30 Lotus Tattoo Ideas That Symbolize Purity & Enlightenment

For a botanical tattoo that’s not just another flower tattoo, consider the meaningful and gorgeous lotus flower. Lotus tattoos not only look beautiful, they also symbolize purity, enlightenment, and growth. After all, the lotus flower grows from mud and muddy water. From the muck, beauty emerges in the form of these flowers which should be seen as a powerful symbol of overcoming adversity and as a reminder to always keep growing as person no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.

We wanted to get a better idea of the lotus tattoos people are getting today so we looked to social media to discover which designs and ideas are trending at the moment. We saw so much diversity among lotus tattoos. They ranged from small and minimal to huge and intricate. Because the lotus is considered important in Eastern Religions, especially Buddhism, we saw plenty of added symbolism and imagery to reinforce just how special the lotus flower is to people. Now, discover some amazing lotus flower tattoos below!

Get Inspired by These Stunning Lotus Tattoo Ideas!

Bejeweled

How mesmerizing is this lotus tattoo that includes aquamarine jewels? We saw a few lotus tattoos that were encrusted with ornamental stones and we will share more with you further down this list.

Ornamental

Here’s an ornamental lotus tattoo that has been skillfully applied in black ink. The lines are so thin and crisp we imagine this tattoo is the result of the stick and poke method.

A Scene

If you’re interested in something larger, you can request a half sleeve design that incorporates a lotus flower along with other imagery. We find a crane, a koi fish, and more in this stunning tattoo.

Elegance

A popular placement for lotus tattoos is down the spine and we saw a lot that start at the base of the neck and stretch down the back. Clean lines and subtle shading offer dimension but still appears light and airy.

Lucky Cat

Here’s one of the most fun lotus tattoos we came across. It’s got a lucky cat flanked by lotus flowers and other objects that symbolize important ideals. The neon-colored ink is the icing on the cake that really adds so much life to the design.

Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos are a huge trend at the moment and we saw a few lotus tattoos applied using the technique. Blush and seafoam look excellent splashed around a lotus flower and dragonfly this romantic design.

Mandala Meets Lotus

A lot, and we do mean a whole bunch, of people choose to incorporate a Mandala-inspired design into their lotus tattoos. Here’s a large one on the upper thigh that has been applied with a whole lot of ink.

Blush

Here’s an example of a tattoo that skips the black ink altogether. The result is a lotus tattoo that looks more like an impressionist work of art than a material flower.

Crisp

On the other hand, all you might want are black lines. This lotus tattoo is just so sharp and clean. It took a mightily steady hand to pull this ink off!

A Vision

Here’s a half sleeve that offers more visual interest thanks to the variety of symbols tattooed down the arm. Your lotus tattoo can be a part of something larger or stand alone. It’s up to you!

Sophistication

As promised, here’s another one of the lotus tattoos that’s been applied right down the spine. With many minute decorative elements this design looks sophisticated and elegant.

Chakra Lotuses

But, you can always go bigger and bolder should you want. This person has gotten colorful lotus flower tattoos down their back in varying sizes and stages of bloom.

Blue Dream

Get moody with a midnight blue lotus tattoo. While this would look great just about anywhere on your body, the hip offers more real estate for your tattoo artist to go really big and bold.

Dazzling

Crystals were another common trend among lotus tattoos today. We find a cool color palette shading these crystals and the flower’s blossom. Again, for larger tattoos, the hip is where it’s at!

Unalome

Aside from the spinal placement, the other most popular place for lotus tattoos is down the sternum. Some people go much bigger but we feel like simplicity really is bliss in this modest design.

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Padma

In Hindu mythology, the lotus flower is considered a Padma with religious significance. Here’s a gorgeous lotus tattoo on the shoulder that’s been delicately shaded with blue and pink.

Bold & Beautiful

If you love thick, black lines, you’re in luck! The lotus flower can be transformed into a more abstract design that utilizes thick lines for added drama and boldness.

The Pisces

This person incorporated Pisces symbolism and lotus flower tattoos into this arrestingly gorgeous design. It’s probably our favorite lotus tattoo on this list!

The Blooms

When black ink designs meet colorful ones something magical happens. We find photorealism and abstract design contrasting against one another for something truly spectacular.

Expressive & Impressive

This vaguely looks as if it’s a watercolor tattoo but more precisely, it looks like the design has been painted on instead of tattoos. What a dream!

Super Clean

Check out all of those little dots that mimic stippling that you often find in drawing, used to shade objects. It gives this lotus tattoo so much texture.

Glowing

Here’s another lotus tattoo that’s bejeweled, this time in purple along with a purple lotus that looks like it’s glowing on top of the black Mandala design.

Sunset in a Flower

Go without black ink for a lighter more impressionistic design. We find so much warmth in this blossom that looks like the colors of a sunset captured inside the petals of this flower. Bravo!

Art

Oh, you know, just a masterpiece in tattoo form. Black and grey ink tattoos are classic and will always be a popular choice. If you’re not sure whether color is right for you, this is the perfect example of how splendid your ink can be without it.

Splashy

Here’s another watercolor tattoo with a curious feature, a black outline of the blossom. It makes it almost look 3D or floating on top of the splash of blue behind it.

Japanese Style

Irezumi is the name of traditional Japanese tattooing. We find that style adopted here for this lotus tattoo that beams in gold and purple.

Divine

It’s okay, we’ll wait for you to pick your jaw off the floor. Done in a wholly original style, this lotus tattoo sleeve is unlike any of the other tattoos on this list. Perfect colors were chosen for this warm and cool design that is a real work of art!

Atmospheric

Here’s another one of the lotus tattoos to incorporate themes from Irezumi into its design. The swirls of clouds look like smoke that the pink and purple lotus flower is floating through. It’s brilliant.

Sharp

Here’s one last lotus tattoo on the back for you to get inspired by. A more decorative, ornamental approach has been taken here to great effect. Clean lines and shading make this one really stand out from the rest.

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Mini & Micro

Last but not least, we thought we’d share a micro tattoo with you as they are a huge trend and do not take much of a time commitment from you to get. The wrist is an excellent place for a tiny lotus tattoo but you can pop that little guy almost anywhere and love it.

There you go! We hope you enjoyed these lotus tattoo ideas and you feel inspired by them to get your own, original design. There’s no right or wrong way to lotus! Just make sure you’re expressing something important to you. That can be beauty, rebirth, purity, and so much more. Find a tattoo artist to collaborate with and you will end up with a winning design that you will cherish forever.