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Driven by the moon’s gravitational pull, waves can be nice to look at or deadly depending on the conditions. A wave can be surfed for fun or crash a ship into the shore.
When you get your wave tattoo, do you want it to convey something fun and summery, or something powerful and threatening? A wave can go either way with the help of some artistic direction.
Japanese tattoos feature very stylized waves with brilliant colors, which make them quite desirable and striking to look at. These types of waves really have a sense of movement and energy, and the vivid blues and greens can be breathtaking.
Because this type of wave tattoo is so beautiful, it should be placed somewhere visible, where it can be appreciated by you and by everyone who sees it.
More abstract or subtle types of wave tattoos are an option too. The simplest waves are mere squiggles that can be incorporated into almost any other tattoo design. Waves also make for great border pieces due to their horizontal profile.
Waves are like the rise and fall of life drama, so your tattoo should reflect how you feel about your journey so far. Get inspired by these incredible body art ideas for women.
A pair of triangles frame two separate scenes. In the first, a rolling wave, and the second holds a scene of pine trees and birds on a hill. Both images stretch just beyond the top outline of the triangle.
A simple image of a wave is delicately placed on the arm. The wave is simple in design, but unique with details. This tattoo features a foaming crest at the top of a triangular shaped wave.
This brightly colored wave forms a complete circle. Turquoise and white stripes create the image of water, while royal blue creates the tops of the waves. This is a bright and whimsical wave design.
Located on the side of the abdomen, near the rib cage, a wave tattoo with a portion of a flower is shown at the bottom. The waves are rolling and featured in white at the top, while the water underneath is shaded in black. The petals of a flower stretch out from its center.
This unique tattoo, featured just above the ankle, has several different elements! An animated, teal mermaid’s tail comes out from a shell that points down toward the wave. A swirling line draws your eye to the top. The wave rolls upward and curls at the bottom.
The shoulder is a great place for this gently rolling wave. Lines and shading in the water give this piece realistic movement. The wave caps are shown white, while the shading inside the wave looks like a charcoal pencil drawing.
A crashing wave is shown inside of a circle on the forearm. Strong, curved lines give movement to the waves as the foaming top crashes through the middle. Small dots look like water spray coming off the water.
A circle, in what looks like a dream catcher, shows a wave created largely from dots. In areas where dots are thicker the wave gains strength, and then foams from the top as it breaks. Fine lines are shown extending beyond the top and bottom of the circle.
In this full color piece, a crashing wave is featured with roses. Bright blue hues are shown in the body of the water, which meets with darker blues in the rolling part of the wave. Realistic green leaves and pearly white roses are shown, as well.
Pictured right on the rib cage, a watercolor version of a wave is done in blue. Diluted droplets combined with the creative use of rich color look like water spray, as the waves move, gently rolling upward.
Bright blue and turquoise create this wave tattoo featured on the inside of the arm. Shading makes the waves look true to life and the colors are everything you would imagine from the crystal clear water at a tropical beach.
A full paradise scene is shown in this leg piece. Transparent and blue water curls around into a wave, a palm tree silhouette sways in the background, and a setting sun with a beautiful yellow sky are included. This women’s wave tattoo design idea truly feels like vacation.
Done inside an oval, a wave creates the focal point, but the piece includes a record and vibrant sun beams in the background. The artistic design of the tattoo has a retro feel, which the vinyl record lends to.
A diamond and circle come together in this organic looking girl’s wave tattoo design idea. The foam of a wave is in the center and a delicate crescent moon is hanging at the top. The tattoo has a look of pointillism, as dots are evident throughout the piece, which is located on the inner arm.
This sweet and simple women’s wave tattoo is just above the elbow on the back of the arm. In it, a crescent moon evolves into a rolling wave. Small water droplets come off the top as the wave curls around the top.
This female wave tattoo idea features a series of waves, which are interesting with their swirls of color. Turquoise, light blue and dark blue blend together and coil up toward the foaming top of the wave. These are delicate, rolling waves.
A larger piece, done in black and white is shown above the ankle on the lower part of the leg. Straight, curly, thick, and thin lines add unique touches to these waves and a fishing spear is featured near the top.
Diamond shaped outlines frame a wave in the center of this unique piece of art. Dotted lines form ovals at the bottom and curling smoke winds around the sides. Done in black and white, the details make this a very textured and interesting tattoo.
A fully encompassing women’s wave tattoo design extends down the side of the torso and into the side of the thigh. A bright colorful vision of a wave crashes around on itself. Yellow, orange, and red within the wave show the reflection of a beautiful sunset. This is a striking piece of art.
Many elements make this tattoo look both whimsical and realistic. A tall wave crashes down into the ocean, and a lovely flower stands next to it. Leaves and berries are featured on the other side of the wave and twinkling highlights sparkle inside. Text is included, as well, printed at the bottom of the picture.
A slender forearm is the perfect location for this horizontal wave scene. A gentle wave is colored in with watery blues. As the wave crests at the top, water spray is shown splashing off.
An intense scene of a powerful and dark wave is shown in a circle at the ankle. A sky of dark midnight blue fills in the top, as the wave in lighter blue curls through the middle. The foaming water is white and light gray, providing bright spots throughout the image.
A scene of paradise is shown on the lower arm. Magenta and yellow form a perfect sunset sky, while a wave curls and splashes through the middle. Black is added at the bottom and weaves throughout the wave, which gives it an intense and realistic look.
This highly detailed wave is shown on the inside of the arm in a variety of purple, yellow, orange, and blue colors. The whirlwind of vibrant colors swirl up together into the crest of a wave. A sky is shown in the background.
A simple and graceful wave, done in black, white and gray, is featured on the rib cage. Wispy water spray is shown at the top, as movement is shown through curved lines as the water twists and turns up into the wave.
This subtly shaded girl’s wave tattoo design stretches out across the rib cage horizontally. At left, attractive mountains and pine trees are featured, and then on the right, gentle waves are shown rolling toward the mountains. A circular element adds fine detail in the middle.
Long, thick, black hair forms the wavy outline at the left side of this tattoo. At right, a wave coils around over the top of a woman’s head. Icy blue highlights bring color to the waves and a yellow crescent moon is featured high at the top.
The lovely head of a woman is shown from the back, with her bright yellow hair tied up loosely in a bun. Tendrils fall down her neck and point toward the image of a vibrant blue wave dancing on her back. She faces a rising sun, shown in red as it glows beyond the sides of her neck.
The profile of a woman’s head is featured here on the thigh. Her thick hair curves around into an emerald green wave. A trio of red poppies are shown with muted green leaves. Her nose peaks out from the side of one of the waves and this striking, unique tattoo ends with her neckline.
Intense, saturated color makes these waves appear bold. Wrapped around the ankle, the curve of the line adds movement to the water itself. Rich purple shades and true blues are primarily featured, but light green is also included.
Inside the glass body of a vase, a stormy turquoise sea and angry gray clouds are shown. A gold metal base and lid to the vase are done in true to life detail. In the background, purple plumes of smoke float above in this complex and interesting piece.
The back of the body of a woman, sitting with her legs bent at the knees, is filled in with lovely blue waves, and a tangerine sun with sharp rays. Her hair is placed in a messy bun at the top of her head and her hands rest on her knees. The gentle energy of meditation is present in this highly artistic tattoo.
So many details lend to this pleasant and attractive tattoo. Lots of curved and bent lines create the waves of the ocean. They curl up and in toward the water as the waves crest at the top. A crescent moon hanging in a jet black, starry sky is featured at the top of the circle. The majestic tail of a whale extends out from the water.
Placed on the front of the torso, between the breasts, this diamond shaped tattoo design is truly organic looking. Gray waves crash inside the diamond. A circular sun is divided by the outline, hollow inside of the diamond, but shaded outside of it. Small dots add interesting details on the top left and bottom right side.
The long, slender inner arm is perfect for this horizontal tattoo scene. At left, near the wrist, curled waves roll to the right side, toward the shoulder. Authentic looking pine trees and stately mountains are featured at right. Graceful birds flutter above both sides of the scene.
This wrap around women’s ankle tattoo is alive with movement. Water forms waves of various sizes, and a playful mermaid’s tail extends out of the water. Twinkling highlights and small bubbles make this scene whimsical, but the black and white palette keeps it practical.
This tattoo could easily be a picture on the wall. Expert line work allows these waves to show reflection from all over. Blue and green are shown near the bottom, in the water, which evolves into hues of orange and yellow and purple, toward the top of the curling wave. The silhouette of a surfer, carrying a board, is the center focal point. A mellow setting sun is evident behind the landscape in the background.
Smart shading gives this woman’s circular arm tattoo design a smoky illusion. Waves swish together toward the bottom, culminating in the white cap of a single wave at the center. A perfectly circular sun sets beyond the wave, while birds fly in the distance.
This really unique and artistic wave tattoo design for women has a variety of different elements. A series of triangles frame the images of a curling wave, high mountains, and the billowing smoke left behind from a rocket taking off into space. Planets are included at the top of this piece, which is just one of many fun details.
An abstract wave is formed from what looks like a simple brush stroke in this horizontal tattoo on the upper arm. Shimmering bright ribbons within the brush stroke create highlights, while deep blue creates opposing intensity. A pair of tiny bubbles float off of the crest of the wave in this elegantly simple piece.
