Are you looking to get a dragon koi tattoo? There are so many options in the world, and you don’t even know what aesthetic to go for. The good thing is that you can find a lot of guidance by looking at the tattoos that other people have done.
The combination of these two images has a very powerful meaning. The dragon represents power, strength, and determination. The koi fish stands for perseverance and will-strength.
When you’ve gone through something heartbreaking, then this tattoo could represent all the strength that you need to go through it and all the strength that you have right now. So, to commemorate your battles, this is a great choice.
Black and gray dragon koi tattoo
It’s possible to represent the majestic parts of a dragon koi tattoo, even if you just do it in black and gray. This is still very Japanese-style inspired. There are so many shadows within the actual tattoo, and the scales look like they’re reflecting light perfectly.
We could argue that this is quite a simple design for this tattoo. However, there’s a big flower at the bottom that has a lot of black ink. It balances the dragon koi perfectly.
Even though you may want a completely black and gray Japanese-style dragon koi tattoo, you can still add a little bit of color to it. Most of this tattoo is done in black and gray, but there are little parts that are done with red ink, and the highlights are done with yellow ink.
Here we have a representation of two dragon koi. They’re intertwining in the middle of the chest, but the tattoo is still perfectly readable. There are so many details, but the tattoo is still cohesive.
People usually choose to do an entire sleeve, as you can guess from the previous examples, so here’s another one. The heads of the dragon koi don’t have dark shadows, but just enough to create more texture in the design. The waves are flowing through the entire tattoo, and they really bring everything together.
This is another example of a dragon koi tattoo with little specs of color. Only the fins have a little bit of red on them, but the rest is done in black and gray. The scales are completely black to create a better contrast from the waves and the very light face.
Blue dragon koi tattoo
Would you believe me if I told you that each different color of the koi fish has a different meaning? For example, the blue koi fish represents masculinity and fertility. If you’re interested in this meaning, then maybe this is the right choice for you.
This dragon koi tattoo has some well-saturated blue ink, and it even has horns to make it more obvious that it’s not just a normal koi fish. The little bit of yellow ink just gives some contrast to the rest of it.
This dragon koi fish even has little cherry blossoms around it! I mean, you can really combine whatever you please into your tattoo. The Japanese style is very obvious in this tattoo. And here the rest of the body is much lighter, so that the head can be fully done with black ink.
The negative space really adds a lot of dimension to a tattoo. The shades of blue create a very realistic look, but the negative space creates a lot of dimension in the tattoo. The waves look like they’re actually clashing into clouds.
This dragon koi tattoo is much more vibrant and has more colors than the previous examples. The colors are well-saturated, and there’s even an ombre effect that makes the blue scales turn into turquoise at the bottom.
Green dragon koi tattoo
The green koi fish stands for prosperity and luck. The color itself usually reminds people of nature and their love for the outdoors. When you’re thinking about a dragon koi tattoo, you may want to consider this meaning. In this tattoo, the most contrast was created with the use of shades of green and pink. Only the waves and some of the background is done in black and gray.
Here we have another example where the background is quite dark, but the dragon koi is very colorful. However, the waves also add another layer of color because they’re blue. The fins on this fish have an ombre effect that transitions from yellow into orange and has a little bit of red at the ends.
Yellow/Gold dragon koi tattoo
The yellow koi fish embodies wealth and abundance, which is quite similar to the green one. These colors mostly remind of autumn, so the added leaves are a great detail. There are many transitioning colors in this design, and it gives a lot of depth to the tattoo.
This dragon koi tattoo is quite similar to the previous one, but it doesn’t have too many details. The colors are a combination of black and yellow ink. However, there are a couple of red details that are popping out. And the red autumn leaves are a wonderful addition.
This dragon koi tattoo actually looks quite vicious. Again, the waves are in shades of black and gray to make the actual dragon/fish come into the center of attention.
This is a majestic tattoo. The saturation of colors is immaculate, there are so many details that make the color pop out even more. The red and orange flowers give the design so much depth. However, the black background really fulfilled its purpose. Also, can we talk about the composition? Absolutely astounding.
This is a very colorful design. The dragon koi is mostly yellow, gold, and orange. However, the tummy is done in some light peach color. The leaves that are falling down the waves are green and they create a gorgeous contrast to the rest of the tattoo. Even though most of the tattoo is centered on the arm, the chest still doesn’t look empty.
Red dragon koi tattoo
Red koi fish usually have two meanings. Either, they represent love and passion, or they represent anger and aggression. Either way, you can take whatever you please, and still have this gorgeous design done on your body. This time, you can even see claws. The face is a mixture of red ink, but some parts flow from red into yellow and end with green.
This is quite a simple dragon koi tattoo. However, the waves are done in black and gray again, even though there are still parts where the scales come through to make it look like real water. This is a very traditional Japanese-style tattoo, and it stayed true to the origins.
This dragon koi fish tattoo is much more saturated than any of the previous ones. There are so many blue details, like on the head, around the eyes, and in the fins. Even the leaves look like a shade of turquoise. However, the dragon koi is still the main star of the show.
