As a tattoo artist, I really dig Venom's design: it's gnarly and almost terrifying. So, I get excited whenever I get to do a tattoo of him, especially hyper-realistic ones as I get to bring him to life. In fact one of my favorite tattoos that I've ever done was a realistic Venom tattoo. It was a back tattoo with his lashing tongue out, and a creepy spider pattern as the background.
Not only is he this cool-looking character, but there are also a few different ways that you can incorporate him into a tattoo. I noticed this recently while doing research on a sketch. So, I thought about running you through all the different Venom tattoos that you can get.
Venom tattoo designs are interesting and make for some remarkable pieces of skin art. Here are all the different ways that you can get a Venom tattoo.
Venom has a monochromatic color scheme that will look cool as a black-and-white tattoo. You might think that he'd just look like a plain black blob, but with proper textured shading, solid black lines, and a few light accents, you'd get a piece that will look stunning.
Here's a piece of advice: go with a tattoo artist who you know has mastered shading. A large black and white Venom tattoo like this can look like a giant cover-up when not done properly.
Image by @matt_hamner138 via Instagram
Image by @monkeybonestattooohio via Instagram
Image by @kadaver_ink via Instagram
Image by @leeyoda007 via Instagram
Image by @liddoh_jojo via Instagram
Image by @symbioticvenom via Instagram
Image by @joseeprincetattoo via Instagram
Image by @rickw_tattoo via Instagram
Image by @satchmoe_art via Instagram
Instead of going the black-and-white route, you can go with a Venom tattoo that's in color. If I had to be frank, though, there's not much color in the Venom design to work with.
My way of working around this is to add purple undertones to his suit, and yellow to bring out the negative space in his eyes (while using solid black lines to make the colors pop).
You'll see that a lot of other artists have done a similar thing as what I do in the examples of colorful Venom tattoos below.
Image by @cooty.doo.tattoo via Instagram
Image by @nifrentattoostudio via Instagram
Image by @taylorhealdtattoo via Instagram
Image by @tattootwentyfive via Instagram
Image by @charleyfountains via Instagram
Image by @greek_tattoo_community via Instagram
Image by @edith__art via Instagram
Image by @inkyjamesdee via Instagram
Image by @gator_ink33 via Instagram
Like I said, I'm a big fan of Venom's design because of how gnarly it is. It just deserves to come to life, so why not pay tribute to it and do a super realistic Venom tat? In the end, you'll have an art piece that'll turn people's heads, regardless if they're Marvel fans or not.
I'd suggest that you go as big with the tat as possible. I tell all my clients this whenever they want a hyper-realistic piece, as all the little details in their tattoo will be able to shine.
But the thing is, you need a specific skill set to do a hyper-realistic tattoo. So, you might have to look around before booking for your Venom tattoo appointment.
Image by @radek_daszuta_dr_ink via Instagram
Image by @endre_tattooend via Instagram
Image by @jo__._di via Instagram
Image by @nigredotattoo via Instagram
Image by @arttdome via Instagram
Eddie Brock was the disgraced journalist that the Venom symbiote bonded with to create Venom. A neat idea would be to make him a part of your tattoo. The most popular way people go about this is by having Eddie on one side and Venom on the other, almost like a mirror image.
From my experience, most clients use Tom Hardy as Eddie instead of Topher Grace for their Venom tattoos, but it's completely up to you.
Image by @hardys_girl via Instagram
Image by @tophertattoo via Instagram
Image by @blackandgreyuk via Instagram
Image by @tattooman_m via Instagram
However, instead of getting cinematic Eddie (with Tom Hardy), you can have Eddie from the Marvel comics be a part of your venom tattoo. I think this makes the tat more light and fun.
Image by @aaxedgar via Instagram
Whenever I think of Venom, Spiderman is one of the first things that comes to mind. Venom after all was one of the antagonists in the Spider-Man 3 movie, so it makes sense to get a tattoo with the two characters together.
You can have Spiderman's face on one side, and Venom's on the other side, almost like a mirror image like I suggested earlier. However, you can also get a comic strip with Venom and Spiderman facing off.
Here are a few Venom tattoos that are similar to what I suggested.
Image by @anime.cwb via Instagram
Image by @mcg_venom via Instagram
Image by @synergy.images via Instagram
Image by @vinnyblancocomics via Instagram
Image by @funko_nerd_stark via Instagram
Image by @juandavidhurtattoo via Instagram
Image by @undeadink via Instagram
Image by @elpapu_tattoo via Instagram
Image by @atsnellisafb via Instagram
Image by @hellfx via Instagram
Image by @dixietattoo via Instagram
Image by @lezama.ink via Instagram
We already established that Venom's character design is gnarly. So, I think a great tattoo idea would be the artwork of him looking as fierce and savage as possible.
I've done a couple of savage Venom tattoos before, and it's almost always been a headshot of Venom with his lashing tongue, and splashing drool all over. Here are some savage venom tattoos that you can get.
Image by @dispuas via Instagram
Image by @__dk_art__ via Instagram
Image by @marc_toon via Instagram
Image by @banitatattoo and wojtas_tattoo via Instagram
Carnage was the Venom symbiote's offspring when it merged with serial killer Cletus Kasady. If you thought that Venom was scary, Carnage takes it up several notches. He's way more psychotic and makes for an interesting tattoo idea.
Image by @jhannyatattoo via Instagram
Image by @jaceholdenart via Instagram
Image by @ferra_666 via Instagram
Image by @kl.tattoos via Instagram
Image by @troymaboy via Instagram
Image by @framed_comics via Instagram
Image by @jeremybrowntattoos via Instagram
Image by @charles.oliver.tattoo via Instagram
From all the smaller tattoos I've done, Venom has been one of the best ones. The character's design is fluid and works really well in a limited space. The last tattoo I did of him actually was a smaller one, and it was on a client's arm.
Image by @chocloevans via Instagram
Image by @moonrisetattoostudio via Instagram
Image by @loqueseamiriam via Instagram
Image by @ave_lights via Instagram
Image by @inkedbyvay and hardtimes_tattoo via Instagram
Image by @gameboitellem via Instagram
If you're a Venom fan but don't want anything flashy, you can consider only getting his name tatted on. This works great if you're on a budget, or just don't have that much time for a bigger piece.
Image by @iglyjeza via Instagram
So far, I've never had someone come to me and only ask for a 'Venom' name tattoo - I've had two clients come in for venom name tats, and they each got a small picture of the Venom symbiote with some light accents along with his name. Here are a few Venom tattoos that are similar to this.
Image by @joshy_tattoo via Instagram
Image by @samsonmedare via Instagram
Something I've noticed that a lot of people overlook is the placement of their Venom tattoo. It really can affect how it will look. So, I thought about running you through them below.
You can always get your venom tattoo as a part of a full sleeve. You'd have the artwork stretch from the top of your shoulder all the way to your wrist. There'll be a lot of body space to work with, so I'd suggest that you go with a full comic scene or any other idea that's really intricate.
Of course, I have to remind you that getting a full sleeve takes a lot of time. You'll likely be at the studio for multiple sessions across days. It usually takes around 3 days at our studio. And yes, a sleeve is costly.
Image by @bennybats via Instagram
Image by @zackindertattoos via Instagram
Image by @tonysklepictattoo via Instagram
On the flip side of getting a full sleeve, you can go with a half sleeve. It sounds exactly like you might've guessed so you'll have Venom skin art from your elbow to your wrist, or from your shoulder blade to your elbow.
Image by @tattoosbydeidre via Instagram
If you aren't up for a sleeve but still want a tattoo that's very noticeable, you can get your Venom tattoo on your arm. Also, there are different locations that you can go for on the arm, like your bicep and tricep area. Most arm tattoos I do are on the tricep area, though.
Image by @fernandozahid via Instagram
I really like the look of forearm tattoos, and a Venom tat would look just perfect in this location. You can have his tongue stretch across the negative space on your forearm, which will be a showstopper. Or you can go simple with it and just have a straight-on headshot.
Image by @renren_tattz via Instagram
You can also get your Venom tattoo on your leg. The Venom character design is fluid, so he'll fit nicely in a small space like your calf. However, you can always get a larger piece with him on your thigh if you want.
Image by @tyronetattoo via Instagram
Chest tattoos can hurt quite a bit, so I don't recommend them to newbies. However, if you're up for it, you can always get a Venom tattoo in this location. It'll be pretty symbolic if he means a lot to you, as he'll be near your heart. You can either have the Venom tattoo on one pec or go for it and have it stretch across your whole chest.
Image by @manxtattoo via Instagram
Image by @jokertattoocompany via Instagram
Image by @inkbymario via Instagram
Last but not least, you can get your Venom tattoo on your back. It's a big canvas, so you can do anything with it. One of the best back tats I've ever seen actually was a Venom tattoo. This client came into our studio and was getting this super cool tat on his back of Eddie turning into Venom.
Back tattoos are also great if you want a tattoo in a more discreet location. Not that many people will see it, especially when you're outside.
Just remember that since the space is pretty big, you once again will have to come in for multiple sessions (and prepare to pay a lot especially if you're interested in colorful Venom tattoos)
Image by @pro_tornado_flow via Instagram
Image by @immortalimpressions via Instagram
Image by @perdibirdtattoos via Instagram
Venom is a character that's from a fictional extraterrestrial race: he was created by David Michelinie, Mike Zeck, and Todd Mcfarlane and was first introduced in the Amazing Spiderman comics. More specifically, it's an alien symbiote that bonds and needs a host to survive, almost like a parasite.
The alien symbiote initially bonded with Spiderman, and then with journalist Eddie Brock. He has appeared subsequently in various other media forms, most notably as the main villain in Spiderman 3 and the main character in the two Venom movies.
There are several different Venom tattoo ideas out there. Regardless of which you choose, you'll end up with skin art that'll turn any Marvel fan's head.
From the different Venom tattoo designs I talked about, I'd say that I like savage-looking Venom tattoos the most. The whole goal of them is to make Venom as intimidating as possible. So, usually, they have his sharp teeth out, and his long tongue lashing out, splashing drool all over.
All in all, I hope you found my suggestions useful, and know which of the different Venom tattoos you're going to get.