Rope tattoo ideas

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

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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
Black ink ship's wheel with script reading Be the one to guide me, and an anchor with rope and script reading but never hold me down, tattooed on the thighs.
Ship's wheel and anchor thigh tattoos
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 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
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
Sepia photograph of a black ink anchor tattoo with rope and script reading 'My Hope is the anchor of my soul' on the side of the body, above a lace top.
Anchor and script tattoo on the side
Black and grey realism tattoo of a shaded anchor wrapped in rope, with the script words Refuse to sink across it, on a lower leg.
Anchor with Refuse to sink script on a calf
Two matching forearm tattoos: a watercolour feather with script and flying birds on the left, and a black and grey anchor with rope, birds and script on the right.
Feather and anchor matching forearm tattoos
Black and grey traditional anchor tattoos with rope and script lettering on both thighs, worn above striped over-knee socks.
Matching anchor tattoos with quotes on thighs
Black script lettering quoting a line about carrying things inside, with a rope and anchor below it, on a lower back above white shorts.
Script quote and anchor on lower back
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
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
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
Neo-traditional tattoo of a grey anchor wrapped in an orange and purple rope, with black script reading Hope anchors the soul, Hebrews 6:19.
Anchor and rope with script verse on a limb
Two matching black and grey forearm tattoos, one showing a ship's wheel with the words Be the one to guide me, the other an anchor with rope and the words but never hold me down.
Matching ship's wheel and anchor tattoos with script
Two side-by-side photos of an anchor tattoo with a bow and the word Sister on a forearm, one in black and grey and one with pink and coloured shading.
Anchor and bow with Sister script on a forearm
Black fine line anchor tattoo on the side of the torso, with the words life and love in script looping around it like an infinity sign.
Anchor and script infinity tattoo on side
Black and grey flash design of a lighthouse inside a rope circle, with a ship's wheel at its base and three banners carrying lettering.
Lighthouse and ship's wheel with banners
Navy line drawing of a bearded sailor in a striped top and cap, with tattooed arms, anchor and rope, and the lettering A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
Sailor flash with smooth sea lettering
Two black ink thigh tattoos in traditional style, a ship's wheel and an anchor wrapped in rope, each with script lettering, on a person wearing denim shorts.
Ship wheel and anchor thigh tattoos
Two side-by-side photos of black outline tattoos on a calf: a guillotine reading Keep your chin up, and a noose on a gallows reading Hang in there.
Guillotine and gallows with slogans on a calf
Two black ink thigh tattoos on a woman in denim shorts: a ship's wheel with script reading Be the one to guide me, and an anchor with script reading but never hold me down.
Ship's wheel and anchor thigh tattoos
Black and red lettering with a black anchor wrapped in red rope on the inner wrist, in a lettering style.
Anchor and slogan text on a wrist
Fine line black outline tattoo of a rope-wrapped anchor above the words 'I refuse to sink.' on the inner forearm near the wrist.
Anchor with rope and 'I refuse to sink' on a wrist
Black and grey tattoo of a crown and anchor wrapped in rope, with the script words My King above and My Anchor below, on a person's side.
Crown and anchor with script lettering
Two matching foot tattoos: a watercolour feather with flying birds and the words I'll be your wings on the left foot, and a shaded grey anchor with waves and birds on the right foot.
Feather, birds and anchor tattoos on both feet
Black line drawing of an anchor with a looping rope forming an infinity shape and script lettering, shown as a flash design with no body placement.
Anchor and infinity rope design
Black and white flash sheet of tattoo designs including a steak, pizza slice, pie, rope, knife, eye and several hand-drawn lettering pieces.
Black and white flash sheet of food and lettering designs
Black and grey traditional tattoo of a hooded grim reaper skull with the words DEAD SERIOUS beneath it, on an upper arm.
Grim reaper with DEAD SERIOUS lettering
Black ink flash drawing of an anchor wrapped in rope with the word SAILORS in ornate lettering across it, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Anchor and SAILORS lettering design
Traditional style colour tattoo on a forearm showing a compass in a rope border, a blue and red anchor and the words Let your past be your compass but never your anchor.
Compass, rope and anchor quote on a forearm
Traditional style anchor tattoo wrapped in rope on the forearm, with the words Hope Anchors the Soul in blackletter lettering and small red gems.
Traditional anchor with rope and lettering
Black and grey guillotine tattoo reading Keep your chin up beside a gallows with noose reading Hang in there, both on a lower leg.
Guillotine and gallows tattoos on lower legs
Nautical flash design of white lettering on a navy background, with a crossed anchor, lifebuoy, flags and banners in a traditional style.
Nautical lettering with anchor and lifebuoy
Black and grey traditional style tattoo of a rope heart enclosing a noose, with the words MISERY LOVES ME above and below, on a forearm.
Rope heart with noose and lettering on a forearm
Forearm tattoo of a grey anchor wrapped in rope, with barnacles, green seaweed, an orange starfish and Spanish script lettering around it.
Anchor with script lettering on a forearm
Colour and grey tattoo of an anchor wrapped in pink roses and blue leaves, with the script words I refuse to sink, on the side of a ribcage.
Anchor and roses with script on ribs
Colour traditional-style tattoo of a grey seagull perched on a rope-wrapped anchor, with the words fall out boy in black script below, on a forearm.
Seagull perched on an anchor with script
Back view of a woman with a long blonde braid and a white crochet top, showing a small black script tattoo between her shoulder blades.
Small script tattoo on upper back
Two matching forearm tattoos show a grey shaded anchor wrapped in rope, with a teal bow and the word sisters in script beneath.
Matching anchor and bow forearm tattoos
Two matching black script quote tattoos on the forearms, one with an anchor and one with three birds and a bird silhouette in lettering style.
Matching anchor and bird quote tattoos on forearms
Black and grey anchor tattoo with three banners reading a quote, shaded in a traditional style on the side of the ribs.
Anchor and quote banner on ribs
Close view of a wrist with typewriter-style lettering reading I'm with Amanda's Bachelorette Party and a black anchor with a red rope, placed on the forearm near the wrist.
Bachelorette party anchor on a wrist
Forearm tattoo of a rope-edged infinity symbol with an anchor and the script words I refuse to sink, mostly black ink with a red accent.
Anchor and infinity rope with script on forearm
Two matching foot tattoos: a pink and blue feather with flying birds and the words I'll be your wings on the left foot, and a black anchor with birds and the words and I'll be your anchor on the right
Feather and anchor foot tattoos with matching script
Black and grey flash sheet of anchor designs with script quotes, including a large engraved-style anchor with rope and a small anchor beside the words I refuse to sink.
Anchor and lettering tattoo flash sheet
Colour tattoo of an ornate hot air balloon with a trailing freedom script on the outer thigh, in a neo-traditional style.
Hot air balloon and freedom script on thigh