The navel makes a natural place to have a symmetrical, circular tattoo. While this is a sensitive area that may hurt more than other places, it can also be easily concealed; just wear a shirt. Some designs work better around your belly button than others; if you are thinking of getting a tattoo in the area around your navel, consider the different designs and their meanings.
Belly Button Tattoo Designs
Some designs are popularly associated with the navel region, because they are tattooed there more often than other places. You are by no means limited to getting one of these tattoos around your navel; choices for this area are as limitless as other parts of the body. However, these may present you with a beginning place to start thinking about possible designs you would like to get.
Suns
Suns work well in the belly button area because of their circular and symmetrical nature. Embellish the design with rays coming out from the circumference. This can be done in a number of styles, including tribal. The sun has a number of meanings, including:
- Center of the solar system
- Light
- Daytime.
Stars
While not circular, stars have a symmetry about them. You can get stars with a number of different points, from four to as many as you like. Find designs of stars with different numbers of points in clipart collections. You may not wish to take your tattoo directly from these books, but they can serve as an inspiration for whatever design you choose to get.
Astrological Sign
Because of the hyper-symmetrical or simple symmetrical designs for the glyphs of astrological signs, many people choose to get their star sign in the navel area. Consider a very basic representation of your star sign or something a bit more embellished.
Complete Coverage
You don't need to get something around your belly button, instead get something that covers the navel area. Any design you would get somewhere else on your body works just as well in the navel area. Remember that if you are going to do this, you will either have to account for the negative space of the belly button itself or endure a very painful tattoo inside the navel.
Butterflies and Moths
Butterflies aren't just for the ankle. Many people get them above or below the navel. A popular tattoo for men in this area is a moth, specifically the "death moth." This is a standard moth with a skull between the wings. Women interested in traditional tattoos sometimes get this with a more ladylike butterfly-and-skull design.
Belly Button Piercing
Much like people who get rings tattooed around their fingers, other people get false belly button rings tattooed in the navel area. A tattoo in this area may be more difficult and painful than simply piercing the navel. However, some are squeamish about piercings, but not tattoos. If you are one of these people and you have wanted a navel piercing, a tattoo may be the better option for you.
Planning and Executing Your Navel Tattoo
As with any tattoo, discuss your choice of design with your artist before you sit down in the tattoo chair. Your tattoo artist may have suggestions for design and placement haven't thought of. This is especially important in a unique area such as the navel. Go to your tattoo artist with your ideas and see what she has to say about them.
