Calligraphy tattoo ideas

108 photos and flash · 70% Lettering, 10% Japanese · Back most common

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Colour tattoo of a red daruma doll with a scowling face and gold characters, framed by grey Japanese-style waves on the skin.
Daruma doll with grey waves
Japanese style flash drawing of a green and red dragon coiling over black and grey waves, with a small cartoon figure in a yellow robe beside it.
Green dragon flash with wave background
Flash-style drawing of a leaping brown fox with a teal wash swirl, next to a bold black kanji character meaning fox, on a white background.
Leaping fox beside a kanji character
Full-colour Japanese style flash design of a green spotted lion dog beside a pink peony, set among black and grey waves and swirling clouds.
Peony and lion dog back piece design
Photograph of a red plum blossom branch tattoo with black ink and small vertical characters across a woman's upper back, shown from behind.
Plum blossom branch on upper back
Black ink bamboo stalks and leaves with Japanese-style calligraphy down the back, extending onto the shoulder, with small red seal stamps.
Bamboo and calligraphy across a back
Two views of a Japanese-style tattoo on an upper arm and shoulder, showing grey ninja figures, red ink splashes, kanji characters and a pagoda.
Ninja and pagoda shoulder piece with kanji
Japanese-style flash drawing of a black and white cat holding a sword, with a woman's head and pink flowers on its body, set beneath a gold halo.
Cat with sword and woman's head design
Japanese-style flash of an orange lion dog among gold clouds and grey waves, with a pink peony and a small butterfly, intended for a back or sleeve tattoo.
Lion dog and peony flash design
Two black brush-style kanji characters stacked vertically, with the English labels True and Love beneath them, shown as a flash design in Japanese style.
Kanji for true and love
Vertical black brush calligraphy of stacked Japanese-style characters on a white background, shown as a tattoo design with no body visible.
Vertical brush calligraphy design