Article  Deciding a Design With the Help of a Tattoo Flash There are so many different options when it comes to the choice to get a tattoo. Deciding what type, color, and where it is going to be on the body can be a difficult decision to make. It seems that tattoos are continuing to grow in popularity, and as a result, tattoo parlors and artists are scrambling to come up with more and more creative and fun ideas for their customers. A tattoo flash, which is a design printed on paper or cardboard, is a great way to look at a possible tattoo and see what it will look like when it is completed. Internet Tattoo Flash Because of the wide-reaching arm of the Internet, it is now easier than ever to find a tattoo flash in the design that a perspective customer is looking for. An Internet tattoo flash can also usually be enlarged or scaled down, depending on the size the customer wishes. Additionally, because tattoo flash is a considered a work of art by the flash artist, customers may have to pay the artist for the permission to use the tattoo. Illegally downloading a tattoo flash is disrespectful of the flash artist and may also have a watermark or wording over the tattoo image, making it difficult to duplicate. Their work is worth the price, and you will have a better tattoo because of it. Common Tattoo Flash A few examples of popular commonplace tattoo flash and themes include anchors, barbed wire, koi fish, dragons, tribal symbols, cross tattoos, hearts, and dragons. There are many variations of these tattoos, but all have the same basic meanings. Koi fish and dragons are symbols of the Japanese and Chinese culture and history and can represent courage, strength, wisdom, and honor. Anchor tattoos were common among new sailors, who got them to symbolize their maiden voyage across the ocean. Swallows were also a common tattoo flash for sailors- they were heavily popularized by the famous tattoo artist Sailor Jerry in the 1940s. He was based out of Hawaii. Help with Type of Tattoo A tattoo flash can help a perspective customer decide on the type of tattoo they would like to get. If they are looking at something to symbolize courage and strength, then an animal tattoo flash of a tiger or dragon may inspire them to get one of their own. On the other hand, if they want a more literal reminder of hardships and endurance, a quote or word tattoo flash might show them how beautiful a scripted word tattoo could be. Help with Color Seeing a tattoo flash in several different colors may help the perspective customer decide what colors he or she should get in a tattoo. Even though colors printed on paper will look different on each individual depending on what skin tone they have, being able to visually see the options available will help give ideas as to the available possibilities. Help with Size Because a tattoo flash can be enlarged or scaled down on a computer or by hand according to a customer's preference, it is now easier than ever to compare different sizes of the same tattoo to see what looks best. Upon seeing the actual size of a tattoo flash, a customer may decide to go bigger or smaller. Choosing the best size may ease the possibility of regret of getting the tattoo later on.   Help with Placement Sometimes, a tattoo flash is attached to a tattoo parlor's wall, making it impossible to visualize on a part of the body. However, when a tattoo flash is downloaded from the Internet or created by a flash artist and given to a perspective customer, they are able to cut out the tattoo flash (if it is on paper) and place it on different parts of the body to get a rough estimate of how it will look. Additionally, sometimes a tattoo flash can be reproduced on to fake tattoo paper, allowing the individual to actually place a fake version of the tattoo on their body. This is the most realistic way to see how a tattoo would look before it is actually permanently inked onto the body. Category Society Author WOA Member Add To Favorites Print This Article Email Article To A Friend Post Comments   Rate This Article (0) 1 - Poor2345 - Good678910 - Excellent Added On 19 May 2009