Scale tattoo ideas

469 photos and flash · 24% Japanese, 15% Realism · Upper arm most common

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Black and grey pencil drawing of a dragon head in profile with swept-back horns, frill-like spines and open jaws, shown as a tattoo design rather than on skin.
Dragon head in profile, pencil drawing
Gold metallic mermaid scale temporary tattoos running diagonally from the shoulder down the upper arm of a woman on a rocky beach.
Gold mermaid scales on a shoulder and arm
Traditional colour tattoo of a pin-up mermaid with dark hair, a polka-dot flower and a red shell top, with a red-to-green tail, on the thigh.
Pin-up mermaid with shell top
Pastel pink, purple, blue and green scale and fin tattoo covering both legs from the ankles up the calves, with the legs raised against a pale fabric backdrop.
Pastel mermaid scale tattoo on both legs
Black and grey wave and fish scale tattoo on the side of a hip, above green scale-patterned leggings.
Grey wave and scale tattoo on a hip
Black and grey dotwork chameleon tattoo with mandala-style patterning on the outer upper arm or thigh.
Chameleon with mandala patterning
Fine line and dotwork koi fish tattoo in teal, grey and pink across a person's upper back and shoulder blade.
Two koi fish on the upper back
Flash sheet of twelve black zodiac sign designs in a classic style above twelve modern tribal zodiac designs, with no body placement shown.
Zodiac sign designs in classic and modern tribal styles
Green shaded beetle above a fan of overlapping green scales tattooed on a thigh, with the wearer lying on a white bed.
Green beetle and scales on a thigh
Black ink drawing of a snarling wolf head in profile, its mane and face filled with white zentangle-style patterns on a white background.
Wolf head with patterned scales
Black line drawing of an ornamental dragon with swirling tribal-style patterning, shown as a flash design with no body placement.
Ornamental black line dragon design
Flash sheet of gold and silver metallic tattoo designs including scale bands, leaf stems, dotted lines, lattice chains and four peacock feathers.
Gold and silver metallic temporary tattoo sheet
Black and grey merlion tattoo with a fish tail on the thigh, with a partly visible coloured design at the left edge.
Merlion tattoo on the thigh
Black and grey coiled dragon tattoo on the outer thigh of a woman in a black mesh-panel swimsuit, with the head near the hip.
Coiled dragon on an outer thigh
Black outline drawing of a koi fish curling upward, with scale detail on the body and fins, in a Japanese-influenced flash style with no body placement shown.
Koi fish line drawing
Black and grey pencil drawing of a dragon and a phoenix facing each other in a heart-like curve, shaded in fine detail, shown as a tattoo design.
Dragon and phoenix facing design
Black and grey Celtic knotwork dragon tattoo on a calf, with interlaced bands, a scaled crest and a triquetra-style knot at the base.
Celtic knotwork dragon on a calf
Small black fine line tattoo of a set of scales on the upper back near the shoulder, with a purple top and a brick wall behind.
Scales of justice on upper back
Japanese style koi fish with red and black scales swimming among waves and clouds, tattooed on an upper arm and shoulder.
Koi fish and waves on an upper arm
Colour and black and grey Japanese style tattoo of a large bird with red flames and maple leaves across a shoulder and upper arm.
Japanese bird and maple leaves on upper arm
Colour Japanese style koi fish tattoo in red, orange and yellow with grey swirling water across the side of the ribs.
Koi fish tattoo on the side ribs
Pencil line drawing of a mermaid with both arms raised, flowing hair and a scaled tail, shown as a tattoo design sketch on paper with no body placement.
Mermaid with raised arms, pencil sketch
Colourful rainbow scale pattern tattoo on the upper thigh, with soft pastel shading in pink, orange, yellow, green and blue.
Rainbow scale pattern on a thigh
Colour Japanese style tattoo on an upper arm showing an orange creature with whiskers, pink swirling clouds, a green element and a pink peony-like flower.
Japanese style colour tattoo on an upper arm
Colour neo-traditional tattoo of a dark-haired mermaid with teal scales, red roses and a conch shell, on the upper arm.
Mermaid with roses and shell on a limb
Five white stencil-style circular designs on a black background showing a tree, scales, clasped hands, an eye and flames, with no body placement shown.
Five circular symbol designs on black
Gold metallic temporary tattoo of a scallop pattern on the upper thigh, seen through a rip in light blue jeans.
Gold metallic scallop motif on a thigh
Colour Japanese style koi fish tattoo with blue water splashes on the top of a foot.
Koi fish with water splash on a foot
Black linework tattoo of a naga serpent, lotus flowers and swirling waves covering a leg from thigh to calf.
Naga serpent and lotus leg tattoo
Light blue scale tattoo on the outer thigh of a person lying on a carpet, with a drawn wave design on paper beside them.
Blue scales tattoo on thigh
Teal scale-like tattoo with soft grey shading on the upper thigh of a person lying in denim shorts and a woven belt.
Teal scale tattoo on a thigh
Colour realism tattoo of blue-green scales showing through torn skin on the outer thigh.
Blue scales under torn skin on a thigh
Digital drawing of a red, black and white koi fish with detailed scales and flowing fins on a white background, in a Japanese style.
Koi fish design in red, black and white
Black and grey traditional owl tattoo with ornamental swirls and a shaded rose below, covering the upper arm and shoulder.
Owl and rose on upper arm
Black and grey snake tattoo with scaled detail coiled around an upper arm, its head near the shoulder.
Snake coiled around upper arm
Realistic dragon head with horns, scales and clawed feet in a shaded, colour style across the upper arm and shoulder.
Realistic dragon head and claws on upper arm
Black line drawing of a Japanese-style dragon coiling upward beside a flaming pearl, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Dragon and flaming pearl line drawing
Red linework flash design of a symmetrical owl with patterned feathers, spiral chest markings and diamond details, shown on a white background with no body placement.
Ornate owl design in red linework
Painted dragon design with spread bat-like wings, clawed feet and a long scaled tail coiled at the bottom, shown on a plain background with no body placement.
Winged dragon with coiled scaled tail
Vertical flash sheet of black and grey engraved designs, including a skull with candle, an eye, crossed bones, hands, scales and a plague doctor, with Latin lettering.
Vertical sheet of occult and engraved motifs
Realistic tattoo of torn skin revealing blue-grey fish-like scales on a forearm near the elbow.
Torn skin revealing blue scales on an arm
Pencil drawing of a mermaid with long, wind-swept hair curling upward and a scaled tail, in fine line style, with no body placement shown.
Mermaid with flowing hair
Colour Japanese-style dragon tattoo with green scales and wave details on the side of a person's torso, above the waistband of their jeans.
Green dragon tattoo on the side of the torso
Teal and green shaded scale tattoo on the outer thigh of a person in denim shorts, lying down.
Teal scale tattoo on a thigh
Hand-drawn neo-traditional design of a golden dragon coiled around a grey skull, shown as a flash sheet with no body placement.
Golden dragon coiled around a skull
Realistic colour tattoo of a green viper coiled around a branch with its mouth open, across the upper arm.
Green viper snake on upper arm
Pencil sketch of a snake coiled around a lotus flower, drawn as a tattoo design with no body placement shown.
Snake coiled around a lotus flower
Watercolour-style mermaid tattoo with flowing red hair and a blue and purple tail, placed on the calf.
Watercolour mermaid tattoo on a calf