Bat tattoos are one of those things that you either love or hate. There’s no in-between, and people may judge you for your tattoo choice, but you probably wouldn’t be here if you cared about that.
In many cultures, a bat symbolizes darkness and death, however, it can also symbolize good luck. Depending on your interpretation of this little animal, you can have whatever meaning you please.
You don’t have to make them look scary or weird, you can make them look however you want. Nonetheless, it’s hard to find the perfect match for your aesthetic sometimes. So, take all the inspiration you need from this article, and make your personalized design possible.
Simple bat tattoos
Bat tattoos can be as simple or as complicated as you want them. But this little bat tattoo is something special, and you should definitely consider getting something similar to this. This adorable bat has a face that means no harm, and the small strokes on his body make it look like actual texture.
A simple tattoo can also have an interesting shape, just like this tattoo. The wings of this bat are turning inside to make the shape of a heart. It looks like a gothic dream!
Another great thing to consider is different colors for your tattoos. You can use red ink to create this ethereal tattoo! The body of the bat is done with very saturated ink, but the rest is done with light brush strokes that create this gorgeous translucent effect.
Black and gray bat tattoos
Black and gray tattoos have a certain magical tone to them, that can’t be done with any other style. I mean, just look at this little guy! This is actually quite a big tattoo, but it makes the bat look cute rather than scary. There are some white highlights in the tattoo to create a little more depth.
When you’re looking for bat tattoos, you may want to look into tattoos that have this sort of darkness and crispness to their outlines. Even though the bat seems small, the actual wings are what make it so recognizable, and most of the tattoo is made out of the wings.
This little guy is a spooky one. There’s no gray shading going on here, all of it is made out of black ink and just a couple of white highlights. The flowing shapes around the bat are what makes it seem like he’s in motion.
Bat tattoos, just like any other tattoo, can have everything that you desire incorporated into them. I mean, do you see that sparkling sword? This bat is off to battle. There’s a lot of texture in his wings and even the rest of his body.
This bat tattoo looks like the poor guy has been electrocuted. But maybe that wasn’t the intention. The light skeleton of the bat is an amazing contrast to the dark wings that were done with solid black ink. The tinier bats at the top of the tattoo give this entire thing an even spookier feel.
We all know that the wings are such a specific part of bat tattoos, however, this one is trying to sleep! This bat tattoo is set between wildflowers. It looks like the light is hitting it perfectly because of all the lighter spots on the design. Even the light that’s reflecting in his eyes is immaculate.
Because the bat is a creature of the night, it’s possible to get the best effect if you choose to add little details that remind you of the night. This bat is hanging off of the moon, and the little surrounding stars really add an enchanting touch to everything.
Full-color bat tattoo ideas
When we’re talking about bat tattoos, you have to know that you don’t have to follow any guidelines. I mean, if your favorite colors are yellow and orange, then you may want to consider adding those to the mix when you’re doing your tattoo! Just look at this guy, he looks adorable, while still carrying the meaning that you came here for.
This is a baby bat, as you can see. Most of it was done in shades of gray, but there are some specks of color, like the shades of pink and red. The little branch that he’s standing on is a very nice touch.
For the girlies, that don’t want to put any dark colors on their skin, you may want to consider incorporating pastel colors into your bat tattoos. This little guy has a thick outline, but there are none within his body.
If you’re a fan of warmer colors, then you don’t have to search through bat tattoos anymore. This little guy has yellow eyes that are a perfect match to the yellow background. Even the grapes in his hand are a gorgeous shade of red. The highlights on the wings make a great addition to the whole tattoo.
One specific thing about bats is their ears, which are the main way that they communicate with the outside world. The texture of the orange looks quite realistic because of the attention to detail. The little bit of green in the tattoo is a wonderful contrast to the orange.
Tiny bat tattoos should be more praised, actually. I mean, just look at this guy! Look at the texture of his fur, and the shading on his wings! The pink flowers and ears give the whole thing a very feminine touch, and that’s what makes it so special.
For some reason, the combination of different shades of pink with shades of orange really does add a wonderful feeling to an art piece. This little guy looks absolutely adorable while holding the slice of orange in his hands.
This tattoo artist mostly used realistic colors for this tattoo. I’d say that only the eyes aren’t a relevant color. Other than that, the flowers really give this whole design a bit of a contrast that will take away from the spookiness of the bat.
Traditional bat tattoo ideas
Traditional tattoos will never go out of style. So, if you’re looking for bat tattoos, then you may want to consider a traditional tattoo design. This is just the head of a bat, but you can clearly see what it’s representing. The face looks vicious, and the flames are an obvious ode to traditional tattoos.
This traditional tattoo of a bat looks quite creepy. I mean, just look at those eyes! And there are even blue skulls at the bottom of the tattoo. The saturation of the ink here is immaculate, and the shading is out of this world.
A traditional tattoo is usually recognizable through the thicker linework and the type of design. However, people usually recognize it through the big spots of color. This tattoo is done with black, gray, and red ink. It’s quite satanic, but the art style is still traditional due to the way the bat looks.
This tiny fellow is adorable, yet it gets the message across. The color pallet of this tattoo is quite traditional, and there are no details because it’s quite obvious what it’s supposed to represent.
See also: 25 Dagger Tattoos That Will Represent Your Virtuous Qualities
As stated before, bat tattoos, especially the traditional kind, don’t have to follow rules, but the art style does have a coupe of specific things. For example, even though this tattoo is done with black and gray ink, it’s still obvious what art style we’re talking about. The thick outlines and the funny face are telling.
Now that you’ve gone through so many bat tattoos, it’s important to give you another example of a bat that’s just trying to sleep. The little flowers, and the hues of red ink behind it, add a whole new level of depth to the whole design.
