One of the hottest and fastest growing trends in tattoo designs are Celtic tattoos.  They have been around for a long time however more recently they have grown in popularity.  Their bold lines and deeply symbolic themes make for n idea tattoo combination.  They can be done as rather large designs or scaled down to fit in a smaller area.  The bold and strong lines often work very well from a distance.  Typically one will find Celtic crosses and other patterns that feature traditional knotwork.  However, there are other styles out there.  If you are considering a Celtic tattoo you should know all of the different design options that you have. 

Tree Of Life Tattoo Designs

The tree of life is a thoroughly Celtic symbol that can been seen throughout the illuminated works of art and in just about every type Celtic design.  Many of the ancients held trees as at the center of their worship.  They often envisioned trees as images of a mother that give life and sustenance.  For the Celtic people the tree was thought of as the center of the world or cosmos.  It had its roots going deep into the earth and the lower realms while the branches would reach up into the heavens and the spiritual world above.  Thus the tree of life has become a strong symbol for balance and harmony.  It is a symbol for life, solidarity and balance. 

Knotwork Tattoos

Of course this is the most common form of Celtic artwork that is typically used today in tattoo designs.  It of course was used throughout the Celtic artwork and especially in illuminated texts.  The lines being interwoven form a spiritual path that can be followed much like a maze.

Step Pattern Tattoo Designs

Step patterns are really just spiral patterns and thought to represent the same things symbolically.  A step pattern is a series of straight lines that are bumped up next to each other and turn around on each other at right angles.  These also form a maze of sorts which you start from the outside and then follow to the center.  At the center is where the Haven and Earth and joined together.  Again is represents a spiritual journey.

Spiral Pattern Tattoos

The Celtic people and artists loved spiral patterns.  They were never ending series of lines that would wrap back into themselves creating a never ending pattern.  Again it was seen as part of a spiritual journey.  They of course would represent this journey in the lines but also the artists who would create these intricate and beautiful patterns were going through this spiritual journey by making the spiral patters.  These are typically done in a series of three of a multiple of three.  The Celtics believed that all important things in life came in threes:  such as birth, death and rebirth or the body, should and the mind.  The Celtic believed that this represented a never ending cycle that kept returning back into itself.