Spiral tattoo ideas

943 photos and flash · 23% Blackwork, 17% Geometric · Forearm most common

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Pencil sketch of a flowering stem with a large five-petal bloom, leaves and a spiral tendril, drawn as a tattoo design in fine line shading.
Flower and vine tattoo design sketch
Black tribal band tattoo with two flower motifs running from the thigh over the calf to the ankle, shown on a bare leg.
Tribal band with flowers down a leg
Black line drawing of a stylised cat sitting upright, filled with swirls, lattice and dotted ornamental patterns, with a curling tail ending in a spiral.
Stylised cat with swirling tail design
Traditional style tattoo of a brass diving helmet on a jellyfish body with the letter N, surrounded by shells on the upper arm and shoulder.
Diving helmet jellyfish on upper arm
Bold black ink flourish with two curling loops and three small dots beside it, drawn on a white background as a tattoo design.
Black ink swirl with three dots
Black tribal-style dragon design with swirling wings and a spiral tail wrapped around a pentagram inside a circle, drawn on white.
Tribal dragon with pentagram circle
Black ink drawing of a stylised rabbit built from spirals and solid black shapes, shown as a tattoo design on white paper with no body placement visible.
Spiral rabbit line design
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
Black tribal ornament design with interlaced bands and spiral curls, a flash-style drawing with no placement shown.
Symmetrical tribal ornament design
Black line drawing of a mermaid with long flowing hair and a sweeping, finned tail curling into spirals, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Mermaid with swirling tail line drawing
Black fine line tattoo of a vertical line topped with a dot and stacked looping spirals on the ankle.
Fine line spiral symbol on an ankle
Realistic black and grey tattoo of a crumpled banknote with a portrait and curling paper edges, shown on an arm or leg.
Crumpled banknote tattoo on a limb
Black line drawing of a spiral motif inside a rounded figure outline, with a larger spiral at the base and smaller spirals above, shown as a tattoo design on white.
Spiral motif line drawing design
Fine line black tattoo of a lotus flower with a dotted halo and an unalome line running down the forearm.
Lotus and unalome on a forearm
Brown ink line drawing of a vertical interlaced knotwork design with two stylised beast heads at the top, suitable as a tattoo flash design.
Interlaced knotwork with two beast heads
Black tribal-style swirl tattoo with a small turtle across a person's upper back and along the spine, shown in a sepia photograph.
Tribal swirl back tattoo with turtle
Bold black tribal-style cat face design with swirling linework on a white background, shown as a flash drawing with no body placement.
Tribal cat face design
Two versions of a three-armed Celtic knotwork triskele design, one in dark green and one in cream on dark brown, shown as flat drawings with no body placement.
Celtic triskele knotwork in two colourways
Botanical flash design of two white snowdrops on looping green leaves that form a figure-eight, shown on a plain white background.
Two snowdrops with looping green leaves
Full arm sleeve in black geometric blackwork on a man's arm and shoulder, with a sun-like mandala on the shoulder and spiral patterns down to the wrist.
Geometric black sleeve on arm and shoulder
Black tribal design drawing on a white background, a symmetrical ornament with spirals, dots and bold curved shapes, shown as a stencil-style flash design.
Symmetrical tribal ornament design
Black fine line tattoo of a spiralling unalome with dots above and below, ending in a lotus flower, on skin in a greyscale photo.
Fine line unalome and lotus tattoo
Hand-drawn flash design of four stacked motifs in bold black linework with green, red and blue wash, including a swirling vine, a flame trail and a wave.
Four elemental motifs in black ink and wash
Black geometric tattoo of two square spirals and a flame shape on the skin behind a person's ear.
Geometric spiral tattoo behind the ear
Black continuous-line drawing of an acoustic guitar with a spiral scroll on a plain off-white background, shown as a tattoo design without a body placement.
Single-line guitar design
Black and grey tribal tattoo with spirals, chevrons and bold geometric panels covering the upper back of a muscular man, seen from behind.
Tribal back piece across the upper back
Black and grey drawing of a tribal tattoo design with spiral and curved bands filled with woven patterns, shown on a white background.
Polynesian-style tribal design with spirals
Two side-by-side drawings of an ornate lotus flower tattoo design with swirling filigree and dotted shading, shown on a sepia background.
Ornate lotus flower design in two versions
Black ink line drawing of a stylised treble clef with swirling curls at the base, shown as a tattoo design on white paper.
Stylised treble clef design
A hand sketches a bold black tribal-style design of a five-petal flower, vines and a spiral on white paper with a pencil.
Tribal flower and swirl design
Blackwork flash design of a spread-winged owl with Celtic knotwork chest, spiral wing tops and dotted feather rows, with no body placement shown.
Spread-winged owl with Celtic knotwork
Fine line black tattoo of a vertical dot, zigzag line and looped shapes on the back of a person's neck.
Fine line loops and dot on the nape
Black line drawing of an eight-point compass rose inside a ring, surrounded by curling spiral and swirl linework, shown as a tattoo design with no body visible.
Compass rose within a circle of spirals
Fine line tattoo of a black spiral above a vertical row of small red, orange, green, blue and purple dots on the inner forearm near the wrist.
Spiral and coloured dot line on a wrist
Black tribal tattoo design of a large spiral and flowing swirls with notched edges, shown as a stencil-style drawing with no body part visible.
Tribal spiral and swirl design
Black and grey tribal blackwork sleeve tattoo covering the shoulder, upper arm and forearm, with a geometric mandala on the shoulder and a chest piece.
Tribal blackwork sleeve on a man's arm
Mixed colour tattoo of a pair of black scissors and a red and black patterned kimono figure with a black spiral eye above, on a calf.
Scissors and kimono figure on a calf
Black tribal swirl full sleeve tattoo covering the upper arm and forearm, with spiral and scroll patterns.
Tribal swirl full sleeve on an arm
Fine line tattoo of a red outlined apple with a green leaf and black stem on skin, shown beside its line drawing design.
Outline apple with leaf tattoo
Black outlined octopus tattoo with swirl and dot patterning across the ribs and side of a torso, in a dotwork style.
Ornamental octopus on the side of the ribs
Black and white photo of a small fine line tattoo of a vertical ornamental symbol resembling an unalome, placed centrally on the chest.
Fine line vertical symbol on the chest
Black tribal sleeve tattoo covering the shoulder and upper arm, with spirals, triangles and bold curved bands.
Tribal blackwork sleeve on shoulder and upper arm
Black script lettering quote across the lower leg above the ankle, with blue and orange swirling star shapes in colour.
Script quote with swirling stars on lower leg
Black and grey Polynesian style tribal sleeve covering a man's upper arm and shoulder, with bold black bands and shaded geometric panels.
Polynesian style full arm sleeve
Black line drawing of a seated Egyptian-style cat with a collar and pendant, shown as a tattoo design rather than on skin.
Egyptian-style seated cat line drawing
Realism style Halloween sleeve tattoo on the upper arm and shoulder, showing a skull-faced character, carved jack-o-lanterns, a bare tree and snowflakes in mostly grey shading with coloured pumpkins.
Halloween sleeve with skull character and pumpkins
Three black tribal-style sea turtle designs on a white background, one with a plumeria flower and lei border, one with a central leaf motif, and one with a sunburst pattern.
Three tribal sea turtle designs
Black and grey drawing of a Polynesian-style tattoo design of interlocking spirals and tribal bands, shown as a flash sketch with no placement on the body.
Polynesian-style spiral tattoo design