The spider tattoo symbolizes creativity and feminine energy, and many people have used their tattoos to express different things. While spiders may represent both good and bad, there is so much we can learn from them, especially when it comes to their skilled weaving skills that result in intricate webs.
They are generally patient when waiting for their prey, and people with spiders as their totem animals are also known to be creative and receptive.
Traditionally, spider tattoo designs as well as spider webs have been associated with negative symbolism. This, unfortunately, has kept the good symbols concealed, and many people are unaware of them. However, there are so many good things symbolized by the spider, and you’d even be proud to have a spider spirit animal, totem, or power animal.
The list of characteristics symbolized by spiders is large and includes fertility, wisdom, balance, and harmony. If you’re keen on spiders and their habitations, you’ll realize that these meanings are common and not merely surprising. Totems, just like sun signs, have grown in popularity over the years as more people come to embrace and understand their meaning.
Meaning of Spider Tattoo
Commonly, you’ll find spider tattoos among gang members, which is one reason why many people have a negative mindset about them. However, there are many reasons to consider the spider if you like tattoos, as they symbolize many positive characteristics worth embracing. As mentioned earlier, spider symbolism is very powerful and carries with it many positive meanings. However, it will be important to carefully choose your spider tattoo as not all symbols have a positive connotation. Below are some of the meanings attributed to spider tattoos:-
Mystery
Spiders are, by nature, mysterious, and that’s one of the reasons why they are largely misunderstood. This mysterious insect dwells in shadowy, dark places, which can invoke the thought of something hidden or little understood. A spider tattoo could be symbolic of something or someone mysterious. Spiders also represent intrigues, and that’s where the phrase “weaving a web of lies” came from.
Cunningness and Strength
They may not be physically strong, but spiders are very cunning, attributed mainly to their survival. Some of the spiders depend on their venom to survive while at the same time capturing their prey using their elaborately designed cobwebs. In that case, spider tattoos are used to symbolize trickery, cunningness, and intellectual or character strength.
Creativity
Spiders are credited with creativity, especially when looking at their intricately woven webs. In many cultures, people with the spider as their animal spirit guide are considered to have an affinity with creativity. They can come up with delicate and intricate ideas and things. They are thought to be strong. Some cultures also view the spider as a solid feminine energy or motherhood symbol.
Connection
Spider tattoo could also symbolize connections, according to different cultures. This symbolism is derived from the webs they make, meaning the universal fabric. This shows that everything in the universe has its place and that all things are connected no matter where they may be found.
Spiders also symbolize other different characteristics, largely dependent on the culture within which one comes from. Let’s briefly look at different spider species and their meaning.
Black Widow Tattoo
The black widow is the most popular as far as spider tattoos are concerned. These spiders are a symbol of danger, betrayal, and wickedness in some cultures, with the female explicitly being notorious for attracting and killing the male counterparts before eating them after mating. These spiders are also highly venomous, with their venom being more potent than that of a rattlesnake.
White Spider Tattoo
In many cultures, white symbolizes hope, purity, enlightenment, and confidence. A white spider tattoo is used to signify receptive ability and patience. As aforementioned, spiders generally represent creativity and feminine energy well captured in white spider tattoos. It’s, however, worth noting that white spiders are also related to dark personality aspects at times, including judgmental characteristics and pride. Seeing a white spider could be a message that you need to change your mind and unclog the old patterns in order to start afresh.
Red Spider Tattoos
Some spider tattoos may feature species such as red widow, red jumping spider, red house spider, and red orb-weavers. Red as a color typically symbolizes passion, action, wealth, excitement, and danger. The red spider tattoos could be used to represent a “spidey sense” as well as someone who sees opportunities and acts on them.
Orange Spider Tattoo Meaning
An orange spider tattoo is yet another popular choice for many people. This tattoo signifies creativity, wellness, sensuality, and joy, especially due to the color orange that symbolizes most of these things. The tattoo has also been used to signify greater balance in life with the aim of fostering wellness.
Conclusion
The meaning of the spider tattoo design is as diverse as the spider species around the world and the cultures within which we live. However, the most common positive meaning is creativity, power, patience, and balance. These tattoos are also colorful, especially when done by a skilled artist. The tattoos have a wealth of intriguing and positive meanings, not to mention that they can also be drawn in different styles.
It is, however, worth noting that spider tattoos also have a negative connotation, and this should help you discuss your tattoo options with your artist before going ahead to have it drawn. Additionally, the positioning of the tattoo on your body also does matter, and it would be good to choose the placement carefully.