Tattoo artists explain what you need to know before getting a trendy 'sacred geometry' tattoo
First, the basics. Sacred geometry has several common motifs. One is the "flower of life."
Metatron's cube" is another well-known sacred geometric pattern. It's actually a variant of the original "flower of life.
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Tattrx's Morgan English explained, "These are all variations of naturally occurring shapes that were then celebrated by various religious groups (Eastern and Western) and incorporated into the design of temples, altars, mosques, churches, and other religious monuments."
There are many other building blocks of sacred geometry, including a chambered nautilus shell or mathematical patterns.
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Many sacred geometry artists deal in black ink only, though others add in hints of color. Dotwork, or pointillism, is also commonly seen within geometric tattoos.
Though small individual mandalas or abstract designs are popular, many go big with full sleeves. Recognize the "flower of life" pattern?
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Using the building blocks of circles, hexagons, and more complex shapes, artists form unique geometric designs with shading and dotwork between the lines.
Cassady Bell currently works for Sideshow Alley Tattoo Odditorium in Portland, Oregon.
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Bell has beeing tattooing geometric designs for six years. For him, the "sacred" aspect of the art is not attached to a belief system. "Math is a literal language created by people to describe our physical universe. That is the sacredness to me and where a lot of my art stems from."
Bell was inspired to work with abstract and geometric patterns by M.C. Escher, a early 20th century graphic artist who created mathematical woodcuts and tessellations.
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Bell takes this inspiration, and works hard to create unique tattoo designs. "For me the hardest part [of doing sacred geometry tattos] is being original," he told TI. "I work really hard to create all my own imagery and to make every piece an original one of a kind work of art."
Keegan Sweeney is an experienced artist working in Australia at Inkaholics Tattoo Studio.
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He's been doing general geometric and mandala artwork for six years, but tattooing for the last three. Sweeney explained his attraction of the style to TI: "The main reason I became heavily interested in the artwork was through cultural backgrounds and teachings," he said. You can find more of Sweeney's work on Facebook.
“I think what makes geometry sacred is the knowledge of the ratios in nature, sunflowers, succulents, nautilus, the list is basically endless," he told TI. "The artwork part of it is just our conscious minds bringing what's already there to a visual form for understanding.”
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"I’ve always had an eye for symmetry and a mind that connected and had a love for mathematical equations," he said. "Over many years of self reflection, travel, meditation, and some psychedelic experiences, sacred geometry I feel is what I want to do with my artwork and life.”
The trend hasn't lost steam, according to Sweeney. "Yes I’ve definitely noticed it grow more and more, which is a great thing. [I think] it's meant to keep finding its way into peoples lives."
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Despite the increase of interest, Sweeney doesn't see a huge change in the types of clients. "I'd say the majority feel some kind of personal and spiritual connection with the artwork, as well as enjoying its aesthetics."
Katia Somerville is a Vancouver-based artist. You can find her at Rainfire Tattoo.
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Somerville has been tattooing for nine years, but primarily focused on geometric style for the last four. In her words, "the term ‘sacred geometry’ is a profound respect for shapes and how they work together to make up our world.”
The more study that goes into geometric shapes," Somerville told TI, "the more you can’t help but realize the synchronicities found everywhere.
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This is why she believes geometry can be considered sacred. “Not only because great temples, cathedrals and pyramids were designed using the specific number patterns and shapes, but because, for example, when someone notices how the geometry of the human body is similar to a nautalis shell, we feel connected to creation.”
Somerville believes sacred geometry seekers are different. "Since shifting to specializing in solely this style, I have noticed that my clients have shifted as well."
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"They are less concerned about the aesthetic details and having control of what the design looks like, and are more open to realizing that the tattoo I give them is more about the meaning and experience."
Lewis Ink works from a private studio in Switzerland. He's a trained graphic designer who creates artwork on computers before transforming them into real tattoos.
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Lewis explained how he "learned about sacred geometry mainly through books, [both] its meaning as well as how to create it." For him, "the beauty and the complexity of sacred geometry is [it is] something incredible that has no limits, and has to be studied deeply to truly understand it."
Lewis is careful to keep his own style in the work. "I mainly work with my own style of geometry, more based on the optical arts and kinetic arts, and I only incorporate sacred geometry on people who ask for it, and only when it has a true meaning for them.”
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He cites Xed Lehead as a key pioneer of the sacred geometry tattoo style. You can learn more about him on Tattrx. The trendiness can have its downside. Lewis stated: "Sometimes sacred geometry is used without people knowing what it is, but just because it’s trendy, or because they saw it on the web or on someone else and that they thought it looked cool."
David Boggins owns his own shop, American Crow Tattoo, in Ohio. He's developing a new "destructive" take on the geometric style.
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Boggins has actually avoided learning the "rules" behind sacred geometry. "Now that might seem to be a discrediting answer," he admitted. "But the truth is that sometimes in life, especially where spirituality and artwork are concerned, I choose to remain ignorant intentionally. I find that this is sometimes the best way to find my own path, less influenced by others.”
Boggins has been working on a series called "destruction of a mandala," focusing on embracing the impermanence of both tattoos and life.
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The idea "arose from a stressful place of performing as ‘perfect’ of a tattoo as I could on a daily basis," he said. "I often fantasized during long stressful sessions of just letting my machine run off course just to alleviate that stress."
Boggins believes "everybody, even your most simple minded western tattoo fan, has the urge to associate themselves with some representation of spirituality. Mandala tattoos are a beautiful way to do that."
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He is also aware of the ways Instagram impacts the tattoo community and the spread of trends like sacred geometry. "Without a doubt social media has everything to do with clients — first timers in particular — having access to researching and choosing an artist," he said. "Instagram has been the single most powerful tool I’ve had access to for marketing as an artist all along.”
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