47+ Elbow Tattoo Ideas That Are Simply Humerus!
Get Inspired with these fantastic elbow tattoo ideas
Elbow tattoos symbolize the place where many small bones come together and connect to make one large bone. Elbows are frequently tattooed, as they can be very large and relatively easy to work with. Traditional elbow tattoos look good with various themes, such as flower tattoos, bones, arrow design tattoos, geometric shapes, tribal tattoo designs, and more. In this post, we take a look at elbow tattoo ideas and what they represent.
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The symbolic meaning of Elbow tattoos
Elbows tattoos hold different symbolic meanings for different cultures around the world. In Asian culture, the elbow is associated with strength and hardness. Tattoos of elbows have been found among Chinese laborers dating from before 100 AD.
These tattoos would often take a form similar to an animal’s paw or a dragon claw clutching a stone because these symbols were thought to protect their owners from injury while working long hours with heavy rocks.
These tattoos have a long history among the native peoples of North America, South America, and Australia. These tribes would often tattoo their elbows to show they had taken a scalp from an enemy in battle.
In many cultures, this meant they were now responsible for taking care of that person’s family or ready to be married or have children of their own. Elbow tattoos are also representative of being married in some Native American tribes. The word “wife” would be tattooed on one elbow and the word “husband” on the other, so it was clear who belonged to whom – particularly helpful if captured by an enemy tribe!
Tattoos are as old as ancient times. They have been found in various ancient civilizations from all over the world, including Egypt, India, Japan, China, and Greece. Originally tattoos were used for identification purposes only. It was a way to discriminate between people according to the profession or tribe they belonged to.
In America, tattoos initially started as a very male-oriented thing- it was pretty much restricted to sailors and criminals. Even though that stereotype is fading out now, tattooing had become more popular among women because it is less painful than before and because tattoos became an expression of artistic creativity by adding different designs with different meanings attached to the skin surface.
Are elbow tattoos painful?
Elbows are a trendy place for people who want to get tattoos done, though they rank pretty high on the list of most painful locations, much like shin tattoo designs, that you can choose when deciding where to get inking done for yourself or your body art design ideas.
The entire area from the bone itself right around to the bicep and tricep muscles that cover either side is incredibly sensitive and densely populated with nerve endings and blood vessels. Then add in all of the nearby tendons and ligaments, and you’ve got one excruciatingly painful place to get a tattoo done.
If you’re the type of person who wants a tattoo but isn’t a huge fan of pain, then I recommend staying away from tattoos on elbows or anywhere else, for that matter.
If you decide not to heed my advice and go ahead with your elbow tattoo idea anyway, there are some things you can do which may help ease the discomfort somewhat – though don’t expect it to be a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination!
You’ll probably want to opt for an experienced tattoo artist as they will have likely covered all bases already when it comes to minimizing the pain involved – at least compared to an amateur who has never even considered such tactics before.
People sometimes find that taking a couple of Aspirin or Ibuprofen before your tattoo session can help reduce the pain to a certain degree. There are also some other things that you may want to try; keep in mind that it won’t make a huge difference, and if you’re not a fan of tattoos because of all the pain involved, then perhaps you’d be better off going with another form of self-expression altogether.
One thing that is often used by people who have tattoos on areas such as their legs, stomach, back, and so on is to cover the area with ice packs for around twenty minutes before getting started. This isn’t practical when you’re having an elbow tattoo done since it would require more juggling than most amateurs could manage – still, it’s a tactic worth remembering for future reference.
Are elbow tattoos a good idea?
Removing a tattoo is always possible, but getting one on your elbow can make it more complicated. There are many body spots where people choose to get tattooed, and some areas will be easier to remove than others. If you’re planning on getting a tattoo, you might think about how difficult they would be to remove later on.
Depending on where your tattoos are located, they may affect you getting a job or being hired into an organization with specific rules about visible tattoos. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether that matters enough to change your plans now!
In general, tattoos can be removed by using lasers which break up the ink particles so the body can absorb them over time. However, removal is more straightforward if lighter-colored inks are used. Darker colors will be more challenging to remove. While some tattoos can easily be removed, the elbow is one area that might make it more complicated.
How difficult is getting a tattoo on your elbow?
Not very easy. Getting the proper positioning when you get inked for the first time could be an issue if you want to cover it with another design later.
Tattoo artists say that people usually want tattoos in places where others can’t see them or won’t have to worry about them in professional settings (e.g., retail, food service industry). Most artists recommend choosing somewhere else instead if there’s even the slightest chance of an issue like this.
Getting inked on the elbow has its advantages, though. For one, you can hide your tattoo without wearing long sleeves or pants if you don’t want to. And depending on what’s getting inked there, you can use it as a conversation piece with others who have tattoos too. Plus, it won’t take long to get finished!
Some people might consider having tattoos on their elbow irresponsible and impulsive because the area is not easily hidden for professional reasons or situations where a personal expression may be limited.
Is it easy to cover up an elbow tattoo?
It depends entirely on the design of the original tattoo! When you choose a design for your first elbow tattoo design, consider how difficult it would be to cover up if necessary. Small tattoos that follow the natural bumpy lines of your upper arm can be more challenging to cover up than ones with straight lines or designs that stretch across a more comprehensive section of your elbow.
When you get inked for the first time, make sure to take note of what other tattoos might look like when it’s time to add more later on! Your tattoo artist should be able to help you decide if their design will work well with other styles and if other body art procedures can easily cover up certain parts.
Younger people tend to get tattoos and regret them because they did not think things through properly and research before making such a decision. So many times, we see celebrities who have had multiple tattoo removal sessions done because they did not think things through before getting the black ink. Tattoos are permanent. If you want to get one, make sure it’s something you’ll be happy with years later!
Some tattoos can’t be covered up quickly, or they will lose their meaning.
Many people get tiny tattoos that are meaningful to them and may regret having them removed because the designs are difficult to cover up or stretch across a more comprehensive section of their body.
Is it hard to remove an elbow tattoo?
Yes, depending on your specific shape and design! Since tattoo removal is most effective with lighter-colored ink, darker shades like black ink and red might be more brutal to target using this procedure. With these colors, there is more risk for scarring from laser treatments since white blood cells will be more likely to cluster together as they try to fight off the damage from the lasers. However, there are a few options for your body art that you can choose from if your tattoo artist is experienced with these procedures.
Where else should you consider?
Regardless of whether it is a man or woman, people considering elbow tattoos are also attracted to half sleeve tattoos or want to incorporate them into full sleeve tattoos. These integrated arm tattoos can look fabulous. Some opt for an upper arm tattoo. Inner elbow tattoos aren’t that common, though. Forearm tattoos are one of the most common areas to get a tat, alongside shoulder tattoos. Why not consider a tricep tattoo, or even these hip tattoo ideas.
In terms of designs, they are varied as you would expect. In terms of common themes, consider the following; spider web, mandala tattoo, floral pattern, compass elbow tattoo, portrait, skull tattoos, star tattoo, a rose elbow tattoo, or geometric tattoos.
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Take a look at these elbow tattoo ideas for men & women
I hope that these elbow tattoo ideas have given you pause for thought! As always, please consider sharing this post on your social media or simply pin some images to your idea boards on Pinterest. If you do go ahead with a tat of your own, don’t forget to tag us into your social post.
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It would be really nice if you could share this image and page on your social media.
It’s just a couple of clicks for you but it means everything to us here at Tattoozz.
Thank you so much!
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