An ambigram is a word, art form or other symbolic representation, whose elements retain meaning when viewed or interpreted from a different direction, perspective, or orientation.
The meaning of the ambigram may either change, or remain the same, when viewed or interpreted from different perspectives.
Douglas R. Hofstadter describes an ambigram as a "calligraphic design that manages to squeeze two different readings into the selfsame set of curves". Different ambigram artists (sometimes called ambigramists) may create completely different ambigrams from the same word or words, differing in both style and form.
I started experimenting with these a few years back when a friend of mine asked me to design a tattoo with both his twins' names in it. I tried the traditional design with pretty handwriting, but then started to play with the idea of it reading one child's name one way, and the other's another way, when you flipped it upside down. So that was my first one, and when I would show that design to other people they asked for the same thing, with other names. Now it is a thing that I am sort of known for, and I love figuring out each piece like a puzzle! Take a look at the pieces below, and don't worry about looking silly if you are turning your head different ways!
If you would like any of the below designs in a piece of art let me know and we can collaborate on a custom piece! Need another design I haven't come up with yet? Even better! Contact me and I can put together pretty much any two words.
"Alayna"
PS-Bonus name in "Rachel" down the side of the top line. Reads from right to left, if that makes sense. (Turn your head to the right and put your right ear on your shoulder)
"Tyler"
"Bre'Ajshia"
A tattoo piece I did for a friend that wanted both of her children's names in a design. When she said both of her names and they had 17 letters total I was excited about the challenge! She also said that she wanted it feminine, so I tried to accomplish this and she loved it!
"Nehemiah"
"Joy"
"Fun"
"Levi"
"Viv"
These 4 pieces were for a friend and a tattoo design. She has two children, Vivian and Levi. She knew that it would be easier to do a design that had a similar amount of letters so she had me draw out Viv and Levi, and Vivian and Levi.
"Levi"
"Vivian"
"Love"
"Music"
"Love"
"Life"
"Good"
"Evil"
"Love"
"Hate"
"Alesha"
A piece I did for a friend to give to her friend for a gift. She gave me the colors green, blue, and that burnt orange. Her name is Alesha, and she likes sea turtles and music. So from all that I came up with the music symbols, sea turtles (can you find 3?) and the best part is that her name is an Ambigram and when turned upside down it says music.
"Music"
"Freel"
A tattoo design for a friend that featured his father's name and their last name. He put it in a cool place on his shoulder so that to everyone it says "Freel", but when he looks down on it the piece says "Darl".
"Darl"
"Death"
"Life"
This ambigram actually says Love both ways, so the client could turn it whatever way they would prefer.
"Anthony & Rachel"
This one was special to me because a friend commissioned me to do a piece for her friend because they were going through a transition and was totally blind. The new name was special to her and I made the piece tactile so she could feel the letters and "read" them.
