Ambigram Tattoos

A New Style of Tattoo Lettering

Ever wanted a tattoo that was very unique in just a simple twist of words? If you are, this may be your lucky day. Ambigram tattoos are designs that express the same visual aspects turned up or down, or from side to side. Ambigrams can also reference a different meaning when it is flipped or turned around too. The design is great new way of expressing your personality. They are in the same category as lettering tattoos but the artistry and cleverness takes it to a new level. If you are considering on getting a tattoo involving lettering tattoos, using words or names written in the Ambigrams style is a cool way to go.

Ambigram Tattoo
Natures Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water.

There are two variations of the Ambigram style.

Symmetrical Ambigrams designs interprets the word or meaning in the same manner no matter which way it is turned. Words of spiritual and an wise convictions are usually chosen for this type of tattoo such as faith, glory, dream, strength and more.

"Semper Fidelis" Ambigram Tattoo.
Symmetrical Example

Asymmetrical Ambigram are the most sought after tattoo style. The designs commonly refers to saying something different when it is flipped. This style usually uses words or phases that are opposite or related to each other such as love and hate, respect and loyalty and so on.

Ambigram Tattoo "Respect and Loyalty".
Asymmetrical Example

Some Popular Ambigram Tattoo Choices

Hope - Faith

Loyalty - Respect

Family - Forever

Person Names

Dream – Believe

Courage - Strength

Illuminati Tattoo

With Ambigrams you can display phrases or quotes, words, and names in a style that is just plain awesome. Using your name, you can have a design that has a connection with someone you love dearly. When turned one way it will depict yours and flipped around it will display theirs. This would be a really cool tattoo to express your love for each other.

"Faith Tattoo Design"

You can portray a lot of meanings in this tattoo style, by using simple words of enlightenment such as courage, life, no regrets, truth, live and many more. The lettering style is unique and elegant and flows with the design very well. You can have it inked in shades of colors or plain black. There are many ways and ideas that can be conjured up when using this design.

Finding designs for Ambigrams can be found by talking with your tattoo artist. He may be able to come up with a design for you or r you can look online at Mark Palmer website WoW Tattoos for designs he created.

Foot tattoo Ambigram Word of Dream

In conclusion, Ambrigrams tattoos are exceptional in how the designs are made. It is a clever way of expressing your mentality in written words. If you want an intriguing and unique tattoo design with letterings, you cant beat the fantastic designs of Ambrigrams tattoo.

Julie's Crazy Tattoo

Inkspotting can be impulsive, but I also like to approach each volunteer after some consideration.

Rather than rush up on someone and barrage them with questions, I like to make sure the tattoo(s) in question are not only interesting to me, but will be interesting to others.

When I spotted Julie's back in Penn Station, for example, I hesitated:

It wasn't initially clear what her tattoo said and I was struck by its uniqueness. A huge fan of word and type tattoos, I couldn't recall ever seeing anything quite like it.

So my curiosity got the best of me and I introduced myself to Julie.

The tattoo "Loufoque," which is a slang term in butcher jargon for "crazy person". Julie explained that she apprenticed with a butcher shop for six months and it was a word she often heard tossed about by the staff, occasionally used when referring to a customer who might be difficult or, let's say, insane.

The term Loufuque derived from 19th Century butcher slang and it became part of the vernacular. Julie thought that this tattoo would be a great way to commemorate her experience.

The tattoo was done by Ryoko at Brooklyn Tattoo. I asked the artist where she came up with the letter design and she kindly gave me a little more perspective:

"I recall Julie requesting the letters themselves to express lunacy. The final design in the photo is my own interpretation of what she had asked for and I think my intention here was to make the phrase look chaotic and disorderly, yet somewhat maintaining it's legibility. It's what I was able to put together by trying to depict what she might have been imagining in her head at the time."

So, this post was written and prepped and I was online doing some final research when I stumbled upon this tidbit of information from "Of Meat and Men" by Rachel Kramer Bussel over on The Daily Beast:

Her goodbye present from the Fleisher’s staff is a set of knives inscribed with her name and “Loufoque,” French-butcher Pig Latin for “Crazy Lady,” a term she now has permanently tattooed across her back. Yet Powell now sounds much surer of herself than the lost woman whom we find in the early pages of Cleaving. Next up is a stab at a novel: “I’ve written quite enough memoirs for a 36-year-old.”

Was this coincidence? Or were we talking about the same person?

Scrolling back in the article, I discovered that the Powell here and the Julie that I met in Penn Station were one and the same person.

The same person who crafted The Julie/Julia Project, in which the author blogged her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which became a book, which in turn became the film Julie and Julia. All of this Julie never once mentioned. Then again, I never asked. And it is all about the tattoo, after all.

That being said, thanks to Ryoko for sharing her thoughts about creating this tattoo, and a hearty thanks to Julie Powell for sharing this interesting tattoo. I'm glad my curiosity got the better of me!