Both imposing and delicate, the elephant is one of those animals that fascinates and awe which makes it an ideal model for a tattoo. The advantage is that it comes in all styles!
Among the most popular tattoos, those of animals hold an important place. There are so many ways to tattoo an elephant. You can do it in a very realistic or on the contrary minimalist style, in a very geometric or more abstract way… It’s up to you to choose the type of tattoo that suits you. The elephant is a symbol that has many meanings! It can be done for a religious purpose, for the aesthetics that it represents or because you feel close, in one way or another, to what it represents. There is no right way to get a tattoo, whether it is done on a whim or well thought out. Generally speaking, the elephant tattoo represents prosperity and luck. It embodies power, dignity, longevity, patience, honor, intelligence and spirituality.
Which elephant tattoo should you go for?
When you think of the elephant, you immediately see this huge and majestic animal that lives in community with other elephants in the troop. But it is also a great religious symbol, especially among Hindus. Ganesh is one of the main gods of Hinduism, he is represented by the body of a man sitting cross-legged with an elephant head and four arms. In the Hindu religion, Ganesh is the god of wisdom, intelligence, education and prudence. If you are religious or love what Ganesh stands for, having him on your skin with a tattoo also brings a dimension of success and luck. As a rule, only Ganesh’s head is tattooed into the skin. It is possible to differentiate this god from simple elephant heads thanks to the rather imposing headgear he wears on his head. It can also be associated with other religious symbols, such as the lotus flower for example, which represents the purity of the spirit and the soul.
In Thailand, the elephant is also sacred, especially among Buddhists. It is the symbol of peace and prosperity. On a tattoo, you can fill the elephant with typical Thai designs, like the mandala which is just a series of circles and rounded shapes.
By way of life, the elephant also represents the family, or at least the community, the people around you. The best way to represent this is to decide to go for a tattoo of several elephants. You can then ask your tattoo artist create a pattern with an adult elephant holding the tail of an elephant with its trunk or two elephants side by side. In the wild, a group of elephants are led by the oldest female, the matriarch. This is why the elephant tattoo is often associated with femininity, as the female elephant is highly respected. It is she who is in charge of taking care of the security of the herd as well as the search for water and food to meet the needs of all the elephants. So, an elephant tattoo can also symbolize your role as a protector.
The white elephant has a very special meaning. Very rare, these elephants are highly esteemed in Asia, where they are considered priceless gems. Again, this is related to religion. In Buddhist culture, it is said that Buddha’s mother dreamed of a white elephant during her pregnancy which brought her a lotus flower. Among the Hindus, the white elephant serves as a mount for the god Indra, the king of the gods, it is Airavata who is represented with several heads. In a very large majority of cultures around the world, white is the color of purity and chastity. So besides being very pretty and quite rare as well, a white ink elephant tattoo symbolizes fertility and wisdom.
In addition to all these strong symbols, the elephant can be tattooed on your skin because you appreciate any of these character traits: strength, tranquility, patience, great memory, honor. , dignity, longevity or even power. The whole principle of a tattoo is to make it your own and find a meaning that suits you, that you believe in.
Where to get an elephant tattoo?
One of the great things about this tattoo is that it can come in many shapes and styles so that you can find the design that best suits you and that fits where on your body you want to go. want to get it tattooed. For example, if you want a very realistic elephant head, you don’t have to do it on the inside of the forearm which is quite small. Better to choose for the thigh, calf or back, larger areas where it will be easier to go into the detail of the design.
Contrary to what some people may think, getting a tattoo of an elephant on your body doesn’t have to be big. This animal can be made in much more minimalist styles to achieve a simple and discreet pattern. For this, several choices are available to you. You can opt for very refined tattoos, or succumb to one line tattoos where the design is made with a single continuous line. The elephant tattoos in the origami or mandala style are also very common at the moment and offer a geometric side to the design. These pieces won’t be very big, so they’re perfect for putting on the arms, whether it’s wrists, forearms, or even fingers. They also have their place on an ankle, on the neck or behind your ear for more discretion.
Whether you opt for very realistic and imposing designs or small rooms, the question of color arises. It’s up to you to choose what you like, but here are all the possibilities offered by elephant tattoos. We start with the classic black ink tattoo, which can be done without filling or in gradation of black to create relief or shadows. Color inks can also add a touch of originality. For example, if you have opted for a minimalist elephant, you can ask your tattoo artist to create kinds of colored spots that slightly overlap the lines. For a more classic side, color fill is also an option. If not, you can also ask to make the outline of your elephant tattoo with color for a touch of originality. In tattooing, anything goes and the only limit is your imagination. To help you find ideas that you can offer to tattoo artists that you are going to see, you can obviously take inspiration from what you see on social networks like Pinterest or Instagram. You can also discover our selection of inspiring tattoo designs.