The Mystery of Ambigrams Tattoo (Earth Fire Water Air)

Diagram, parallelogram, diaphragm, histogram, cardiogram... but do you know what an Ambigram is? NO???? My goodness it is hightime then for you to know what it really is.

Have you read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown? Hmmm... The Da Vinci Code? But you know Da Vinci right? No? Oh well...

Ambigram also called a Inversion is a form of "art" or graphical representation of a text or image that reads the same on a on a different orientation. Well it may also read a different word in another direction. Look at the examples on the right side.

Here's a very simple example, the word MOW. Rotate it by 180 degrees. What do you get? Still the word MOW right? Not that is an ambigram.

Coupled with calligraphy, an artistic sense and an inspiration... a simple phrase or word can become a fantastic Ambigram.  Ambigrams were dramatically popularized in the novels of Dan Brown. Angels and Demons together with The Da Vinci code made ambigrams an integral part of the story.

Even tatoo artists use ambigrams to craft awesome designs. Remember the tatoos on Michael Scofield on Prison Break... Yeah that Prison Break... a lot of them were ambigrams. Words that when inverted become another word and so on and so forth. 

Ambigrams are not just straight forward inversions. Human creativity is to complex for that. There are different type. Listed below are the basic types. Those not listed are either a combination or a modification of the basics.

• Rotational - The most common ambigram.  The design reads a word and when rotated to 180 degrees still reads the same word. Rotation is not fixed to 180 degrees, it can be 90 or other angles (rare). 
• Mirror - Design that read one word when seen directly and another word when read through its reflection in the mirror. 
• Figure-Ground - A design where not rotation is needed. The design reads one word... then a small shift in perception makes the spaces between the original word into another word. 
• Circle or Chain - A series of words (the same or different), which are linked together to form a repeating pattern which is arranged to form an interlocking grid or cricle. Designs that utilize other shapes are known. 
• Symbiotogram - When a design both read the same word after a 180 degree rotation, that is called an ambigram. If it reads different words then it is called a symbiotogram.

Don't tell me you don't like to have one? Oh well... here's the secret

• The Hard Way... this needs a steady hand, patience, creativity, talent and skill and imagination. Do you have what it takes? Handmade Ambigrams and Writing Ambigrams by Hand

• The Easy Way... I prefer this. I think you might too. Ambigram Master Plan and Needful Things Favorite Ambigram Maker (look for the blue like button)