Think aloud
Have you ever picked up a hammer in your garage and immediately felt the spirit of Thor inhabit your body? Are you also a fan of elaborate ink artwork across your body? Then you might be the perfect candidate for these 20 impressive Nordic tattoos to show off your inner Viking.
Whether you actually have Nordic blood in your veins or not is irrelevant, because we’re sure you’ll love these!
1. Epic Nordic tattoo design with two full sleeves & chest
We start off the list with a design that might be the definition of the word epic. This elaborate design covers the entire chest with colorful runes and a snake head with its jaw opened right above the heart. And if that’s not enough, take a look at those intricate sleeve designs. They really pop!
2. Amazing upper arm Nordic tattoo with thorn sigil
This amazing sigil done in black and red is perfect for Norse mythology lovers. It looks cool and slightly mysterious, which is a surefire way to get people to notice and ask about it. Just imagine walking around town with half of this incredible tattoo peeking out of your t-shirt!
Don’t you just love the way the black part seamlessly bleeds into the red? Now that’s true artistry!
3. Show off your Viking heart
Sometimes you just want people to know what’s in your heart, right? This simple yet stylish red chest design will definitely show that you have the heart of a legendary Viking warrior. But that’s not all it does! According to mythology, these symbols, in combination with bird and beast designs, give you protection from your enemies.
This makes sense because there is no way an enemy would dare approach you if they saw you rocking one of these on the beach.
4. A colorful sleeve for the true wolf warrior
There is just something about wolves that makes them so mysterious and impressive. That’s probably why they’re the inspiration for so many tattoos. And this one is particularly stunning. It’s a dedication to Ulfhednar, the so-called Wolf Warriors of the Iron Age, who were said to bear the likeness of these beasts when heading into battle.
5. Majestic Nordic wolf design with runes
We’re sticking with wolves for this one, and you can probably see why. The animal itself is so detailed that it almost jumps off the skin. But it’s the integration of Aegir’s Helmet in the middle that really makes it stand out in my opinion.
Aegir’s Helmet (also known as Aegishjalmur, the Helm of Awe, or Helm of Terror_ is a circle with eight tridents, and it represents the Norse God of the Sea. It’s said that whoever looked upon it became frozen by fear, making them easily conquered. So you might want to consider wearing some long sleeves, depending on who you’re with.
6. Double sleeves of elaborate Nordic imagery
You can never go wrong with a good sleeve set, and Nordic imagery is perfect for it. There is just so much you can do with the designs and forms. I think that’s on full display in this magnificent double sleeve filled with runes and characters. The longer you look at it, the more new things you start to notice.
7. The hand of the Norse shaman
I can’t promise this tattoo will give you the powers of a Nordic shaman, but I can guarantee that it will make you look cool. From the first handshake with a new person, they’ll know what you’re about.
8. The mighty Odin on your forearm
There really isn’t a more iconic character in all of Norse mythology than Odin. And you can pay respects to The Allfather with this simplistic yet powerful design that also includes Odin’s Knot and a couple of ravens for good measure. It looks amazing on the forearm here, but I can picture it on the back or maybe even the ‘neck’.
9. A raven whispering in your ear
Now this is an example of a perfect marriage between design and placement – so subtle yet so effective. Just don’t blame the tattoo artist if the raven starts whispering some mischievous ideas into your ear!
10. Jaw-dropping chest Nordic tattoo design with intricate detail
This intricate design is inspired by Norse mythology, but it also includes some Celtic motifs, such as knots and leaves. It stretches across the top part of the chest, the sides of the neck, shoulders, and the upper back. The fact that it was all hand-drawn by the artist makes it all that more impressive.
11. Full Nordic sleeve to make you feel invincible
This god mask concept was masterfully expanded to cover up the entire arm, from the wrist all the way up to the shoulder and chest. But what really makes it exceptional is the use of orange. It’s not a color you would necessarily associate with this type of tattoo, but somehow it works, and that’s the only thing that matters.
12. Inner forearm fine line Nordic tattoo
Vegvisir is possibly the most famous Norse symbol around, but do you know the meaning behind it? The Vikings believed that this compass-like symbol had the power to show the right path to those who had gone astray. That is powerful symbolism, and you can see why it makes a great inspiration for tattoos.
Whether you want it to signify your desire to find your way in life or just want it to look cool, this minimalist version is sure to do the trick.
13. Impressive deer skull tattoo with ornaments
Deer skulls are said to have been used by Nordic hunters in The Stone Age, and this brutalist tattoo design certainly conveys a similar message.
You probably won’t go out hunting for moose anytime soon, but having something like this tattooed on your back will at least steal some looks of admiration.
14. Minimalist Nordic tattoo with simple design and text
We already have one Aegir’s Helmet design on this list, but I simply had to include this incredible calf piece as well. Aside from its perfect placement, it’s the combination of the helmet with the ravens, the tree of life, and the subtle runes in the top part that makes this Nordic tattoo a masterpiece.
15. Powerful chest piece for the Nordic warrior princess
This incredibly detailed and dense chest piece is an absolute attention-grabber, head-turner, and conversation starter! It seems like no matter how long you look at it, you never get bored, and you can always find a new detail to admire.
However, it’s a well-known fact that the throat is a highly sensitive part of the body, and tattooing it can be extremely painful. This particular Nordic tattoo isn’t for the faint-hearted, but then again, neither is being a Nordic warrior princess.
16. A stag with super clean linework and dotwork
Now we move on to something a bit simpler and hopefully less painful. This gorgeous dotwork stag is placed on the fleshy part of the thigh, making it more comfortable and also providing a spacious canvas for the artist to really show off their talent. This is a simplistic design at first glance, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple to draw.
17. Attention-grabbing rune design
Remember how I just said we’re moving on to something less painful? Well, ignore that because we’re back on the throat.
This jaw-dropping (no pun intended!) line design was done completely by hand, and it features some simple yet beautiful runes. Perfect for people who appreciate minimalism but also want to convey some meaning with their tattoos.
18. Stunning Valkyrie in incredible detail on the arm
Let’s now go over to the complete opposite side of the complexity spectrum with this frankly stunning Nordic tattoo that features Valkyrie at the center, surrounded by various natural motifs.
Valkyrie is a figure in Norse mythology whose name means “chooser of the slain,” as she decides the fate of warriors in battle and carries the dead to Odin’s Valhalla. As a tattoo, it can be a great representation of your bravery and fighting spirit, as well as a testament to the struggles you might have gone through.
19. Impressive pattern brought to life with blue and black
Nordic tattoo designs usually work well in black and gray, but sometimes you just have to add a splash of color. This huge Fenrir mask is done in a combination of dotwork and blackwork, and it includes the main piece on the chest, accompanied by two full sleeves and awesome details on the fingers.
This is the type of tattoo that really shows off your love for Norse mythology, and it’ll probably have you looking at yourself in the mirror a little too often.
20. The protective Nordic Vegvisir symbol on your arm
To finish off this list, we return to the famous Nordic Vegvisir symbol. This version is geometric in nature, and I think that goes well with the compass-like structure of Vegvisir itself. And the fact that it’s placed on the forearm also carries some symbolism – imagine pointing somewhere with your finger while this is right above it.
