I think tricep tattoos are great if you want a tattoo but don't want to put it on blast since the tricep isn't the most noticeable tattoo spot. Also, the tricep area has an average level of pain sensitivity: the skin here isn't the most thin.
Although the above reasons make a tricep tattoo sound exciting, you might also like that you get a pretty big area to work with. Like the last client I did a piece here wanted me to do a portrait of his niece. But apart from this, there are way more interesting ways that you can do a tricep tattoo. So, I thought about breaking them down for you in-depth below.
Here are all the best tricep tattoo ideas.
To start off this list, you can go with something easy like colorful tricep tattoos. The main purpose of your tattoo would be to go as vibrant and bold with the colors as possible. So, as long as you get this job done, you can choose any tattoo design you want.
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Realistic tattoos are a fun way to pay tribute to a specific object or imagery that you really like as you get to bring it to life. The tricep isn't the smallest space meaning you can get a big realistic piece here and let it shine.
But the thing is, realism isn't the easiest skill for a tattoo artist to nail. So you need to work with a tattoo artist who knows what they're doing. Like one of the tattoo artists in my studio recently sent their client over to one of our other artists because he wasn't an expert in realism.
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Tigers are apex predators known for being the king of the jungle in many parts of southeast Asia. The tattoo would do a good job of representing your courage and fearlessness and would show that you're not someone to be messed with.
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Rams are known for being courageous and strong animals, often seen fighting with other males for dominance. Instead of just getting a plain ram you can make the tattoo more hardcore and do a tattoo of a ram skull. It not only will send a message about how hardcore you are but the addition of the skull can be a constant reminder of the impermanence of life.
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Roses often time represent love and passion in body art. So a rose tricep tattoo can emphasize love and strength and perhaps how you had to persevere for someone who means a lot to you. And as the tricep is not the most visible location, the rose tattoo would be hidden which can be a way of saying you have a hidden love in your life.
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If there's a quote you like you can have it tattooed on your tricep. As the tricep is a more discreet tattoo spot, since it's on the back of your body, you can get something meaningful to you that not everyone would see. Off the top of my head, a good idea would be a quote about persevering if you've been through a lot.
I've noticed that many clients I've done quotes have gotten bible quotes. So maybe you can do this too if you want to get a tattoo to tie in with your faith more.
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The sun is a major symbol of enlightenment in many parts of the world. You can get a sun tricep tattoo as a reminder to seek knowledge and change for the better.
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If you're a big Batman fan, you can get a Joker tricep tattoo. It would be a reminder to seek chaos and disorder and be anti-establishment. A joker tattoo on the tricep of all places leverages the fact that the tricep is not that easily visible. The tattoo would be a constant reminder to shake things up to yourself only.
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I'm a big fan of geometric tattoos because of how futuristic they look. I guess it has to do with all the sharp shapes and lines. They're super clean-looking and at the end of the day can act as a reminder to seek uniformity in your life. By getting a geometric tattoo on your tricep which isn't that seen compared to biceps, the symbolism would be more of a reminder to yourself than anything else.
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Sharks are apex predators and make for good tattoo ideas to emphasize how beastly you are. I feel like this would be a good time to mention a shark tattoo I did for a client once - he got a shark tricep tattoo with a sun in the background to showcase both strength and enlightenment. He chose to get it on the tricep of all places to be more of a personal reminder to himself to always chase strength and knowledge.
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Butterflies are graceful and are the epitome of transformation. They were first caterpillars, changing into larvae, and then butterflies as their final forms. A butterfly tattoo can represent major change which can be important to you right now as you might be trying to transform for the better.
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Snakes are strong, versatile animals known for their ability to adapt. You can get a snake tattoo on a less noticeable body part like the tricep to have a personal reminder to be resilient. Depending on the culture in question, snakes also have added meanings, like transformation in Japan.
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Feathers are associated with birds and their ability to fly. A feather tricep tattoo can symbolize your desire to find freedom, which might be something important to you right now if you feel trapped.
But also, feathers are natural elements as they're from birds, so the feather tricep tattoo can be a way to pay tribute to mother nature and its beauty.
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You can also get a bird as a part of your body art to represent freedom. Instead of going with a singular feather, the addition of a whole bird can be added symbolism, as a hawk for instance is an apex predator which can mean that you're fierce. Or a crow or raven can be a way of representing your ingenuity.
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When people think of birds to get tattooed, they go for big names like eagles or ravens but I think herons are really good choices too. They're graceful and elegant birds that also happen to be skilled hunters.
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Polynesian tribal tattoos can be a good way to pay tribute to this ancient culture especially since they are eye-catching. They consist of a lot of bold black lines and shapes, even utilizing a lot of bold negative spaces. Polynesian-style tattoos are definitely good choices too if you have heritage from the islands and want to connect to your roots.
You can add different motifs to your Polynesian tattoo to emphasize a specific meaning like a shark in a Polynesian style design to represent protection.
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Yes, the tricep is a good place for a tattoo for several reasons. The muscle doesn't have as much thin skin as other body parts, meaning it falls in the middle zone when it comes to pain. However, that is if you don't get your elbow area near your tricep tattooed. The elbow is bony so it naturally hurts a bit.
But also, a tricep tattoo can be a good idea if you want something that's not super noticeable. So, it'll be ideal if you want a more sentimental piece just as a personal reminder to yourself.
Of course, the tricep is also a big muscle, so you can go to town and get a detailed tattoo here. Some of the most popular I've done have been portraits.
This is a pretty subjective question, as there's no scientific reasoning behind which arm is the better choice. However, I would say the one you choose definitely can add a bit of symbolism to your tattoo. Your dominant hand can symbolize power, so getting something like an eye tattoo there could emphasize knowledge and wisdom.
Moreover, tattoo aftercare can also affect which arm to go for. You have to be very careful of tattooed arms and not get them wet, sweaty, or even expose them to the sun. This can be easier said than done for your dominant arm as you use it so much. So your least dominant arm might be the better placement with this in mind.
There are all kinds of different tricep tattoos that you can get. They would be more discreet compared to some other tattoo spots since the tricep is on the back of your arm and may not be immediately visible to someone else. The placement is relatively big too, which you might like. All in all, I hope you found my tricep tattoo ideas useful, and know which of the different tricep tattoo ideas to speak to your tattoo artist about.
