So you love the ocean and your after some tattoo inspiration. Maybe you're a surfer, diver, kitesurfer or paddleboarder and these sports have changed your lifestyle for the better and you want to pay homage to the ocean playground that you now call home.
Whatever your reason for wanting to immortalise your love of the sea we have some great inspiration for you here:
Anchors
Once a tattoo reserved just for the saltiest of sailor souls, now anyone with the love of the ocean can get an anchor tattoo. We love the above anchor placement from @indiewild_ and the pairing with the ocean boheme jewellery fits perfectly. Shop this chunky shell ring here: Beach Bohème
Waves
If you're a surfer then there's a good chance you want to pay your respects to the bodies of water that gift you the rides you love so much. Here's a few wave tattoo ideas that might float your boat:
Shells
If you're a beach lover and are fascinated by shells and beachcombing a shell tattoo might be what you are looking for.
The Golden Ratio
To take the shell idea one step further, that's fascinating is that a shell is a perfect representation of the Fibonacci sequence, also known as the golden ratio (which is 1.618), and represented by the Greek letter phi. Fibonacci numbers are a never-ending sequence starting with 0 and 1, and continuing by adding the previous two numbers. You can find the Fibonacci sequence in the natural environment which is pretty cool, in shells, flowers, storms and galaxies. The nautilus shell is a perfect example of the golden ratio in nature and there's so many cool tattoos that incorporate this design:
second tattoo credit @dasha_sumtattoo
Inverted Triangles
In ancient alchemy inverted triangles used to represent water and with a circle at the top it represents salt water. This is a good option for those who want a more discrete tattoo with hidden meaning.
Second tattoo credit @minustattoo
Ocean Animals - turtles, whales, sharks, rays, jellyfish etc.
If you're a scuba diver you might want to etch your favourite ocean encounter into your skin. This can be especially meaningful if you have experienced diving or swimming with these majestic creatures.
Second tattoo credit Fedor Nozdrin
Mermaids
Mermaids are a great option for those who feel an affinity with the mystical folklore tales of half fish, half woman. If you think you would have been more at home born in the ocean then maybe this is the tattoo for you?
Choosing your tattooist
When deciding to permanently decorate your body you’ll probably want to work with an artist that understands you. Finding a tattooist with similar style and values can be hard. One water women based in Portugal is living the dream, Manon lives with her family in a Portuguese surf town where she brings up her son, surfs and designs beautiful tattoos. She’s an artist who seeks to translate your energy signature, to create a tattoo that will act as a sacred talisman.
She uses symbols to guide you through personal introspection, finding you a design that will carry the very energy of your soul. Check out her work, you can make a surf trip out of getting a tattoo with her or she can make a bespoke design from afar.
We finish with a quote from Anaïs Pierquet , one of the most famous tattooed, female longboarders, known for her love of ink and cruisy rides.
Photo credit Simon Fitz @smn_ftz
"Any tattoo I designed was a way to express myself. It was a way to let out some feelings and emotions that are maybe too difficult to talk about. Every time I had a strong emotional moment in my life, I had a new tattoo to celebrate it. For example, on my left front arm, I have a portrait of my mother, based on a picture taken the day she got married to my father. This day and decision shaped my parent’s life, and therefore it shaped mine too. I come from a pretty stormy past, and it made sense to me to ink under my skin the roots of it".
Anaïs Pierquet - French longboarder based in Bali on what her tattoos mean to her.