Swirl tattoo ideas

3,253 photos and flash · 24% Botanical, 17% Fine line · Forearm most common

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Black ink tattoo of a sun with a serene face, curling rays and dotted stipple, plus a small star, on the side of the ribs.
Sun face with swirling dotted rays on ribs
White line drawing of a flame and spiral emblem on a black background, with no body part visible.
Spiral flame emblem in white line art
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of paisley swirls and flowers across a person's upper back and shoulder blade.
Paisley and floral design across a upper back
Black and white photo of a fine line heart with a curling swirl tattooed on the nape of a person's neck, with hair pulled up.
Small heart with swirl on the nape
Black ink paisley and floral tattoo across the upper back and shoulder blade, with a henna-inspired linework style.
Paisley and flower back tattoo
Colourful neo-traditional tattoo of a swirl lollipop, pink bow and wrapped sweets on a forearm, set against green and purple watercolour splashes.
Lollipop and pink bow with wrapped sweets
Colourful hummingbird tattoo on an ankle, with painterly orange, red and teal wings and a long purple tail curling down the leg.
Colourful hummingbird with swirling tail on ankle
Black ink line drawing of an ornate stylised bird with swirling filigree detailing, paired with flower shapes, on a plain white background.
Ornate bird with swirls and flowers
Two colour tattoos on arms, one with a teal rose and one with a pink lily, each paired with a black swirl motif on the forearm and inner wrist.
Rose and lily tattoos on two arms
Two matching fine line black swirl symbol tattoos on the tops of a pair of bare feet, resting on grey carpet.
Matching swirl symbol tattoos on feet
Black ink drawing of a scrolling vine with curls and small dots on a white background, shown as a tattoo design with no body part visible.
Black scrolling vine design
Black and grey botanical tattoo of hibiscus, orchids and swirling stems covering the middle of a person's back.
Floral bouquet across a back
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a humpback whale filled with floral mandala patterns, on the side of the torso.
Whale with floral pattern on the side
Black and grey pencil drawing of a sugar skull decorated with a diamond, three roses and swirling vines, shown as a tattoo design on a white background.
Sugar skull with roses design
Blue tribal tattoo of swirling curves and a symmetrical central motif running along a forearm, on a person wearing a white top.
Blue tribal design on a forearm
Black ink ornamental scrollwork with acanthus-style leaves and curls on the side of a hip and upper thigh.
Black scrollwork ornament on the hip and thigh
Black ink pen drawing of a feathered arrow crossing a circular compass motif, with flowing feather-like swirls, a small star and ornamental flourishes, drawn on lined paper.
Arrow, compass and feather design drawing
Colourful stylised drawing of a songbird with blue swirl patterns on its head and a patterned, feathered tail, on a white background.
Stylised bird illustration
Black and grey tattoo of two intertwined fish in bold solid linework, placed on the calf.
Two intertwined fish on a lower leg
Colour tattoo in a circular frame re-creating Van Gogh's Starry Night, with swirling blue sky, a crescent moon and a village with a church spire, on skin.
Starry Night swirl sky in a circle
Two people seen from behind, each with a black and grey puzzle piece tattoo on the shoulder blade, one holding a swirling filigree motif and the other a key with a heart-shaped bow.
Matching puzzle piece tattoos on shoulders
Fine line black mandala tattoo with small ornamental sprigs above and below it on a forearm.
Mandala tattoo on a forearm
Black fine line script tattoo reading "Wild hearts can't be tamed" with decorative swirls, placed on the calf.
Wild hearts can't be tamed lettering on a leg
Black tribal-style shark design drawn in solid black linework and swirl patterns on a white background, with no body placement shown.
Tribal shark tattoo design
Colour traditional tattoo on a calf of a red-haired pin-up woman in a wide-brimmed hat, with a star-spangled saltire flag, orange flowers and a swirl.
Pin-up woman with flag and flowers on a calf
Dark henna-style floral design with swirls and dots across the back of a hand, up the wrist and onto the fingers, set against brown fur.
Floral henna-style design on a hand
Black and grey tattoo of a striding tiger with a curling tail and water splashes, across the left ribs of a bare torso.
Striding tiger on the ribs
Black and grey cloud tattoo with swirled outlines and soft shading on the wrist, photographed indoors against a cluttered shelf.
Swirl cloud tattoo on a wrist
Black and white ornamental drawing of an elephant head filled with swirls, dots and paisley-like patterns, shown as a tattoo design with no body part visible.
Ornamental elephant head line drawing
Black line tattoo of a swirled heart beside a teal ribbon with a semicolon inside its loop, shown on skin.
Swirl heart with teal ribbon and semicolon
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 tattoo on a back shoulder area showing a solid black cat sitting on a crescent moon filled with Celtic knotwork, with swirling vines, leaves and flower buds.
Black cat on a Celtic moon with vines
Neo-trad tattoo of a shaded red heart with grey winged wings, black swirling vines and a small ladybird, on the lower back.
Winged red heart with swirls on the back
Black tribal pattern tattoo on the back of a hand and wrist, with a gold and red bracelet on the wrist.
Tribal pattern on the back of a hand
Two mirrored black tribal designs on a white background, with bold swirling shapes, spiky edges and fine patterned detail, shown as flash for a sleeve.
Pair of black tribal sleeve designs
Fine line tattoo of an airmail envelope with a red heart and swirls above, and a blue banner reading curiosities and delights, on an upper arm.
Airmail envelope with curiosities and delights banner
Black dotwork pear tattoo with a bold outline and swirling dot patterns inside, on the inner forearm.
Dotwork pear on a forearm
Back tattoo in black and grey shading, showing a large skull surrounded by outlined roses and swirling clouds, in a Japanese-influenced style, across the upper and mid back.
Back piece with skull and roses in black and grey
Mixed colour music-themed tattoo of a treble clef, musical notes and a stave on the calf and ankle, in black and grey with purple and gold accents.
Musical notes tattoo on a leg and ankle
Black and grey traditional butterfly tattoo on the nape of a person's neck, with a geometric mandala-style piece below.
Butterfly tattoo on the nape of the neck
Black and white ornate cross design with swirling tribal-style detail and a red gem at the centre, shown as a standalone flash drawing with no body placement.
Ornate cross with red centre design
Black script reading 'If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever', framed by two calla lilies with soft colour and flourishes, tattooed on the upper back.
Calla lilies and script quote on upper back
Pencil sketch of a compass rose with swirling wisps around its central star, drawn as a tattoo design on plain paper with no body placement shown.
Compass rose with swirling wisps
Black and grey dotwork mandala tattoo with an eye motif and swirling petals on a lower leg, resting on a dark surface beside blue leopard print leggings.
Mandala tattoo on a lower leg
Colour realism tattoo of three jewel-like emblems in red, blue and green, set within a grey triangle on the forearm.
Three gem emblems in a triangle on a forearm
Shaded red rose with green leaves and black swirling vine linework on the lower abdomen, beside a navel piercing.
Red rose with black vines on the abdomen
Realistic purple and peach lily tattoo with grey shading, black swirls and stars across a person's upper back, shown from behind.
Purple lily and stars on upper back
Black and red script lettering reading Money over Men with swirling flourishes, tattooed along a forearm.
Money over Men script lettering on a forearm