Kanji tattoos

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stupidity is painful

I've often heard that stupidity is painful - and recently I found the proof. For the beginning, let's keep in mind two facts about tattoos:

1. Getting a tattoo is a pretty painful process.
2. It's really silly to get a Kanji / Hanzi tattoo without getting informed about the Kanji / Hanzi 's meaning.

Now, with this two things in mind, let's take a look at this tattoo:


The very first problem is that the top character is upside down. But that is just a small problem.

The real problem is the meaning of these ideograms:

The the top character (苦) means "pain; suffering; distress; anxiety; trouble".
The next two ideograms (阿呆) mean "fool; simpleton; idiot".

The tattoo's meaning is something like "suffering idiot" or "a fool in pain" or "distressed simpleton" or something of this kind.

In conclusion, stupidity is really painful.

Similar posts:
Another failed kanji / hanzi tattoo

A cool guy... or a bad woman?

Tattoos fails: kanji / hanzi mistakes

He has hemorrhoids... and he is proud with that

Failed tatoos: Kanji mistakes - the seven virtues of the samurai

Monday, September 17, 2012

Angel of Death tattoos: examples and ideas

Related posts:
Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (2)
Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (1)
Death tattoos: angels of death (1)


Angel of Death tattoo on the back: the Angel of Death offering a rose to a child
Angel of Death tattoo: the Angel of Death offering a rose to a child


arm tattoo: Angel of Death / Grim Reaper
forearm tattoo: Angel of Death wearing a hooded cloak; with one hand he is carrying the famous Grim Reaper's scythe and in the other hand is holding a skull; the angel's face is hidden by the cloak's hood and cannot be seen


shoulder tattoo: Angel of Death / Grim Reaper
shoulder tattoo: Angel of Death


Death tattoo on the back: Grim Reaper with skeletal wings
Grim Reaper / Angel of Death tattoo; in this tattoo Grim Reaper is depicted as an winged skeleton wearing a ragged cloak


Angel of Death tattoo: compassionate Angel of Death
Angel of Death portrayed as a good angel who put an end to the suffering of those who need help


chest tattoo: Angel of Death / Grim Reaper depicted with archangel-like feathered wings
chest tattoo: Grim Reaper depicted with archangel-like feathered wings


tattoo covering the shoulder and the upper arm: Angel of Death / Grim Reaper depicted with archangel-like feathered wings
shoulder tattoo: Grim Reaper depicted with archangel-like feathered wings


full-back tattoo: Angel of Death holding a human skull
Full-back tattoo: Angel of Death holding a human skull in his / her hands. The angel has giant feathered wings and is wearing monastic clothes.


arm tattoo: Angel of Death portrayed as a winged warrior-monster
Angel of Death portrayed as a winged warrior-monster


arm tattoo: Angel of Death portrayed as a blindfolded little girl with giant black feathered wings
arm tattoo: Angel of Death portrayed as a blindfolded little girl


arm tattoo: Grim Reaper / Angel of Death portrayed as a hideous skeleton with giant bat-wings
arm tattoo: Grim Reaper / Angel of Death portrayed as a hideous skeleton with giant bat-wings


tattoo on the back: Angel of Death portrayed as a winged young woman
Angel of Death portrayed as a winged young woman


shoulder tattoo / upper arm tattoo: Grim Reaper / Angel of Death portrayed as a winged warrior-skeleton
Grim Reaper / Angel of Death portrayed as a winged warrior-skeleton



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (2)

Depending on the artist's vision, various elements of an "Angel of Death" tattoo may vary significantly.

Angel of Death's face:

angel of the death portrayed as a expressionless woman
expressionless Angel of Death

1. For some people, the Angel of Death is an ancient, powerful being that is neither good nor evil, but simply neutral. It is his job is to keep the cosmic balance leveled. Death claims the souls of those who die and takes them to the afterlife. It is useless to fight him as he cannot be destroyed for there is always death, there is only life because of death. The Angel of Death cannot be stopped and never gives up a claim; he (or she) cannot be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's life. In accordance with this belief, the Angel of Death's face is beautiful but expressionless.


Grim Reaper / Angel of Death portrayed as an evil angel
Angel of Death portrayed as an evil angel

2. If the Angel of Death is portrayed as an evil angel (a fallen angel) his (her) face will contain various demonic features such as red or black horns upon the forehead, reddish skin / ragged skin, dark eyes (or empty eyes), a devilish grin, etc.


angel of death tattoo: a compassionate angel of death
Angel of Death portrayed as a good angel

3. The Angel of Death can be portrayed as a good angel who put an end to the suffering of those who need help, situation when obviously the angel has a tender and compassionate face.


Grim Reaper / Angel of the Death
Angel of Death portrayed as an evil skeleton

4. Sometimes the Angel of Death is depicted as an winged skeleton. Usually, the skeleton's face has an evil expression: a malefic grin, burning eyes, etc.









Grim Reaper / Angel of Death tattoo: winged angel of death wearing a hooded black cloak
faceless Angel of Death

5. Occasionally (especially when the Angel of Death is depicted as wearing the famous Grim Reaper's hooded cloak) the face of the Angel of Death is partially or completely hidden (by the hood of the cloak).







The wings

Most commonly, the Angel of the Death is depicted with long, large, archangel-like feathered wings. The color of the wings can vary according to the main theme of the tattoo: the wings can be white, white with shades of light blue (when the Angel of Death is a good angel), black (probably the most common color), black and white, black and white with shades of gray, reddish, yellow-gold, etc. Although in the most cases the Angel of Death has archangel-like feathered wings, there are many tattoos (especially when the Angel of Death is depicted as an evil angel)that the Angel of Death has demon wings, giant bat-wings, skeletal wings, etc.

Grim Reaper - Angel of Death tattoo; angel of death with huge feathered wings
faceless Angel of Death with white feathered wings

Angel of Death / Grim Reaper wearing the famous black cloak
faceless Angel of Death with black feathered wings

Grim Reaper - Angel of Death tattoo - a skeleton with huge bat-wings
Grim Reaper / Angel of Death with bat wings

Angel of Death tattoo - Angel of Death depicted as a winged warrior
evil Angel of Death with monster-like wings

Grim Reaper tattoo - Grim Reaper with skeletal wings
evil Angel of Death with skeletal wings




The weapon

Regarding the weapons, the tattooers have only two choices: the sword (usually highly decorated; the most common choice) or the Grim Reaper's scythe.

Grim Reaper tattoo / Angel of Death tattoo covering the shoulder and the upper arm
Angel of Death carrying the famous scythe

Grim Reaper portrayed as a warrior-skeleton with wings
Angel of Death holding a highly decorated sword




The clothes:

Regarding the clothes, there are not too many constraints, so that tattooers can unleash their imagination. The angels of death are depicted wearing monastic clothes, hooded cloaks, ragged clothes and even chained tunics and breastplates (when the Angel of Death is portrayed as an warrior angel).

Grim Reaper / Angel of Death tattoo on the arm
Angel of Death wearing a hooded cloak

Angel of Death - full back tattoo
Angel of Death portrayed as a young woman wearing sexy clothes

full back tattoo - Angel of Death holding a human skull
Angel of Death wearing monastic clothes

warrior Angel of Death
warrior Angel of Death wearing a breastplate

Related posts:
Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (1)
Death tattoos: angels of death (1)
Angel of Death tattoos: examples and ideas
Death tattoos: the main depictions of the Grim Reaper
Death Tattoos / Grim Reaper Tattoos: themes and meanings

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (1)


Below you can find a non-exhaustive list containing the main representations of the "Angels of Death" in tattoos:


The Death of the Gravedigger by Carlos Schwabe - Angel of Death depicted as a beautiful woman
Angel of Death depicted as a beautiful woman

Mostly, the Angel of Death is depicted as a slim, dark and particularly beautiful young man or young woman. Unlike the Grim Reaper, the Angel of Death is depicted with wings (usually giant archangel-like wings).

Angel of Death wearing the hooded black cloak and carrying the schythe
Angel of Death wearing the hooded black cloak

The identity of the Angel of Death is indicated by the presence of certain elements: the long scythe, the presence of the human skulls, the presence of a dying human being, etc. Sometimes, the Angel of the Death is wearing the famous Death's hooded black cloak.



Very often, the image of the Angel of the Death results by the fusion of the elements belonging to different characters: angels and Grim Reaper, angels and demons, angels and skeletons, etc.

Angel of Death / Grim Reaper tattoo
Grim Reaper / Angel of Death tattoo


As a result of the influence of the Scandinavian mythology, the Angel of Death is often depicted as a winged warrior:

Warrior Angel of Death
Angel of Death portrayed as an winged warrior

Warrior Angel of Death woman
Angel of Death portrayed as a beautiful warrior-woman

Sometimes Satan is identified as the Angel of Death and is portrayed as a slim male dark-angel, as a beautiful, seductive (sometimes even half-naked) female dark-angel, as an ugly demon, etc
Grim Reaper - Angel of Death - dark angel
female dark-angel of the death

female angel of the death
half-naked female dark-angel of the death

Angel of Death portrayed as an young boy
male dark-angel of the death


Monday, September 3, 2012

Death tattoos: angels of death (1)

Related posts:
Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (1)
Death tattoos: angels of death - themes and representations (2)
Angel of Death tattoos: examples and ideas


Angel of Death tattoo
Angel of Death tattoo

Although Grim Reaper is the most common theme for the so-called death-tattoos, there are many people who choose a different representation of the Death: skeletons, demons, monsters, etc. One of the most popular choices is the "Angel of Death" theme.

The origin of the representations should be sought in the ancient religious texts (the Bible and the rabbinical literature). In these texts, there is no just one Angel of the Death.

Angel of the Death was created by God on the first day. He has twelve wings and is full of eyes. In the hour of death he stands at the head of the departing one with a drawn sword, to which clings a drop of gall. As soon as the dying man sees the angel, he is seized with a convulsion and opens his mouth, whereupon the angel throws the drop into it. ('Ab. Zarah 20b;) The expression "the taste of death" originated in the idea that death was caused by a drop of gall.

The Memitim - a type of angel from biblical lore associated with the mediation over the lives of the dying. The name is derived from the Hebrew word mĕmītǐm and refers to angels that brought about the destruction of those whom the guardian angels no longer protected.

Abaddon (The Destroyer) - in Revelation 9:7-11, Abaddon is described as "The Destroyer", "the Angel of the abyss", and as the king of a plague of locusts resembling horses with crowned human faces, women's hair, lions' teeth, wings, and the tail of a scorpion that torment people for five months. Abaddon is also called Apollyon.

Samael - a controversial figure who is an accuser, a seducer and a destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil. Sometimes he is a member of the heavenly host (with often grim and destructive duties), in the New Testament named Satan and the chief of the evil spirits. One of Samael's greatest roles in Jewish lore is that of the angel of death. He remains one of the Lord's servants even though he appears to want men to do evil. As a good angel, Samael resides in the seventh heaven, although he is declared to be the chief angel of the fifth heaven.

Satan / angel of death tattoo on the arm
Satan / Angel of Death tattoo

Sometimes Satan is identified as the Angel of Death. When the Messiah comes all the dead will arise, and there will be an end to death; for the angel of death himself will be destroyed by the Messiah. Satan, as the angel of death, is identified here with Antichrist. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (I Cor. xv. 26; compare Heb. ii. 14). The same idea seems to be expressed in the Book of Jubilees xxiii. 29: "And they shall fulfil all their days in peace and joy, and shall live on, since there will be no Satan and no evil to destroy them."


St Michael / the archangel Michael tattoo
St Michael / the archangel Michael tattoo

In the Roman Catholicism, the archangel Michael is viewed as the good Angel of Death (as opposed to Samael, the controversial Angel of Death), carrying the souls of the deceased to Heaven. There, he balances them in his scales (one of his symbols). He is said to give the dying souls the chance to redeem themselves before passing as well.

Other Angels of Death: Gabriel the Angel of Death over the kings; Ḳapẓiel over youths; Mashbir over animals; Mashḥit over children; Af and Ḥemah over man and beast.

Sometimes, there is no designated angel of death - death is viewed under form of an angel sent from God, a being deprived of all voluntary power. The "angel of the Lord" smites 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp (II Kings xix. 35). "The destroyer" ("ha-mashḥit") kills the first-born of the Egyptians (Ex. xii. 23), and the "destroying angel" ("mal'ak ha-mashḥit") rages among the people in Jerusalem (II Sam. xxiv. 15). In I Chron. xxi. 15 the "angel of the Lord" is seen by David standing "between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem."