There are many great Disney tattoos and other types of animated designs that people can choose from, but most of them aren’t quite as meaningful as the Pinocchio tattoo. He’s a classic character from a classic story that many people could relate to when they were kids. He also happens to be a very cool character to get in a tattoo, so there really is a lot to like about these designs.
On this page, we will take a look at some of the most commonly used Pinocchio tattoo meanings and some of the ways that you can get him drawn up on your skin.
Easily the most common reason why people choose to get Pinocchio tattoos is because the movie or the character himself was their favorite when they were children. When you use this reason for getting one of these designs, you really don’t have to add any extra images or text for people to know exactly why it’s on your skin. They will recognize right away that you have great memories of the character and the story just by seeing this little guy in one of his classic poses.
One very cool Pinocchio tattoo that people like to use is “Breaking Free.” Remember that Pinocchio started out as a puppet and, like Pinocchio, people want the chance to “cut the strings” and live their own lives without people looking over their shoulders or controlling them all of the time. You can make this meaning clearer by showing the strings being cut, though that really isn’t necessary, especially if you want to keep the meaning to yourself.
The Pinocchio tattoo can also be great for anyone who considers him or herself a dreamer. Pinocchio is always trying to find a way to get the most out of his existence, which is something that many of us try to do. If you are the type of person who is constantly trying to think of creative ways to make the most of your days, this really could be a great tattoo idea for you.
Unlike some other animated tattoos, the Pinocchio tattoo is just about always the full-bodied character. And that’s true regardless of whether people decide to get the wooded or human version of the character. There’s really no rhyme or reason for showing his entire body, but it’s probably because his entire body was shown throughout the animated film and it’s just what people are used to seeing.
Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio’s teacher and conscience in the story, is sometimes included in these tattoo designs. People who do include both characters usually do so because they want to make it clear that they are fans of the whole story, not just one of the characters. Jiminy Cricket usually has his umbrella in one of his hands, though you can have them walking together or however you think your design will look best.
Those looking to pay homage to the movie will also sometimes include Geppetto, who was Pinocchio’s maker and “father.” In fact, some people relate to Geppetto more than any of the other characters in Pinocchio but even in those cases, both characters are usually included in the designs. You can have them next to each other, or you could have Pinocchio in Geppetto’s lap while Geppetto works on him. This can be an excellent (and unique) way to honor your father.
Picking the right Pinocchio tattoo design can be tough for some people. Do you get the wooden version or the human version? Do you want a profile image or do you want him looking straight out at people? Are you going to include other characters and, if so, how large do you need the tattoo to be? These are the types of things you have to think about and get drawn up before you commit to a final tattoo design. It can take quite a bit of thought and work, but that work is definitely worth it if you end up with a Pinocchio tattoo that you love, right?
The Pinocchio tattoo can be placed just about anywhere on the body. Interestingly, it seems like a lot of people like to get these as leg tattoos since the character fits so well in that area and you can have him “walking” across your leg. It can also work well as a rib tattoo, a back tattoo, or even on your forearm if you tweak it in a way to makes each part of Pinocchio show up from all angles.
You’ll want to choose the placement based on how visible you want it to be and based on the size of your final design. It’s a good idea to have multiple Pinocchio tattoo designs drawn up so you can be sure that you can fit one exactly where you want to place it on your skin.
With tattoos that have recognizable characters, it is essential that the designs are as accurate as possible, which means that you should definitely hire a top artist to do the work for you. Yes, you can take a well-known image of Pinocchio into any tattoo shop and basically have them trace it on you, but it’s still a good idea to have an experienced tattooist draw it onto your skin so all of the line work is perfect and the image pops. You might even find that your artist can help you make any final tweaks to Pinocchio and make the final design that much nicer to look at.
If you are a fan of Pinocchio and maybe find that some of these meanings make a lot of sense to you, definitely consider getting a Pinocchio tattoo. He’s one of the most beloved characters that Disney ever created and you are sure to get a great response to your tat if you have a good artist do the work for you.
Just take your time during the design process and chances are you will end up with a Pinocchio tattoo that you will be proud to have on your skin.