Tattoo Designs From Around The World

Looking for inspiration for your next tattoo ? 

With many of the tribal tattoos & designs being inspired from tribes and cultures, here's some ideas of the different designs and styles you can find in continents across the world.

African tattoo designs tend to revolve around the traditional tribal mask images, simplistic drawings of figures, with inspiration coming from witchdoctors, masks and spiritual roots.

The Asian continent offers inspiration for some great full body, back, arm and shoulder tattoos - with big images of dragons, fish, legendary creatures & monsters, floral patterns and fabulous fantasy inspired designs.

Chinese tattoos are varied, from simple flash lettering, symbols or words, to mythical creatures and fantasy dragon designs.  Lettering is particularly popular being simple, yet with deep significance and meaning - from words such as love, hope, respect, strength - right through to proverbs and sentences. 

Celebrity, David Beckham, has a chinese tattoo running down the left side of his body, which is supposed to mean "'Death and life have determined appointments. Riches and honour depend upon heaven".

Japanese symbols and writing are pretty popular.  Apart from anything, they always creating interest, with people wondering what they mean or what the writing says.  If you enjoyed the move, The Last Samurai, then you'll understand more about the cultural meaning of cherry blossom.  Another great traditional Japanese design is the dragon, a really powerful image.

Designs inspired by Japan can take you from traditional tattooing into the realms of awesome body art.

Maori tribal tattoos have seen an increase in interest from guys, but you could use them for inspiration for a simple design for a woman, for example, a Maori style lizard.

Scotland has it's own range of designs, including, of course, the scottish thistle.