Just about everyone in the world can agree that mountains are beautiful, so it’s not too surprising that plenty of people choose to get mountain tattoos. Not only do these designs look great on the skin but they also have some pretty great meanings attached to them, of which you can choose one or more.
On this page, we will take a look at why mountain tattoos are so popular these days and whether or not you’d be a good candidate for a mountain tattoo design.
One of the main reasons why people choose to get mountain tattoos is because they show that they have an adventurous side. Anyone who sees a mountain tattoo will recognize right away that the owner is not the type to stay in their house; they like to get out and live! If this sounds like you, then you might find that the mountain tattoo both represents who you are and can be a motivational tool you can use to make sure you don’t some being adventurous.
Similarly, mountains can symbolize life’s journey, from childbirth to death. It’s actually one of the better images to get if you want to tell others that you recognize your life’s peaks and valleys and you are working to reach more of those peaks. Obviously, anyone can use this meaning, and that’s actually a great thing. It means that anyone can get a mountain tattoo and know that it will always mean something important to them. These versions of mountain tattoos often have a very dramatic look to them so people don’t mistake them for simple “nature” tattoos.
Mountains also have quite a bit of mystery to them, so they are the perfect symbol of our own mysteriousness. If you use this meaning you’re telling people that from a distance you might look like everyone else, but once they get to know you they will see that there is quite a bit of depth. With these designs adding in some fog or mist might make the meaning a bit clearer.
Mountains, as big and intimidating as they are, also symbolize strength for obvious reasons. They’ve been around for much longer than humans and most other species and they have taken on so many crazy natural events, so they might actually be one of the best representatives of strength that we have. And this covers both of the main meanings for strength – physical and emotional – so it can work quite well for plenty of people.
After you’ve come up with a meaning that you like, then it comes time to figure out how you want the mountain tattoo to look on your skin. As much as that can be a fun process, it can also be quite frustrating since there are so many great ways that you can some mountain tattoos. We recommend working with a pro artist by telling them the meanings you want to use and getting them to draw up five or six options for you. After that, you can tweak your favorites until you have a unique design that you can be proud of.
Realistic looking mountains are best for people who are going for very detailed tattoos or designs of actual mountains that they’ve visited. Be warned that these are often quite a bit more expensive, especially if you decide to get a large mountain tattoo. You should always work with experienced artists, but that’s especially true when you are getting very detailed designs like these.
Another heavily detailed mountain tattoo style that you might opt for is to have the mountains in the background and more natural images (trees, water, etc.) in the foreground. This is especially great for people who want to add even more natural meanings to their designs. This is also a great option for anyone who wants to make their tattoos look like paintings on their skin.
If you don’t want to go all-out and get a realistic-looking mountain tattoo, then you might want to opt for a silhouette look. Not only are these generally less expensive than those with a lot of detail and color but they also are very in right now. Another benefit is that you can get a mountain silhouette tattoo just about anywhere on your body.
What’s great about mountain tattoos is that it is pretty easy to come up with a unique design that only you have. You can pick one out of a book and then tweak it to be perfect for you, or you can even start from scratch. Remember that they don’t have to be realistic looking for them to hold all of those great mountain tattoo meanings we talked about earlier; you can get an abstract mountain and have it symbolize whatever you want it to.
After you’ve come up with a mountain tattoo design, you will need to come up with a spot to place it. You might think that it has to be a horizontal tattoo, but the truth is that plenty of people get vertical mountain tattoos these days. You can even get a mountain sleeve tattoo if you want to.
That being said, you should decide where you want to place your mountain tattoo long before you begin working on the design so you can be sure that it fits well in that area. You might find that mountains happen to look great on your bicep, or you might find that you want an entire landscape design and it looks amazing on your back.
As you can see, there are plenty of great design choices when it comes to mountain tattoos and just as many great meanings. The key is to know for sure that the meaning(s) you choose really represent who you are and that the design really does fit where you want to get it. If you check all of those boxes, there’s a great chance that you will always love your mountain tattoo because it looks fantastic and it means a lot to you.