33 Scorpion Tattoo Ideas for Scorpios & Beyond

Scorpion tattoos are among some of the most popular and requested designs today and have been for decades, even centuries. Why? They look cool and tough while also having a cool shape that is fun for tattoo artists to get creative with and riff on. A thing people search for often is “scorpion tattoo meaning.” To put it simply: there’s no one meaning. Like any other tattoo, each design is going to have a personal meaning for the person with it. Generally, scorpions symbolize danger, protection, and strength. However, these tattoos are also popular among Scorpios who are born under the sign.

We wanted to get a better idea of the possibilities and limitations of scorpion tattoos so we turned to social media to find the latest and greatest scorpion tattoos. We were pleasantly surprised by these designs and the incentive ways tattoo artists are taking them to new heights. We spotted some trends along the way which we will share along with some amazing tattoo inspiration below! Let’s get to stinging!

Get Inspired by These Scorpion Tattoo Ideas!

Fresh Neo-Traditional

Take a look at this beauty! It’s done in a neo-traditional style that celebrates more traditional shapes and motifs but puts a spin on it. We love the colors of the ink chosen for this scorpion tattoo and we imagine that’s true for many others.

Back to Black

Here’s a handsome scorpion tattoo done in just black ink for a moody and dramatic look. Total black ink is the most classic way to take this design and we must say it looks sophisticated and cool.

Red, Red, Red

An emerging trend that we absolutely love is red ink. People are choosing red over black ink in many instances for an evocative and spicy look. If you want a rather traditional design, punch it up with red ink for even more visual interest.

It Could Be Sweet

Here’s a fresh take on the scorpion tattoo with the addition of flowers and some heart shapes with a glitter effect. Don’t shy away from making a design all your own. if you want a scorpion swimming in a sea of flowers, go for it! It’s all yours!

Make It Your Own

Really. The weirder the better with your scorpion tattoo. There has already been a ton of ink spilled for scorpion tattoos through the years so it can be a challenge to buck tradition and try something wholly original. Just find yourself an artist you trust and you could walk away with a one-of-kind design that you love.

On Fire

Black and red inks are a match made in heaven. We find some fire in this design for the stinger which is a hot idea. If you’d like a more graphic and 2D look, it totally looks fantastic with the unique shape of a scorpion.

Beauty & the Beast

We find a scorpion nestled into a bunch of beautiful flowers in this gorgeous scorpion tattoo. Mixing textures and visual elements are going to pay off really well. Would this scorpion look fine on its own? Sure! But, it looks so much more dramatic like this.

Hanging from the Moon

Take a look at all the detail of the scorpion tattoo. You can see little hairs coming from the creature’s legs and a hint of texture in its exoskeleton. The entire tattoo looks fantastic with just the right amount of whimsy mixed with a stylish point of view. The inclusion of white ink for highlight really makes the whole thing pop.

Add a Dagger

Here, we find a moody, black scorpion wrapped around a dagger which is rather ominous. That makes this scorpion tattoo exciting and different from many others on this list.

Micro for the Win

We have seen a lot of large scorpion tattoos but you can go another direction and get something understated and small. Micro tattoos are a huge trend and a great option if you want just a little bit of scorpion!

Crank the Creep Factor

You can turn up the creep factor of your scorpion tattoo by simply asking your tattoo artist to go more photorealistic and less graphic with the design. There’s a lot of detail in this tattoo that will appeal to real fans of arachnids.

Minimal

On the other hand, you can go minimalist with your design and explore shapes that bring the design to life. There is no “right way” to go about your scorpion tattoo so experiment until you get a design that’s perfect for your body.

Dialed Back

Dialed back and minimal does not mean boring! As you can see in this petite design, you can still get scorpion representation without a whole lot of detail. The shape of the arachnid is so singular that no one will be confused at all about what they’re looking at.

RELATED: 25 Stinging Scorpio Tattoos That Are Heavy on Mystery and Mood

Cool & Classic

Here’s a pretty classic scorpion tattoo sitting on a red circle to make it pop. There’s not a thing wrong with going with tried-and-true designs. They are classic and beloved for a reason!

Scorpio Power

Here’s an awesome scorpion tattoo on a Scorpio! Take a look at how the constellation has been seamlessly weaved into the design. Eat your heart out, Scorpios!

Experiment with Color

We saw a little bit of this at the start of this list, but you should really consider experimenting with color for your design. Even if you’re going with a classic shape, ask your tattoo artist about a unique color scheme that you suspect will look fresh and interesting. In this scorpion tattoo, green, red, and yellow really shine.

Burning Within

Here’s a very interesting scorpion tattoo. We find a burning orange that fades into black. it’s so original and gives a truly haunting look.

Like Jewelry

First, notice how sharp and tidy this tattoo truly is! Second, notice how the arachnid almost looks as if it’s been encrusted in jewels. The turquoise blue, gold, and orangey-red all look fabulous together. Bravo!

Scorpion Meets Hibiscus

Here, a very fun purple scorpion tattoo meets the bloom of the hibiscus flower. It’s a cool idea where nature is the reason for celebration.

A Scorpion of Love

Here’s a lovely pink and red scorpion tattoo that incorporates little hearts throughout. Isn’t it romantic?

Your Style

Here’s a minimalist scorpion tattoo that verges on abstraction or decorative arts. There are no curves, just strict, right angles which make this design really stand out for all the right reasons.

Chrome

How about this chrome-colored scorpion tattoo? We are into it and even find that creepy eye to be endearing. Tattoos are all about self-expression and the only rhyme or reason that matters is your own. Have fun!

Kawaii

Does this design win the prize for the cutest scorpion tattoo on this list? We think it’s definitely a contender. Baby pink and olive green look fantastic together as they fill the repeating heart-shaped parts of this sweet-looking scorpion’s frame.

Dynamite, Baby!

Why is this scorpion carrying two sticks of dynamite? We don’t know! Do you care? Likely, not! This is such a weird and darkly playful design that’s the only one like it on this list.

For the Scorpio

Here’s a radical scorpion tattoo for an actual Scorpio! The artist has used negative space in a very interesting way for this heavy, black tattoo.

More Negative Space

If you liked that last scorpion tattoo, here’s another that’s been done in a similar fashion with cool use of negative space. Instead of classic shading, we find blocks of shadow to make this design really look fantastic.

Small & Red

Red makes this small scorpion tattoo feel like a big hit! if you’re going to go small, you can make a real statement with the color of ink you choose. It’s totally up to you but red really does look excellent on everybody!

Light My Fire

Here’s a cool idea of combining an everyday object, in the lighter, with a scorpion. Consider something similar if you would like to marry two concepts together in one tattoo. What a cool concept!

Get Real With It

Here’s a rather realistic tattoo in a unique placement. Always consider the part of your body you want your scorpion tattoo and let its natural shape inform your tattoo’s design. For instance, if you want one on a long part of your body like your forearm, stretch it out. For a rounder canvas like the back, you can let the legs spread out more.

Pure Gold

Here’s a big, golden scorpion tattoo for you to consider! If you are thinking you might want to build your scorpion tattoo into a sleeve, you can go ahead and add flowers and other elements to help “fill” that area. Mighty nice!

Silhouette

We’ve seen some all-black scorpion tattoos but none like this. It’s a proper silhouette of a scorpion. If you’d like to turn the mystery up, consider something similar for your own tattoo.

Full-On Floral

We’ve seen flowers around and on scorpion tattoos but we haven’t seen a scorpion constructed of just botanicals like this! How wonderfully weird and original!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Trippy 3D Tattoos That Jump Off the Skin

Freak Out

Let that freak flag fly! We leave you with one of the weirdest, if not the weirdest, scorpion tattoos on this list to encourage you to think outside of the box when you are brainstorming your scorpion tattoo ideas. The weirder, the better!

What did you think of this list of scorpion tattoo ideas? We hope you got a better understanding of the possibilities and limitations of these mysterious tattoos. You can go for a small scorpion tattoo or go big and bold! There’s no right or wrong way to go! For Scorpios, these tattoos are excellent celebrations of the astrological sign. Feel free to add constellations, symbols, and more to even further personalize your design! Now, go get stung (by a tattoo gun).