Sketches for Scandinavian-type tattoos look like real paintings on the body, embodying plots from ancient Viking legends. In addition to imprints of various variants of runes, lovers of the mythology of Nordic peoples stuffed images of Hugin and Munin - 2 legendary ravens from the retinue of the supreme god Odin. Photos and meaning of interesting tattoos in the style of Hugin and Munin Design on the back, shoulder, neck, hands and other parts of the body in girls and men will help determine the choice.
Tattooed tales attract not only men, but also girls with their unusual appearance. Women's tattoos are not associated with belligerence, characterized by the lightness of the image, taking into account the meaning attributed to mythical images.
The meaning of Odin's raven tattoo
In the tattoo industry, the raven is attributed mystical powers because of the bird's all-black coloration. In nature, the male individual leads an isolated life with his mate. Crows, which often have black and gray plumage, live in flocks. Female images have no sacred significance, so their imprints on the body are extremely rare.
Since ancient times, the black raven lives near a man, and his patience and great intelligence cause awe in people, which led to the use of the image in mystical rituals. Therefore, people began to associate the bird with loneliness and death and other negative things. According to the Scandinavian Eddas, the winged messengers wander through the worlds of the universe to return and tell Odin what they have seen.
They are the eyes and ears of the supreme god, gatherers of information, and their names, translated from the ancient language, are deeply symbolic:
- Hugin is the one who thinks. In another interpretation, it is the sane part of the mind (thinking) of the wearer of the tattoo.
- Munin - the one who remembers. In the modern equivalent, it is the unity of desire, will, passion, rapture.
Since the image of the raven has been shrouded in mystery since ancient times, tattoos with mythical characters can have both negative and positive meanings. In addition to intelligence and wisdom, images of birds represent light and darkness, the gift of prophecy, and are also symbols of death, war, but can also denote magical protection.
The meaning of drawings with crows
Hugin and Munin are tattoos with a secret meaning, and the symbolism of death can rather be associated with crows, because they are circling over dead bodies. By association with the habits of the bird and its isolated life outside the flock, the drawing of a male on the body is interpreted as a sign of family affection, bowing to family values.
To better understand the meaning of the tattoo with crows, it is necessary to take into account that they have unequal meanings in different cultures of the peoples of the world:
| Folk | Features of the meaning of the image of the raven |
| Celtic | In Celtic mythology, the black bird is identified with war and death. At the same time, it is a sign of divine protection, prophetic gift, great magical power. |
| American | Native Americans regarded the blackbird as a positive character. The image denotes a balance between the forces of good and evil, it is a guide for souls in the netherworld. |
| Vikings | A warlike people considered the raven a sacred image. Hugin and Munin are the wise helpers of the god Odin, remembering everything about events on Earth. |
| Slavic | Christians considered the stern harbinger of trouble an accomplice of the devil. The viciously cawing creature symbolized hermitage, helping witches and witches. |
| Egyptian | For the Egyptians, the image was not positive. A grim-looking raven presaged destruction and was associated with evil, aggressive behavior. |
However, the inhabitants of ancient Rome associated the dark character of legends with the hope for the best, the arrival of favorable times. According to the ancient Romans, the cry of the intelligent bird is consonant with the Latin word "tomorrow", and the future must be good.
When choosing options for tattoos with Hugin and Munin, it is important to consider that the inclusion of additional elements in the plot changes the main meaning of the tattoo:
- The addition of the wolf image symbolizes the loneliness of a strong person, not afraid of the harsh trials of life;
- the presence of the skull in the plot warns of danger, as well as a security symbol from trouble and misfortune;
- the two-headed individual manifests a thirst for revenge, it is a sign of hope for the future to the future in memory of the wounds associated with the past.
Sketches with the head of a raven are chosen by people who are able to see into the future, who are fond of esotericism and magic. The most popular is the sketch of a bird with outstretched wings. It is a symbol of freedom and superiority over others, a sign of a purposeful and courageous person.
The drawing is sometimes stuffed with people convicted of theft. For them, the tattoo is a branding, and the word "raven" is divided into two parts and interpreted as "thief he". If tattooed unknowingly, it becomes a stigma of a proud but lonely individual.
Hugin and Munin for fans of Scandinavian motifs is a metaphor, an unusual tattoo informs that its bearer is in search of his own destination, pondering and trying to find the truth. The tattoo also indicates the owner, joined to the hidden knowledge, but for girls and guys the meaning of tattoos with the controversial image of the raven is not the same.
For men.
Black as tar birds are not particularly loved, so the tattooed image, performed in a monochrome style, is more often chosen by men. They want to demonstrate their own masculinity, by analogy with the warriors of the ancient Celts. Such a choice of motif for guys can be called a message about their determination, as well as the seriousness of their intentions. This is an emphasis on the positive aspects of the character of the owner of the tattoo, and not at all a worship of the ancient warriors.
According to some fans of tattoo art, the drawing with the images of informants of the Scandinavian god shows a fortunate nature, striving for knowledge. In subcultures such as Gothic and Satanism, the grim image of a lone bird is associated with suffering in the afterlife. A tattoo with a pair of crows on the body is also interpreted as playing with death, worshipping its dark romance of the aggressive tattoo master.
For Women
Girls rarely choose sketches depicting Hugin paired with Munin. Deciding on a monochrome tattoo, women tend to smooth out the aggression of the sketch by adding colored inclusions. More often than not, these are bright bunches of mountain ash or the burning eyes of an angry bird. Therefore, women's tattoos with crows cannot be called negative, they are not associated with the bad character of the bearer, cunning or suffering.
The severity of the image rather symbolizes the hope of creating a strong family, reports of a patient and wise nature, not devoid of mystery. However, some girls symbolize a gloomy pair of ravens to emphasize their own cunning and guile.
If desired, sometimes add to the female sketch some details that soften the gloominess of the plot.
These may be:
- feathers;
- clocks;
- floral patterns;
- inscriptions with a lucky number or a significant date.
Ravens of Odin in brief
- Two crows Hugin - Thought and Munin - Memory.
- Each day the ravens of Odin fly around the nine worlds and report to the Supreme God of all that they saw.
- Ravens of Odin - the main symbol of wisdom and secret knowledge in Scandinavia.
Cheers, friend. It's good to see you here, it's not just a greeting for a tick. I'm really very pleased when one reads my posts. My name is Gavrilov Kirill. I am fascinated by the history of mythology and culture of medieval Scandinavia. And this is my Nordic diary - Freinheim.
In this entry I have great pleasure in telling you about Odin's crows. Odin is the supreme god in Scandinavian mythology. Father of the legendary Thor and twin to the cunning Loki.
- If you're interested, in this entry - Odin is the Supreme God - I'll tell you about the lord of Asgard himself.
Combinability in Styles
The tattoo with a pair of mystical crows refers to the category of drawings, for which it is necessary to choose the right style of display, so that the meaning contained in it was understandable at first glance. Therefore, it is better to seek advice from an experienced master.
In terms of the greatest popularity, for the display on the body Hugin and Munin fit a few strict styles:
| Style name | Basic techniques |
| Naturalism Realism. | The most sought after style to achieve a realistic image. This is the heaviest technique of tattooing, and for the drawing of the smallest details it is necessary to choose an experienced master. |
| The aggressiveness of the thrash polka dot | A catchy way of displaying suffering and pain, aggression. Men's drawing stays in memory for a long time thanks to the techniques that create chaos, as well as the contrast of red and black pigments. |
| Laconic minimalism. | Predominantly feminine style displaying neat tattoos that look elegant with minimal coloring. Even under clothing, the fantastic print will not lose its significance. |
| Individuality Traditional. | The style reflects the characteristic traits of a certain people. In the world of tattooing technique is considered primitive, and the crows in its performance will be different, depending on the folk motifs. |
Hugin and Munin is a tattoo whose meaning can be interpreted as the wearer's anxiety of isolation from the world. To create a neat tattoo with the image of Odin's informers, you can choose the engraving specifics of the graphic style or a unique dotting technology.
Hugin and Munin tattoos in a thrash polka dot style
These 2 styles are better suited for large monochrome paintings, but not suitable for small-scale drawings-they lose their brightness and explosive effect.
Women's Scandinavian tattoos
Ancient tree tattoo on her back.
It is thought that Scandinavian rune tattoos are only done by men, because the Vikings were always men, but in fact this is not true. History tells us that Viking women fought at the same level as men. And so they also decorated themselves with tattoos and amulets. Of course, modern women striving to be self-sufficient and not dependent on anyone else, not even men, could not help but be inspired by this example.
Such tattoos are chosen by women strong, all-powerful, believing and honoring ancient traditions. And in search of a tattoo they turn to the Scandinavian runes.
For tattoos, more often chosen the ancient tree, which for women becomes a sign of wisdom and longevity.
Ancient tree tattoo.
Color variations of the Scandinavian tattoo
The coloring of the plumage of mythical birds is an important detail of the composition. To intensify the sinister message of the images, they are drawn with a resinous black pigment, which allows you to reinforce the negative message. Inclusions of gray feathers can dramatically change the meaning of the tattoo in a positive way.
For male sketches are characterized by a predominance of black, in prison, where the meaning of the tattoo is unequivocally negative, give preference to a blue-black solution. Girls sometimes dilute the subject of natal images with bright watercolor elements to reduce the ominous gloom of aggressive images.
On what parts of the body do Hugin and Munin tattoos, ideas for male and female variants
In the world of modern art of natal painting no restrictions on the place of placement of the tattoo with crows is not imposed, it all depends on the desire of the future carrier.
However, it is not unreasonable to adhere to certain principles of proportionality:
- for large compositions of complex work, it is better to choose spacious places (back or chest, sides, legs or arms);
- medium-sized drawings with work of less complexity are better to decorate shoulders and forearms, shoulder blades and thighs;
- the simplicity of small tattoos will look better in small areas of the body, such as the neck, hands, wrists and palm area.
It is also worth taking into account the mechanical wear and tear of the chosen body area, so that the tattoo can be easily corrected if the pattern is not particularly difficult to apply. For demonstrative variants choose open parts of the body, personal images are placed in places that can be masked with clothes.
When choosing a place for a tattooed composition with crows, it is important to remember the main rule - the form of the drawing should correspond to the size of the selected area of the body.
Shoulder
By analogy with the back and chest, this area of the body is not bad for the plot with large images of black birds. The shoulder area is suitable for emotionally stable tattoo fans, turning the drawing into a sign of reliability and responsibility.
The shoulder area is popular with both sexes, but girls dilute the theme with additional inclusions.
The forearm .
This is a universal place to place tattoos of any theme, including Scandinavian. The medium-sized area is ideal for drawing attention.
The motif with aggressive birds on the forearm signals a person opposing the laws of society, ready to violate them at will.
Tattoos on the wrist
Hugin and Munin is a tattoo that is associated with the projection of the mind on the body, the sane part of it. Therefore, in a small space, tattoos of modest size are imposed, which become amulets and talismans.
A picture with Hugin and Munin or a lonely raven will protect the wearer from deception, and a small tattoo will serve as a stimulant for intellectual activity. After all, it strengthens Hugin, and Munin will help enhance memory, he remembers everything.
On the palm, hand and fingers
The palm surface is chosen for strong and deeply personal motives, so mark themselves active individuals capable of restructuring the outside world.
The tattoo can be interpreted as:
- a sign of purposefulness;
- The desire to free themselves from the constraints of the fetters;
- The desire to dominate people.
On small parts of the fingers ravens can not be placed, but you can decorate them with iconic symbols, ornaments.
Tattoo sleeve
A complex composition with Hugin and Munin, completely covering the hand, can include additional symbolism.
More often it is a stylized image of the supreme god Odin (head) or the image of wolves Geri and Freki - the second pair of collaborators of the formidable Viking deity.
Neck
The neck space is good for drawing limited-sized images, not overloaded with additional symbolism. The tattoo is interpreted as a desire to stand out from the crowd, to demonstrate their individuality.
If crows are depicted calm, it is a sign of an open person to communication. Restless creatures with spread wings show a man ready to defend his own interests.
Chest
Large-scale panels with a detailed drawing of the birds' appearance, which can be located on both sides of the chest, look wonderful on the vast expanses of the chest. Ravens, spread their wings, will be a talisman for the owner of the tattoo, protecting against all evils, including magical attacks.
Another meaning of such an image is associated with the stability of the wearer's emotions, his devotion, and desire to create a family.
Side
Tattoos on different sides of the torso do not have the same meaning. If Hugin is paired with Munin on the left side in the heart area, the imprint denotes the desire for love in a strong marriage.
The right side placement of the gloomy birds will emphasize the philosophical orientation of the individual.
Thigh
This is not a very appropriate place for guys for Scandinavian motifs, but girls in this area prefer to place tattoos with intimate connotations.
The drawing can be deciphered as a sign of lovemaking, sensual and faithful nature.
The back .
On a par with the chest, this is the best place to decorate it with a large-scale canvas. The tattooed subject with Hugin and Munin's imprint shows his master's desire to become a leader.
The tattooist has a place to turn to carefully draw the details of the composition, which in addition to the two crows there may be other characters of Viking lore.
Shovel
The scapular area allows you to score a small tattoo with a pair of crows. Such a place is more often chosen by fans of tattooing, not wishing to expose the picture to the public.
In this case, the tattoo becomes a symbol of sexuality and grace. On the man's shoulder blade, crows demonstrate the strength and masculinity of the owner.
Leg
The calf can be attributed to the places to place large sketches. The plot with the wise birds is placed on one leg or share a pair of observers, placing one on each of the different limbs. Then when walking, the crows seem to come to life, attracting the attention of those around them with their somber beauty of blackness.
In order for Hugin (reason) and Munin (memory) not to leave the owner of the grim tattoo, he should maintain a balance and heed the advice of both sacred ravens. Then the awareness of the infinity of life and the logical choice of a reasonable option will not allow Odin's informants to scatter in different directions. Harmony between mind and memory will help make wise life choices.
