Captain Jack Sparrow is the lead fictional character of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. Created by Terry Rossio and Ted Ellion, Sparrow is said to be a mix of the Looney Tunes character Pepe Le Pew and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones. A mix of a rock star and a guy that thinks he’s a lady’s man when he is, in fact, very unappealing to most.
However, fans of the series might disagree with this determination. Jack Sparrow is extremely popular which makes the Jack Sparrow tattoo a great option for tattoo enthusiasts and fans of the movie.
In this post, we will review the history of Captain Jack Sparrow and the movie in which he stars. By getting to know this character, we can get a better idea of what makes him such a popular tattoo subject and what it means to the people who have Jack Sparrow immortalized on their skin.
Jack Sparrow’s Traits and History
Jack Sparrow was the son of Captain Edward Teague and was born during a typhoon on a pirate ship. This being the case, being a pirate seemed to be in the cards for Jack. Before Jack became a Captain, he was just a kid looking for adventure. Jack sailed on the Barnacle where he and his little crew were on the hunt for the Sword of Cortes. He ended up earning the moniker “Sparrow” when he trapped Captain Salazar (notorious Spanish pirate hunter) in the Devil’s Triangle.
Fast forward through the years of service in the East India Trading Company, Jack was given command of the Wicked Wench and he searched for treasure under the ownership of Cutler Beckett. When Jack refused to follow through with orders from Cutler and steal the Wench, Jack Sparrow was branded a pirate and his stolen ship was sunk.
Jack Sparrow made a deal with Davy Jones to resurrect his ship. He renamed it the Black Pearl and became a captain of his own ship. From there came many misadventures and evasion from trouble.
Captain Jack Sparrow has been defined as being somewhere between a madman and a genius. He is a self-proclaimed ladies’ man but chooses to not devote himself to one. He’s skilled with the sword and has a propensity to escape tough situations (and he puts himself in many).
Jack Sparrow Tattoo Meaning
Having a Jack Sparrow tattoo has meaning and connection to the pirate life and specifically to his personality traits. Some might even get this tattoo because they love the character but are looking to represent the pirate in Jack Sparrow. Pirates symbolize freedom, bravery, unity and loyalty.
On the other hand, if someone is specifically looking for meaning out of their Jack Sparrow tattoo, they might be looking to invoke Jacks’s silly spirit and his good fortune as he is able to outwit or out-luck people coming after him and there are a lot of them.
Jack Sparrow Tattoo Variations
The Jack Sparrow tattoo seems straightforward. You would figure the only way this tattoo would be accomplished is through a shot of Jack himself. However, there are some other variations that are related to Captain Jack Sparrow that have meaning to the people wearing the tattoo. Below are some of the more common Jack Sparrow tattoos that we found when doing research on the subject.
Jack Sparrow Signature Tattoo
The Jack Sparrow signature tattoo isn’t one of Jack himself but of a symbol that represents Jack. We would describe this as the image of water with a sparrow flying over it. This image is within a sun and is circle-shaped. This is the tattoo that Captain Jack Sparrow had in the movie and has become a popular choice for fans of the movie. It’s a subtle way of showing your appreciation of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and Jack Sparrow himself.
Jack Sparrow Portrait
One of the most obvious Jack Sparrow tattoos is the Jack Sparrow portrait. The portrait can be tattooed in many styles. We have seen them portrayed in a color realistic style, watercolor and black and grey. We’ve also seen American traditional, Lego and new school versions of this tattoo. With his red bandana and eye shadow, Jack Sparrow is extremely recognizable so anyone getting the Jack Sparrow portrait tattoo is putting their love for this character out there for the world to see.
Skull and Crossbones Tattoo
The skull and crossbones tattoo isn’t necessarily a Jack Sparrow tattoo but it represents all that we know of pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the most recognizable pirates of all time. At this point, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is not only one of the best pirate movie series ever but may be one of the best movie franchises of all time. In saying that, one might immediately think of Jack Sparrow when they see the skull and crossbones tattoo
Pirates of the Caribbean Logo Tattoo
The logo for Pirates of the Caribbean is another choice of tattoo if you want to get something that represents Jack Sparrow. The symbol for the movie is almost exactly the same as the skull and crossbones. However, the main difference between the two is that the skull and crossbones image from the movie is wearing a red bandana that is very similar to the one that Jack Sparrow wears.
The Black Pearl Tattoo
One other tattoo that we have seen that could be considered a Jack Sparrow tattoo is the Black Pearl tattoo. The Black Pearl is the ship that Jack Sparrow captains. This ship was originally Cutler Beckett’s ship named the Wicked Wench. When Jack figured he didn’t want to work for Beckett anymore, he decided to take the ship for himself.
It was sunk and was resurrected by Davy Jones and was then dubbed the Black Pearl. This ship is the pride and joy of Jack Sparrow, so a tattoo of this ship is a great representation of Jack.
Jack Sparrow is a great fictional character and has become one of the most popular characters of all time. If you are thinking of getting a Jack Sparrow tattoo, take your time and find the right artist. If you have any questions, please reach out to us.