A tattoo of a phoenix is usually incorporated into a tribal tattoo.  Tribal tattoos are very popular these days and have a very long history.  The history of the phoenix is also very alluring and some people use this bird to memorialize a person that has passed away to represent the rebirth into a new place.  This can be a very personal tattoo and a lot of research should be given before you go out and get this special tattoo.

There are many resources online that will help you find a resource of a phoenix bird.  You can find many galleries that can help you start you search and decide the type of bird you are going to get.  You have to remember that many people are looking at these online galleries and you may get a phoenix tattoo that many other people have. 

A pay gallery is a great place to check out.  There is less people gazing in these galleries and you will have a better chance of finding a design that is unique to you or that less people have access to.  You may also have a very wide variety of options in this type of gallery and more options to choose from.

You may also want to try and sketch out the images of your tattoo that you are seeing in your head.  This is a great place to start and you can find a design in a gallery that is close to what you are picturing. 

You can use the phoenix on a totem pole tattoo also.  This is a really cool tattoo and you can use many tribal themes for a totem pole tattoo.  You may find that there are several animals that represent you and you may want to use some of these in a totem pole. 

Phoenix tattoos are a great way to have a tattoo that can be tribal related.  You can find a phoenix bird that is everything you have always thought it would be.