The Japanese now call the wild carp “magoi”, and colored and inbred magoi are called Koi. Koi that are bred for color are called “Nishikigoi” which means colorful cloth (nishiki) and carp(goi). The depiction of the Koi fish is also one of the most popular and beautiful of the Japanese tattoo symbols.

Surprising to many Westerners is the large amount of ancient myth that surrounds the Koi fish and their elevated status in the Orient. Their glorious colors and color combinations may contribute to these tales. The colors include silver, gold, white, yellow, orange, black and even calico.

Some legends say that Koi fish can climb waterfalls bravely. They also say that if the fish has been caught, it will lay on the cutting board awaighting the knife without a quiver. In Koi symbolism this has been likened to a samurai warrior facing a sword.

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This theme dates back to ancient China where a legend tells of how any Koi that succeeded in climbing the falls on the Yellow River at a point called Dragon Gate would be transformed into a dragon. Based on that legend the Koi became a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement.

Eventually the fish came to be associated with so many masculine and positive qualities that it became Koi symbolism for the annual Boys’ Day Festival in Japan. In this festival, colorful streaming Koi flags are traditionally displayed for each member of the family.

The various colors of the koi fish represent each of the family members. Black Koi symbolism stands for the father, the red and orange Koi symbolize the mother, blue-and-white Koi flags stand for the son and the red and pink Koi flags stand for the daughter.

In tattoo imagery, especially in combination with flowing water, the Koi fish symbolizes many of the same characteristics such as courage, the ability to attain high goals and the strength that enables one to overcome life’s difficulties.

Many people are drawn to Koi fish art for the colors and meaning hidden within. Koi tattoos have become more popular in recent years. People believe that the placement of the fish on the human body is symbolic.

They think that if the Koi is swimming down the body it symbolizes that the person is trying to overcome hardship, while if it is swimming up the body it means that the person has already overcome many of the hardships in their life.

Buddhist monks say that humans “swim” through the “ocean of suffering” without fear like a fish swims through water. Thus, many people view the Koi fish as the symbol of how we should persevere in life. According to tattoo websites, Koi symbolism represents good fortune, prosperity and riches. Also the Japanese feel that the depiction of this fish on the human body represents male strength.

In Japan Koi symbolism represents perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. The strongest Koi will swim upstream until it reaches the final waterfall where it vaults into the mists and becomes a water dragon.

Based on that legend the Koi has become a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement. Because of its strength and determination to overcome obstacles it stands for courage and the ability to attain high goals. Others say it means good luck and good fortune especially in China where seven golden Koi represent good luck. Another example of Koi symbolism is that the larger the Koi, the richer you are. This probably stems from the fact that large specimens are very expensive.

It has been said that if you are determined and don’t conform to what society expects, you are like a Koi swimming upstream against the current. Koi symbolism represents yin and yang in ponds. Normally there is a balance of one black to nine gold.

Koi are referred to as “living jewels” or “swimming flowers”. The positive attributes associated with Koi fish have made them popular choices for body art, jewelry and paintings for centuries. If you look into oriental art you’ll find many beautiful examples of the Koi symbolism.

Koi fish are a domesticated variety of the common carp. The common carp was (and is) a wild fish which was bred in Eastern Asia and China thousands of years ago. When people from the East and China began to migrate to the island of Japan they also took with them an important food source– the common carp. These were introduced in Japan in their black form, known as “Magoi”. Magoi were kept and bred in farmers’ rice paddies where, over centuries, they began to develop color variations. The fish with color variations were separated from the rest and bred separately. This selective breeding domesticated the species and eventually produced the numerous color variations we see in modern Japanese koi fish.

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Over time the color variations of koi began to vary more and more, and in the 1820′s the colors of today’s koi fish evolved and koi became more popular. There are about 19 major categories for koi colorations, though color combinations are practically limitless. The most popular (and perhaps the most familiar) is “Gosanke,” a white, orange, and black colored koi. The most common colors are cream, yellow, blue, red, and black. However, Japanese koi fish are usually two or more colors.

People often wonder whether koi are the same as goldfish. The answer is a bit complicated, though the short answer is no. Goldfish and koi fish are actually two different species because although both are descended from carp, they both come from different types of carp. As you now know, koi were bred from the common carp, while goldfish are the descendants of Prussian carp which were bred more than a thousand years ago in China for color mutations. Their history and looks may be similar, but they are still two different types of fish. Koi fish are much larger and have greater color variations while goldfish have a wider variety of body shapes.

Another question that often comes up is– “do koi fish make good pets?” Koi fish enthusiasts and owners the world over would shout a resounding “yes!” Just as with any other animal, if you treat them like your pets and take good care of them koi will naturally become more than just baubles in your garden pond. In fact, koi have been known to eat food out of the hands of their owners, and are said to have personalities as unique as their colorings. However, keep in mind that with proper care Japanese koi fish will live longer than their owners– often more than 100 years. The longest living known koi fish was said to have lived for more than 250 years in Japan.

This brings us to the proper care of koi. They are adaptable cold-water fish, but they still require proper care of their environment and healthy food. It is recommended that a koi pond be at least 4 feet deep and that the temperature of the water should be between 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 25 degrees Celsius). Koi don’t do well in prolonged winter temperatures of below 59 degrees F. Feeding should correspond with temperature; the lower the temperature they less you should feed them. Most importantly, Japanese koi fish should not be fed under 46 degrees F because in very low temperatures their digestive system shuts down and they are unable to digest food.

Koi fish are omnivores, which means they eat both meat and plants. They have been known to enjoy everything from shrimp to watermelon pieces and a large variety of fresh veggies, fruits, seafood, and even moss. A popular alternative is floating koi fish meal, though fresh food is always more appealing and nutritious to any animal. It is also important to be aware of foods koi fish should not be fed: regular meat (i.e. beef, pork), bread, pasta, sugar, and especially corn (and products containing corn). Koi will eat more in hotter temperatures and less in colder. Remember that the more they eat the more waste they produce. A good pond filtration system should take care of most of the waste.

Another oft-asked topic– koi breeding. Japanese koi fish reproduce by spawning. A female koi will lay eggs (thousands at a time), which a male koi or two will fertilize. However, taking care and raising the offspring (fry) is a difficult task, and often left up to professional koi breeders. The breeders have special techniques and skills with which they choose specific koi to breed with which they want to reproduce certain characteristics in their offspring. However, this is no guarantee that interesting color variations will appear. Only a small number of fry are chosen to be raised and sold.

As I’ve mentioned before koi fish are hardy, which means they are adapt to changes in their environment fairly well and they are able to survive in the wilderness. In fact, koi have been (accidentally or intentionally) released into the environment on every continent except Antarctica. In this situation they lose their unique colorings within a few generations as there is no selective breeding. And because they are bottom feeders, koi have been known to cause great damage to water systems and have ruined water quality. In countries where they are abundant in the wild, Japanese koi fish are considered to be an invasive species. Efforts to eradicate them have been mostly unsuccessful.

And so, as the popularity of koi fish steadily grows all over the world, so does the knowledge and interest in the species. Koi fish beauty and allure makes them especially prominent in today’s pop culture. They make very popular tattoos, are the subjects of many kinds of paintings and drawings, and are the topic of numerous Japanese and Chinese myths and folktales. In Japan, koi is a symbol of perseverance, worldly aspiration, and achievement. In China they are a symbol of wealth and success.

For more information on the symbolism of koi fish, koi fish tattoo designs, paintings, and drawings visithttp://www.arted4life.com/nature-art/koi_fish_drawings

by: (c) CopyrightDoroteja Perse 2009, worldwide

Nowadays a quarter sleeve tattoo is considered one of the most hot tattoo art design thus making it easy to find an enormous amount of designs over the net, but you may want to ask your self do i want a unique quarter sleeve design or something that is common?I will explain to you how you can find a unique quarter sleeve tattoo art design in a matter of hours. I have a personal experience with tattoo‘s of many years and i can tell you one thing, you should always pick the tattoo art design that you feel that expresses your inner self and your personality, dont do it for the trend or any other reason, do it for you, for who you are be inspired by your self and what surounds you.

the best way i found to form my own quarter sleeve tattoo art design was to search for images i like, for example the nautical star and some tribal art tattoo and combine them with other images that i found on the net,but i have the knowledge to use photoshop and other image editing software to combine them and make one unique tattoo art design, if you dont have that kind of knowledge you could just collect the images and then give them to your tattoo artist and ask for him to combine them with his own style and you will end up with your own unique quarter sleeve tattoo art design, or you could also ask a friend that is good with art to combine them and make you the design.

Now the big question is, are the websites that provide this so called tattoo collections worth your time?well the answer is simple, some of them have an enormous gallery that will really help you with finding that special tattoo art design that is right for you but some will just be a big waste of time. I have personally used some of these sites and it helped me alot for choosing my design, you may ask why, well if you are an indecisive person in general you may need to look through hundreds of designs to pick the right for you and those galleries will really help you to find it.

Always Remember to not stress out for your tattoo art design, you need to take your time and find the best one for you, if you still need help about picking your tattoo you can always follow my tips in my article: how to pick a tattoo

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Tattoos require piercing into the skin, which nearly always implies pain. No matter how big or how small the tattoo art design may be or where it is placed, you can anticipate to feel some pain. The amount of pain you though, all counts on your tolerance. If you have a high pain tolerance, you may feel next to zero during the whole process.

When you get a tattoo art on your body the needles will focus on your skin at very quick rates. The draft of the tattoo art design is easy the most unpleasant, as the needles will be used to make a blackline that will stick out on the tattoo art design. This part needs to be stuck in fairly deeply and cautiously to secure that its done correctly. The shadowing of the tattoo art design usually isnt unpleasant, although it counts on the penetration depth and the quality of result that you want.

Commonly, the pain you experience is a light burn or itching feeling. If the tattoo is going to be on a part of the body where there is almost no bone and tissue such as the wrist or chest, the pain will be slightly stronger. Areas like the arms and legs yet, usually arent that bad. Areas like that have more tissue and muscle, which will be better regards the pain you will feel.

Even though some amount of pain is to be anticipated, there are ways that you can minimise it. Beneath are numerous tips that will assist you to deal with the pain.
1. Never go to a get a tattoo if you used drugs or if you are drunk. This will make your blood thinner, making you to bleed more.
2. Always prefer a tattoo artist that makes you feel comfortable. If you are confident about your tattoo artist you can minimise the pain a good deal.
3. Go to the tattoo studio with full determination. You should swallow the fact that the proccess can be time consuming . Quality tattoo artists take their time to ensure the best results.
4. If the pain gets too much to handle, you should let your tattoo artist know instantly. He will allow you to have a break, or end the session and continue it later. You can always go with the option of multiple sessions to ensure the quality.
5. To be more relax you could listen to music. This way, you can take your mind off the tattoo and let the tattoo artist finish his tattoo art design.

Beginning with an image research on any major search engine can formulate numerous answers, but it may need hours to get through the plethora of pictures that you may find. Another great possibility is that you think you’ve found the easiest research term, but it makes no results. To evade this kind of of discovering a tattoo art design on the net, you may need to just to expand your research terms.

If you’ve found that ideal tattoo art design on the net, you still have to face a few different problems that could turn out. The first is whether that certain tattoo art design belongs to a certain individual. I feel it’s specially to consider, that the tattoo art design you have selected is someone’s tattoo art design. A lot of individuals live off of the tattoo art designs they make, and are seeking to get their work accepted by investing it on the net. Be certain that you aren’t stealing anyone’s art design. I’m quite certain if you sent an honest e-mail to any tattoo art designer explaining that you think their tattoo art designs are stunning and you would like to put it on you, they may be capable to make some arrangement with you.

Another big trouble that can show itself when choosing a tattoo art design on the net is whether or not it would work out as a good tattoo design for you. Unless you’re a creative person you may have trouble the type of canvas that the human body allows, and you may get yourself all excited to go into a tattoo shop to get it done, only to discover out that the tattoo art design you chose would really look to a greater extent like a spot of nothing than possibly, say, a rose.

An easy answer to both of these troubles would be to search for a tattoo art design online gallery. There’s alot out there, including various free ones. I would personally advise, nevertheless, taking into consideration a paid website. A lot of the free tattoo sites out there, have a very small amount of tattoo art designs. Their designs also frequently seem to be unprofessional and sometimes even very old. I’m unquestionably not telling to entirely rule out the available free sites. Check them out, and you may obtain the ideal tattoo art design for your self. If you are really serious about getting your tattoo art design on the net, though, finding out a paid site is by all odds worth it. I think online tattoo art designs galleries are a massive source of inspiration towards finding the most suitable tattoo art design for your body. They present an outlet for tattoo artists to get their designs on the net, and they’re assured to be good as a tattoo resource.

One closing advice, make sure that you know precisely what you need. Going in to a tattoo shop without knowing what you really want can end up in a very bad mistake that will be not easy to get rid off.although if you really know what you want then just print out the best tattoo art designs that you found out on the net and take them with you, then ask your tattoo artist if he/she can work on them and make up with excactly what you want, remember you pay them to give you something permanent so be sure to demand what you really want.

Tattoos are very common nowadays, with almost 1 in 4 individuals getting at least one. Tattoos stand for a fine art, and let individuals to express their inner self. Even though they are common, most individuals will be regretting about having them. In many cases, those who repent tattoos didnt consider about their tattoo art design or make the time to pick out the most preferential tattoo for them. Even though it is possible to get a tattoo removed, the treatment is costly and rather unpleasant. To forbid this from occurring, you should always make some time and get the most relevant tattoo for your self, your dream tattoo art design.

Rather than trying to spare some money, you should never pick out a tattoo studio or tattoo artist depending on how low-cost or flashy they are. Cheaper tattoo artists and tattoo studios commonly lack in work quality, therefore they are capable to charge cheap prices, you should search for the best tattoo studio and the best tattoo artist you can find in your area, even if some people charge high enough it will be worth it because you will most probably stuck with that certain tattoo art design on your body for the rest of your life, even if you dont have the money at the momment, you can always save enough to have it when you can.

For some, their dreamy tattoo art design is a picture or a symbol of an individual, in many cases someone who has passed away or a loving individual. if you have a good tattoo artist it can make it happen and you will have a great personal tattoo that will remind you of that certain loved person and also look good.

Most of the time, it can be difficult finding out the design of your dreams, you may have an inspiration in your head but you are still not positive of what you need, you can always search though. You can get tattoo art designs books, tattoos magazines, or just research the net. By seeing at tattoo art designs you may encounter something alike to what you are interested in. Once you have got it, all you require to do is sit down with your tattoo art design artist and find which designs feels like the best for you.

If you have a primary theme for something little in your head, you can always get it tattooed then come back after and have more added on to it. The greatest matter about tattoos is the fact that they can ever be added to after. This can be a remarkable thing if you want to try a small tattoo at the begining, and then resolve whether or not you desire to expand it.

Whenever you get your dreamy tattoo you should always make time choosing the tattoo art design. Your tattoos will stay with you for the rest of your life, which is why you should choose them very carefuly. If you put the needed time and thinking into it straightaway, you wont regret it after. Your dreamy tattoo art design should be very remarkable. This means, each time you see it youll be reminded of that exceptional moment.

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