Astrological Tattoo Ideas – Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn

We complete our signs of the zodiac features with the final three star signs, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn.

Scorpio

Scorpios fall under the dates of October 23rd – November 21st and are notorious for being passionate and determined. As a water sign, Scorpios are emotional, and when it comes to friendship, loyalty is paramount. Tattoo ideas for Scorpio can have some really cool designs involving not only the scorpion, but the constellation.

Sagittarius

Those born between November 22nd and December 21st are a Sagittarius. Usually generous with a great sense of humour, Sagittarians are curious and energetic, and are the biggest travellers of all the Zodiac signs. Represented by the Archer, the drawn bow and arrow make for some awesome tattoos!

Capricorn

December 22nd to January 19th brings us Capricorn and back to the start of the calendar. Capricorns are responsible and disciplined, masters of self-control, but tend to be know-it-alls and always expect the worst. The Capricorn is represented by a symbol that is based on the ancient Sumerian god of wisdom and waters, Enki. Enki is believed to have the head and torso of a mountain goat and a tail of a fish for its lower body, making some very weird but cool tattoos…

Tattoos and job interviews – do you still need to cover up?

It wasn’t long ago that people were warned off tattoos because getting inked up would make you “unemployable”. So is that still the case today? And if so, what can you do about it?

The times they are a’changin’

While back in the day tattoos used to be only found on sailors, criminals and Kings (George V had a massive dragon tattoo on his arm!), today tattoos are commonplace, especially here in New Zealand.

With one-in-five people inked here in Aotearoa, the stigma of having a tattoo is less than other Western Countries, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

Some employers might frown upon a tattoo, while others won’t even look twice at it. Everyone is different, and other factors such as where you have a tattoo, what the tattoo is, and what type of job you’re going for, all play a role.

What to consider when going for a job interview

First of all, you should probably decide on one thing; would you want to work for a company that discriminates against people with tattoos?

Even if the company is ok with tattoos, where do yours fit in? Do you have an intricate sleeve with some beautiful photo-realistic artwork? Or is it a crudely drawn image of Homer Simpson bending Marge over a table?

No matter how cool your boss is, they probably don’t want their customers seeing that.

If you think your tattoo might put a potential employer off, then it’s best to cover it up for the job interview (if you can). Once the interview is over, and you feel you’ve done well, that would be a good time to bring up your ink and any potential issues that may arise.

If you can’t cover it up, for instance if it’s a neck tattoo, then you’ll just have to bite the bullet and use your charm to win them over. Don’t ignore the elephant in the room either – ask if having a neck tattoo is a problem. It probably won’t be if you’re applying for a job as a barman, but it might be if you’re wanting to be a Primary School teacher.

At the end of the day, the stigma of having a tattoo when looking for a job is an old and dying one. Assuming you don’t have a swastika in the middle of your forehead, you’re probably going to be fine.

Even then you can always apply for a job at the White House.

Ancient Egyptians and their tattoos

New analysis of two ancient Egyptian mummies have revealed what was once thought to be smudges are actually tattoos.

First found in the year 1900, the mummies were recently reanalysed by the British Museum as part of an ongoing project to re-examine valuable artefacts.

The mummies, one male and one female, date from around five and a half thousand years ago, roughly the same time as our old friend Ötzi the Ice Man, who we have talked about before. This makes them some of the earliest known bearers of tattoos. The next known example of ancient Egyptians with tattoos doesn't appear for more than a thousand years later!

The original Hipsters

What was originally mistaken for a smudge was re-examined with infrared light, allowing scientists to see the markings on the mummified skin more clearly. On the male body, images of a wild bull and what appears to be a Barbary sheep can be seen.

The woman's body contains four "S"-like symbols on her top shoulder joint and an "L"-shaped line on her abdomen that archaeologists think might be a stave, or wooden staff.

Both bodies contained tattoos that were inked into the dermis, the thicker part of their skin, with an ink made of some sort of soot. Copper instruments found in nearby regions have been previously suggested as tattooing tools.

What the Tattoos Tell Us

Previously, archaeologists assumed that only women living during ancient Egypt's predynastic period, from 4000 B.C. to 3100 B.C., had tattoos. These latest findings tell us that both men and women in ancient Egyptian societies had tattoos.

This is also the first time archaeologists have found examples of tattoos on people that mirror motifs used in art, such as cave paintings. Both the images on the male and female seem to suggest a symbolic relevance, but archaeologists aren't quite of their exact meaning.

"The sheep is quite commonly used in the predynastic [Egyptian period] and its significance is not well understood, whereas the bull is specifically to do with male virility and status," says study author and British Museum curator Daniel Antoine.

It didn’t seem to help protect him though, as a CAT scan showed the man had a cut in his shoulder and damage to one of his ribs, suggesting he died from a stab wound to the back!

Astrological tattoo ideas - Leo, Virgo and Libra

Part three of our Zodiac tattoo series see the months August, September and October with Leo, Virgo and Libra.

Leo

July 23rd to August 22nd sees those born under the sign of Leo. These lions are natural-born leaders, with self-confidence, strength and loyalty their dominant traits. The downside of this is Leos can also be inflexible and arrogant, stubborn in their ways.

With the lion as the symbol for Leos, there is excellent opportunity for some impressive tattoo designs, both big and small.

Virgo

For Virgos, the devil is in the details, and their attention to the small things is what makes them so special. Virgos have a strong character, but one that prefers conservative, well-organized things and a lot of practicality in their everyday life. Many Virgos have a well-developed sense of speech and writing, and may choose to pursue a career as writers or journalists.

As a symbol, Virgo looks like the letter M with a little tail on the third leg, which can look great in a tattoo design.

Libra

Anyone born between September 23rd - October 22nd are Libras, represented by scales. This speaks to the balance in their lives; balance between work and home, family and friends, dreams and reality. Libras are level headed, cooperative and diplomatic, but can also be indecisive.

As an image, the scales make great tattoos, and the zodiac symbol for Libra opens up creative opportunities, allowing for some great designs.

3 big tattoo trends for 2018 (so far)

We’re half-way through the year, so now’s a good time to check in on what’s popular this year when it comes to tattoos.

Obviously, some of these trends aren’t new, but for one reason or another have become very popular recently.

Micro Tattoos

We have previously talked about micro tattoos, and how they have become popular in recent years, but 2018 has seen a massive increase in their popularity.

These simple, elegant and small tattoos are attractive to people for several reasons. Their size means the time taken to complete and heal is minimal and, if need be, they can be covered up easily.

Micro tattoos are usually black and white, with a simplistic, linear design, making them perfect for those who want to test the water for their first tattoo.

Watercolour tattoos

When done right, watercolour tattoos can look awesome, which explains their rise in popularity recently. But they’re tricky, and they need a good tattoo artist to get right. The biggest criticism of this style is their longevity; because of the lighter shading and pigmentation, they tend to fade quicker than traditional tattoos with their bolder lines and block colours.

Blackout tattoos

Originating from people simply covering up their unwanted tattoos, blackout tattoos have been the surprise of 2018.

First popularised by Singaporean artist Chester Lee a couple of years back, these tattoos are simply large blocks of black ink, without designs or colour, made popular by social media sites such as Instagram.

These blackout tattoos come with their own risk though. The shear amount of ink needed to black out an arm or leg brings with it an unusually high amount of toxins, such as titanium dioxide, lead, nickel and chromium. This can no only result in allergic reactions, skin rashes, and inflammation in the tissue, but make it extremely difficult to diagnose skin cancers, which, living in New Zealand, is a serious issue.