The teardrop tattoo meaning has been changed by some people in recent years to represent counterculture and opposing the typical. They know that when people see their teardrop designs that they will assume that something is a bit different about them, which exactly what they want people to think. It is a way to bring attention to themselves, not because they want the attention but instead to show that they don’t have to live by the accepted norms to have a good life. Of course, in some cases these people really do have a problem with the way things are going in society and want to bring attention that.

Regardless of the style or type of teardrop tattoo someone gets, it is a personal symbol the meaning of which is stored and held closely by the individual. You’ll often find that the people who get teardrop tattoos don’t want to share the meanings with others. That is completely understandable, but it is also why a lot of people who see the tattoos assume that the people have been to jail or even committed murder at some point in their lives.

Teardrop Tattoo Designs and Placement

As a criminal or prison tattoo, the way that the teardrop is composed clarifies the significance of the tattoo. An outline of a teardrop is a symbol of mourning and grief for the death of a friend or family member while a solid, colored teardrop represents that that death has been avenged. The tattoo may begin as only an outline and then be filled in after the individual has sought revenge. Typically, black or a traditional old school blue color is used for these tattoos and it is very rare to see any other, brighter colors used as the symbol is very somber.

An initial may be placed inside the teardrop to specify the deceased or it may be left blank, or filled in completely. This is most often done in very simple script, though there are some cases where the space inside of the teardrop is a bit wider so the text can be customized to the owner’s liking.