The swallow tattoo designs can be associated with good and bad reasons. Ancient poets use the swallow as a sign of spring and the end of winter. Ancient Chinese and Greek paintings use the swallow for showing hope for the future. Sailors use the swallow to depict that land is near. Usually, swallows are the first signs that there is hope ahead. For Egyptians, the swallow is a sign of new love. Since swallows bring hope, the early Egyptians use the bird as a symbol for hope for a new love. However, in Japan the swallow symbolizes unfaithfulness. The same goes with China since it symbolizes danger and change for things to come.
Blue birds are often mistaken for swallow tattoo designs. It is understandable since both birds have the same blue and orange designs with some red and yellow accents. Most of the modern swallow tattoo designs are associated with love. The famous designs have the bird holding a heart or sometimes two hearts with the names on banners. For guys, they add different designs with the swallow like barb wires or lightning marks to give it a masculine touch. For sailors, it is known that a swallow with a dagger in its heart means that a close friend died.