To permanently honor your father in a worldly and poignant way, the most polished option possible is a memorial tattoo. these so called “dad tattoos” are totally progressive!
While parents have frowned on tattoos for decades, this trend is rapidly changing, especially with the groundbreaking start of tribute tattoos that specifically pay tribute to our parents.
These poignant emblems have a unique meaning and their sensitive origins imply an appealingly humble background. family affection is eloquently contained in a custom emblem.
For those who want to revel in the masculinity of their lost patriarch, there are countless ways to achieve this with a daddy tattoo. many men simply choose their father’s favorite piece of manly gear. this can include a variety of cars and tools. sports memorabilia are also often featured. You can also include the dates that would normally appear on a headstone as a loving reminder of your presence.
These memorial tattoos are often obtained at the time of a funeral, but your father does not have to be deceased for you to enjoy these beneficial creations. if you get one now, he can enjoy it with you. the two of you can even purchase matching ornaments. enjoy this series for serious inspiration :
This is a beautifully rendered traditional American tattoo that the subject has chosen to honor their parents. The artist has followed the Sailor Jerry model – muted color palette using black, grey, red and yellow in solid etching – while the ink line work is a crisp solid black. what little shading there is in the artwork has been delivered effectively.
this is a funky new wave tribute to dad tattoo. The use of bright colors enhances the focal point of the wrench and makes the piece happy, while the artist also presents a classic style by using traditional lettering in the word papa.
This little tattoo offers some proper old school technical work. the dad tribute is very simple but expertly done in the classic style.
This text work sends a beautiful tribute to a deceased father. There’s nothing flashy about the artwork, it’s just a thoughtful caption placed over the heart designed to pay tribute to the memory in simple, flowing cursive.
an interesting old school chest piece that pays homage to both parents in classic style. the artist combines old school color (black, red, green) with the choice of technical fonts to create a great tattoo. the artist employs good line work along with negative space in the hollow center circle and nameplates to give the image an alternative, almost exterior appearance. the background of the web is quite dim; it may be shaded later.
Old school simplicity here is mixed with new school delivery. I wonder what the liquid is? this simple design and execution balances the new wave coffee mug by using the classic text in the word dad.
another traditional american tattoo this time with dad attached to a steam train. it’s an effective piece, however the flat angle of the train tends to squash the image a bit uncomfortably, especially the red grille that would otherwise crack at the end of the locomotive.
this is a beautifully delivered combination of classic american style mixed with elements of traditional portraiture, creating a 1950s buddy holly style piece of art. it’s an example of how crisp, clean black lines (notice the clarity of the black line in hair and clothing) can form patterns that are then further manipulated by intelligently adapting the directional changes of shadows. this is technically brilliant tattoo work.
Another classic tattoo with a wacky twist, the cola bottle and straw make this inner bicep artwork a one of a kind daddy tattoo. the detail within the colours, the contrast of leaves with golden rose petals, for example, helps with balance, while the shading is minimal but deft.
a beautiful memorial tattoo. the artist and the subject have created a tribute based on service and patriotism. the tattoo features the date of birth and the date of death, while also emphasizing the naval ship she sailed on (the number 63). one thing to note is that the tattoo does a good job of covering up pre-existing scars with good use of black line clouds.
this is excellently done. the art is of a classic camping scene that kids take with parents all the time. By using a great, bright transition color for the tents (in green and purple), the technically solid image perks up considerably. the artist cleverly uses thick lines in the foreground, but not for the supporting trees and sky, so they are still supporting images. Dad’s flowing cursive handwriting is expertly engraved with a single needle.
another old school wrench. it is an outstanding work of art in the traditional American style, with the artist taking painstaking care to get the correct color on all elements. the flowers are particularly sharp, with highlights of white ink helping a seamless transition from the red fill color to the black line.
a unique dad tattoo that opts for guns over tools. this piece is a rare type that doesn’t suffer from being drawn freehand. the work is simple, but the effective shading, occasional white ink highlights, and good text placement make for a solid tattoo.
A new quality abstract take on the classic anchor tattoo. this piece is a big, bold half sleeve that uses traditional underpinnings enlivened by excellent use of bright blue shadow work and negative space to give it a unique tone. the only problem with this piece is the cursive letter d: it has an awkward shape that makes the simple word almost too hard to read.
Traditionally, bear tattoos symbolize courage, strength and protection, which corresponds to the vision that most children have of their father. The artwork here is a classic American traditional tattoo: uncomplicated, quality detail presented with clear technical skill in line work and edges. the pale skin of the subject works in the transition to the black diffuse shadow work from scratching the slightly darker lines to the point where you need to check to make sure it’s not a white ink job.
This little tattoo is unique. mixes the strength of the old school hammer with the pen placed on top. unusually, instead of opting for shading between overlapping images, the piece uses an interesting solid orange hue to create space and then a black line border. the use of the font for dad is old school, but just shy of traditional American style.
so dad is the bomb? This is a traditional American style dad tattoo that combines an unusual image, the atomic bomb, with numerous traditional elements. the most interesting part of the ink is in the combination of simple star lines and dot work to amplify and balance the entire image on the inner bicep.
This tattoo uses a realistic fishing lure to create a new wave tattoo that appears abstract. nice! the degree of realism in the lure (check out the detail on the silver hook and clasp) is almost flawless, while the use of bright, solid colors for the focal point (lure) and background (blue water) help the work of general art is attached as an image. .
This is a nice traditional style dad tattoo on the chest. the mix of elements like the flower, font, and anchor are reminiscent of true old school tattoos from the 40s and 50s, or flash art you can find online. the clever use of black ink in the sharp line work and the coloring support of the sheets help with the clarity of the tattoo.
Another quality old school tattoo – it excels at being solid in all respects. the lines are smart, sharp and clear, while the coloring is impeccable. The artist’s choice of white ink highlighting on both the flags and flagpoles shows a keen understanding of the artwork’s minutiae, while the almost electric blue shading is a nice touch.
This is a cool abstract version of the portrait tattoo. it’s a well-drawn image that stands out because the artist chooses to keep the sketchbook line elements, such as the circle of the chin, cheek, and nose, alive throughout the tattoo through clever thin black lines.
I fell in love with a dad who doesn’t mind an ice cold heineken, even though drinking beer with ice is more than just weird. it’s a positive brand recommendation if he’s willing to engrave it permanently on his skin. technique wise the bottle is perfect and contrasts well with the old school yellow and black poster + font. I still can’t get over the ice in the glass though.
raise the dad flag! this is a traditional tattoo that strikes. Historically, those who sported a tattoo of a three or four masted ship meant to others that they had sailed around the Cape of Good Hope, although this doesn’t really say one way or the other. the artist has used slight deviations from the usual traditional color palette and creates a beautiful piece of ink.
Look, I have no idea what’s going on in this tattoo, but it’s horrible. the hexagon shape gives the images a real boost through the use of patterns. the artist fills each six-tone shape with a variety of coolly drawn images in matte black ink.
The choice of font is important. This excellent dad tattoo is negatively affected by the choice of text. a simpler letter choice would have made it easier to understand, and given those looking at the piece more reason to look at the bigger picture.
another dad is the bomb special. this clever hand tattoo is an almost cartoonish expression in the flesh. the part of this artwork that helps the whole piece flourish is the use of the sky blue background interspersed with elements of negative space, though the font is also well chosen and evokes images of the 1950s and 1960s.
This is a cool tattoo, although the text gets lost in translation. it’s a busy canvas of skin that’s been given an evil cartoon sheen by the artist. I love the black line work throughout the piece, from the folds of the shirt to the teeth of the chainsaw, and the heart or tattoo inscribed on the manly man’s forearm.
I’m not sure a flower swallowing the center anchor is the right choice. however, this daddy tattoo is supported by two well executed black rose tattoos that contrast nicely with the sky blue, red and black lines of the central image.
hahahaha, this is amazing! the artist took a traditional American style tattoo and added some absurd brilliance. The entire image features deft precision in line work, color choice, and technical execution, but as much as you want to take it seriously, the central image is still a dog in a football helmet. I love it!
another freehand dad tattoo – this one is weird. there are great technical elements, like the orange sky signage or the stitched ship look. but overall the tattoo lacks top notch execution in line work, balance and detail.
This is a wicked black and gray daddy tattoo. the use of clear, crisp single-needle lines contrasts well with the blurrier shading elements. both the cursive font spelling out pops and the mountain pattern create a nice sense of scale for the entire artwork.
This daddy’s dartboard is beautifully executed. it is a subdued image that allows the precise technical skill of the artist to brighten it. there are no flaws in the work, from the nicely flowing italics to the exceptional balance of gray shadow with the negative space of the bullseye. the flourish of white ink reflections in the tattoo helps to give it a soft and timeless look.
an almost minimalistic fishing lure tattoo. the austere line work of the hooks and platter is complemented by just enough color in the fullness of the fish. this dad tattoo looks like an almost genuine bobby dazzler.
I love the solid scarlet color in this traditional daddy tattoo. turns a simple piece into a bright, textured work of art, well supported by proficient technical skill and the artist’s understanding of correct depth and scale.
This little tattoo is gorgeous. there’s nothing more than a puck, an apple, and an old-school font, but that’s all the artwork needs to make a positive impression. simple is beautiful!
This is far from an extraordinary dad + tool tattoo, but there is a charming element in the simplicity of the adjacent stars that is noteworthy.
This is a top notch tattoo. it’s recorded as if Dad had been transported mid-race from his marathon and transferred directly onto the subject’s skin. the level of detail in the wrinkled shorts and the drawstrings on daddy’s shorts are excellent examples of the artist’s commitment to detail.
The highlights of this tattoo are in the black line details that the artist placed to instill variety in the pattern and shading. the white billiard ball and cue are a well-drawn mix of shadows and lines, while the clock face’s criss-cross pattern is large and interesting enough to make it a focal point of the entire piece.
a mean American eagle is cool, but having your eagle tattoo be a tribute to your father is awesome. This traditional tattoo cleverly uses colour, theme and space to make the ultimate upper arm sleeve, with the bird’s coolness complemented by wicked black and yellow streamers.
