Tattoo Expert Explains What Angelina Jolie's Tattoos Really Mean

Lots of stars treat their skin like a gallery for body art and while some indulge in spontaneous designs, many celebrities opt for permanent ink that has a special significance to them. Just check out the meaning behind the tattoos on famous folks like Pink, Justin Bieber, and Shia LaBeouf. And then, there's Angelina Jolie. 

The A-list actress has an impressive collection of designs that all say something about who she is and how she wants to live. "I love them," Jolie told Australia's Post Modern Ink in September 2010 (via Marie Claire). "I don't think it's abnormal that someone who spends their life in other skins wants to claim their own by marking things on it that matter to them." At the time, the star also opened up about one of her older tattoos, saying, "Getting my dragon was perhaps the biggest surprise. I was in Amsterdam and got a little crazy, dropping my pants at a tattoo parlor and woke up the next morning and saw this really funny dragon."

"I've always wanted a dragon but this one had a funny blue tongue," she added. She also explained the meaning behind the design, saying, "To me, a dragon is very much a woman, strong and elegant."

If that piques your ink-loving interest, then read on! Dillon Forte, a celebrity tattoo artist known for his contemporary style of Sacred Geometry in tattooing, gave Nicki Swift some exclusive insight into the significance of a few of Jolie's most notable and meaningful tattoos.

Angelina Jolie has an assortment of tattoos, however, the Sak Yant design on her back is particularly meaningful. "Sak translated as tap or tatu and Yant derived from the Hindu word Yantra," celebrity tattoo artist Dillon Forte explained to Nicki Swift. He added that "Yantras are visual representations" of mantras, which are "a sacred sound, a syllable, word, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have magical or spiritual powers." 

According to Forte, Jolie "is largely responsible for popularizing the ancient Thai Sak Yant tattooing" after "receiv[ing] a Hah Taew Sak Yant (five lines) from the famous Master Ajarn Noo in Chang Mai." Each row has a different meaning. "The first row prevents unjust punishment and leans in your favor when the area is grey, cleans out unwanted spirits, and protects the place you live in," per Forte. 

"The second row reverses and protects against bad horoscope constellations and bad fortune," while the "third row protects you from the use of black magic and anyone who tries to put a curse on you." Beyond that, the "fourth row energizes your good luck, success, and fortune in your future ambitions and lifestyle," and the final row not only "boost[s] the fourth row," it's also there "to gain charisma and attraction to the opposite sex."

While that sounds like the design covers a lot, it's not Jolie's only tattoo that's meant to attract the good and ward off the bad.

While we're on the topic of Angelina Jolie's back tattoos, check out the Yant Kraw Petch design which mirrors her Sak Yant ink. "This yantra highlights the power of virtues of Buddha," celebrity tattoo artist Dillon Forte told Nicki Swift. "It helps you attain luck, virtue, wealth, and success in business." On top of that, anyone who has "this Yant is protected from misfortune and failure."

If you take a look at the star from behind, you'll see that her back is now nearly covered in ink. That's because, in the middle of her upper back, she also has the Yant Phutson – or Yant of the five gods — tattooed on her, which "inspires true belief in the virtues it represents," Forte explains.

Another "popular talisman," according to the tattoo expert, it's "the highest talisman" or a "Master Talisman," and "represents having and acting with great mercy towards yourself and others." It's also supposed to be able to help you "[amass] great fortune in both the physical and spiritual realms" while "provid[ing] good luck and promotion in life."

Considering Jolie is such a successful star, perhaps her tattoos are indeed helping her attract good luck and positive vibes while keeping the majority of life's unpleasantness at a distance.