Suea Koo
Twin Tigers with Red Yant
Two tigers crawling head-first towards each other, with a yant in red ink between them: three unalome spires above a framed panel of Khom letters.
✦Meaning & Background
Two mirrored tigers descend with their tails raised and meet at the bottom, facing each other with open jaws. Between them stands a yant in red ink, with three unalome spires above a folded frame full of Khom syllables. In the tradition the tigers stand for strength, courage and authority, and the red centrepiece shows that the mantra is the heart of the design, with the animals around it.
✦More about this design
If you know the classic Suea Koo, you will recognise the layout straight away: two tigers descending head-first, tails raised high, facing each other at the bottom with open jaws. The difference is in the centre. Where the classic version is entirely black, this one places a yant in red ink between the animals, with three unalome spires above a folded frame full of Khom syllables. The tigers themselves are drawn lighter too, with open stripes instead of solid black. In Sak Yant drawings red is often used to set the script apart from the image. You see the same idea in the tiger with red Khom script, where the red forms a border around a single tiger. Here it sits in the middle instead, as the point the two tigers stand around together. If you prefer a centrepiece built as a grid, compare it with the twin tigers with temple yantra. The upright, oval shape sits well in the centre of the upper back, between the shoulder blades. Red is set finer and fades differently from black as the tattoo ages, so it is worth discussing beforehand. Browse all Sak Yant designs, read about all Sak Yant symbols or book an appointment.
✦Frequently asked questions
How does this differ from the classic Suea Koo?
The layout is the same: two tigers descending head-first and facing each other at the bottom. The difference is the yant in the centre, set here in red ink, and the lighter line work of the tigers.
Why is the centrepiece red?
The red sets the script apart from the animals, so you see at once where the mantra sits. The tigers stand around it as two halves of the same image.
How does red ink hold up over time?
Red is set finer than black and fades differently as the tattoo ages. It is good to discuss this beforehand, so you know what to expect.
