Tribal tattoo ideas

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

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Pencil sketch of a tattoo design showing a tiger and a wolf in tribal linework with swirls, a star and the kanji for love above, shown without any body placement.
Tiger and wolf tribal design with kanji
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
Black and grey realism lion head in profile with tribal swirl patterns across the face, tattooed on the upper arm and shoulder.
Lion head with tribal swirls on upper arm
Pink lily tattoo with black tribal-style vines and swirls on the lower back and hip, in a botanical neo-traditional style.
Pink lily with black vines on a lower back
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
Solid black tribal design of a stylised scorpion with curled spiral tail and claws, drawn on a white background.
Black tribal scorpion design
Black tribal wing design flash with a central cross and a red rose, shown on a plain white background with no body placement.
Tribal wings with cross and red rose
Realistic coloured tattoo of an Ewok with an orange hood on the upper arm, with a tribal design and a skull tattoo nearby.
Ewok tattoo on upper arm
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 geometric armband tattoo with bands of chevrons, triangles and swirling motifs wrapped around an upper arm.
Tribal armband tattoo on upper arm
Black tribal-style fox design with bold solid shapes, stripe patterns and spiral motifs on a white background, shown as a stencil-style drawing with no body placement.
Tribal fox design with swirls
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 tribal sea turtle tattoo on the side of a man's lower abdomen, just above the waistband of his jeans and belt.
Tribal sea turtle on a man's abdomen
Close-up photo of a black tribal-style turtle tattoo with two blue wavy lines across its centre, on skin.
Tribal turtle with blue waves
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
Teal tribal-style design of a stylised figure with spiral motifs and a diamond at the head, with the character 陽 in dark grey at the lower left.
Tribal figure with character 陽
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
Solid black tribal flame motif with two curling tips on a white background, shown as a flash-style design with no body placement visible.
Black tribal flame design
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
Three black spiral tribal tattoos on three ankles, photographed close together outdoors on a woven mat.
Three matching spiral ankle tattoos
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 lotus flower design with swirling flame-like tips and a curling vine stem, drawn on a white background with no body placement shown.
Tribal lotus flower design
Black and grey plumeria flowers with Polynesian-style tribal bands wrapping across the side of a torso, shaded in soft grey tones.
Plumeria flowers with tribal bands on the side
Black tribal-style lion face design on a white background, with tapering lines forming the mane, eyes and nose.
Tribal lion face line design
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
Flash sheet of designs including a revolver, a woman's face with swirling hair, a diving eagle and two black and copper tribal armband patterns on a white background.
Flash sheet with revolver, eagle and tribal bands
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 frog design drawn in bold interlocking linework on a white background, with no body placement shown.
Tribal frog 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 line drawing of a dragonfly tattoo design with tribal-style wings and a column of three red hearts forming its body.
Dragonfly with heart-shaped body design
Side view of a man's shoulder and upper arm covered in a black and grey tribal sleeve tattoo with bold bands, chevrons and woven patterns.
Tribal sleeve across shoulder and upper arm
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
Teal tribal-style skull design with swirling linework and a toothed jaw, shown glowing against a black background.
Tribal skull design in glowing teal
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 tribal swirl tattoo with scrollwork and a central ornament running along the ribs and side of a torso in a sepia-toned photograph.
Tribal swirl tattoo along the ribs
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
Black tribal knotwork tattoo of an interlaced animal inside a circle on the upper back, with a tribal sun design at the top right edge.
Interlaced animal knotwork across the upper back