Reviewed & updated: December 7, 2022 by Jamie Wilson BA
Do you want your tattoos to be unique and unconventional but also eye-catching? Here are some amazing ideas for the best Asian tattoo!
Asian tattoos are known for their striking and dramatic designs that will set you apart in a crowd.
Asian tattoo designs usually refer to art designs which belong to the East Asian countries like Korea, Japan and China. Most of these designs draw inspiration from collections of popular mythology and folklore of these cultures.
Earlier, these tattoos followed the traditional style whereby there would be one black-coloured design that would take up a lot of space on the body. However, nowadays tattoo artists are modifying the traditional style with modern and contemporary elements.
If you are wondering how much is a full sleeve Asian tattoo in 2021, then the answer depends on the kind of colours you want and the fame of the tattoo artist. The most basic full sleeve Asian tattoos cost around $1500. The experience might be painful as these tattoos can take up to 10-15 hours to finish.
Simple And Minimal Asian Tattoos
While most Asian tattoos are expansive and ornate, beginners or novices with no experience can also choose from many simple designs which would work better for them. There are recurring motifs in Asian art as well as distinct patterns that are quite common. Therefore, you can definitely choose a more minimalistic and intricate design like this one that looks quite stunning.
As seen in the pictures, adding a hint of colour to your tattoo also makes it much more beautiful. The seagulls and dainty flowers can often be seen in Asian art forms including movies and pictures. These symbols are always great for people who like a simpler tattoo style. You can also look at these tattoo outline ideas for more minimal designs.
Gorgeous And Elaborate Designs
An Asian dragon tattoo is one of the most famous tattoo designs in 2021. Dragons are a popular part of both Chinese and Japanese mythology and folklore. In China, this mythological dragon is called Long or Loong and it is commonly represented as a snake-like creature with four legs and a ferocious mouth. The Japanese dragon also resembles the Chinese dragons and were considered to be water deities.
Consequently, if you are looking for an elaborate Asian tattoo, then you should consider the dragon tattoo designs! These tattoos will take a long time to complete but they look stunning once finished. Many people also consider these tattoos to resemble what are informally known as ‘Asian gang tattoo’.
Vibrant And Colourful Asian Tattoos
If you are looking for a change from the usual monochromatic, black tattoos, then you need to add some colour to your Asian tattoo designs! Most of traditional Asian art and tattoos are known for their vibrant and vivid colouring and how they use a deep, scarlet red shade to enhance the tattoo.
A colourful Asian tattoo can either be extremely elaborate and intricate or just a simple design. As seen in the picture, you can get tattoos of fishes drawn in the Oriental style and then add colour to make them more attractive.
Tattoos Which Are Easy To Place
Traditional Asian tattoos have always been quite extensive and huge in size. Therefore, the tattoo artist has to take a lot of time to complete the tattoo which spans a wide part of the body. These tattoos are great for the entire sleeve of your arm, on your chest or either side of your stomach or your hip. Due to the variety in the kind of designs you can get, an expert tattoo artist can place the tattoo of your choice on any body part as you prefer.
Intricate Animal Motifs For Your Asian Tattoo
A lot of Asian art focuses on some animals and birds which add their own unique interpretation to it. If you need ideas for a snake tattoo, then you should definitely look at Asian snake tattoo design collections!
Colourful tigers are also a big favourite in 2021 as compared to unicoloured or black and white designs.
Popular Ideas For Asian Tattoo That Covers Your Back
An Asian back tattoo is one of the most famous trends of 2021. There are very few tattoo designs that encompass your entire back with a stunning design and Asian tattoos are perfect for such an attempt. The experience of getting a full back tattoo might hurt especially if you are doing it for the first time. However, you can also get the entire tattoo done in multiple phases so that it is not uncomfortable.
Add Letters To Your Asian Tattoo To Make It Unique
To make your Asian tattoo more unique and distinct, you can add Chinese or Japanese letters or words to the tattoo. This way, you can combine a phrase that is particularly close to your heart along with your favourite design. There are many collections of designs which are perfect for adding letters or words to.
Cherry Blossom Tree Design For A Beautiful Tattoo
People who have been to Japan or know a lot about their art and culture will know how important the Cherry Blossom tree is to them. Blooming once a year with dainty, graceful pale pink petals, the sight of these trees during full bloom is captivating. If you are looking for a tattoo that represents your admiration for Japanese culture, a tattoo of this beautiful tree might be the perfect idea.
Stunning Asian Tattoo With The Phoenix Bird
The Phoenix bird represents life, growth, rebirth, loyalty and honestly in Japan. The Asian Phoenix tattoo designs are quite different from that of the Western Phoenix symbols. In Japanese houses, people use the phoenix bird’s picture to decorate their house and as a symbol of good fortune. You can unleash your creative potential and make the tattoo as colourful as you want.
If you are looking for similar mythological or folklore-based tattoos from other cultures, check out these amazing Quetzalcoatl tattoo ideas!
Asian Tattoo With A Woman’s Face
One of the more popular Asian tattoo style is the face of a traditional woman from the countries of China, Japan or Korea. The Asian woman tattoo has faces of women in their ethnic dresses along with the suitable makeup. They resemble the women performers from these countries who are experts at singing and dancing.
Asian tattoos are becoming quite popular in 2021 due to the intricacy of their designs. If you are getting a tattoo for the first time, you should look through these amazing designs to choose one that fits you best!
Feature Image from Pinterest – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo
