They are regarded as a symbol of mischief, wisdom, good, evil, adventure and strength. The type of images that are chosen depends upon the personal choice of the person which several men choosing tattoo designs that are either red or green and several women choosing tattoo designs which are either blue, purple or pink in color. The colors are as important as the design of the dragon tattoos.
If you consider the Chinese mythology then dragon tattoos are regarded as ancestors of the Chinese people since these creatures were symbols of supernatural and imperial power.
Fire spitting dragons have been associated with lightning water dragons which were regarded as guardians of lakes, streams, rivers and individual pools. Chinese and Japanese folk stories are filled with stories of creatures with special quests at the end of their journeys which were transformed into dragons but the fact is that dragons have grown out of human imagination.