Everybody recognizes a star when they see one and although they may mean different things to different people, they are a common symbol – as such they are becoming very popular as a tattoo design. The star is a simple design for first time tattoos it is a good way to try out the process and see whether you really like adorning yourself in this way. Because these tattoos are often made up of more than one star it is easy for the tattoo artist to personalize your tattoo and make it uniquely your own.
Star design tattoos are suitable for everyone as they are not specific to any gender, cultural heritage or set of beliefs. This makes them ideal for the tattoo artist to use their imagination and concoct a tattoo that expresses what you want to say about yourself.
The nautical star is very popular as it goes right back through history and is associated with boats and with sailing. If you see yourself as a water loving person, one who likes the sea and all that it has to offer then the nautical star may be just the thing you need. Sailors in particular favor the nautical star as it is so deeply entwined in sailing lore. Because in the history of sailing, sailors used the stars to guide them the nautical or North Star was a signal that they were nearing home. This association with home made this particular star a favorite of sailors throughout history. The fact that the star helped sailors find their way home was later extended to signify that someone was trying to find their path in life. Many sailors had a nautical star tattoo as a reminder of how lucky they were to reach their home shores safely.
In recent years, a number of different groups have adopted the nautical star as their own. Gays, lesbians and particularly punks attach importance to the nautical star and may have one tattooed on their body to designate their association with a particular group. In this sense the star becomes almost a tribal symbol. It was very relevant in the nineteen forties and fifties when people often had to hide their allegiance to such groups – just as Christians in the early days used the symbol of the fish to recognize each other, lesbians and gays used a star tattoo. Lesbians would wear the tattoo on the inside of their wrists – today many lesbians have a star tattoo to show their solidarity with their more oppressed historical sisters. Some punk bands have the nautical star tattooed on their elbows they see the nautical star as a symbol of the truth about the north of the country and the place they call home. Not many sailors, however, are happy about the fact that their nautical star is associated with marginalized groups such as these.
