Angel tattoos have been around since Europeans and Americans have embraced tattooing as a way to express their beliefs and at the same time have a pictorial representation of their inner being. Angel tattoos can be drawn in the many variations that angels have been depicted through out history. The number of different angels is as numerous as the number of ways a tattoo artist can draw them. Either through religious significance or through love of the icon, angel tattoos can express a person's interest in the after life or their fascination with the beauty of the creature.

There is some debate of whether a Christian can represent their beliefs by wearing an angel tattoo. Some denominations translate the Bible as saying that the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and to defy the temple is to defy God. This catch all phrase gives religious advocates the right to put alcohol, tobacco, gluttony, and now tattoos as defecation to your body and through the body, God. Even angel tattoos and crucifix tattoos are being scrutinized. In contrast, the Catholic Church, especially those of Hispanic background allow all sorts of religious icons, even those that include angel tattoos and the likeness of Christ.

Angel tattoos can take on the opposite persona when used in an anti-religious context. The Hell's Angels and the Devil's Disciples, two outlaw bike gangs have embraced the angel tattoo in a different way than those who have religious connections. Scantly clad angel tattoos have been drawn that depict angels in their beauty, but also the beauty of their body. Angel tattoos with bare breasts and long flowing hair are accented with their heavenly gifts of extreme beauty and angelic wings have become an art form that has taken a life of its own.

Another take on the angel tattoo is the opposite side of the religious coin. Lucifer was an archangel that defiled God's word and was cast from heaven. He has angels that followed him and even considered demons; these dark angels have adorned the body art enthusiast as a form of dark beauty and malevolence. The dark angel tattoo may represent a more sinister vampireitic attitude than the angel tattoos of their heavenly counterpart. They should not be considered evil or a bad talisman, but an expression of freedom of thought from the viewpoint of the wearer.

No matter if you wear the angel tattoo to express your belief of God and your belief that angels are protectors and messengers or you wear an angel tattoo because it expresses beauty and just plan good art, the angel tattoo is a strong icon that can represent many things. When judging people who have angel tattoos have an open mind. Though the picture may be dark or sacrilegious to you, the body art enthusiast it may just mean that they liked the picture. Tattoos are powerful symbols. Whether you are trying to portray you funny side with a cartoon character or show that you have a religious preference and belief with an angel tattoo, the symbols are a reflection of the wearers likes and beliefs and should not be judged by appearance alone.