Tribal tattoo ideas

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

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Flash sheet of three black tribal designs, each combining butterfly wings with a central heart, drawn with swirling solid linework on white.
Three tribal butterfly and heart designs
Black tribal-style scorpion tattoo design on a white background, with a bold printed quote beneath it.
Tribal scorpion design with quote
Black tribal-style dragon design with a horse-like head and curling tail ending in outlined bubbles, drawn on paper.
Tribal seahorse dragon design with bubbles
Large black tribal tattoo covering a man's upper back and shoulder blades, photographed from behind in a Blackwork style.
Tribal back piece across shoulders
Two solid black circular tribal designs with spiral motifs and a central wave-like symbol, shown as line art on a white background.
Two circular tribal spiral designs
Back tattoo in black tribal linework with red shading, showing a symmetrical stingray-like design with spirals across the upper back.
Tribal stingray design across the upper back
Back view of a shirtless man with a raised arm, showing a solid black tribal blackwork tattoo with triangles and bands across the upper arm and elbow.
Black tribal band on upper arm and forearm
Black and white photo of a bold black tribal linework tattoo sweeping across the side of a torso from the lower abdomen over the hip.
Black tribal tattoo on a hip
Black geometric band tattoo wrapping around a woman's bent elbow, with dotwork quatrefoil panels and striped triangles in blackwork style.
Geometric band tattoo around an elbow
Black and grey photograph of a blackwork tribal band tattoo with bold triangles on a man's forearm, above a black wristband.
Tribal band tattoo on a forearm
Eight black blackwork-style tribal and ornamental tattoo designs arranged on a pale grey textured background, with no skin visible.
Set of black tribal ornament designs
Black tribal tattoo covering a shoulder, chest and arm sleeve, with a grey shaded panel of stars and a shield on the upper arm.
Tribal sleeve and chest piece in black ink
Black tribal sleeve tattoo with bold geometric bands, triangles and zigzags covering the upper arm and forearm.
Black tribal arm sleeve
Black tribal-style design of an ornate cross framed by spiky, feathered wings on a white background, shown as a flash drawing.
Winged cross tribal design
Black blackwork tribal tattoo with koru-style spirals across the top of a foot and ankle, photographed against a dark background.
Tribal spiral design across the top of a foot
Black tribal-style design of a bird with a sweeping wing on a white background, drawn as a flash sheet without placement on the body.
Tribal bird with sweeping wing design
Black tribal tattoo with swirls and triangular patterns curving down the side of a torso over the ribs.
Tribal band tattoo on the side ribs
Black tribal-style phoenix tattoo with flowing feathers and swirls across a shoulder and upper arm.
Tribal phoenix on a shoulder
Black Polynesian style tribal tattoo with triangles, swirls, flowers and a bird motif curving across the ribs, with a hand resting on the skin above it.
Polynesian style tribal band on ribs
Bold black tribal tattoo with a large spiral and an interlocking knot band across the upper arm and shoulder.
Tribal swirl and band on upper arm
Black ink flash design of two manta rays in a Polynesian-style tribal pattern with spirals and dotted shading, drawn on a white background.
Tribal manta ray design
Solid black tribal-style butterfly wings design on a plain white background, shown as a flash drawing with no body placement visible.
Tribal butterfly wings design
Black tribal-style lion head facing right in profile, drawn as a bold design on a white background.
Tribal lion head in profile
Black tribal scorpion tattoo on the ankle and upper foot of a person wearing a black flip-flop, on a wooden deck.
Tribal scorpion on an ankle
Black and grey tribal S tattoo on an upper arm, shaded to look as if it is breaking through cracked skin.
Tribal S with cracked skin on upper arm
Black tribal tattoo of a manta ray with a turtle and gecko inside, in a Polynesian-style design across the upper back.
Polynesian manta ray with turtle on upper back
Black blackwork tattoo of bold abstract shapes and bars on an upper arm, with a black and white design panel beside it.
Black abstract tattoo on an arm
Side by side photos of a solid black tribal dragon tattoo on a lower leg, before and after a rework with grey shading and highlighted outlines.
Black tribal dragon on a calf, before and after
Black tribal-style eagle head drawing in solid black ink on white, shown in profile with a sweeping blackwork frame behind it.
Tribal eagle head design
A woman in a bikini wades in turquoise water beside a boat, showing a large black ornamental sleeve tattoo with floral and tribal patterns on her right arm, in blackwork style on the upper arm and
Blackwork floral sleeve on a woman's arm
Black tribal flash design with cherry blossoms, waves and a central medallion, in a bold blackwork style with no body part shown.
Tribal and cherry blossom sleeve design
Shirtless man with a bold black tribal tattoo covering his chest, shoulder and upper arm, shown against a dark patterned background.
Tribal black ink across chest, shoulder and arm
Close photo of a bold black tribal-style scorpion tattoo with small red eyes on the upper arm of a person with light skin.
Tribal scorpion tattoo on the upper arm
Black tribal wings framing a central cross tattoo across a woman's bare back, photographed from behind against a dark background.
Tribal wings and cross on a back
Black tribal-style design of a sitting cat with one paw raised, drawn in bold solid black linework on a white background.
Tribal-style sitting cat design
Black tribal tattoo covering a man's shoulder and upper arm, with solid black circles, spirals and bands on lighter skin.
Black tribal shoulder and upper arm tattoo
Black tribal flash design of a howling wolf head in profile set against a large circular moon, with no body placement shown.
Tribal howling wolf with moon
Black blackwork armband tattoo with tribal-style geometric bands wrapping around an upper arm, shown against a white sleeve.
Tribal-style armband on the upper arm
Black and grey tribal-style wings tattoo covering the upper and mid back, with bold solid linework and geometric patterns.
Tribal wings across a back
Bold black tribal blackwork tattoo with swirls and a toothed band across the side of the ribs.
Tribal blackwork motif on the ribs
Close view of a bold black Polynesian tribal tattoo covering a man's shoulder, upper arm and chest, with geometric bands and chevron patterns.
Polynesian tribal shoulder and chest piece
Black and grey tribal dragon tattoo with spread wings covering the upper and middle back, photographed against a brick wall.
Tribal dragon with spread wings across a back
Black and grey tribal swirl tattoo covering the shoulder and upper arm of a shirtless person, photographed from behind.
Tribal swirl tattoo on shoulder and upper arm
Black Polynesian-style tribal tattoo covering the shoulder and upper arm, photographed outdoors with a sandy beach and sea behind.
Polynesian-style shoulder and upper arm tattoo
Black tribal spiral motifs in a grid of six panels on the upper arm, shown on a seated person in a black top.
Black tribal spiral band on upper arm
Black tribal-style lion head design on a white background, drawn as a flash sheet image with bold solid shapes and no body placement shown.
Tribal lion head design
Solid black tribal tattoo with sweeping spiked blades and an open central motif, covering a man's shoulder and upper arm.
Black tribal piece on a shoulder
Black and white tribal-style dragon design with a curling tail, drawn as a stencil-like flash image with no body part shown.
Tribal dragon design