Viking Tattoo Ideas and Designs

Author:
Olga Zitner
Updated date:
Sep 1, 2022

This article will provide lots of Viking tattoo examples to help you get inspired for your next body art project!
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What Do Viking Tattoos Mean?

If you are at all familiar with Celtic and Scandinavian heritage, then you know that the Vikings were fierce and mighty warriors, who commonly sported long-braided beards, corneal helmets and . . . some wicked tattoos as well.

These tattoos often served as reminders inked directly on their body to represent the values of courage in battle, devotion to family, and an adherence to the Viking ways of life.

That makes a Viking tattoo a great choice for those who want to depict the virtues of courage, heroism, strength, and loyalty.

How to Style Your Viking Tattoo

Realistic vs. Fantastical: While most Viking tattoos tend towards the hyper-realistic, there's plenty of great ones out there that are a bit more colorful and cartoonish and even veer more towards fantasy. Going with the latter also means you can go with some something like an undead Viking!
Alone vs. Group: Though it's pretty common to have a lone Viking braving the cruel world, groups of Vikings can make some really stunning body art!

Common Colors

Most of those who get Viking tattoos get them in black or in dark shades. It's not the kind of design that would look good in hot pink.

One other option would be to use a brown-red palette scale of hues for this kind of tattoo. That might give it the "mud and blood" look that Vikings were often known for.

Colorful tattoos of that kind tend to be a bit unusual. I'll show you some examples below, so you can make up your own mind about what you prefer

A detailed depiction of a Viking head. Note the use of hollow eyes which add awe to the piece.

A two-sword mighty Viking taking a bow. A powerful moment.

Viking depicted in Sepia. Note his unique face expression and the Norse knot coming out of his mustache.

Thor the Viking God of thunder in Sepia on the leg.

A one eyed viking definitely adds mystery to a Viking's tattoo. Combine it right with a Viking warship and you've got a spectacular tattoo.

This Viking tattoo looks so alive due to its high detailing and brilliant use of black and white colors.

A detailed depiction of a Viking head. Note the use of hollow eyes which add awe to the piece.

Common Locations for Viking Tattoos

The #1 spot for a Viking tattoo is the arm, and the upper arm specifically.

There is nothing more intimidating than seeing a vicious-looking Viking tattoo across a 28" bicep or a well-developed shoulder.

Other possible locations include the back—which is a wide space and so could fit a larger and more detailed tattoo—and the leg, which is where women tend to get Viking tattoos if they get them.

Done right, a massive chest tattoo can also be super impressive.

This colorful mad Viking is a one of its kind.

A Viking Onslaught. It's gonna be messy...

Stunning tattoo of Viking God of Lightning Thor & his mighty hammer at work.

Although it may look strange at first glance, it could be a great idea to tattoo your face or someone close to you as the real Viking beneath all this beard.

A Viking helmet had to be earned - in blood.

This colorful mad Viking is a one of its kind.

What Goes Well With a Viking Tattoo?

If you have an idea of how you want your Viking to look but don't want them to be lonely, here are some suggestions for what to pair them up with:

Weapons: What would a warrior be without their weapon? Classic choices include Thor's hammer, spears, axes, double-sided axes and, of course, the double axes.
Animals: Even solitary warriors can have animal companions sometimes. Odin's crows are probably the most common ones, but ravens, wolves, boars and serpents are popular as well.
Symbols and Text: Adding in regional- and period-appropriate symbols and text are also great ways of rounding out your Viking tattoo. There are so many different kinds of possibilities too!
War Ships: If your Viking is more of a seafarer, why not provide them with a majestic ship to captain?