With the rise of the Internet and the added effects it has on pop culture, it was only a matter of time before memes started appearing in tattoo form. Many memes come and go quickly, while others become important pop culture icons for years. These types of memes are seen on and off the internet on a regular basis and thus can make interesting and recognizable tattoos.
Nyan Cat Tattoos
Nyan Cat, or Pop Tart Cat, is a gray kitten with a pop-tart body that flies around, leaving a trail of rainbows. The 8-bit design first surfaced in 2011, with over 27 million YouTube views and several spin-off videos, commercials, and video games. The original video shows Nyan Cat flying through outer space to a repetitive 8-bit tune. Whether it is because it is adorable, unusual, or just crazy, many people have added Nyan Cat to their bodies.
Trollface and Other Ragemaker Tattoos
The most common Internet meme, Trollface is the symbol of online trolling. Complete with a mischievous grin, Trollface portrays the look that people make when they are intentionally fooling others online. It first appeared in a comic produced on deviantArt in 2008 and commonly appears in Rage Comics. Many of the other rapidly appearing Rage Faces do not have names, but express common looks, such as the poker face, yawning, acting like a sir or lady, thank you or me gusta, or being very upset. Because they depict a wide range of emotions, Rage Faces and Trollface have become popular tattoos.
The Cake Is a Lie Tattoos
Popularized by the video game Portal, “the cake is a lie” is a phrase often heard when browsing memes. The meaning is a gift that is promised to motivate someone into doing something; however, there is no intent on delivering the gift. The saying often represents unobtainable goals with no payout. In the 2007 video game, players work through a series of puzzles and experiments under the impression that after the testing is complete there will be cake, which is never actually given to the player.
Grumpy Cat Tattoos
“Tard” also known as “Grumpy Cat” took the internet by storm with his upset and angry-looking expressions that were posted on Reddit in late 2012. The snowshoe cat received over 1 million hits within the first 48 hours of being posted and several Photoshop images appeared across the internet, eac
