Wave tattoo ideas

1,081 photos and flash · 24% Japanese, 20% Fine line · Forearm most common

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Colour tattoo of a dark surfer silhouette carrying a surfboard against an orange sunset and teal sea, on the outer arm.
Surfer silhouette at sunset on an arm
Black and grey tattoo of a sailing ship with birds flying off its sails, waves below and the words SAIL ON beside them, on the forearm.
Sailing ship and birds on an arm
Full body Japanese-style tattoo with green and orange dragons, koi and goldfish over black wave-patterned ground across the chest, arms and thighs.
Full body Japanese irezumi with dragons and koi
Black and grey realism tattoo of a compass over an old map with handwritten place names and a sailing ship, on a forearm.
Compass over an old map on a forearm
Traditional-style colour tattoo of a black and white striped lighthouse with a red light and swirling blue waves inside a porthole frame, on the forearm.
Lighthouse and waves in a porthole frame
Colour tattoo of two purple and teal koi fish swimming through stylised blue waves, in Japanese style, on a forearm, shown twice side by side.
Purple and teal koi fish on forearm
Black and white photo of a fine line wave tattoo with three curls on the inner wrist and forearm.
Fine line wave on the inner wrist
Black and grey tattoo of a three-masted sailing ship inside a bottle with a rope stopper, on the inner forearm.
Sailing ship in a bottle on a forearm
Fine line black tattoo of a sailboat above rolling waves on the inside of a forearm.
Sailboat and waves on a forearm
Small fine-line black tattoo of a curling wave inside a circle on a pale forearm, with a dark sleeve at the left edge.
Wave inside a circle on a forearm
Traditional colour tattoo of a three-masted sailing ship with a red hull, clouds and birds, above a banner reading Homeward Bound, on a forearm.
Sailing ship with Homeward Bound banner on a forearm
Black and grey traditional tattoo of a sailing ship in an ornate oval frame on the inner forearm, shown in two side by side photographs.
Sailing ship in oval frame on forearm
Fine line black wave tattoo on the inner forearm, just below a white beaded bracelet, as a hand makes a hang loose gesture against the sea at dusk.
Small wave tattoo on forearm
Fine line black tattoo of a single curling wave on the inner wrist.
Single-line wave on the inner wrist
A full colour Japanese style sleeve tattoo of a red koi fish, cherry blossoms and waves on a woman's upper arm and forearm.
Koi and cherry blossom sleeve on an arm
Black and grey Japanese style sleeve tattoo with a koi fish on the upper arm and shoulder and wave-like linework on the forearm.
Koi and wave sleeve on a arm
Realism tattoo of palm trees silhouetted against a sunset over the sea, wrapping around the forearm and shown from three angles.
Palm trees and sunset on a forearm
Small blue watercolour-style wave tattoo with black linework curling across the inner wrist, with a soft pink-tinged skin background.
Blue wave on a wrist
Close-up of a small black fine line tattoo of a single curved wave on the inner wrist of a hand with pale nails.
Small wave line tattoo on wrist
Fine line black sailboat tattoo with waves on the inner wrist of a raised hand, set against a nautical chart.
Tiny sailboat on the inner wrist
Small fine line black ink tattoo of a curling wave inside a circle on a pale forearm, beside a black sleeve.
Wave in a circle on a forearm
Black and white photo of a small fine line wave tattoo on the inner wrist of a raised hand.
Small wave tattoo on the wrist
Black and grey fine line tattoo on a forearm showing a wave inside a circle, with triangles, arrows and dotted geometric lines.
Wave in a circle with arrows on a forearm
Small black fine line tattoo on a forearm showing a wave, a pine tree and a mountain above an arrow marked 49 degrees and an anchor.
Fine line wave, tree, mountain and anchor on arm
A tattooist in blue gloves uses a machine to work on a colourful Japanese-style koi fish and wave tattoo on a forearm.
Koi fish tattoo being inked on an arm
Close photo of a fine line black wave tattoo on the inside of a wrist, worn beside woven friendship bracelets.
Small wave line tattoo on wrist
Colour tattoo of a stylised wave curling inside a circle, in blues, teal and green with black outlines, on the inner forearm.
Stylised wave in a circle on a forearm
Fine line fox with leafy sprigs and a long flowing tail tattooed on a forearm, in black and grey ink.
Fox and foliage on a forearm
Black and grey full arm sleeve with chrysanthemums, flower of life geometry and dotwork, with red script on the forearm, shown on both arms.
Full sleeve with chrysanthemums and sacred geometry
Overhead view of a seated person with hands on their knees, showing a Japanese-style red flower tattoo on one forearm and a black and grey cloud design on the other.
Japanese-style forearm tattoos seen from above
Blue and black tattoo of Hokusai's Great Wave inside a golden ratio spiral grid, on the inner forearm.
Great Wave with golden ratio grid on forearm
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of peonies and a mandala across a woman's forearm, with a partly visible second tattoo at the lower right.
Floral mandala forearm tattoo
Close view of two forearms with metallic temporary tattoos in gold, silver and blue, including palm trees, a wave, leaves and shells, against sand.
Metallic palm tree and wave designs on forearms
Traditional-style tattoo on a forearm showing a grey umbrella with a lightning bolt, rain, a paper boat sailing in a purple teacup and a red rose on the cup.
Umbrella storm and paper boat in a teacup
Woman seen from behind with a colourful Japanese style koi and wave tattoo covering her back and left arm, against a dark red studio backdrop.
Full back Japanese koi and wave tattoo
Black and grey wine glass tattoo on a forearm, its bowl filled with a curling wave and a whale tail in fine line and dotwork style.
Wine glass with wave on a forearm
Black and grey Japanese-style wave tattoo with fine linework and dotwork shading on the inner arm.
Great wave tattoo with dotwork shading
Back of a woman with a black linework Japanese-style lotus and wave design across her lower back, and a peony and flower sleeve on her arm, photographed in a dim studio.
Lotus back piece and flower arm sleeve
Fine line black tattoo of a wave inside a circle on the inner forearm of a pale-skinned arm.
Small wave in a circle on a forearm
Black line drawing of a woman with long hair and closed eyes, showing a Japanese-style sleeve of cherry blossoms, a koi-like fish and a skull on her arm.
Woman with Japanese-style sleeve and skull
Two photographs of a full body Japanese-style tattoo: on the left a back piece seen while kneeling in water, on the right a torso and sleeves with an eagle, cherry blossom and koi.
Full body Japanese-style tattoo in two views
Black and grey wrist tattoo of palm trees, a crescent moon, stars and waves inside a circle, shown on a forearm near the wrist.
Palm trees, moon and waves on a wrist
Fine line tattoo of three small waves on the inner wrist, shown in a close-up and in a wider photo of a hand resting on a table.
Three small waves on the inner wrist
Fine line black tattoo of a single unbroken wave crossing the forearm.
Single line wave on a forearm
Black and grey tattoo of a striped lighthouse surrounded by swirling clouds and waves, covering a forearm.
Lighthouse and clouds on a forearm
Japanese style chrysanthemum tattoo in orange and grey shading covering a forearm, with wave shading above and small script on the wrist.
Chrysanthemum sleeve on a forearm
Black and grey tattoo of an anatomical heart on a forearm, with stormy waves, clouds and a small house drawn inside the heart.
Anatomical heart with waves and a house
Traditional style tattoo of a palm tree, red setting sun and hibiscus-like flowers on the inner forearm near the wrist.
Palm tree and sunset on a forearm