattoo by Pat Fish

These interlocked Celtic triskles and spirals embody the swirling power of the sea, and the elegance of those who skim across its curling edge like tattooed flying fish.

Crane Dagger

A dagger point made of the bodies of two Celtic cranes was a custom request today to fill the calf of a discerning individual from the Least Coast. I am always flattered by the clients who travel so far to add to their tattoo collections. It is a mix of many rendering styles, using line and shading and dots to give dimensionality and sharp detail. The heads and wings are very traditional and from an ancient manuscript, but to fit the shape of the leg a triskele is morphed to become the abstract commingled tails.

Two attenuated traditional Celtic cranes weave together to make the shape of a dagger point, a spiritual weapon that slices the mists of time to bring the past to life.

Sage Quarter Sleeve Celtic Knot Tattoo

Today's tattoo was a technical challenge that was quite exciting. We started with the idea of the client liking the Boy-Man-Sage knot, a triquetra with a central smaller triangle woven through it. But we wanted to make a quarter-sleeve, filling the top of the arm, and looping up at the top to cap the arm. He also liked the idea of a sculptural edge, not a straight line, so we put 5 more triquetras around the outside, looped them through the big triquetra, and to separate the design visually to give the most importance to the biggest element I used pointillist dots to emphasize it, and wicker-shaded the rest of the knots. A lot of complexity, and fitted precisely to his arm.

Sage Quarter Sleeve Celtic Knot Tattoo by Pat Fish

The pattern that inspired this quarter sleeve is: