What is teardrop tattoo

Tears on the fingers are usually colored a light blue and given white highlighting to add depth to the image. Other colors are used to help personalize the tattoo, such as pink or other soft colors to feminize the symbol, or a pattern or favorite color. Teardrops can be incorporated into other symbols in order to enhance the intention of that symbol. The semicolon is often used as a representation of someone who has survived suicide or depression. The comma of the semicolon can be adopted into a teardrop shape to emphasize the hardship that was experienced.

For a more obvious symbol, the teardrop can be made to appear dripping from an eye, ensuring that the intent of the tattoo is clear. A teardrop falling from an eye is a representation of sadness, a very personal struggle. Or, rather than sadness, the teardrop can symbolize emotionality and passion. We highly recommend taking some time to think it over before you commit to getting a teardrop tattoo since it is a tat that often goes on the face and a lot of people will assume that it has very negative meanings.

Sure, there are some more positive meanings cropping up these days for the teardrops, but you have to know that most people will think the worst when they see this type of tattoo. It definitely ranks up there near the top of the list of tattoos that people regret getting because it is so visible at all times. If you do decide to get a teardrop tattoo, be sure to have it done by an experienced tattoo artist who has worked on facial tattoos in the past.

Since it is a tattoo that everyone will be able to see, you will want to work with someone who recognizes that and goes all-out to ensure that you end up with a teardrop that you are proud to have on your skin.

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Popular Teardrop Tattoo Meanings Often the teardrop tattoo is meant to indicate that the individual has committed murder. Other Teardrop Tattoo Meanings A rarer version of the teardrop tattoo is when the significant other or partner of an inmate gets the tattoo to symbolize their solidarity to their incarcerated loved one.

When combined with other tattoos, teardrop designs can take on a whole new meaning. There are no limits to the combinations possible. Some popular tattoo options combined with teardrops include:.

However, people who combine teardrop tattoos with other options can place their tattoos anywhere else on the body. Popular options include the areas around the shoulder back or chest region , the lower back area, the legs, and the fingers.

Placing your teardrop tattoos in parts of your body hidden from plain sight instead of your face is an excellent way to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. With the deep meanings associated with teardrop tattoos, getting one is not a decision you should take lightly. If you get a teardrop tattoo willingly, it shows some element of rebellion or bravado.

You want to communicate something about yourself to the world. Some wearers of this tattoo erroneously feel it will communicate violence and fear.

They are capitalizing on one of the commonly accepted meanings of teardrop tattoos to show-off most times false bravado. Other wearers of teardrop tattoos are in grief over a loss or in regret over a past action or inaction. Facial tattoos are big decisions. They may be expressive of a free-spirit, but be wary of designs that are associated with gang activity. A teardrop tattoo under the eye or on the cheek are often associated with gangs.

This occurrence mostly took place when the more dominant inmate would show the signs of violence and disrespect towards the less dominant inmate, by treating him poorly, abusing, humiliating, and even raping them.

In some other prisons, the most dominant inmates, who committed the most crimes, would be the proud wearers of the teardrop tattoos. Some that had many teardrops tattooed on their face, usually under the right eye, but sometimes under both of them were believed to have killed many people and were using this tattoo method to keep up with the count of murders.

As mentioned earlier, for the last 40 to 50 years, the trend with teardrop tattoos has often been associated with the meanings related to the criminal record, street fights and murders, and the life inside the prison. However, the different rules for the teardrop tattoo apply from prison to prison. In most cases, getting the teardrop tattoo when being in prison is associated with the struggle, pain, and oftentimes loneliness when it comes to being in prison, the yearning for freedom, family, friends, and loved ones.

As mentioned above, violent inmates force their less dominant inmates to get a tattoo of the teardrop and oftentimes do it themselves to instill fear and show dominance. Some teardrops are red, but on most occasions, they are blue or green, so that they are closely resembling the actual tear. Some symbolism proposes that the outlined teardrop symbolizes that the prisoner was charged with attempted murder, for harming someone badly, or nearly executing the murder act.

If the teardrop is filled in, that means that the imprisoned person was charged with a degree of murder and is likely sentenced to life in prison. However, these vary from facility to facility and can be taken with the grain of salt before believed in fully. Also, whether a person should ink the teardrop tattoo on their left or right part of the place rises a lot of confusion. However, that also depends on which facility the person is at, and whether there are some strict culture and policy between the inmates.

So, the teardrops located on the left side of the eye indicate that the person has conducted a murder of someone. Each teardrop represents one murder, which could make other inmates scared of violent and dominant inmates if they have some of those. Some people may just have the teardrops on the left side due to sadness, sorrow, or pain related to being in prison. In some prisons, inmates get teardrops on the right side of the face to mark remembrance of a friend or a family member that has passed away.

Five dots Photo My Sarisari Store. These dots differ greatly from the previous tattoo — five dots represents time done in prison. Also known as the quincunx, the four dots on the outside represent four walls, with the fifth on the inside representing the prisoner. This tattoo can be found internationally, among both American and European inmates.

Five dots on other parts of the body can have different meanings, such as an association with the People Nation gang. The clock with no hands Photo Tattoo Me Pink. Those serving a longer sentence might get this tattoo done on their wrist, with watch straps and all, much like a real watch. The clock face itself can come in a few forms, such as the face of a wall clock or a grandfather clock.

Not all clock tattoos are tied to prison; generally just the ones lacking hands. Aryan Brotherhood Photo Media Lib. The Brotherhood makes up 1 percent of the inmate population, but are responsible for 20 percent of murders inside of U. The unofficial dividing line between the two is in Delano, California. La Eme Photo Police Mag. They are one of the largest and most ruthless prison gangs in the U. La Eme was started not in Mexico, but in Mexican-Americans who were incarcerated in American prisons.

MS 13 Photo Wikimedia. Typically these tattoos can be found anywhere on the body, but are most often found in highly visible places like the face, hands or neck. There are now MS chapters all over the U. Their industries range from dealing drugs to child prostitution.

Playing cards Photo Tattos Time. Playing cards, or suits of the deck in general, usually indicate an inmate who likes to gamble. This applies to gambling games both within prison and without; it can also represent a person who generally views life as a gamble.