Rope tattoo ideas

517 photos and flash · 54% Traditional, 11% Lettering · Forearm most common

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Traditional style anchor flash design with a wooden stock, coiled rope and red flowers with green leaves, shown on a plain white background.
Anchor with rope and red flowers
Black line drawing flash design of an anchor wrapped in rope beside a ship's wheel, with the words Guide me in your truth and Anchor me in your love.
Anchor and ship wheel with quote lettering
Black ink design of an anchor with a looping line leading to a flock of birds and the script words carry with me the weight of the sea, shown on a white background.
Anchor and birds with script quote
Pencil drawing of a shaded anchor wrapped in rope, with a flock of birds rising from the top of the rope, shown as a tattoo design sketch.
Anchor, rope and birds design
Solid black anchor design with a rope coiled around the shank and a knot near the ring, shown as a flat stencil-style drawing on a white background.
Anchor with rope wrapped around the shank
Black linework drawing of a neo-traditional anchor wrapped in rope, with flowers, leaves and cloud shapes, shown as a tattoo design on a warm background.
Anchor with rope and flowers design
Black line flash design of a stitched spellbook with an eye on its cover, a banner reading It's all just a bunch of, and purple Hocus Pocus lettering.
Stitched spellbook with eye and banner flash
Black and grey engraved skull design built from an octopus, fish, shells and an anchor, in a detailed flash style.
Sea creature skull with anchor
Hand-drawn flash design of a compass rose inside an ornate scrollwork frame, with a crossing arrow and rope detail, drawn in brown ink on paper.
Compass and scrollwork arrow design
Grey-wash line drawing of a hooded skull spectre wrapped in a rope and wheat sprigs, with a dotted arc above and the word Virgo below, shown as a tattoo design without a body placement.
Virgo skull spectre design
Black and grey shaded drawing of a compass wrapped in twisted branches with a rope, a stylised anchor and a flying bird, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Compass, anchor and bird tattoo design
Black and grey drawing of a ship's wheel, anchor and rope among clouds, with the script quote "Be the one to guide me, but never hold me down", shown as a tattoo design with no placement on the body.
Ship wheel and anchor with script quote
Black ink drawing of a rope-wrapped anchor and ship's wheel beneath calligraphic lettering reading the sailor's creed, shown as a design on paper rather than on skin.
Anchor and ship's wheel with sailor's creed lettering
Two flash designs of an anchor woven into an infinity symbol, one in tan rope with a blue flower and the words be strong believe, the other in black line with the word hope.
Anchor and infinity flash designs
Traditional style flash drawing of a mermaid with shell top and a vintage brass diving helmet diver beside her, framed by a rope border.
Mermaid and diver under the sea
Blue pen sketch of a sailing ship inside a bottle, with a kraken's tentacles reaching up from the waves beside it.
Ship in a bottle with kraken sketch
Black linework anchor wrapped in a rope, decorated with coral roses and teal foliage on a white background, drawn as a botanical tattoo design.
Anchor with rope and coral roses
Black and grey traditional flash of a skull above a trident and anchor rope, framing a ship, a whale and a banner reading Sea Shepherd.
Skull, trident and whale in a rope frame
Pen drawing of a tattoo design showing a compass inside a tree wreath, with banners reading 'Not all who wander are lost' and an anchor below, in a botanical line style.
Compass, anchor and tree banner design
Black line drawing of an ornate anchor with swirling filigree detail and coiled rope, shown as a flash design on a white background.
Ornate anchor with rope
Four pastel nautical designs on a flash sheet: an anchor with a dolphin, a seahorse with a telescope, a compass rose with a clock face, and a ship's wheel with a lantern.
Vintage nautical flash sheet
Pencil and marker drawing of a stitched scarecrow figure wearing a wide-brimmed witch hat, two gas masks and a rope noose, shown in black and grey shading.
Scarecrow in a witch hat and gas masks
Black and grey neo-traditional design drawn on tracing paper of a mermaid with a ship, anchor, rope and ship's wheel, with no body placement shown.
Mermaid with ship and ship's wheel design
Black line drawing of a traditional anchor wrapped in rope with two swallows in flight, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Anchor with rope and two swallows
Black linework flash design, drawn on paper, of a bearded man in profile with a pipe, roses and rope around him.
Bearded man profile with roses and rope
Gold metallic anchor wrapped in rope, shown as a small temporary tattoo on a thigh and as two transfer sheets on grass.
Gold anchor and rope design
Black and grey line drawing of an anchor wrapped in rope, with headphones, a microphone and audio cables hanging from it, shown as a tattoo design on a plain white background.
Anchor with headphones and microphone
Black linework flash sheet drawn on paper, showing a skull with a flower, a flowered heart, a bouquet, a hand and a rope banner reading forget me not, in traditional style.
Traditional flash sheet with skull, heart and flowers
Traditional-style flash drawing of a figure-eight knot in shaded rope with bold black outlines on a tan background.
Figure-eight knot rope design
Flash sheet of metallic blue and bronze temporary designs showing palm trees, fern fronds, rope braids, anchors and the words live laugh love and hope, with no body placement visible.
Metallic flash sheet of palms, anchors and script
Traditional style flash sheet showing a red crab with a heart-shaped body, an anchor wrapped in rope with waves, a scallop shell and a conch shell.
Nautical flash sheet with crab, anchor and shells
Pencil sketch of a big-eyed, round cat-like creature hanging by its paws from two ropes, with a fluffy tail, drawn on cream paper beside a pencil.
Big-eyed cat creature hanging from ropes sketch
Black and white flash drawing of an anchor wrapped in tentacles with a banner reading LOVECRAFT and H.P., in a traditional engraved style with no body placement shown.
Anchor with tentacles and banner design
Black and grey ink drawing of a mermaid holding a water jug, with an anchor, stars and an AQUARIUS banner, shown as a tattoo design.
Aquarius mermaid with anchor
Black and grey flash sheet with four designs: a cracked tombstone reading HOPE, a dagger with Sad Truth, a noose with Sweet Dreams, and a rose with a basketball centre reading Still Ballin.
Four flash designs on a light background
Traditional coloured flash design of a pin-up woman performing an acrobatic pose inside a green aerial hoop, with yellow ropes and black swirls.
Pin-up acrobat on an aerial hoop
Flash design of a blonde cartoon woman in a pink dress, framed by roses, thorns, two birds and a banner reading Once Upon a Dream, in a bold neo-traditional style.
Blonde heroine with roses and a banner
Black and grey engraved drawing of an anchor with a twisted rope coiled around its shank, on a plain white background.
Anchor with rope wrapped around the shank
Black and grey line drawing of a traditional-style anchor wrapped in ribbon banners, one reading FAMILY, shown as a tattoo design with no body part visible.
Anchor with family ribbon banners
Traditional style flash design of an anchor wrapped in rope with a ship's wheel, two swallows and a laurel wreath, drawn on torn paper over wooden boards.
Anchor and ship wheel with swallows
Traditional style flash design of a black anchor wrapped in rope and entwined with red and orange roses, teal leaves and blue flowers.
Anchor with roses and rope
Pencil sketch of a tattoo design showing an anchor wrapped in rope, a fishing rod and reel, and the words Teach a man how to fish, he feeds himself for life.
Anchor and fishing rod pencil sketch
Flash design of a compass rose wrapped in vines and flowers, with a hanging anchor, rope, a bird and a fish, in teal and peach tones.
Compass rose with vines, anchor and bird
Pencil line drawing of a traditional-style anchor inside a rope border, with a lighthouse and seascape in the upper shank and a scallop shell and flowers at the base.
Anchor, lighthouse and shell design
Pencil sketch design of an anchor wrapped in a rope and vine, with hibiscus flowers and the word Ohana written beneath it.
Anchor with hibiscus and Ohana script
Black line drawing of a tattoo design with two hearts edged in rope, swirls, two roses, leaves and beaded chains, in a neo-traditional style.
Hearts, roses and beads line drawing
Flash design of a compass rose on a teal world map, framed by branches, flowers, leaves, rope, a fish, a bird and an anchor, in a botanical style.
Compass rose with anchor, bird and botanical wreath
Black outline drawing of a dinosaur with a carousel-style rope pole, scrolled saddle and ribbon bows, on a sketchbook page, as a tattoo design.
Carousel dinosaur line drawing