Wing tattoos are one of the most popular tattoos among both men and women. They are a very clear symbol of freedom and therefore, used by a lot of people to represent their mindset or as something that they seek for themselves or others. When done with a lot of precision and detail, wing tattoos come out to be one of the most gracious ones. Now when you think of wings, I am sure, there is more than one creature that comes to your head.
Wing tattoos can come in all shapes and sizes depending upon whether you want to go for bird wings, insect wings, dragon wings, demon wings, or the most popular of all – angelic wings. Whatever your choice may be, if you are fascinated by the flight and freedom of these incredible creatures, we’ve got some ideas to help you choose the right tattoo.
Meaning of Wing Tattoo Designs
Contents (Click to Jump)
The meaning of the wing tattoo depends on the type of wing you choose:-
Starting with the most popular angel wings, they represent hope and protection for us and those around us. It could demonstrate faith and good luck or simply just a way to honor an angelic human being or even a pet who is not with you anymore but are really close to your heart. You could also represent a guardian angel, devil angel, baby angel, angel of justice, etc depending on what you prefer.
The bird wings also mean freedom or liberation from something that ties you down. Wings are also a means to fly, which is something humans cannot do. So it can be symbolic of doing more than one is capable of or having high ambitions of doing more than generally aspired by others.
Ideas For Wing Tattoo Designs
When it comes to getting a wing tattoo, one must choose carefully, and although there are a lot of options to explore, we must understand what they represent. You could get an angelic tattoo on the back looking like actual wings. Another popular place to get a wings tattoo is shoulder blades with wings that extend up to the arms.
If you do not want to have a bold and large wing tattoo, a smaller one on the wrist or ankle could also be ideal for you. Rest the colors are yours to explore and play a huge role in identifying which bird tattoo are you trying to represent. Usually, the angelic wings are colored white or brown but there is no rule here. You could color them in rainbows if you wish to.
Where Should You Get Wing Tattoo Designs
For Women
- Ankle
- Wrist
- Finger Spaces
- Hands
- Shoulder Blades
- Behind the Ears
For Men
- Chest
- Biceps
- Legs
- Neck
- Back
- Forearms
List of Wing Tattoo Designs & Meanings
- Minimalist Wing Tattoo Design
The first one here is this minimal wing tattoo in black with two wings side to side. Since there is no specific pattern or color, it could be any wings representing the idea of freedom and big dreams in general. Small tattoos of this kind are ideal for wrists and ankles as well.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Back
This is an angel wing tattoo where the wearer has got a pair of wings tattooed on the back doing downward. They have also added some extra detail to the point where the wings emerge making it look more realistic. This kind of tattoo needs a lot of space and looks the best on the shoulders or back since that’s where the angel wings are usually placed in all the mythologies.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Ankle
This wing tattoo design is very smartly placed on the ankle since they do have a particular meaning as well. Inspired by the greek god Hermes, the wing tattoos on the ankles represent an urge to travel, explore and move a lot. Since Hermes was very quick in movement, these tattoos are also popular among athletes who are fast runners.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Side of Chest
The wearer here has got a majestic wing tattoo starting from the side of the chest curving up to under the chest. This is a very sensitive area to get a tattoo but since it is mostly covered and not exposed to the sun, the tattoos here age well if taken care of. You can also get this tattoo on both sides instead of one for added symmetry of the wings.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Chest
The wearer has chosen a wing tattoo covering the whole of the right chest area. There are also some clouds or swirling patterns around it that make the wing look even more heavenly.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Forearm
Depending upon the type of bird that the wearer wants to represent, the tattoo could mean a lot of specific things to them. The wearer has hot a tattoo shaded with black and kept the background black as well, which really highlights the whole tattoo. It extends from the wrist to the elbow but, you could go for a smaller tattoo of the same kind as well.
- Paired Wing Tattoo Design
The wearer here has got a pair of wings tattooed but one on separate arms each. The wings seem to be in a closed position that is not in the flight position. The words under the wings also point towards the fact that these might be in remembrance of someone who was very near to the wearer and was like an angel to them.
- Motivational Wing Tattoo Design
The next one here is a very pretty and colorful tattoo of wings where the wearer has filled in a mix of colors and added a quote under it. The quote seems to be about strong faith which could refer to faith in something specific or the spiritual nature of the wearer. This also shows the optimistic approach of the wearer when it comes to dealing with problems.
- Infinity Wing Tattoo Design
This is a very symbolic tattoo and one where you can add a lot of personal touches as well. The wearer has arranged the wings in a way that they form an infinity loop. It also includes two dates and a small heart in between. It could be symbolic of the dates someone lived and is not there anymore. Such tattoos are quite deep and have an emotion attached to them.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Arm
The wearer has positioned the tattoo on the arm, starting from the shoulder with the feathers extending to the elbow. The feathers are very detailed and haphazardly placed which makes it look very real.
- Colorful Wing Tattoo Design
The wearer here has got angel wings positioned on the back and colored in wonderful colors giving them a very vibrant look. The wearer clearly wanted to represent angelic wings that bring hope and happiness. This design is ideal for both men and women.
- Memorial Angel Wing Tattoo Design
This is surely another representative of angelic wings confirmed by the presence of a halo on the top. The initials ‘C’ and the date underneath tell that the wearer got this tattoo to represent a deep connection with someone they have lost.
- Combined Wing Tattoo Design
This tattoo design is in combination with other elements like the rose and clock which signifies other deeper meanings. You could add your own elements that correspond to your personality. Here, it could represent the passing nature of time and how it flies. It could also represent a passion for something or someone.
- Wing Tattoo Design with Quote
The wearer has combined the wings of a bird and the butterfly, beautifully placing the quote in between the two wings. Butterfly wings are symbolic of transformation and bird wings of liberation and high aspirations.
- Symbolic Wing Tattoo Design
The wearer has combined the wing tattoo with a semicolon tattoo which is indicative of the victory of the wearer over a mental health issue. The tattoo could be a celebration of that fact that rightly deserves appreciation for the strength it must have taken to overcome those issues.
- Combined Wing Tattoo Design
Next on the list, is this tattoo where the wearer has combined two winged creatures. The form is that of a butterfly but the wings are made of peacock feathers. The choice of colors is very good as well. Peacock feathers are symbolic of self-love and acceptance along with beauty, luxury, and royalty.
- Wing Tattoo Design behind the Ear
This is for the people who do not want their tattoo to be very noticeable since a tattoo behind the ear is usually of small size and can be easily hidden with hair. The tattoos in this area also age well as the skin does not become very loose with age although, protection from the sun is necessary.
- Wing Tattoo Design with the Angel
Next here, is this bold tattoo design of the angel themselves along with the wings. The angel seems to be rising from a clustered place signifying liberation and rise of the power.
- Couple Wing Tattoo Design
These super adorable tattoo designs will need a partner. The wearers have got the tattoo of a single wing on each side and placed the baby to look like an angel. Even without the baby, this makes a beautiful couple tattoo representing the heavenly love that you both share.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Nape of the Neck
These angelic wings with the halo are among the cutest tattoos out there. Plus, the location is just perfect if you’re an introvert. You can easily hide it and won’t have to explain what it means to everyone and yet not miss out on the tattoo fun- isn’t that just the dream of us introverts?
- Tattoo Design on the Ankle
This minimal and simple yet elegant tattoo of a single wing is absolutely stunning. Ankle tattoos are one of the most stable tattoos when it comes to fading, given that proper aftercare is followed. You can get this tattoo on the wrist or behind the ear as well.
- Butterfly Wing Tattoo Design
Butterfly wing tattoos are another very famous type of tattoo after angel wings. These are usually associated with love, joy, nature, and growth. Because of its transformation from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, the wing tattoo is also symbolic of rebirth and transformation.
- Wing Tattoo Design with Flowers
The wearer here has chosen sunflower flowers to go with the yellow butterfly wing. Since every flower is symbolic of something, you could choose the flower of your choice. Here the sunflowers are symbolic of life and longevity with butterflies being symbolic of rebirth as well. It could mean that the wearer went through a major transformative experience in their life or that they just generally love sunflowers a lot.
- Creative Wing Tattoo Design
This tattoo design is very creative in the way that the wearer has used a cracking heart instead of an egg to show the release/ liberation of the winged creature inside. The wing seems to be coming out of the heart. This tattoo is ideal to be made on the leg and thigh as well.
- Embossed Wing Tattoo Design on
Who doesn’t love a beautiful butterfly? The wearer has used the shadows of the tattoo very creatively to make the butterfly look very real. It seems to be raising its wings just like it’s about to take flight. The colors used are very interesting as well and give the butterfly a celestial effect.
- Wing Tattoo Design on Chest
The wearer here has got a really beautiful pair of angelic wings on their chest. Although it is one of the most painful areas to get tattooed again, the pain is really subjective. The wearer also has a broken heart tattooed symbolizing heartbreak and the transformative liberating experience being represented by the wings.
- Artistic Wing Tattoo Design
This tattoo has the wings on the top of line art and they merge downwards forming leaves. A very beautiful symbolism, this tattoo is ideal for arms, legs, side of the chest the side of the neck. The tattoos with only one wing are avoided in the central area of the body like the nape of the neck, chest, etc, but hey! who’s watching?
- Abstract Wing Tattoo Design
The next one is very unique as it is not a very direct generic representation of wings. Instead, the wearer has taken a modern take and represented them through abstract art. They have also got each tattoo of a wing on separate arms instead of getting both on one which gives the tattoo enough space.
- Wing Tattoo Design with the Angel
The wearer has got the whole angel tattoo instead of just the wings and added bird wings to the tattoo as well. The bird is sitting on the angel’s arm while they move forward that definitely tells a story about the tattoo.
- Wing Tattoo Design on the Feet
Lastly, is this beautiful wing tattoo on the foot. Although it is an unusual place to get a tattoo, but it sure looks pretty. The wearer has got white highlight on the feathers that seem to be adding the necessary detail and making the feathers look distinct. The wing tattoo on the floor is usually inspired by the greek god Hermes for those who are quick and love to wander and explore.
Heavenly, isn’t it?