Key tattoo ideas

392 photos and flash · 19% Realism, 16% Traditional · Forearm most common

What will it cost? Try the tattoo cost calculator
Traditional colour tattoo of a red and grey owl holding two yellow skull-topped keys, with a crescent moon inside a red triangle, on the upper leg.
Owl holding skull keys beside a crescent moon
Fine line black tattoo of a heart outline with a treble clef and a key shape running down the back of a neck.
Heart and treble clef key on the neck
Black and grey drawing of two crossed ornate skeleton keys with detailed scrolled bows and engraved shafts, shown on a plain white background.
Crossed ornate skeleton keys
Pencil sketch of an ornate key with the word Honesty in cursive script across its shaft, drawn on paper as a tattoo design.
Honesty key pencil sketch
Black and grey realism tattoo of an open pocket watch with ornate scrollwork, a key and looping chain, on the inner forearm.
Pocket watch and key on an arm
Realistic colour tattoo of a magpie perched on a branch with a red ribbon and an antique key, on the side of the ribs.
Magpie and key on the ribs
Watercolour-style tattoo of a ringed circle above a cross-shaped line on a forearm, with pink, green, blue and yellow washes.
Watercolour circle and cross on a forearm
Black ink ornate key tattoo with the word Honesty written along the shaft, placed on the lower back of a person wearing red underwear and denim.
Ornate key with Honesty script on lower back
Black and grey drawing of a shaded rose with leaves, an ornate scrolled key and a chain, designed as a tattoo.
Rose and ornate key with chain
Collage of six traditional style tattoos on skin, including a rocket, a mouse head with a bow, a skull, a shotgun shell, a spider and a key with a heart, several marked with the number 13.
Six traditional flash tattoos with the number 13
Black ink flash sheet of many small fine line doodle tattoo designs, including eyes, stars, a moon, a skull and a bicycle, on a grey background.
Stick 'N' Poke doodle flash sheet
Two black and grey forearm tattoos: a key reading My Brothers Keeper above an arrow reading My Sisters Protector, both in script lettering.
Key and arrow script tattoos on forearms
Small black fine line tattoo of a skeleton key on the inner forearm near the wrist.
Small skeleton key on the wrist
Black and white lettering design reading I knew who I was this morning but I've changed a few times since then, with a key, a mushroom and a cupcake beside the words.
Quote lettering with key, mushroom and cupcake
Small black keyhole tattoo on the inner wrist of a raised hand, with vintage keys hanging on strings in front of a pale wall.
Tiny keyhole tattoo on a wrist
Black and grey neo-traditional design of a raccoon with feathered wings, a Roman numeral clock face, a heart padlock and hanging keys, drawn on paper.
Raccoon with clock and feathered wings
Traditional style tattoo of a red rose with green and purple leaves, a pocket watch and a gold key on a limb.
Rose, pocket watch and key in traditional style
Two matching tattoos of a black heart-shaped key tied with a pink bow on the left forearm and a blue bow on the right forearm, in a traditional style.
Matching heart-key tattoos with bows on forearms
Sheet of metallic gold, silver and black temporary tattoo designs showing arrows, a key, stars, chevrons and circular sunburst motifs on a white background.
Metallic arrow and key flash sheet
Black and grey vintage-style flash sheet showing a key, crown, stag, anchor, butterfly, teacup, sailing ship, fox, camera, swallow and arrows, with no tattoo on skin.
Vintage flash sheet of keys, crown, ship and fox
Black and grey photograph of a small ornate key tattoo on one person's hip beside a heart-shaped padlock tattoo on another person's hip.
Key and heart padlock tattoos on hips
Black and grey realistic tattoo of an ornate key with a phoenix rising from its bow, with smoky swirls, on the side of the ribs.
Phoenix rising from a key on the ribs
Black and grey realistic tattoo of three keyboard keys labelled Ctrl, Alt and G, sitting above the ankle.
Three keyboard keys on an ankle
Black and grey tattoo of a large bow with a faceted heart brooch and a key hanging from a chain, placed on the thigh.
Bow, heart brooch and key on thigh
Realism full sleeve tattoo on an arm, showing a woman in a lace masquerade mask, red roses, a pocket watch and ornate scrollwork, shown from three angles.
Masquerade mask and roses full sleeve
Two mirrored forearm tattoos of an ornate black key surrounded by outlined and solid red, green and black geometric triangles, shown on the inner forearms.
Paired keys and triangles on forearms
Realism style tattoo on a side hip and thigh showing grey and red roses, a pocket watch, a heart padlock, a key and blossoms linked by dotted chains.
Roses, pocket watch and key on hip and thigh
Two forearms side by side, one with a red heart and gold filigree tattoo beside purple flowers, the other with a gold key and script name in Traditional style.
Heart and key tattoos on two forearms
Realism-style tattoo of a grey heart-shaped key engraved with LOVE and a heart padlock on a chain, with a pink accent line, on a limb.
Heart key and padlock with chain
Forearm tattoo of a cubist-style figure playing a piano, in black, grey and orange with bold outlines, on a person wearing a black top and jeans.
Cubist pianist on a forearm
Realistic coloured tattoo on a forearm showing a pocket watch with visible gears, a red rose and two butterflies.
Pocket watch, rose and butterflies on a forearm
Black lettering tattoo reading Family in flowing script, with a key whose bow is a heart, on the ankle.
Family script and key on an ankle
Small black and grey tattoos of a heart-shaped padlock and a key on two fingers of a hand, shown in a close-up photograph.
Heart padlock and key on fingers
Pencil sketch design of an ornate skeleton key with the word Honesty written in cursive script through the shaft, on a textured paper background.
Pencil sketch of a key with the word Honesty
Black and grey dove holding a chain with two ornate keys, tattooed on the side of the ribs.
Dove carrying keys on the ribs
Traditional flash design of a red rose, a grey key and a tan Bad Wolf banner with dark green leaves, shown on a black surface beside a coin for scale.
Red rose and key with Bad Wolf banner
Blackwork tattoo of two solid black bands on the inner forearm, each with a key silhouette knocked out in skin tone.
Two key bands on a forearm
Two side-by-side photos of small solid black tattoos behind the ear: a heart-shaped padlock on the left and a heart-shaped key on the right.
Heart padlock and heart key behind the ear
Black and grey fine line tattoo of a bare tree shaped like a heart growing from a key, on the side of the ribs.
Heart-shaped tree and key on the ribs
Collage of nine black ink tattoos in fine line script and small symbols, including a feather behind the ear, a key with the word honesty, an anchor with chains and the word alive on the wrist.
Script and symbol tattoos on wrists and ear
Realistic colour tattoo of a red accordion with a treble clef, bass clef and musical notes on a calf.
Accordion and treble clef on a calf
Black and white drawing of six forearms and hands, each with a different traditional-style tattoo design including a mandala, skull, rose, eye in a triangle and crossed bones.
Six hands with black ink tattoo designs
Black and yellow-teal keyblade tattoo with a star-topped crown on the side of a torso, placed on the ribs.
Keyblade tattoo on the ribs
Two matching black and grey skeleton key tattoos, one on each ankle, shown against patterned fabric.
Matching skeleton key ankle tattoos
Two black and grey forearm tattoos: a flock of birds flying from an open birdcage with a key and scrollwork, in a Blackwork style on the forearm.
Birdcage and flying birds on forearms
Black and white photo of a small fine line key-shaped tattoo on the upper back of a person lying face down on a striped pillow.
Small key tattoo on upper back
Hand reaching up towards hanging vintage keys, with a small black keyhole tattoo on the inner wrist.
Hand reaching for hanging keys
Two black and grey realism tattoos on the forearms, one showing a key with eyes and the other a keyhole framing an eye above a classical bust.
Eye and key tattoos on two forearms