Perhaps one of the most popular tattoos with guys is the armband one placed around the bicep muscle.
Since this type of design can encircle the entire arm, there are some superstitious people who believe it is a source of bad things to come if the ends are connected. However, the reality is most tattoo artists do not connect the ends as they feel that destroys the visual appeal of the design due to the contours of the human body in this particular area. They feel it is much simpler to leave an opening where the ends come together as it looks much better to the eye.
Since the bicep muscle can be a sign of masculinity and strength, having this type of picture can be a sign of inner confidence. When put on a very muscular individual, it can be quite impressive. However, if you are not really in good shape physically, you might want to stay away from this one as it won't do you any justice if you have a flabby arm. The armband tattoo can also be very flattering on a woman as well. As long as she also has a toned arm to show off the tattoo, it can be quite a piece of art.
Tribal tattoos such as the one around the bicep have a very colorful history with many different understandings.
But the most important feature of the tribal tattoo is to identify what family originally had the tattoo named after them. This identifies exactly the heritage of the person wearing the tattoo. The armband tattoos symbolize different ancestry and is a way to trace one's genealogical tree. And beyond the surface world identity, the tattoo is believed to be a way of finding out who might be related to you once you go to that afterlife beyond this world.
It has been proven throughout many historical accounts that the tattoo of the arm seems to be popular with many cultures.
There is a direct connection with nature represented by the pictures in the design, such as the light from the sun or the evening light coming from the many galaxies in the night sky. While it is easy to show off the tattoo because of its location on the upper are, it is also very easy to hide it by wearing a ling sleeve shirt or blouse. The artwork depicted in these designs range from the very basic to the most complicated pictures, requiring great expertise in the artist placing the tattoo on the subject.
The first tribal armband work was very symbolic of a tribes ancestry, but today it is form of artistic expression.
Instead of painting on a pallet with a brush, the artist tries to create his masterpiece on the human body. The current pictures are with bold and solid rhythms that encircle the body of the artist's subject. The tribal conceptions of these tattoo are perfect for the biceps, because the design can flow freely around the arm and look good from just about any point of view one might see it from.
As far as the pain involved in getting a tattoo, the outside of the upper arm is very favorable due to its high tolerance for feeling any pain in that area. This lack of any great feelings of pain is one good reason that many people opt for this particular location to place their tattoo on. While most of the fans of tattoos like the armband tattoos because there is not really a lot of pain, as we go to the inside of the arm where the skin is thinner, the skin is more sensitive and one should expect to feel some pain.
