Demon Tattoos Meaning, Design & Ideas

Unlike many other types of tattoos, demon tattoos have maintained their popularity pretty much ever since widespread tattooing started. They have a lot of different meanings that can be attached to them and they can look pretty amazing on the skin.

Most often reserved for larger pieces such as back pieces or sleeves, demon images are generally very detailed and done realistically to create the ominous sense of fright that demonic beings possess. Demons and demonic beings are found in cultures across the world, channeling menacing and deadly behavior that humanity comes to fear most.

People who get these tattoos often want to show that they are tough enough to deal with anything that the world throws at them. These images can also represent a person’s acknowledgment of their own personal demons.

Many people assume that all demon tattoos imply that the wearers of the ink are bad people or take pride in their worst attributes. In reality, a lot of the people who get these demon tattoos are simply showing that they acknowledge certain things about themselves and the demons in their ink represent those traits better than any other tattoos would.

The point is that you don’t have to shy away from getting a demon tattoo to avoid being judged, and you shouldn’t assume that all demon tattoos have negative connotations.

This page was created to help people understand what demon tattoos are and why they have been some of the most popular tattoo designs for many decades now. Below you will find some of the most common demon tattoos that people like to get and some of the ways that you can get one designed if you end up deciding to get one.

Popular Demon Tattoos

Demon tattoos that follow a Christian heaven-and-hell-based theology often contain a horrible creature with leathery skin, clawed hands, and large, ox-like horns, indicating the signs of the beast, a reference to Satan. The visage contains a frightening expression and is meant to incite terror in others.

The faces in demon tattoos are often male, although female images are used sometimes, as well as images of children who had supposedly become possessed. Sometimes there are additional meanings added to these tattoos based on the type of demon in the image, though many people simply choose the demonic images that affect them the most.

Famous demons, such as Pontianak, Ronove, and many others are often chosen to be included in these types of tattoos. This can give these tattoos even more meaning because you add in whatever those demons represented in their stories. If you do decide to go this route, it would be a good idea to get as much information about the demon you want to include so you can be sure that you want those meanings attached to your design.

The demon tattoo images are usually designed to inspire fear, serving as a warning to others to stay away. This is why many of the demon tattoos that you see have the demons roaring or making a menacing face at those who look at them.

Demonic portraits reveal a darkness, a fault within the individual that is not meant to be shared with others. Sometimes people include other images to make that specific darkness a bit clearer to outside observers. In other cases, people instead opt to leave out any clarifying imagery to add an air of mystery to the tattoos.

Full-body images of demons, majorly horned and just as menacing, are often designed with an enormous demon equipped with a very powerful body. They can be rendered like warriors as well, complete with horned armor and striking weaponry, often large swords or scimitars.

This is a nice optional design for people who want to get a classic military or warrior tattoo without having to go with one of the many cliché designs that others often go with. Getting a full-bodied demon also allows people to get a bit more creative with their designs and to ensure that they end up with a one-of-a-kind demon tattoo.

Other Demon Tattoos

In Japanese mythology, yokai is a broad category of demon that comes in many forms, mostly ghastly animal-like creatures with strange, twisted and mutilated bodies, some with many sets of eyes. They are meant to trick and deceive humans, causing misfortunes and suffering to those they choose to pester.

Oni are a type of yokai, the most commonly seen and appear much more like demons of Western lore. Their man-like faces are contorted into angry grimaces, appearing much like a tormented samurai adorned with fangs and horns. While there are classic yokai designs that anyone can find, it seems like most people choose to tweak the classics to make their demons unique.

While the majority of demon tattoos are quite menacing and graphic, there are also plenty of designs that use a cartoon style. This is often done to show that the person is “devilish” without any of the negative connotations that are often attached to demons. However, you can also get a cartoon devil and still use all of the other meanings mentioned above.

Demon Tattoo Design and Placement Options

There are hundreds of different demon tattoo styles that are out there right now, so you really do have plenty of options if you decide to get one of these tattoos. You can get a realistic-looking human-ish demon, your favorite demon from the movies, or any other type of demon that you can find. You can even come up with your own by either drawing it yourself or working with an artist who can make one from the notes you give them.

Wings are often added to demon tattoos to enhance the terroristic elements of the demon, along with skulls or broken skeletons to indicate past slayings. These elements can add in a bunch more meanings – both negative and positive – though they can also just be added to give the image a more striking appearance.

Greyscale is often used in demon tattoos as well as dark tones such as greys, deep blood reds, shadowy blues, and black. Again, this all comes down to your personal preferences and how you want the image to end up looking on your skin. You might find that your demon might look better in classic black and grey rather than color, or you might instead choose to use a lot of loud colors to make the image pop a bit more.

Demon tattoos are often quite large, so many people will dedicate a large area of skin to their designs. This is especially true for those who choose to get full-bodied demons in their designs since they want to have enough room to get full detail on each part of the demon’s body. Also, there are often other images included with the demons, so it just makes sense to make these larger tattoos.

It seems like one of the most popular places to put demon tattoos is on the shoulder. This is because the design can be made so the demon’s head is twisted in a way that goes perfectly along the shoulder’s lines. Also, most people realize that outsiders won’t immediately understand what their demons represent, so getting it in a hidden-away spot like the shoulder just makes sense for some folks.

Is a Demon Tattoo Right for You?

Demon tattoos are perfect for some people and absolutely wrong for others. You should know if it’s the right tattoo choice for you based on how you feel when you think about and look at demonic imagery and the traits you’re most proud of.

You might find that a specific demon represents something that is very important to you. It might have more to do with that demon’s struggles rather than any type of negative meanings attached to him or her.

In either case, if the demon symbolizes something that has always been significant to you, then you might just be the perfect candidate for a demon tattoo.

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