As a tattoo artist and movie reviewer, as well as a student of sak yant tattooing (see the Thai Buddhist tattoo on Angelina's shoulder made by Ajarn Noo Ganpai in Pathum Tani in Thailand).
I find the irregularly dispersed hotchpotch of a piece by piece patchwork composition exactly that which i recommend my customers not to do..
(pic left; Angelina Jolie recieves "Yant Suea Hliaw Hlang ยันต์เสือเลี้ยวหลัง" from Sak Yant Master Ajarn Noo Ganpai in her hotel room (looks like the Emporium, i once did a tattoo there too).
The tiger tattoo on her lower back is of a Mythical Himapant Tiger turning his head backwards - this is obviously a Yant of the protective variety (watching your back for you) - tigers also lend strenght and power to the wearer as well as certain invincibility traits.
a balanced harmonious composition is much more aesthetic and eyecatching. Strangely enough though i personally find this chaotic irregular compilation of deliberate body markings that tell a story of the changes in life and attitude that happen to us on our life's journey to be extremely attractive and sexy, as well as what i call a "real tattoo" - meaning that the person who doesnt dare to get a small tattoo first , rather waits to get the perfect body suit with a preconcieved perfection thought out to completion before ever having gone under a needle (and there are many followers of fashion these days who de exactly that), does not really wish to be marked with the scars of change and remembrance as well as being tattooed reminders of our secret codes of conduct. The person who has the perfect tattoo as the first one is a fashion follower, not a tattoo fan.. a tattoo fan cannot resist the impulse on a whim to mark oneself as a rite of passage from one inner change to the next... Angelina, is obviously an authentic person in an enviroment that ios full of plasticity, backstabbers, papparazi and other such unenlightened mindsets. I have seen here interviewed and it was obvious that she was innerly laughing at the whole plastic hype and i am sure she almost breaks her ribs laughing at the synthetic hollywood enviroment.
her tattoos tell of a sensitive person with a very large heart - deeply scarred by some unknown to me early lessons in life.
Her compassion for children and animals is a sign of her will to take something from the empty senseless (but stinking rich) hollywood life and make something worthwile out of it with her charity and aid activities.
I love her tattoos i find the baroque tribal very aesthetic but my most favourite are the "Yant Haa Taew" on her left shoulder (see pic left) and the 2 sarigaa birds on her spine below the nape of the neck (you cant see they are birds in this foto as it is too small)
The paradise, or "love birds" are to increment compassion and love withing the family/between husband and wife. It is also used as a charm to attract the opposite sex, or even a particular person.
for more info you can look on sak-yant.com there is a members section with galleries and many analysis of the Sacred Yant designs - also a forum where you can research info and contact guides to make an appointment for recieving a tattoo like the one's miss Jolie has.
Links;
sak yant thai temple tattoosArjan Noo's Website (Mongkol Soelos/Arjannoo.com)Spanish sak yant blog (Sakyan Tatuajes de Templo Budista)
