105+ Kraken Tattoo Ideas to Bring This Sea Monster to Life

There are so many ways to depict a Kraken in your tattoo - realistic designs, simple concepts, or downright abstract creations - the options are endless!

I'm a big fan of all sorts of legends and myths, so having the opportunity to craft my own interpretation of a Kraken tattoo for clients is an absolute blast. A Kraken tattoo serves as a remarkable way to incorporate elements of age-old storytelling into a contemporary, personal piece of body art.

In this post, I will introduce you to the top Kraken tattoo ideas and show you how to create a design that is entirely your own!

The Best Kraken Tattoo Ideas

Here are the top kraken tattoo designs that you should check out:

Realistic Kraken Tattoos

Now, the first thing I do want to say regarding this sea monster tattoo is that the kraken is a mythical creature. This means that there are different versions and depictions of what the creature may look like. That being said, it is often likened to a giant squid or octopus.

Stories about sea monsters have existed for almost as long as people have been sailing the oceans. These myths came from sailors who saw unimaginable aquatic sea creatures and people who found astonishing carcasses washed up on shore.

The monster kraken is based on Norse mythology and was most likely derived from the giant squid or some other large cephalopod that sailors saw. So, one of the few detailed descriptions that we have comes from a Danish historian, Erik Pontoppidan who offered up this summary:

“round, flat, and full of arms, or branches,” and is “the largest and most surprising of all the animal creation.”

Due to this, you have a lot of creative license when it comes to your kraken tattoo design and you are free to add or omit details as you wish.

When I say that the tattoos that I am going to show are realistic kraken tattoo ideas, what I really mean is that these are very complex and detail-oriented tattoo designs.

Simple Kraken Tattoos

If the idea of a complex or detailed monster kraken tattoo doesn't really inspire you, then consider a more simplistic design.

If you are looking for extremely minimalistic kraken tattoo ideas, then I would suggest just going with the outline of the monster kraken alone.

In case you like the idea of a simple tattoo but still want it to be identifiable as a kraken, this can be managed as well. Here, little details like adding lines and minimal shading can make all the difference.

Such tattoo ideas work well as the upper arm or forearm kraken tattoos.

Nordic Kraken Tattoos

As I mentioned, this myth does have Nordic origins. So, if you would like to pay homage to this, then you can consider a Norse-inspired design.

Unfortunately, this is a pretty rare tattoo design, but you can still use this tattoo to find inspiration for your own design.

From symbols and warriors to other mythical Norse creatures, there are plenty of elements that you can include in your kraken tattoo.

Kraken Attacking Ships Tattoos

Well, as you can imagine, this tattoo is quite self-explanatory. It involves depicting a kraken attacking a ship. Such a tattoo makes sense because there were stories where the kraken supposedly sank ships.

However, there are a few different ways that you can portray this scene.

In some cases, you can simply have the kraken pictured next to the ship. If you want your kraken tattoo to have a slightly spookier vibe, then you may want to consider having the kraken lurking underwater, just beneath the ship tattoo.

Or, you can choose from tattoo ideas where the sea monster has its tentacles wrapped around the ship and is either breaking it apart or dragging it beneath the ocean.

These kraken tattoos do have a varying amount of detail. So, you can choose from a more minimalistic or complex tattoo design if you like. If you want to go all out, then you can work with your tattoo artist to get a sleeve tattoo.

Most of these tattoo ideas tend to be done in black and grey. However, if you want your tattoo to be eye-catching and stand out, then you can use color to take your kraken tattoo to the next level.

Historical Rendering Kraken Tattoos

I really love these kraken tattoo ideas because they pay homage to the history or rather legend of the sea monster.

For this kind of tattoo design, you make the kraken look like an image that you can find in an old book or painting. It is a good idea to either look up articles that include renderings of this monstrous creature or look at drawings of a similar sea monster.

The key to this kraken design is the specific details that artists or scientists in the olden days would use. So, it is a good idea to use a talented tattoo artist to make sure that you get the best possible effect.

Traditional Kraken Tattoos

These kraken tattoo designs are also a really cool concept. See, traditional kraken tattoos are based on the traditional style of tattooing.

This style is based on thick black outlines and bold colors. In general, this tattooing style creates vintage or classic-looking designs. So, a traditional kraken tattoo really fits in with the ancient mythology of the sea monster.

For such kraken tattoo ideas, you can either have the kraken alone or can include a ship tattoo as well. The latter works well if you want a larger sleeve tattoo.

Lighthouse and Kraken Tattoos

If Krakens attacking ships feels a bit too of a common concept, then you can try something a little different - lighthouses!

This kind of kraken tattoo can add a bit more of a modern touch to you design. Also, this kind of tattoo can feel even more sinister. Not only is the kraken capable of taking on ships, it can also destroy the structures that are meant to guide ships to safety.

Also, as lighthouses tend to be on a patch of land, the idea of a kraken making its way to any shore can feel a great deal scarier. 

Skull and Kraken Tattoos

If you are looking for a different kind of kraken tattoo, then I would certainly suggest this concept to you. For this kind of tattoo, the skull can be an alternative to the kraken head. Or the kraken can be cradling the skull.

The skull and kraken tattoo meaning can be based on the fact that the kraken is usually associated with death and destruction. Such a tattoo can also serve as a reminder that the ocean can be a treacherous place, regardless of whether or not you believe in sea monsters.

Bottle and Kraken Tattoos

This is yet another kraken tattoo that works well if you are looking for something a little different. Here, you can have a ship in a bottle or a landscape in a bottle and the kraken is attacking the bottle.

In addition to being a creative option, this kind of tattoo also works well if you would like to have a smaller or slightly more structured tattoo. This is because the bottle allows you to keep the ship tattoo or the scenery contained within a particular area.

Tribal Kraken Tattoos

This is certainly an unusual concept but definitely a cool one! Here, you use tribal patterns found in Maori, Polynesian, and Hawaiian cultures to create your kraken.

This can be a great way to make it feel as though your kraken tattoo is a part of a story.

Now, for such tattoos, it is a good idea to do some research on these tribal designs beforehand. This will help you to see and understand the nuances with each kind of art and tattoo style. In turn, you can create a more authentic tattoo design.

Clash of the Titans Kraken Tattoos

Like some people, you may have assumed that the kraken was a part of Greek mythology. Well, this is due to the Clash of the Titans 1981 movie.

It featured a kraken but largely included Greek mythology elements in the movie. In fact, one of the more notable lines from the movie included: Release the kraken!

Now, the kraken featured in the movie doesn't look anything like what the Norse imagined the kraken to be. The creature in the movie looks distinctly more reptilian-like.

Still, if you are a fan of the film, then check out these awesome tattoos that you should consider!

Ornamental Kraken Tattoos

If you want to add more artistic elements to your tattoo, then this is a great design to consider. Here, the kraken has an ornamental design as a background. This is simply a repeating pattern that can consist of various geometric shapes.

These shapes can be used to create certain designs. As you will see with these tattoos, there is a distinct floral pattern but you can create any design that you like!

Creative Kraken Tattoos

If you are someone who likes to throw the rule book out the window, then you should team up with your tattoo artist to come up with a truly creative and unique design for yourself.

With this kind of tattoo, there are no constraints to the kind of design that you can get. If you want something a bit more gentle, then you can get a kraken holding a flower.

Looking for something a little bit more badass? Then, have the kraken drowning in an underwater coffin. If you are someone who likes comic books, then a cartoon kraken is the way to go!

You can take inspiration from the tattoos here to determine just what kind of tattoo would work well for you!

Well, there you have it! The top kraken tattoo ideas for you to choose from! It doesn't matter if you want a more old-school design or want to put a modern twist on it, there is something here for everyone!