Tattoo Ideas: Quotes on Life
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After writing over two dozen hubs on tattoo ideas that showcased pictures as the majority of the content, I started noticing that a large portion of the comments were from people asking for ideas on what to say, not so much on how to say it. Like Lindsay, for example, who commented on the hub Tattoo Ideas: Words & Phrases and said: "I want some sort of latin script with a phrase having to do with karma." Or Jesso, who said: "I have a colourful fish on my left lower back, but next I want a script.. .. just what I don't know... something positive to remind me every day is mine, I am in control of my destiny."
The tricky thing about quote tattoos is that nine times out of ten they can't be too long. Unless you have a huge expanse of skin that you plan on dedicating to the tat, like a forearm or your entire back, you're going to need to pick a quote that's short enough to fit in a small area. A few years ago my girlfriend wanted to get something I had written tattooed on her in my handwriting. The quote she wanted was twenty-one words long, and she wanted it somewhere on her inner forearms. As she is already fairly heavily tattooed, there was no criteria such as having to get it on a place that could be easily hidden if need be. She's lucky. She ended up getting it running lengthwise down her arm next to the word GIRL that was already there. Most people don't have the same flexibility as her. Maybe your job is too professional for tattoos and piercings, or you don't want your mother to see it. If that's the case, then a quote tattoo can be challenging to find space for. And if you think you're going to fit an entire poem (unless it's a haiku) on your wrist by shrinking down the letters to a size 5 font, you're mistaken. Good tattoo artists will only let you make the lettering so small, because they know that tattoos blend, fade and bleed over time. The smaller the font, the better the chance that you'll be left with a meaningless blob ten years down the road. So although there are millions of wonderful quotes about the beauty of love, I've tried to only assemble the ones that are on the shorter side, while still being meaningful.
I went back through all 2,000+ comments on my previous hubs and tried to identify the most common themes people requested when asking for help with quote ideas. In addition to being a voracious reader, I've been compiling quotes in notebooks and journals since I was thirteen. This hub is second in a series of hubs broken down by category that started with Tattoo Ideas: Quotes on Strength, Adversity, Courage. Please, if you have any ideas or would like to share a favorite quote of yours, feel free to comment! The examples I've chosen for this particular hub may not resonate with everyone. You might read it and get nothing out of it. But my hope is that something will resonate with someone, somewhere, and the words written here will inspire you to take a step you may not have taken otherwise.
Quotes--Love of Life and Living
I was throbbing; it shook the bed. I was more alive than I could bear.
Live to the point of tears.
We do not remember the days, we remember the moments. -Pavese
I beg you...to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. do not search fo rthe answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. and the point is, to live everything. live the questions now. perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. -Rilke
Nothing is worth more than this day. -Goethe
The journey is the reward. -Tao saying
Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. -Rumi
Before I almost used to think there was something wrong. Everybody else seemed to have the brakes on. A scene in a movie, a voice, a phrase was not for them volcanic. I never feel the brakes. I overflow." -Anais Nin
Love the life you live, don't live the life you love. -"Chicago"
La vita e bella; la vita e amore. -- Life is beautiful; life is love. -"Life is Beautiful"
Living well is the best revenge.
Just remember, the sweet is never as sweet without the sour. And I know sour, which allows me to appreciate the sweet. -"Vanilla Sky"
Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around. -"Vanilla Sky"
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. -Friedrich Nietzsche
He who has nothing to die for has nothing to live for. -Moroccan Proverb
Unbeing dead isn't being alive. -e.e. cummings
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Comments
bobs a tit
bobs an absolute dick
bob sucks dik, fuk off bob u wasteman
Bob clearly has no respect for other people's creativity and obviously cannot respect their courage to display their ideas on the internet. Bob is a loser who is ridiculed in real life for being a loser and therefore ridicules others behind the comfort of his computer monitor. Fuck you Bob
Let's see your shit bob. it'd probably suck dick, much like yourself.
awh bob its ok i respect your opinion
bob maybe ignorant but you all just became children. fuck bob though
cool tats im looking for a nice line for my first tattoo to commemorate all the strugles i had... i wass thingking of "been through hell and back" or "been to hell and back" which is more appropriate? or if you have some line's you want to share post it here or email me killabot911@yahoo.com thank you <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->
i have a quote written around my ankle saying
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
and i have a quote on my back saying
NEVER LET FEAR STAND IN THE WAY OF YOUR DREAMS
I have a quote on the top of my left foot in my own handwriting that says:
Never stop believing..
im thinking about getting a quote on the back of my neck that says "never look back" but i dont know if that will be corny or not?
lol poor bob
I want t get a tattoo on my foot
this half on my left foot "Everything happens for a reason..
and the other half on my right foot "wether or not we know why"
what do u guys think?
Can anyone translate "she lives the poetry she cannot write others write the poetry they dare not realize" into latin? I love this quote and would love to get it in Latin but not too sure on the tranlations I've been getting. Thank you!
The tats are amazing, I love all the quotes on expression. I run a methadone clinic in new york city and most of the clients have tats with similar expressions. It's just a way of feeling good about themselves and optimistic about their future, keep tats coming!!
Hey lindsay... i think that idea it great. Never heard of that one!!
;)
man, all that fuck bob and bob sucks dick and bobs a tit shit is FUCKING FUNNY !!!!!!!! havn't laughed that hard in forever so ill add my 2 cents.. why dont you go to hell and suck a dick bob with your dick sucking tattoos mother fucker! wasteman!
Hello! I am only 15 right now, but when my parents let me I wanna get a tattoo quote. I was thinking about the following things:- If life was easy, where would all the adventures be?- Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.- Count on the worst, Hope for the best.- Where words fail, music speaks.- Too fast to live, too young to die.
I wanted your opinions ;) oh and btw, no matter what it's gonna be, I want it on my back (shoulderblad if possible xp)
maybe someone can help me..I'm thinking about getting a tattoo that symbolizes finding your way or path in life. any ideas??
lauren i want much the same expect im fidning difficulties choosing one too.
there are a few other quotes ive read that i like, i need opinions to help me choose
- What we do in life echoes in eternity - gladiator
- When you set out on your journey to Ithaca, pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge - from ithaca (expect ill take the "to ithaca" part out)
- my favourite song stairway to heaven led zep, thinking about getting the verse "yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road your on" tattooed on my ribcage going down in old script writing.
- La vita e bella; la vita e amore
- you reap what you sew
arghh i need ideas :)
"Don't rain on my parade"
hey do you think this is an good quote? as a tattoo?
"My Friends That Stand By Me' The Golden Memories I Cherish Tightly & The Perfect Family That I Love - My Gift From God I Thank Him For "
bladiebla i really like you quote. good job.
hello,
I went to Miami Ink..
And i have now a tattoo on my arm;
Dream like you'll live forever
Live like you'll die today
Hi i need a tattoo quote, short or long doesnt matter. but its gotta be about losing a brother or a family member, my bro hung himself not to long ago, and i really want a tattoo.
Hey there!
I'm looking for a quote
Hey there!
I'm looking for a quote for
Hey there!
I'm looking for a quote for my foot.
If you have any good ideas you would like to share with me, please send me an E-Mail: pixiedust@live.at
BOB YOUR A FUCKING CLOWN
Seeing very many talented quotes on here.
I have NEVER FORGET across my belly
and a chest piece saying MY FAMILY MY FRIENDS.
just wanted to write to say bob eats dick though =]
" each day is a gift and not a given right " - Nickelback.
'Alis Volat propriis' which means 'she flies on her own wings'
or 'its not about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain'
i was thinking of "life is a beautiful struggle" across my back.
Ronald I love your idea ! :)
I would do that if anything.
im planning to get a tattoo either saying 'love life and live with no regrets' or 'no regrets' below my bikini line, but im not sure which one i should get, or even in which language. im choosing between Italian (amare la vita e vivere senza rimpianti), Hindi (????? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ????) , Russian (????? ????? ? ????, ?? ????????), greek (????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???) or arabic (?? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ????) and if your wondering, no i cant read any of these languages :S
PLEASA HELP ME DECIDE!!
THANK YOU!!
"every moment is the beginning of the rest of your life."
"I may be lying in the gutter, but I'm staring at the stars.
If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done."
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
I was in heaven, I was in hell belive in neither, but fear them aswell
i want to get a tattoo down my spine that says No Regret No Sacrifice meaning if you dont have regret then you probly never sacrificed anything.... i know it doesnt apply to everything but im not sure if its to cheesy i want more opinions on it so let me hear em dont hold back i want the truth....... also my friend is wanting to get a quote in memory of her dad that was killed by a drunk driver what would be a good quote im just not able to bring anything off the top of my head for it
LOLOLOL
I Have Carpe Diem on my arm, and today im getting-Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss
on my leg... what you all think
Staxx, i'm sorry about your brother.
My best friend hung himself 2 years ago, so I got this tattoo in memory of him.
''Thou art but a fool
to complain,
You spend your speech
and waste your brain''
on my right shoulder blade.
it's all about taking action instead of letting life pass you by.
i really want a tattoo for when i turn 16 on my ribb cage
is “Love is a trap. When it appears, we see only its light, not its shadows.” a good tat quote?? or should i get " why am i dying to live if im just living to die"
come on guys leave bob alone, he aint do shit son. jesus he just said all those tattoos sucked, which they do. he is just speaking an appropriate opinion. i thought it was neccessary. poor bob.
how much money was the dying to live tatoo quote?? anyone know??
For any one really... how about... "giving up doesn't mean you are weak... only that you are strong enough to let go"
Thinking of getting my first:
Live well, laugh often, love much.... What does everyone think?
I was adopted, so I was thinking something that means that my heart, not my blood, defines who I am. Any suggestions?
Im 15 and i already know i want a bow on my left inner wrist when i turn 18 and then when i have kids i wana have their names put underneath the bow and their birthdays, for example 03/07/94.
But i really wana get a quote on the left side of my back (at the top), i like these quotes, but i would like more choices :
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.- Shakespeare
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. (and then a little star as a full stop)
La vita e Bella – ‘Life is beautiful’
anyone got anymore nice quotes? Thanks :) xx
emma that is my exact idea with the bow, im getting it done this wkend and if i have kids ill get their name above it tho
I want "je ne regrette rien" on the inside of my forearm. it means "I regret nothing" quoted by Edith Piaf.
Im 16, and im getting two quotes tattooed next week.
I'm getting "freedom cannot be bestowed, it must be achieved" on the bottom of my back and "it is only after we have lost everything that we are free to do anything" on my rib cage :)
G:) STFU u 16 year old faggot! u got 2 years to go mother fucker
G:) STFU u 16 year old faggot! u got 2 years to go mother fucker
everyone whos being a judgmental ass (robert) needs to calm down and give some respect.
bitch please
JUST FOR UR INFO STUPID ASS! THERE ARE TEENS THT GET THIER TATTOO'S DONE IN A ILLEGAL WAY. OR THEY ALSO CAN GO WITH THE PARENTS TO GET THEIR TATTOO DONE WITH PERMISSION OF THM.
um i got my tattoo when i was 16, my mom signed for me, wow people are just ignorant assholes.. i love all these quotes and im thinking about getting my third tattoo on my inner arm i just dont know what!!
any ideas??
i have 2 tatoos nw and thinkin on a 3rd 1.. i want a quote on my foot or else on my back but nt sure what to get.. any ideas any1 ?? x
Im trying to find an original way to get something musical like an actually bar with a treble cleff and notes going vertically down my back, but every tattoo artist has suggested get it swurvy but i think that the solid and clean straight lines would look great? any ideas.
Im trying to find an original way to get something musical like an actually bar with a treble cleff and notes going vertically down my back, but every tattoo artist has suggested get it swurvy but i think that the solid and clean straight lines would look great? any ideas.
sorry didnt mean to post twice. another idea i had is on my right forarm (where they stick u for drawing blood area) sorry i dont know the scientific term for the location, but the point is. im a singer, and apoet and i struggle, with lables and images, and caring too much about what other think, and i just want to think of a truely honest wuote that reminds me to remember who i am.. so far i have "Trust the arms of Creativity" as in only trust the authenitic part of you, but is that too hard to undestand???
We are captives of our own identity,
living in prisons of our own creation
this is my fav quote! i definatly want it as a tattoo but i dont no where it should go? help any one???
"every man dies, but not every man lives"
Everyday when I can't decide if I should waste money on something or try something new I think, "you only live once", so I plan to get that in cursive below my bikini line or on my shoulder blade area. :)
Bob and Robert suck and swallow!
i got my first tattoo when i was 16 so robert your a retard, dont post your opinion when you dont know your facts. but everyone else your just adding to their childish ways. despite that those tatoos are nice, and you guys thought of some really good ideas. i just got no mercy and no regrets one on each lower leg, the outside of my calf.. but i need a good quote something that has to do with knowing the truth for my arm..any ideas?
hey, so i am turning 18 right away and have been trying to figure out exactly wht i want for a quote on my upper back/neck area that has something to do with being yourself no matter what... and is not corny...
anything come to mind?
I have a tattoo on my arm saying "Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow." A few weeks later one of my buddies died from high school and it really made me live by the saying.
Now I'm thinking about getting a new one saying "every song ends, is that any reason not to enjoy the music.."
Hi im looking to get a quote on the bottom of my back about life or love, i am very interested in dance so anything to do with dance would be cool tooo any ideassss?x
e.g. ' dance like no ones watching'
any other suggestions?
x
I got my first when I was 14 and it wasnt illegal either
before you let me fall, kill me so i dont feel it at all
ill be 18 next month an i want a tat on my upper arm/shoulder but i dont know what i want. i want something to do with all things are possible through god. but i want it to look sweet. with like diploma letters and a sweet cross. its so hard to choose what i want
Im 19 n getting my 2nd tatto in 3wks on my foot.. im tossing up between these quotes wat do u think??
- The purpose of life is a life or purpose
- Live each day like its your last
- Life happens while your busy planning for the future
- Each day is a gift not a given right
"Dolce Vita"- Sweet Times in french. :) i love that qoute.
and "Follow Your Bliss"
or
"Exuberant is Joy" :DDD
Hey guys,
i was wondering if you guys have any quotes about brothers,
i have three older brothers that have been there for me threw everything and i cant seem to get the right words together. Thanks.
Omg seriously get a life. I am like totally shocked at your behaviour and by the way you guys totally suck ass mofos. I mean when do you get off trying to make others feel bad you good for nothing wankstains like I totally got a tattoo when I was 11 saying. I love my mom! with a cupid heart with an arrow threw it because I saw it on the Simpsons and I thought IT WAS AWESOME! Besides my mom gave mesome attention which doesn't happen that often cause shes a total crack whore! Anyways your both major douche bags.... and if your looking for a tattoo consider getting a tattoo of a bigger penis if you even have any. Maybe a dildo to shove up each others asses? Whatever. I'm cold. Freezing actually, Maybe that's a tattoo idea. Gimp.
Much Love to my hommies with the cool tat ideas ;)
Your all so frickin awesome. I'll suck any of your dicks. My number is 07934217109 :) Looking forward to the sucking ;)
my dad had stand proud on his back and died when i was 10. in his memory i will be getting the same tat in about a few weeks.
take the idea if you like, i strongly believe in that quote.
btw haha "G:)" is getting a tramp stamp
bob says:
10 months ago
there all shit and corny