Feathers have a lot of meaning and symbolism attached to them, and that is why they make awesome subjects for tattoos. It can be hard to decide on what kind of tattoo to get and sometimes getting something common like a feather can be a turnoff. But there are many different ways to make a feather design distinctive and meaningful for the person who is getting it. Feathers have a whimsical, bohemian vibe, so they pair well with a lot of other design elements, such as dream catchers, flowers, arrows, and animals. They can make great focal points of a design or really nice fillers.
Feathers also have different meanings depending on the culture. They are an important symbol to Native American tribes specifically. Feathers can symbolize trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, freedom, and many more things. Because they represent birds, feathers have their own different meaning depending on what kind of bird or where on the bird they come from. For example, a peacock feather can mean spirituality or royalty, while a plume feather can represent creation and light.
Color can also play into the meaning of a specific feather. Pink can mean unconditional love, green can mean prosperity and good fortune, and orange can mean creativity and intuition, just to name a few. It's so easy to create a feather ink design that is meaningful and personal. They can even serve as spiritual and hopeful reminders.
Here are 20 different designs for anyone considering getting a whimsical feather tattoo.
Simple Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo is simple, but it still has amazing detail. This black ink arm tattoo is a good idea for someone who wants a more minimalist tattoo.
Purple & Blue Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo has eye-catching coloring. The shades of blue and purple look awesome together and the placement on the ankle flows perfectly with the design.
Scissors Feather Tattoo
These multicolored scissors are so fun and unique! The coloring is incredible. This design is a good idea for a hairstylist or a crafter.
'Fortune' Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo has the words "La fortuna" underneath, which means "the fortune" in Spanish. The cursive and watercolor spots give it a fun-loving vibe.
Defined Feather Tattoo
This black-and-white feather tattoo is perfectly placed on the side of the foot. The bold outlining gives it a defined look.
Peacock Feather Tattoo
This colorful peacock feather is stunning! This design works really well on the sternum. A peacock feather can be a symbol for a lot of things, including: spirituality, royalty, vision, and awakening.
Rainbow Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo has a really cool rainbow design. It's also a memorial tattoo. A feather tattoo can be a fitting design for honoring a loved one.
Dream Catcher Feather Tattoo
Although the focus of this tattoo is the dream catcher, it still features a pretty cool feather design. Dream catchers come from Native American culture and are usually adorned with beads and feathers.
Outlined Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo was softly outlined with blue ink. It's a pretty cool way to add some color and give it some personality.
Name Feather Tattoo
This woman's feather tattoo has her grandson's name under it. A feather can be a good design element for a name tattoo.
Butterfly Feather Tattoo
This whimsical feather design has butterflies flying off of it. The pinks and blues give it a happy vibe and it has little flowers incorporated as well. Too cute!
Birds & Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo features little birds flying away. Obviously, birds and feathers are a perfect combination of elements. And the watercoloring on this tattoo is amazing.
Lotus Feather Tattoo
A lotus flower is a gorgeous an meaningful tattoo design and we love how this one incorporates the moon and feathers. In Buddhist symbolism, the lotus is symbolic of purity. It goes really well with the look and symbolism of a feather.
Ribbon Feather Tattoo
Different colored ribbons usually represent a certain kind of cancer, sickness, or other cause, so they can be powerful tattoos. This person used a feather as the focal point of her ribbon tattoo.
Heart Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo has a small pink heart inside. It makes a really cute touch and all of the coloring and line work comes together perfectly.
Tiger Face Feather Tattoo
This feather tattoo is a creative, one-of-a-kind design. It incorporates part of a tiger's face in an interesting way. Tigers symbolize strength, bravery, and will.
Fine Line Feather Tattoo
This fine line feather tattoo is cool because it has tons of gorgeous details in it. The line work is precise and it's a fun piece of art.
Sister Feather Tattoo
These sisters got adorable matching feather tattoos. The feather is creatively incorporated with a flower and the word "sister" for a charming design.
Skeleton Feather Tattoo
This plume feather design is creepy, creative, and stunning. When looking closely at the feather, one can see that there is a portion of a skull looking out of it.
Quote Feather Tattoo
This quote is perfect for a feather tattoo. It says: "Take these broken wings and learn to fly." The feather is made to look like a traditional quill pen and the script flows well with the design.
