The trillium is the official flower of Ohio (US) and Ontario (Canada). Depending on the location you’re in, you could be hit with legal consequences if you pick one of these unique flowers. While you may not be able to have fresh-cut trilliums in a vase, you can get a trillium tattoo.
Have you ever wondered what the real meaning is behind a trillium tattoo? You’ve come to the right page.
Today, we’re going to discuss what it means to get this flower tattoo. We will also talk about what the design symbolizes and other things you should know about getting a trillium tattoo. Keep reading to learn more.
What is the History of Trillium Tattoos?
When tattoos first became popular in the US, flower designs were a common choice. After all, they were easy to create and always looked good. However, in the early years, tattoo artists would do the traditional American flower design, which was a rose. Even today, this design is still a popular choice.
However, these days, tattoo artists have more advanced skills and are using more innovative equipment. On top of that, they have nearly every ink color you could imagine working with. This means that they can create a very realistic trillium flower design of your choice.
Before the 1970s, all tattoos had a trademark tattoo design to the artwork. An artist named Franz Josef Gelphe started experimenting with making designs more realistic. This inspired artists to use more color and contrast in their designs for more realistic-looking pieces.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the very first trillium tattoo design, we do imagine it didn’t happen until after the 1970s when designs went to a new level.
What Do Trillium Tattoos Symbolize?
One of the unique things about the trillium tattoo is that it has many meanings.
While overall this tattoo symbolizes elegance and precision, the particular color of the flower gives more insight into what the tattoo symbolizes.
You may be familiar with seeing white trilliums in the wild, but when it comes to a tattoo design, you have a rainbow to work with.
Let’s take a closer look at what each color symbolizes for trillium tattoos.
- White– modest or humble personality
- Yellow– cheerfulness or happiness
- Red– a mother’s love
- Pink– classic beauty or glamourous lifestyle
- Purple– passion and enthusiasm
- Green– great energy
What Do Trillium Tattoos Mean?
Trilliums are one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. If there are trillium where you live, you may see them blooming while snow is still on the ground. These flowers typically bloom during later winter to early spring.
For that reason, the trillium tattoo can mean “the early bird gets the worm”.
Trilliums are associated with spring awakening, also known as the wake of the robin. When these flowers bloom, robins usually make an appearance. The perennial flower will continue to arrive at the same time year after year. Some people associate that meaning with their own habits and lifestyle when choosing this tattoo design.
Many people associate spring with starting a new chapter in their own story. This is why the trillium is a popular choice for someone who has passed a milestone or started a new journey that they feel positive about.
Where Do Trillium Tattoos Usually Go?
One of the benefits of choosing a trillium tattoo is that it works as a tiny tattoo or a large tattoo. This gives you the freedom to place the design wherever you wish. After all, you want this tattoo to be somewhere that you are completely comfortable and happy with.
Two of the most common body parts to get this tattoo design are the forearm and the shoulder. Not only do the designs turn out great in these areas, but they are also easy to show off. Typically, the forearm is a good location if you want a smaller or more subtle design. The shoulder is a great location for bigger designs with more detail.
Don’t think you’re limited to just these sections of the body. A good tattoo artist will be able to create a realistic (or animated if that’s your choice) trillium tattoo design on nearly any section of your body. Before choosing a section of your body, always make sure the design you want will fit and still look good.
Characteristics and Styles of Trillium Tattoos
The trillium flower is a classic design, but there is a lot you can get a good tattoo artist to do with. To begin with, what color would you like? We mentioned what different colors symbolize. You can choose one or a selection of them for the design you want. Additionally, you can also get the tattoo artist to create a black and white trillium tattoo.
Most artists will aim to create a realistic-looking design. This will include adding lines and shading to the center of the flower’s petals to make the design stand out. While many black and white designs turn out to look more realistic, a good artist can make a colored trillium design look realistic as well.
The trillium flower can be a solo tattoo or it can be part of a scene or arrangement. A design that’s becoming more popular these days is to have the trillium flower surrounded by big green leaves and ferns. This is a simple addition that can make the design a lot more appealing.
Final Thoughts
The trillium flower tattoo is a very elegant floral design. It is becoming a more common choice for people from Ohio and Ontario since it’s the official flower where they live. People from these areas are likely attracted to this flower as one of their top choice designs.
People will choose this flower tattoo design because it symbolizes precision and elegance. However, based on what color of trillium is chosen for the design, there can be more that it symbolizes. Like most floral designs, the trillium tattoo can be very subtle and beautiful.
