Ocean tattoo ideas

186 photos and flash · 24% Realism, 24% Fine line · Forearm most common

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Black ink pen sketch of two stylised waves inside a circle, with the words A million waves in the ocean and Crash at once to make you smile written around the edge.
Waves and quote in a circular pen sketch
Black and white photo of two pairs of clasped hands showing matching fine-line Roman numeral lettering VIII IV XII on the inner wrists, with a beach and sea behind.
Roman numeral wrist tattoos on a beach
Two colour tattoos on a pair of thighs, one of Elsa from Frozen and one of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, each in an ornate oval frame in neo-traditional style.
Elsa and Ariel framed portraits on thighs
Black line tattoo of a curling wave with spray dots on the inner forearm, in a fine line style with Japanese-inspired detail.
Curling wave on a forearm
Colour tattoo of a jellyfish in blue, purple and teal, with swirling ornamental detail in the bell, on a forearm.
Jellyfish tattoo on a forearm
Teal and blue jellyfish tattoo with soft, wash-like shading and trailing tentacles on a forearm, with the hand raised at the top of the frame.
Jellyfish tattoo on a forearm
Back view of a person with wet dark hair, showing a dark grey world map tattoo on the bare shoulder while looking out over calm turquoise sea.
World map tattoo on a shoulder
Realistic black and grey humpback whale tattoo across the upper back and shoulder blade of a person with their head turned away.
Humpback whale on a upper back
Woman in a pink bikini on a sandy beach showing black and grey tattoos on her left upper arm and sleeve and her right forearm.
Dark arm tattoos on a woman in a pink bikini
Teal jellyfish tattoo with soft watercolour-style shading and trailing tentacles on the upper arm of a woman in a red lace top.
Teal jellyfish on an upper arm
Colour realism tattoo on a thigh showing a mermaid on a rock beneath a glowing full moon, with an underwater scene of a sunken ship, gold coins and coral below.
Mermaid under a full moon on a thigh
Flash sheet of nine jellyfish drawings in grey pencil shading, with small dots scattered between them, shown without a body placement.
Jellyfish flash sheet in grey pencil
Fine line black tattoo of a curling wave inside a circle on the inner forearm, with stippled dots in the spray.
Wave inside a circle on a forearm
Black silhouette design of five sea turtles swimming in a row from small to large, with scattered bubbles, on a white background.
Five sea turtles swimming with bubbles
Black and grey realistic shark with open jaws covering a man's back, with swirling ornaments on the shoulders and tattoo sleeves on both arms.
Realistic shark tattoo across a full back
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a humpback whale swimming across the inner forearm, shown on a bed.
Humpback whale tattoo on a forearm
Fine line heart tattoo with small script on the upper arm of a woman with her back to the camera, facing the sea at dusk.
Heart with script on upper arm
Black and grey realism forearm tattoo of a shark, anchor, vintage diving helmet and treasure chest, shown from four angles.
Shark, anchor and diving helmet on a forearm
Black and white photo of a woman seen from behind, with a small column of diamond shapes tattooed down her spine, looking over a beach and palm trees.
Diamond column tattoo on a spine overlooking a beach
Fine line black script reading "It is well with my soul" runs vertically down the centre of a woman's back, seen from behind on a beach.
Script quote down the spine
Black and grey wave tattoo with curling crest inside an inverted triangle outline on the inner forearm, in a Japanese-inspired style.
Wave inside an inverted triangle on a forearm
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a breaking wave inside a circle on the inner wrist, shown in a close photograph.
Breaking wave in a circle on the wrist
Black script lettering reading Listen to the ocean on a pale blue background, shown as a tattoo design with no body placement visible.
Listen to the ocean script lettering
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a humpback whale swimming along the inner forearm.
Humpback whale on a forearm
Fine line black wave tattoo on the inner forearm of a raised hand, with the sea and beach blurred behind at dusk.
Small wave tattoo on a forearm
Teal jellyfish tattoo with soft, watercolour-like shading on a woman's calf, shown with tan strappy heels.
Teal jellyfish tattoo on a calf
Black script lettering reading Let the Ocean take me across a forearm, with smaller script tattoos visible on the upper chest.
Script quote reading Let the Ocean take me on a forearm
Traditional style seahorse tattoo in blue, teal and grey with black outlines and small bubbles, on the inner forearm.
Seahorse on a forearm
Traditional style tattoo of a ship's wheel over green waves with a banner reading Home Sweet Ocean, on the back of a hand.
Ship's wheel and Home Sweet Ocean banner
Neo-traditional flash drawing of a pink scallop shell holding a white pearl, with green seaweed and teal dots, drawn on paper.
Pearl in a pink shell design
Close-up of a fine line black wave tattoo on the inner forearm, near the wrist, with a blonde-haired person and a dark top in the background.
Fine line wave on the inner forearm
Fine line black wave tattoo on the inner wrist, with a blurred beach and sunset in the background.
Small wave tattoo on a wrist
Colour traditional tattoo of a palm tree, red sunset over water and the word ALOHA beneath, on a forearm.
Palm tree and sunset with ALOHA lettering
Black and grey realism tattoo of a lighthouse with sunburst rays and crashing waves on the forearm.
Lighthouse and waves on a forearm
Black ink drawing of two whale tails rising from stylised waves on white paper, shown as a tattoo design with no body placement visible.
Two whale tails with waves
Black and grey realism chest tattoo showing two portraits beside a steamship and a framed oval scene.
Black and grey portrait chest piece
Back view of a woman with blonde hair looking out over the sea, with a small black fine line tattoo between her shoulder blades.
Small fine line tattoo on upper back
Realistic colour tattoo of a great white shark with open jaws attacking a whale in blue water, placed on the outer thigh.
Shark and whale underwater on a thigh
A woman with long wavy hair and dark tattoos on her outstretched arms stands on a rocky cliff above the sea, with a small island in the distance.
Woman with dark arm tattoos on a sea cliff
Six blue fine line drawings of waves arranged in a grid on a white background, shown as tattoo design flash.
Six line drawings of waves
Three black orca designs in a loose swirl on the inside of a wrist, shown in solid black ink against a pale background.
Three orcas on a wrist
A woman in a black bikini and wide-brimmed black hat stands on rocks by turquoise water, with dark tattoo sleeves covering both arms.
Dark tattoo sleeves on both arms by the sea
Hand-lettered navy script reading 'the ocean cures all' stacked over three lines on a white background, a lettering design suitable as a tattoo stencil.
The ocean cures all lettering design
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a curling wave inside an inverted triangle on the outer thigh, shown beside black shorts.
Wave inside an inverted triangle on a thigh
Black ink drawing of a seahorse filled with looping curved line patterns, a flash design with no placement on the body.
Seahorse in black line zentangle pattern
Colour realism tattoo of a sunset beach with a palm tree and orange plumeria flowers covering the upper arm.
Sunset palm tree and plumeria on upper arm
Fine line black ink tattoo of a curling wave inside a circle on the forearm, shown against a pale arm and dark sleeve.
Wave in a circle on a forearm
Small black and grey realism tattoo of a humpback whale diving on the upper chest near the shoulder.
Humpback whale on the shoulder