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The meaning of the bat tattoo

The bat is a unique animal.

Firstly, it is considered the only mammal that has mastered the art of flying, and secondly, probably none of the animals was persecuted like the unfortunate bats during the Middle Ages.

Militant churchmen at one time arranged a real inquisition for these little winged creatures, and all because they considered them to be Satan's servants.

Fortunately, the dense Middle Ages are long gone. That is why the image of this animal is no longer associated with dark forces in people. The image of a bat can often be seen on the bodies of young people in the form of decoration or a kind of symbol (scout tattoos). We will try to tell you more about the meaning of a bat tattoo in our article.

Bat Tattoo Ideas

It would seem that we have long ago moved away from the superstitions imposed on us in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, many people still associate the designation of a bat with vampires, Satan, and other forces of evil. Perhaps for this reason, grim black and white sketches of tattoos with a bat are so popular with goths, Satanists, and just lovers of dark symbolism.

In turn, the quietness and grace of these animals is reflected in the activities of the military, who often depict a bat on their back, since in the army, a bat means reconnaissance. Depending on the theme and symbolism, these winged creatures are depicted on the body in different ways. We have compiled a selection of the most common bat tattoo styles.

Oriental

If you want to portray this image in a positive sense, it is better to turn to the oriental technique. This style has absorbed the mystery and beauty of the mysterious Japanese and Chinese mythology. In Eastern culture, these small winged predators were not considered pests and servants of the devil, but on the contrary - a symbol of fertility and good luck. A feature of the image of a bat in the oriental style can be bright colors, thin lines of the pattern, as well as the connection of this animal, according to the belief of the Chinese, with the god of thunder, Lei-Gun.

Monochrome realism

Despite the poverty of the palette, it is possible to display everything in this style - the play of light, shadows, volume. Admirers of black and white photos will tell you that these colors convey the sensuality and significance of the moment much better. In addition, the black and white style is often intertwined with trash polka, ornamental.

Hyperrealism

The technique of hyperrealism emerged relatively recently, when talented tattoo artists received quality equipment in the form of modern tattoo machines at their disposal. The name of this style speaks for itself - the greatest possible correspondence of the drawing with the original object is appreciated here. Bats in hyperrealism are often portrayed as vampires. Sometimes fans of gloomy symbolism stuff themselves with webbed black bat wings, which seem to be torn from under their skin. In this case, sometimes an analogy with Lucifer suggests itself.

Newschool

Newschool has learned a lot from its predecessor, oldschool. In particular, these are bright colors, black outlines, specially simplified, like cartoons, images. However, thanks to modern equipment and the imagination of talented craftsmen, there is much more thematic variety in this style. The image of bats in New School is most often positive and has nothing to do with the minions of Satan.

Bat compatibility with other characters

When creating a sketch for your bat tattoo, you should rely on the meaning that you would like to put into it. Representatives of youth subcultures, in particular the Goths, would like to put as much dark meaning as possible in the image of a bat.

Here you can resort to the technique of realism and depict a girl (symbolizing one of the daughters of King Miny), from whose back webbed wings grow. A mouse with red eyes and protruding fangs against the background of a lunar disk will display the superstitious horror of the inhabitants of medieval Europe in front of Vlad Dracula.

A tattoo depicting a bat on the background of a parachute is done by airborne troops. Scouts depict the winged predator as a symbol of elusiveness and agility.

Bat symbolism

Whether we like it or not, religious superstition has significantly influenced the modern man's perception of the bat as a symbol. No wonder this image is so loved by fans of everything dark and otherworldly.

Whoever ignorant people saw in these small winged predators: the servants of the devil, and the assistants of the wife of the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, Hades, and dead souls.

In a word, everything except his true essence - a living fragile creature. Fortunately, in the modern world there is no place for dense superstition and the mass destruction of bat populations has ended.

It would be great if this sad story taught people not to believe the loud speeches of fanatics and not to label innocent animals and people just because their appearance and way of life were not to someone's taste.

Photo of a bat tattoo on the body

Photo of a bat tattoo on the arm

Photo of a bat tattoo on the leg