We all have a weakness. The overpowering strength of Achilles was shattered by a single, minuscule, body part. The film-maker Stanley Kubrick loved taking photographs, and Alex Turner, the brains behind the Arctic Monkey’s unique sound, never leaves his home without a notebook, in case he finds inspiration for his next song. Weaknesses are like that: they go with you, wherever you may go and whichever course you take. They are the spice that help you create great stories, because if there’s nothing to overcome, then what’s the point?
There is a man in Barcelona who owns a small tattoo shop. His name is Carlos; he was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and seven years ago he decided to move to Spain. Carlos is considered to be one of the best tattoo artists in Europe, but he has one condition when creating a design: the story behind the tattoo must make him cry.
“Eight years ago, my wife and two children were ran over by a van. My two children died that very instant, and my wife passed away nine hours later in the hospital. After several months had passed, I decided to get a tattoo to remember them; however, I realized that 80% of my body was covered with tattoos and the empty spaces left were unworthy of the people I had loved the most in this world…”
Since then, Carlos moved to Barcelona and decided that any tattoo he would create should have an emotional reason behind it. His weakness for beautiful pigments became a testimony of strength told through the tattoos of other people. If you, like Carlos, are looking for a design that will inspire you and tell a heartfelt story, then perhaps the following designs can serve as a starting point.
Which body part reminds you of your greatest weakness?
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Moons
A full moon symbolizes strength, and as it waxes and wanes, it will remind you of the passing of time and how change is inevitable.
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Rose of the Winds
A windrose is a figure on a compass or nautical chart to display the orientation of the wind currents. Tattoos bearing similar designs symbolize adventure, journeys, and a unique destination. This symbol is specially important for those who call themselves free souls.
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Foodies
These designs are idyllic for lovers of good food. These designs are not a reminder of gluttony or hunger, but rather the important moments shared with friends or family over a meal. These tattoos appeal to those with exquisite taste.
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Animals
Animal tattoos represent respect and awe-inspiring love for nature. Each animal has a unique ability, and those bearing their shape embrace these virtues.
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Flowers
A flower’s beauty is fleeting, and a flower tattoo bears homage to the ephemeral and the continuity of life. Flowers are associated with beauty, delicacy, inner strength, and transformation.
Celestial Bodies
Those who look to the skies for inspiration are normally dreamers and incredibly sensitive to the world. The great celestial bodies represent inconformity, and those who identify with these shapes are always looking beyond the limits of what is known.
Carlos continues his profession in Barcelona, and for him our own life’s experiences determine who we are and who we will become. This tattoo artist may carry great and painful wounds, but he uses his past experiences to find inner strength and create stunning designs. Finally, tattoos are but a chapter in your life that will include all your greatest triumphs and your weaknesses as well.
