To some people, leaves are just leaves, things they see every day covering trees or the ground. To others, leaves represent so much more than that, which is why the leaf tattoo is one of the more popular nature tattoos that people are getting these days.
You have different styles to choose from, and many different colors, and you’ll find out below that there are multiple great meanings that can make these the perfect nature tattoos for you. Keep reading to find out why the leaf tattoo is such a great choice for so many people.
Leaves represent the cycles of life, which, if you think about it, is a meaning that most of us would love to use in a tattoo. It’s one of those meanings that could represent changes in one’s life, acceptance of the life cycle itself, or many other things. Chances are you can find some way to use this meaning with your leaf tattoo even if you don’t find any other suitable meanings.
One of the reasons the cycle of life meaning is used through leaf tattoos is because people want to get over something terrible that has happened to them. They look at their leaves to remind themselves that there is always a way to get over those bad moments and for good ones to spring up. In this way, the leaf tattoo is an excellent motivational design to get.
Another reason why folks might choose to use the cycle of life meaning is because they recognize that with every good moment comes a bad one, so it’s important to cherish all of the good times they have. Yes, there are a bunch of great “life is short, make the best of your days” tattoos, but the leaf tattoo idea is a good one because it gives people a unique way to say those words.
The leaf can also symbolize happiness, which is a great meaning to use if you are a happy person or you are trying to bring more happiness into your life. Now this symbolism is not going to be clear to anyone who does not know what leaves represent, so you might want to include other happiness tattoos to make the meaning a bit more obvious. Of course, you absolutely do not have to include other images if you don’t mind some people not recognizing the meaning.
Unsurprisingly, another great meaning attached to the leaf tattoo is change. Leaves change colors throughout the year, and they go through portions of the year both on and off of the trees. Some people see change as one of the most important aspects of life because it means that they are seeing more of the world and doing more than just the same old thing every day. This is yet another motivational meaning that the leaf has attached to it.
Those looking for a unique way to show that they have accepted their own mortality might find that the leaf tattoo is the perfect design to get. Most people use skulls or the Grim Reaper to symbolize this meaning, but you can use the exact same one with a withered leaf in your design. In fact, you can even get a bright and vibrant leaf tattoo and use this same meaning while also adding an air of mystery to the design.
The type of leaf or leaves you choose to get in your tattoo can also affect its meaning. For example, the oak tree symbolizes power and courage, which means that the leaf can also represent those things. You don’t have to choose a specific type of leaf for your tattoo, but it’s important to know that you can add even more meanings to these designs if you want to.
Besides the great meanings listed above, the leaf tattoo is also popular because there are so many ways to get one designed. You can get a single leaf of any color you want tattooed anywhere on your body where you want it.
You can get a larger nature design by having leaves spread out all over your back or torso. And, of course, you can include the leaf with other images to give people even more insight into who you are. It really all comes down to how prominent you want your leaf tattoo to be and the meanings that you are using with it.
One decision that you will have to make is whether you want to get a single-leaf tattoo or multiple leaves. In most cases, you will find that the meanings don’t change regardless of how many leaves you have, but you might find that one option is clearly the better one for you.
One advantage that you do have with getting multiple leaves is that you can get more colors in the design and perhaps mix and match leaf types to make it more meaningful. On the other hand, a single leaf might fit better wherever you want to place the tattoo and it could make more sense for the meanings you’re using.
Leaf tattoos can be pretty tricky to place on the body, so we highly recommend talking with your tattoo artist about the best placement options for your design. Unless you are getting one in a perfect line, you’re probably going to end up with slightly crooked leaves, which is great, but it also means that you need to have it lined up on your body in an attractive way. A good tattoo artist will give you multiple placement options and will give you a feel for how the final result will look.
We hope you can now see why so many people choose to get the leaf tattoo over all of the other nature tattoo options that are out there right now. They are beautiful, they are meaningful, and there are so many ways that they can be designed. If you know that you want a leaf tattoo, be sure to hire a top artist in your area to do the work for you.