The Celts never wrote their history, except only when the Greek and Roman civilizations penetrated their culture and introduced a formal form of writing. Yet in the remainder of their golden age, art and literature that they nourished were transferred orally from one generation to the next.
They were fierce warriors, great artists, uphold extreme faith with gods and very superstitious. Each of these contributed largely to their awesome art forms and all these attributes can be seen in their arts depicted in modern Celtic tattoos.
One of the more popular design choices in the tattoo industry focuses more on Celtic designs. This trend may be attributed mainly to the universality of their concepts that even now, modern artists can modify designs that were patterned initially from Celtic art.
Their concepts are unquestionably perfect and suited for self-expression that anyone can take a pattern and wear it without negating personal artistic expression. (That reason alone would help us presume why Celtic tattoos are extremely popular. After all, the idea with tattoos is to be able to express something that would maintain itself even after the real meaning of the design has gone.)
Ancient forms of Celtic arts are typically characterized with interlacing symbols, elaborate patterns, perfect knotwork, zoomorphics, spirals, and colorful outlines that most consider abstract. Most of which illustrate a complete cycle, especially the Celtic knots.
Many other tribal groups modified traditional Celtic art forms into their own. One classic example are the Viking raiders who embraced the art form and produced more chaotic effects that characterized their main culture. Another is the adaptation of neighboring lands of interwoven knotwork patterns in the manuscript that went down into the medieval and succeeding eras.
While Celtic culture has considerably declined during the passing of years, many traditions were still in existence these days. Though the majority of us may not realize this fully, some of our conventional art forms were influenced by Celtic traditions. Some are subtly done while others have openly expressed Celtic arts. Say for example the Celtic tattoos that are popular these days.
The knotworks as we have noted earlier, express something deep. And these must be seen that way. This is one reason why while many other traditional art forms have vanished, we still enjoy the beauty that may only be had from Celtic illustrations.
Knotworks expresses the close association and repeated intertwining between the physical, natural and the spiritual world. The never-ending pattern (since knotwork shows no beginning and no end) portrays the tangling of the permanence and termination of existence, faith, love and life. Celtic designs modified for tattoos also convey underlying emotions that may not be simply addressed with stereotypical patterns that we normally see.
Celtic tattoos try not to copy nature perfectly (after all perfection is no longer characterized with nature). They don't duplicate the natural world and they are not representational. Somewhat, they lean more on the abstract art forms that many people admire.
We may say that an artistic heart shape (that is normally seen in tattoos) communicates passion but a crooked Celtic designs in the form of animal or a cross may mean more than just that. They can address indirect expressions, often bordering within mysteries and religious symbolism.
With all these said it would now be easier for us to comprehend why, with all choices of tattoo designs that we can gain from other cultures, we remain to be passionate with Celtic art forms.
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