Best 66 Hand Tattoos

The best 66 Hand Tattoos! Need a hand (haha!) coming up with your next tattoo? Let’s take a look at some amazing hand tattoos to inspire you.

Hand tattoos has become a huge trend in recent years. Let’s see why:

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66 Hand Tattoos to Blow You Away:

1. Butterfly hand tattoos

This tattoo is in so many pieces! I love the way it all comes together to form the butterfly. The red, yellow and green work really nicely here as well.

2. Marine inspired hand tattoos

Aye, Matey! Thar be a squall a’comin! Sorry. So, anyway…these cool maritime tattoos are very impressive. For starters, there is an incredible amount of detail in that tiny ship! It’s good work, for sure. Perfect for sailors, pirates, or anyone with a love of the sea!

3. Realistic monster tattoos

Yikes! These are actually extremely impressive hand tattoos! Amazing portraiture – they are so realistic! I like how Frankie and his bride are staring (lovingly?) at each other. So romantic.

4. Illuminati hand tattoo

They control everything! Even tattoo shops!

5. Watch tattoo

I’m late for a very important date! Oh, wait, no. The time never changes. This tattoo is super cool, even though the hour hand would not be halfway between the 10 and 11 at only 6 minutes past the hour. I love the bright colors and the classic style.

6. A man and snake

Wow. This hand tattoo has so much going on! The colors and shading almost make it seem like this guy’s majestic beard is flowing in the wind. I hope that snake is his buddy and isn’t planning on biting his face off.

7. Seahorse tattoo

How cute! Seahorses are such strange and beautiful creatures, aren’t they? This one is just lovely, with all those colors and details. I especially like the eye – I feel like it can really see me. A great choice of hand tattoo for someone with a love of sea creatures.

8. Monster eye

That’s kind of terrifying. But in a cool way. I love how the black parts aren’t just completely solid black, but they have texture and dimension, almost as if the eye is at the bottom of some horrible pit. Love the tentacles sprouting down the fingers.

9. Flower/mandala tattoo

This hand tattoo has a very henna like look. The shading gives the piece depth, especially around the center of the main flower. I love how it almost looks like a lacy glove. Very classy.

10. Roses

When in doubt, go with roses. That works for most situations, and this one is no exception. Especially since these beauties are very well executed. Look at that shading! The necklaces that are coiled through each flower are a nice extra touch. I wonder if they have real life counterparts?

11. Trinity symbols

Ouch. Seriously! Aside from the fact that this is a PALM of the hand tattoo, which just seems so painful, this work is really cool. It’s very optical illusion-y, and I love the use of negative space for the three rings in the background. I’m completely drawing a blank on what that style is called, and I know mobius strip isn’t right…help me out here…I don’t know. Anyway, the triangles are a trip and they make my brain hurt, but I love these kind of hand tattoos!

12. Sparrow tattoo

This is just a classic, and I love it as a hand tattoo.

13. Ganesha  henna tattoo

This piece appears to be henna, but wouldn’t it make an amazing hand tattoo? Love all those intricate details, and the placement is very cool.

14. Skull tattoo

You may or may not know how I feel about skulls and their creepy empty eye sockets. Suffice to say, this thing freaks me out. I’m fairly certain it’s going to come get me tonight while I sleep. The rose doesn’t make it any less frightening. Quality work, though, if you’re into scaring wusses like me.

15. Hamsa/Dragon tattoo

Whoa. The eyes are glowing! I mean, not really, but they sure do look like it! So many vivid colors and details here! That’s a hand tattoo that’ll really make an impression. Beautiful work!

16. Artsy hand tattoo

This is just BEAUTIFUL! Like, I can’t even really describe it. So many cool styles in one amazing tattoo! I love the pastel colors, the sketch lines, the rainbow, the watercolor splatters, everything! An excellent hand tattoo for any artist.

17. Horrific hand tattoo

Okay. Don’t get this tattooed on your hand. Or maybe not anywhere. Just no.

18. Rose with pearls

This is not only one of the best hand tattoos I have ever seen, but maybe the best in general. I cannot get over the realistic quality of this work! I want to lean down and sniff the back of this hand. I’m pretty certain I’d actually be able to smell that rose. And my nose might get wet from those dew drops. I’m not super excited about the black background, but the rose and the pearls are so incredibly well done, I don’t even care. This is beautiful!

19. Cat

Is this one of those weird hairless cats? What’s the deal with those things? Anyway, as a hand tattoo, this totally works. The cat’s head fits just right, and the colors are cool in a creepy kind of way. This cat wears pearls on it’s forehead. This cat is fancier than you.

20. Skull with sombrero

You’ve got to be a certain kind of person to pull off this kind of hand tattoo, and I am not one of them. But if you’re a cigar smoking bandito, then this is perfect for you. I appreciate that this skull has eyeballs – at least I’m not staring into a black abyss. The smoke is really cool, and it actually appears to be swirling up and around the sombrero.

21. Black and grey mandala

Oooh! So pretty! This is so realistic, it almost looks like she’s had decorative metal fused to her skin! There are some incredible details in this hand tattoo, and the use of shading here is magnificent.

22. Day of the dead hand tattoos

Why so many skulls, people? Though I like the juxtaposition of the black skull/sugar skull face against the blue butterflies. The butterflies really pop. The sugar skull face is really well done – very realistic.

We have more sugar skull tattoos and day of the dead tattoos in here.

23. Traditional style hand tattoos

Rawr! Have these beasts been stabbed through their heads? I’m not going to worry about that…let’s just concentrate on the nice use of color, yes? I like the tiger’s blue nose. It’s unexpected.

24. Pyramid tattoo with eyes

Well. I’m not going to claim to understand what is happening here. I am sure that the owner of this hand tattoo has an incredible explanation of it’s meaning. The pyramid of eyes seems to be surrounded by a solar system and firey comets, and what appears to be Epcot. I could be wrong about that last one. This is very cool, though, and I love the colors. It’s out of this world, man.

25. Bat

This bat’s lip is giving me the heebs! It’s nice work, but…yikes!

26. Dog portrait

This hand tattoo is just too sweet. I’d love to see an actual photo of the dog being depicted here. Do you suppose his name was Walnut? Or maybe he just liked walnuts. A very sentimental tattoo, I’m sure.

27. Cat

I’m definitely a dog person, and the face on this cat has a lot to do with that. This cat wants to hurt me. The coloring is very interestingly done, giving his face a lot of texture. I like the use of white for the whiskers and teeth.

28. Tiger

Don’t laugh, but I literally yelped when I scrolled to this one. What’s he so angry about? This ferocious beast really comes to life despite the classic tattoo style. To make something that’s very obviously a tattoo actually look like it’s going to chomp down on your arm is pretty impressive.

29. Mandala

I love these hand tattoos that only become whole when you put your hands together. This one is particularly pretty, with some seriously fine details.

30. Swallow

Oooh! This is so cool! I am a huge fan of this hand tattoo. I love the way the wings almost look like paper airplanes! This is definitely one of the most unique bird tattoos I’ve ever seen. Very creative.

31. Pin-up

This is a pretty badass chick. From what I hear, it’s really difficult to get a face tattoo that actually looks good, and this one definitely accomplished that. The perspective is totally working here; it actually looks like she’s turning her head. Wait…does the word on his(?) knuckles spell out “head?” Hmm. Alrighty.

32. Ram skull

I find that animal skulls are only slightly less creepy than human ones, but this one isn’t too bad. The detail work and shading on this hand tattoo are really well done – look at those fine lines in the ram’s horns!

33. Hard work kills?

I’m not really sure what to make of this. Where is the lower jaw? Did hard work kill him? What’s with the bird? I really want to know the story behind this ink. I do like that the eye sockets are green instead of black, though.

34. Arrows and skulls tattoos

What’s with all the skulls, people?? I do really love the style of these hand tattoos, though. They’re like historical diagrams or something. The fact that they aren’t drawn with the typical heavy tattoo lines makes them look almost like they’ve been sketched right onto the skin.

35. Bloody Mary tattoo

Oy vey. Okay. Even I have to admit that this is a very nicely done tattoo, and the use of white makes it really quite stunning. But c’mon! Her eyes are bleeding! If it wasn’t so gruesome, she’d be a beauty.

36. Vintage

If you want to put a lady on your hand, this is a much nicer way to do it, in my humble opinion. Though, it almost looks like the rose is birthing this full-grown woman. I love this classic style, with the vibrant colors.

37. Skull hand tattoo

Alright. That’s going to give me nightmares. I know, I know, I’m a total wuss. I don’t even care. This tattoo is way too realistic!

38. Geometric cat tattoo

Now this is a cat tattoo I can get behind. I love the geometric patterns! The shading, the angry look on it’s face, it’s all working for me. Especially the yellow eyes while everything else is black. Definitely a good choice for any cat lover.

39. Glowing skull tattoo

Gah! This isn’t so much a hand tattoo as it is nightmare fuel. It’s incredibly well done, though, and I am super impressed with the way the skull appears to be lit from the inside. Even though it’s spooky, it looks pretty damn cool, as far as hand tattoos go.

40. Stunning butterfly/skull hand tattoo

Really? More skulls? And on a butterfly?? This is kinda cool, though. I think if I didn’t know before hand that it was skulls, it would have taken me a minute to see it. Sort of an optical illusion, or maybe a Rorschach test – whatever you see first determines whether or not you’re a psychopath.

41. Oriental hand tattoo

Are you seeing what I’m seeing? I’ll leave it at that.

42. Joker Hand Tattoos

“You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?” I realize that the Joker depicted in this hand tattoo is not the Nicholson Joker, but that will always be, in my opinion, the best Batman movie ever, and one of the best lines.

43. Little Buddha

The detail work on this hand tattoo is quite nice. I’m a little confused about the bottom of it, though…is the Buddha face being held in a hand?

44. Native

Should I be offended by this tattoo? I do like the spare use of color and the use of white highlights. But she doesn’t really look like a Native American, does she?

45. Vintage Rose

Here’s another pretty face, but this time, she’s wearing the rose as a bonnet, instead of being birthed out of it. I like the eyes and lips on this lady. She looks like she wants to seduce you.

46. Horned Beast

I really have no idea what to call these hand tattoos. I’m not sure if the animal is supposed to be a bull, or a yak, or some kind of mythical beastie. And the woman…she’s got horns and a spiked collar. What is happening here? Um…the colors are nice though.

47. Flower Garden

So pretty! And what a nice change of pace from all the creepy hand tattoos we have seen so far! I love the style of this tattoo, and how cute are all those little critters crawling through the foliage? So sweet and feminine!

48. Rowr

This is another one I am not quite sure what to make of. Is it a lion or a tiger? Tough to tell since it seems to have flowing hair, yet it doesn’t quite say “mane” to me. And I don’t know what the symbol is on his head, but whatever it is seems to be making him angry. The coloring on this piece is excellent, though.

49. Bug-eyed Octopus

This guy is pretty cute, but I kind of wish the tentacles went down his fingers! Or would that be too expected? I don’t know. Great color choices here, and so much detail I feel like this little guy is squiggling around. A nice choice for lovers of cephalopods.

50. Lab Work

Whoa. This tattoo is a trip! I wish I knew if the guy here was supposed to be a particular scientist. Whoever it is, he must have quite a headache from the microscope in the back of his skull. This tattoo is awesome, and anyone who thinks otherwise is insane.

51. Bear with Me

Another angry animal. Maybe it’s because their bodies have been left out? This hand tattoo is pretty cool, though. I love that deep yellow moon (sun?) in the background, and that bear’s eyes are super creepy.

52. Crabby

I like this tattoo. The crab is nicely done, with great color, shading and details. I love the blue background and how it looks like the sea. This is a lovely piece of art, and it makes me kind of hungry. Too bad our Joe’s Crab Shack closed.

53. Samurai Duo

These two dudes are pissed! And they are coming after you with all of the might of a Samurai warrior. They also look like they are poised to drop a couple of f-bombs. I like that each one has his own fashion sense, like they both want to look tough, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring.

54. Compass Rose

I’m going to refrain from commenting on the pose this chick is making and focus on her hand tattoo. It’s a very nice compass with a fleur de lis. One of the simpler tattoos we’ve encountered in this list. It’s nice.

55. Sun and Moon

The sun looks sad, and the moon looks mad. Why no smiles? Regardless of their moods, these are some nicely done tattoos, with great sharp lines. I like these.

56. A Bird On the Hand

This bird is coming in for a landing! It’s a bit too black up in the upper wing area, making it kind of difficult to distinguish the wing from the cloud, but otherwise this is a nice hand tattoo for any ornithophile.

57. I Am the Walrus

When I first saw this, I thought it was an Ood with red-eye and got excited that this was a Whovian tattoo. But then I realized that it was whiskers and tusks, and not the tentacle things that Oods have. So yeah, walrus. It’s a nice tattoo, but is the red in the background supposed to be blood?

58. Make a Wish

I feel like this might not be an actual tattoo, but instead maybe marker. Whichever it is, I love the little dandelion fluffs, and the idea that they are growing out of the fingers.

59. Moth Part 1

I find it strange that this tattoo is upside down when the hands are brought together. But I suppose that it wouldn’t fit as well if it was wing side up. Anyway, it’s a nice hand tattoo.

60. Road Map

This is another one that I question. The lines go through the fingernails, so I feel like it might just be marker. I hope not, though, because this is amazing. I’ve always been fascinated by road maps, and I think it would be cool to tattoo a favorite place onto yourself in this way. I love the use of colors, too. Very nice. If you like map tattoos, check out these World Map Tattoos.

61. Henna Inspired

Permanent henna! This is a lovely design, and a great choice for a hand tattoo. I like that it’s an ornate pattern, but it isn’t too complicated.

62. Yikes

So. Much. Creepy. Seriously, people! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a hand tattoo that isn’t something either scary, angry or gruesome? I wonder why that is? What is it about the back of the hand that makes people want to put the creepiest thing possible on it? Ugh. This tattoo is wonderfully executed, despite the fact that I am going to have night terrors about that face.

63. Indian Elephant

I love this hand tattoo! It’s like he read my comment about making the octopus tentacles go down the fingers, and said to himself “yeah, that’s a good idea,” and made his finger into an elephant trunk. I believe this is intended to be a representation of the Hindu deity Ganesha.

64. Moth Part 2

I think I like this moth better than the previous one, but mostly because of the blue added to the wings, and the cool, drippy background. This one also seem more realistic.

65. Delicate Florals

Another pretty floral hand tattoo! I love the soft colors and the lack of harsh lines. It’s just so delicate and pretty! I know I said pretty already, but it’s just the right word! It almost reminds me of smudged pastels. Love it.

66. Vibrant and Classic

I’m ending this list with a nice, classic style rose. The rich, vibrant colors and the vintage style make this hand tattoo so beautiful. I love that the red rose is shaded with lavender. That’s not something you usually see. A totally gorgeous piece.