Lettering tattoo ideas

3,720 photos and flash · 59% Lettering, 22% Traditional · Forearm most common

What will it cost? Try the tattoo cost calculator
Colour tattoo of a black stag beetle with yellow wings and a faceted green gem on the back of a hand, in a neo-traditional style.
Stag beetle with green gem on the hand
Realistic black and grey shaded door panels with red REDRUM lettering across a limb in a close crop of a tattoo.
Redrum lettering over shaded doors
Realistic black and grey thigh tattoo of a woman in a short dress reading an open book on a stack of books, with red shoes, a city skyline and the word Sanctuary beneath.
Woman reading on a stack of books with Sanctuary
Large back tattoo with Air Jordan lettering, winged emblem, the number 23 and a red bull head, shaded in red and grey ink alongside a grey portrait.
Air Jordan 23 and bull back piece
Black and grey realism leg sleeve tattoo of a lion with daisies, a pocket watch and a scroll banner, running from the thigh down the calf.
Lion and flower leg sleeve
Black and grey feather tattoo with script lettering above it on the lower back, worn above a colourful bikini bottom.
Feather with script lettering on lower back
Black and grey forearm tattoo of a vintage microphone and two roses, with a banner reading The best is yet to come, in a realistic shaded style.
Microphone and roses banner on forearm
Realistic tattoo across a shoulder and upper back showing torn skin that reveals an old sepia map, a blue ship's wheel compass rose and a blue fleur-de-lis.
Torn skin revealing a compass and old map
Colour tattoo on the inner upper arm of black shaded script lettering with green leaves, a large realistic red rose and a smaller rosebud.
Script lettering with roses on upper arm
Black and grey realistic rose tattoo on the back of a hand, with banknote-style text and texture across the petals.
Banknote rose on the back of a hand
Black and grey realism leg sleeve on a thigh and calf, showing a lion head, daisies, a pocket watch, a skull and lettering.
Lion and flower leg sleeve with pocket watch
Black and grey realism tattoo of a semi truck with smoke, a moon and the script The Ride Home, on the calf.
Semi truck with The Ride Home script
Black and grey realism rose and lettering on the hip, with rosary and eye tattoos on the thighs of a person wearing white Diesel underwear.
Rose, rosary and eye tattoos on thighs
Black and grey realism raven with thistle stems and a Latin scroll tattooed across a man's chest and shoulder, with a small red line accent.
Raven and thistles across chest and shoulder
Black and grey realism feather tattoo with fading splatter dots and script lettering reading There, but for the grace of God, go I, on the side of a torso.
Feather and script quote on ribs
Four-panel photo of a black and grey full arm sleeve with clouds, sunburst rays, doves, a pocket watch, an anchor and a compass rose, on the upper arm and forearm.
Black and grey cloud sleeve with doves and anchor
Black and grey pencil drawing of a ribcage shaped into a heart, with the words HERE LIES THE BONES OF A BROKEN HEART across the centre, shown as a tattoo design.
Ribcage heart with lettering
Mirrored photo of a realism and abstract-style shoulder and upper arm tattoo with a clock face, a skull, a white wing, stars and the words 2nd Amendment, with red splashes.
Clock, skull and wing shoulder tattoo
Black and grey script tattoo reading Riddikulus with a shaded feather beneath it, on the forearm.
Riddikulus script with feather on forearm
Realistic black and grey tattoo of a Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 whiskey label on the calf.
Jack Daniel's whiskey label on a calf
Grey shaded backpack tattoo with a compass star and the word Wanderlust on a man's upper back, photographed from behind beside a rocky lake.
Backpack and compass tattoo on upper back
Large back tattoo in black and grey with red accents, showing lips holding a cigarette, a hand, and German lettering across the back.
Back piece with lips, hand and German lettering
Realism style tattoo of a shaded Ball Mason jar with dark green leaves and a blank ribbon banner, on the calf.
Mason jar with leaves on a calf
Black and grey realism eagle head tattooed on the back of a hand, with the word SOUL in block lettering across the knuckles and fingers.
Eagle portrait on the back of a hand
Black and grey realism tattoo on an upper arm, with bold block letters made from a dollar bill and a portrait in the centre.
Dollar bill lettering on upper arm
Colour realism tattoo of a shark, jellyfish, sea turtle and coral on the side of the ribs, with a quote in lettering above.
Underwater scene with sea turtle and jellyfish on ribs
Black and grey realism tattoo of a nail cross wrapped in wire, with the script words Only The Strong Survive, on the upper back.
Nail cross with Only The Strong Survive script
Black and grey realism tattoo of a vintage rangefinder camera with the words the way I see the world in script beside it, on a forearm.
Vintage camera with quote on forearm
Black and grey realism feather tattoo with flying birds and Beautiful Disaster script lettering on the side of the ribs.
Feather and birds with lettering on ribs
Black and grey realism tattoo of an eye with long lashes and a large letter N, with the words Never Look Back running down the side, on a person's upper back and shoulder blade.
Realistic eye and compass on upper back
Two matching realistic colour tattoos of tabby cat faces with purple and teal banners and scrollwork, shown side by side on the legs.
Matching cat portraits with name banners
Realism and abstract blend tattoo on a man's chest and shoulder, showing a black raven on thistle stems with a flying bird, red and grey bands and Latin lettering.
Raven and thistle across chest and shoulder
Black and grey realism tattoo of an open pocket watch, two roses and the script Tempus fugit across the upper back.
Pocket watch and roses with Tempus fugit
Colour realism tattoo on a calf showing three film-style characters above a crystal ball and the words Harry Potter.
Harry Potter portrait tattoo on a calf
Pencil sketch of a feather with flock of birds lifting away from its tip and the words Take those broken wings and learn to fly, a tattoo design with no body placement shown.
Feather with birds rising and a quote
Black and grey realism tattoo of a face within a rolled-up 100 dollar banknote on an upper arm, with blackletter lettering visible beside it.
Portrait face on a banknote, upper arm
Black and grey realism tattoo of folded dollar bills with banknote lettering on the upper arm, with script text of the Lord's Prayer beneath it.
Folded dollar bills and Lord's Prayer on upper arm
Black and grey realism tattoo of a melting clock draped over a hand, with the words Lost time is never found, on the side of a person's torso.
Melting clock over a hand on the side
Black and grey realism portrait of a smiling woman between two flags, with blackletter lettering reading Only Judy Can Judge Me, on a thigh.
Portrait of a smiling woman with lettering on thigh
Colour realism portrait of a bald man with the lettering I'D RATHER BE A BLIND MOTH, tattooed on the lower leg.
Realism portrait with quote on calf
Black and grey tattoos on two forearms, showing a shaded rose and leaves on the left arm and a banner, snake and skull on the right forearm.
Rose and banner lettering on forearms
Black and grey realism tattoo of a clenched fist holding banknotes with script lettering above and below, on the ribs.
Fist gripping cash with script lettering
Colour realism tattoo of a man in a blue jumper and white collar in front of an autumn landscape, with the words YOU'RE MY BOY, BLUE below, on an upper arm.
Realistic portrait with quote on upper arm
Black and grey realism tattoo of praying hands wrapped in a rosary in front of a cross, with banners reading Only God Can Judge Me, on the back.
Praying hands, rosary and banner tattoo
Black and grey dotwork portrait of a man in a collared shirt, with the word SOMETIMES above, on the thigh.
Black and grey portrait of a man on a thigh
Realism tattoo of the Cheshire Cat wearing a top hat with a percentage tag, with the words We're all Mad here in script below, on the inner ankle.
Cheshire Cat in a top hat with lettering
Black and grey feather tattoo with flying birds and script lettering reading alis volat propriis on the side ribs.
Feather and birds with Latin script
Black and grey realism tattoo of a lion's face beside a compass rose on the upper arm and shoulder, with the words Revelation 5:5 running down the arm.
Lion and compass on upper arm