Praying Hands Tattoos
From LoveToKnow Tattoos
Praying hands tattoos are a great way to show off your faith or remember a loved one.
Types of Praying Hands Tattoos
Consider hands with a rosary or with an, "In loving memory of…" caption. One of the most popular praying hands tattoos also has a cross present. You may also see hands surrounded by rays of light or doves. All of these religious symbols work together to make the perfect tattoo for you that demonstrates your religion in your own way.
The History of Praying Hands Art
The first drawing of the traditional praying hands was done in Germany in 1508 by an artist by the name of Albrecht Dürer. It was titled "Hands in Prayer" and later changed a bit to become a part of a praying apostle in a later work. According to Vanishing Tattoo, this is one of the most popular tattoos of all time—even though the original was burned in 1729 (sketches survived).
Dürer believed he was working through his Creator to achieve his art. It's appropriate that his "Hands in Prayer" drawing would be so popular for centuries.
Also according to Vanishing Tattoo, there's a story about the hands Dürer drew. They're supposedly the hands of his brother, who worked in the mines to support his brother's art training. In reality, the hands are too smooth to be those of a miner. Dürer was an artist of a different kind—a metalworker. He transferred the techniques he learned on the job to his sketches. He was able to work with several mediums.
Simply Religious
While many may consider the praying hands as strictly a Christian tattoo, other religions embrace it, too. In addition, each Christian may not want the same additions to their tattoo of praying hands.
If you're Catholic, you may want to include rosary beads with your hands in order to symbolize your religious beliefs more thoroughly. Some of the other items that would complement a religious tattoo of this nature best include:
- A Bible
- Doves
- Rosary beads
- A Sacred Heart
- Your favorite scripture
- A cross
- A simple word, such as "Faith"
- A halo
- Wounds of crucifixion
- Holy fire
In Memory
A common reason to get a tattoo is in remembrance of a loved one. Praying hands can serve as a symbol of your love for a deceased family member or friend. Perhaps you could get the praying hands with their name underneath. You could even add, "In loving memory of…" and then insert the name. Another addition could be their birth date and date of death.
Another thing you may want to add to a tattoo done in memory of a loved one is add an extra item that symbolizes them or your favorite memory of them. No matter what most people pair with their tattoo of praying hands, remember that this tattoo is yours. Make it what you love.
Common Placements
Praying hands tend to be placed on the back or shoulders, but they can be anywhere you'd like, of course. If you look through galleries, you will see several praying hands on calves, forearms, even chests. Quite a few show up on the shoulders and back, though, as they seem to be some of the most popular areas for tattoos in general.
Galleries
If you know you want a praying hands tattoo but you're not sure exactly what style you want, why not check out some galleries for inspiration? Here are a few:
Rank My Tattoos allows you to view others' tattoos for ideas and rank them on a scale of one to ten if you'd like. This gallery will give you ideas for placement, colors, and styles.
Tattoo Johnny has a few tattoos that feature praying hands. Most of them are in black and white but you will find some variations that feature colors. In some cases, there will be only one color in addition to the black and white scheme.
Tattoo 22 displays real, very detailed tattoos. The pictures are up close and personal, so if you're feeling inspired by one, you won't have to squint to make out the details.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 8,678 times. This page was last modified 02:35, 23 July 2008.
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