Tribal tattoo ideas

556 photos and flash · 54% Blackwork, 9% Geometric · Upper arm most common

What will it cost? Try the tattoo cost calculator
Black and grey blackwork sleeve in a Polynesian-style tribal pattern covering a man's upper arm and forearm, with a wristwatch on the wrist.
Polynesian-style sleeve on forearm and upper arm
Black and grey pencil drawing of a Polynesian-style tribal tattoo design with a sun motif, bands of triangles and zigzags, shown on a sketchbook page.
Polynesian-style tribal sleeve design
Black and grey tribal tattoo with chevrons, diamonds and spirals wrapping around the upper arm near the elbow.
Tribal band wrapping the upper arm
Close view of a leg in black strappy heels and a gold chain anklet, showing a black tribal blackwork tattoo wrapping around the ankle and up the calf.
Black tribal tattoo on an ankle and calf
Two black tribal-style owl designs on a white background, one perched with wings folded and one with wings spread, both in a Polynesian-inspired blackwork style.
Tribal owls, perched and spread-winged
Flash sheet of ten black tribal-style heart designs on a white background, each built from swirls, dots and linework, with no body placement shown.
Ten tribal heart designs on a flash sheet
Black blackwork tribal sleeve with circular motifs and rosettes covering a man's upper arm and shoulder, shown from three angles.
Tribal sleeve with circular motifs on upper arm
Black and grey tribal tattoo with a large circular motif and sweeping spiked shapes across the upper arm and shoulder.
Tribal circle tattoo on upper arm
Black tribal blackwork sleeve covering the upper arm and forearm, with bold bands and triangle patterns, shown against a dark background and a grey sleeveless top.
Tribal blackwork sleeve on arm
Black and grey tribal swirl tattoo of bold bands and spirals across a person's lower back and waist, shown in a black and white photograph.
Tribal swirl tattoo across lower back
Black tribal-style dragon design with a curling tail, clawed feet and flame-like spines on a white background.
Tribal dragon design in solid black
Black tribal swirl tattoo across the lower abdomen, photographed in black and white with an orange belt and a navel piercing with a dragonfly charm.
Tribal swirl tattoo on the abdomen
Close photograph of a black tribal tattoo with a reddish flower on a woman's upper chest, extending toward the shoulder.
Polynesian tribal and flower chest tattoo
Black tribal-style lizard tattoo with a long curling tail wrapping down towards the heel, on the outer ankle and lower leg.
Black tribal lizard on an ankle
Black tribal tattoo with a central sun-like disc and swirling wings across the upper back, in a Polynesian-inspired blackwork style.
Tribal sun motif across the upper back
Black tribal eagle with spread wings tattooed on an upper arm, drawn in bold solid linework.
Tribal eagle tattoo on upper arm
Black tribal tattoo with spiral and swirl motifs covering a shoulder and upper arm.
Tribal spiral piece on a shoulder
Black tribal blackwork leg tattoo covering the thigh and calf, with red flower motifs on the thigh, worn by a woman sitting on a wall.
Tribal leg sleeve with red flowers on thigh
Black tribal-style kangaroo tattoo with swirl detail and two lines of coordinates on the outside of an ankle, above white canvas trainers.
Tribal kangaroo with coordinates on an ankle
Black tribal-style design of a large star with swirling ornamental linework, framed by four corner motifs on a white background.
Tribal star with corner ornaments
Black and grey blackwork tribal tattoo covering one side of a torso, extending across the chest, ribs and upper arm, with the other side left bare.
Tribal blackwork across chest, ribs and arm
Black tribal flash design of a stylised face inside a circle, with sun-like rays and bold blackwork patterns.
Tribal sun face design
Black and grey tribal line design of a mermaid riding a large fish decorated with sun motifs, paw prints and a small lion, shown without any body placement.
Tribal fish and mermaid design
Black and white photo of a shaved-headed man seen from behind, with a large blackwork tribal tattoo across his back, shoulders and upper arm.
Blackwork tribal back and shoulder tattoo
Black blackwork-style tribal butterfly design with swirling wings and curled antennae, shown as a flash drawing with no body placement.
Tribal butterfly design in solid black
Black and grey tribal phoenix tattoo with spread wings across a man's upper back, shown in a black and white photograph.
Tribal phoenix with spread wings on upper back
A tattooist applies black tribal blackwork linework to a bare arm, holding a tool above a small ink cap.
Tribal tattoo being applied to an arm
Black tribal-style lion head design with bold, spiked mane and solid black shading on a white background.
Tribal lion head design
Solid black tribal-style howling wolf head tattoo on a forearm, with bold blackwork linework and a spiral pattern in the neck.
Tribal howling wolf on a forearm
Black tribal sun tattoo on one inner wrist and a matching tribal crescent moon on the other, shown in black and white.
Matching tribal sun and moon on wrists
Shirtless man seated on a bed with a black tribal sleeve on his upper arm and a grey rose tattoo on his chest, head cropped out of frame.
Tribal sleeve and chest rose on a shirtless man
Small black blackwork tattoo of a spiky hedgehog-like animal on a patch of skin with fine body hair.
Small tribal hedgehog tattoo
Black tribal-style sea turtle tattoo with wave motifs on the outer thigh, shown in a close photograph against a red background.
Tribal sea turtle and waves on a thigh
Black tribal tattoo with koru spirals and fine patterned filler across the back of a hand, reaching towards the wrist.
Tribal koru design across the back of a hand
Solid black tribal tattoo running down the spine and widening over the lower back of a shirtless man photographed from behind, with kite surfers in the sky.
Tribal back tattoo with spiral motifs
Close-up of a black tribal swirl tattoo on the side of a tanned hip, with a white plumeria flower tucked into a blue floral bikini tie.
Tribal swirl tattoo on a hip
Black tribal swirl tattoo with wave-like linework on the hip and upper thigh of a person swimming underwater.
Tribal swirl tattoo on a hip
Sheet of dragon flash designs in black and grey, including a large central Chinese-style dragon with swirling tribal detailing, shown without a body placement.
Dragon flash sheet in black and grey
Black tribal-style bull head design with swirling horns and ornamental linework, shown on a white background with no body placement.
Tribal bull head design
Man seen from behind with a solid black tribal tattoo covering his upper arm and shoulder and running down the side of his back, in a blackwork style.
Black tribal design across arm, shoulder and back
Black tribal sun design with rays and three spiral roses at the centre, shown as a flash drawing with no body placement.
Tribal sun with three roses
Solid black tribal design with flame-like curls and a spiral, shown as a standalone drawing on a white background with no body placement visible.
Black tribal flame design
Black tribal-style sitting cat design with bold solid shapes and swirling lines, shown as a flash drawing with no body placement visible.
Tribal sitting cat design
Black tribal sleeve tattoo covering the upper arm and forearm, with bold geometric patterns, spirals and solid black areas framed by bare skin.
Tribal sleeve tattoo on upper arm and forearm
Black tribal-style eagle design with outstretched wings drawn in solid black linework on a white background.
Tribal eagle with spread wings
Black and grey blackwork tribal flame tattoo with a thin-line infinity loop and curled ends, placed on a shoulder.
Tribal flame and infinity swirl on shoulder
A gloved tattooist works with a machine on a black tribal blackwork design on a shoulder.
Tribal blackwork being tattooed on a shoulder
Black ink tribal-style fox design drawn on white paper, seated with its bushy tail curled round in front of it.
Tribal fox design with swirling tail