What Does A Vampire Tattoo Mean?
Shadowy figures with long cloaks hiding their shape, beautiful faces with fangs sticking out from the mouth- This is the telltale image of the traditional vampire. The vampire frenzy in the tattoo industry has been prevalent since the 80s and still is a popular design. But what does the iconic monster portray? What is the meaning of a vampire tattoo?
The vampire tattoo has acclimated a lot of meanings to it throughout the decades. The tattoo can be interpreted as an interest in the occult, a fascination with death, and a blood-thirsty or vengeful nature. We can also interpret this as a sign of morbid curiosity regarding anything not human.
In this article, we will discuss the various meanings that have been ascribed to this particular tattoo throughout the ages. We will also discuss the various styles of these tattoos and where to place them on your body.
Without further ado, let’s dive into it.
The Meaning Behind A Vampire Tattoo
Every tattoo has its own unique plethora of meanings that can be interpreted in several different ways. The Vampire tattoo has its own unique meanings.
These meanings are related to the characteristics of the vampire which makes them unique among the monsters and made their legacy so vibrant that we still feel its presence.
The Love of Mystery
The vampire has been present in our society since the dawn of time. We see records of vampire-like creatures in every part of the world. These creatures are always shrouded in mystery and prefer to hide their traces.
These nocturnal monsters wait in the shadows to snatch prey and feast upon its blood. This sort of mystery-mixed horror gave the vampire its legendary status.
The wearer might want to send the message that he/she is mysterious and prefers to stay unnoticed. The wearer might want to give the message that he/she wants to remain in the shadow and do as he/she pleases.
Association With Death
Vampires have long been associated with death. Historically, vampires are the only known monsters that can outlive everything. They are often labeled as immortal beings who don’t have souls.
For these reasons, vampires have been seen as an inspiration for those who want to outrun death. Alongside this, The association with death is also amplified by the vampire’s habit to sleep in a coffin.
Also, Vampires are also known to pass on the vampiric gene of immortality by biting. This ‘Death Defying’ act has led them to be labeled as ‘Masters of Death’.
People who get the vampire tattoo oftentimes express their fascination with death by getting this tattoo. They aspire to fight off death and aging while staying youthful and graceful like the vampire.
Interest in Supernatural Things
The vampire isn’t solely a European monster. We see a lot of vampire-like creatures all around the world. From the Indian Pishachas to the Mexican Tlahuelpuchi, vampires have occupied a large part of our collective imagination.
People used to believe that vampires were dormant beings who can be only awakened by following a number of rituals. These rituals were related to the occult and were often bloody. These rituals entice the very human need to explore the dark and the unknown.
People who get the vampire tattoo use this tattoo for their interest in occulting. The tattoo wearer wants to give the message that he/she is interested in the dark and the unknown.
Oftentimes, the tattoo acts as a coded message to people who are also interested in the same thing.
Seduction
With his groundbreaking novel ‘Dracula’, Bram Stoker completely changed the perception regarding vampires. Previously, the monster was seen as a blood-thirsty brute who only wanted to kill people and drink their blood to satisfy its quench for blood.
But, Stroker portrayed the vampire as a sophisticated and elegant person who charms his/her way into their prey’s heart. The vampire is seen as a lecherous entity that arouses the sexual lust hidden in its prey’s heart to fully control the prey.
The powers of vampiric seduction have made the monster a master seducer, not only in an evil way but also in a sensual and erotic manner.
People who get this tattoo can imply that their seduction skill is nothing short of the legendary monster. They want to tell that in terms of seduction, they bring their A-game.
Blood Thirsty Nature
The vampire lives on blood. Unlike normal humans, they cannot consume food and derive nutrition from blood.
Human blood is the secret to their longevity and without blood, their immortality ceases to exist. Along with this, vampires are also known to be quite vindictive toward their enemies. Once they identify someone as their enemy, they vow to destroy that very person’s whole lineage by haunting them throughout the ages.
People who get the vampire tattoo might want to give their would-be enemies a warning. It is not easy to forget past misdeeds and they will do everything in their power to get their vengeance.
Morbid Curiosity
Fascinated by their immortality and supernatural powers, people oftentimes experimented with various rituals and procedures to gain vampiric abilities. This morbid curiosity to be like an immortal parasitic being has been the hamartia to many persons who lost everything.
Also, Vampires are known to be masters of the dark arts. Their longevity has enabled them to study dark things and satisfy their ever-growing appetite by ingesting morbid things.
People who get tattoos may try to send a message that normal things are not a concern to them. They are lured by the peculiar often morbid things that may seem stomach-churning to the mass.
The Urge to Break The Taboo
The vampire is a being that shouldn’t exist. They were once living beings who are now shadowy monsters that defy death. To achieve this feat, they had to sacrifice their humanity alongside accepting the darkness in their soul.
This leads them to be confident and defy everything that is forbidden or prohibited. For them, Time and consequences are of no grave matter. They are everliving and they will outlive any consequence.
Poetically, This is the most humane characteristic that we can trace in the vampire. Breaking the forbidden is a very humane mindset and the vampire tattoo is the proper embodiment of it.
Different Designs of The Vampire Tattoo and Their Meaning
We’ve compiled the most popular designs that make this particular tattoo deeply meaningful.
Traditional Vampire Tattoo
Traditional vampire tattoos are the most common that you can find in the tattoo community. The Design commonly shows a male vampire holding a lady in his arms with a blood-thirsty look in his eyes.
Often, the vampire can be seen holding a lamp or in an attacking manner to give the tattoo an air of morbidness to it.
These types of tattoos almost always show a male vampire in various poses which gives the tattoo a hostile or frightening look to it. The tattoo usually is seen as a symbol of dominance and power. It is also used to give the message that the tattoo wearer isn’t turning his back on a fight.
Usually, traditional vampire tattoos are done in a black-and-white color palette. Sometimes, red is added for dramatic effect.
Female Vampire Tattoo
These types of tattoos show a female vampire with her fangs out and blood dripping down from her chin. The fangs are often seen over the lips with the tongue sticking out in a seductive manner.
This type of design is famous for its seductive tones. The vampire has always been seen as a seducer, a tempting hunter that lures his/her prey with powers of seduction. The Female vampire also can be seen smiling or seductively biting their lips in the design.
These types of tattoos come in various color palettes. The main focus of the tattoo is to highlight the female vampire with its desirable features and compliment the body part where the tattoo has been drawn.
Vampire Dripping Blood Tattoo
In this type of tattoo, we see a vampire with blood dripping from his/her chin. The vampire might be seen as smiling or grinning. These types of tattoos are notorious for their horrifying effect.
The bright colors and contrast of this tattoo send a clear message of anger and aggressiveness. The message is loud and clear: Don’t Mess With Me!
The color palette of this tattoo is heavily contested. Some prefer a black-and-white tattoo with a hint of red for the blood. Others prefer a full-colored version.
Twilight-styled Vampire Tattoo
Since the inception of Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, No other vampire franchise has made a storm in the pop-culture scenario except the Twilight Series.
The beloved book and film series has made a name for itself with its amazing story and talented cast of actors. The franchise has gained such an immense fanbase that people are getting tattoos of the characters to show their love for the series.
Alongside that, the twilight-themed tattoos are also perfect for those who feel comfortable with their looks and beauty.
The color palate for this type of tattoo is broad. You can choose black and white as the base color. Or, you can get a colored one. The choice is completely yours.
Vampire-skull Tattoo
These types of tattoos are very old compared to other ones in this list. The tattoo is quite simple yet the execution might be difficult. Usually, the tattoo presents a picture of a skull with fangs.
Sometimes, we see the vampire holding a skull in his/ her hand with an evil look. The message of this type of tattoo is quite morbid. Here, The vampire is an immortal being holding a skull, a symbol of death.
This presents the idea that some can outlive death. The one where we see a vampire skull sends a different message. That tattoo represents the idea of ‘Memento mori’ which says that everything is mortal and decay is evident.
The color palate of this tattoo design is quite simple. Usually, the tattoo is done in the black and white palate with shades of gray to highlight the skull.
Evil Vampire Tattoo
This tattoo accurately paints the picture of the vampire that we all know and fear. The tattoo portrays a vampire with fangs out, red eyes, and blood dripping from its chin. The vampire can be seen grinning or closely shutting their mouth in a scowl.
Oftentimes, a woman is added for contrasting effects. While the vampire is a symbol of the hunter or a person that is ready to kill, the woman represents the prey or the gullible victim who is innocent.
The tattoo is drawn to create sharp contrast and some interpret it as a twisted balance between the living and the undead.
Vampire Bite Mark Tattoo
These types of tattoos are becoming commonplace nowadays. Small in size and very low-key effort makes them quite popular among teenagers.
The tattoo design is quite simple. The artist designs a bite mark by making fang marks on a particular body part. That’s it! You might be wondering, what meaning can this tattoo express? Well, The meaning is quite arbitrary.
Some interpret the tattoo as a mark that the wearer is taken by someone. While some think that the tattoo implies that the wearer is quite dangerous and can be quite volatile. Others get this tattoo as a sign of their love for the mythical monster.
Size and Placement for The Tattoo
In general, the size of the tattoo depends on the design. If the design contains too many elements, then it should be small enough to fit all the components clearly. We suggest talking to your tattoo artist.
This is quite a practical thing that requires practiced eyes and hands as everyone’s body is different.
Now, Let’s talk about the placement. When it comes to vampire tattoos, we are presented with a lot of designs on our hands. Each design requires a specific placement that enables the tattoo to fully unleash its beauty.
We would suggest the neck and the arm as the most prominent places to get your tattoo. The chest can be a secondary option for any type of design. We have prepared a table to make the content easier for you.
| Tattoo Design | Where should you get it? |
| Twilight-Themed Vampire Tattoo | Arm, Forearm, Chest, Back |
| Traditional Vampire Tattoo | Arm, Forearm, Chest, Back, Calf |
| Vampire Bite Mark Tattoo | Neck, Forearm, Calf |
| Female Vampire Tattoo | Arm, Forearm, Chest, Stomach |
| Vampire Dripping Blood Tattoo | Arm, Forearm, Chest, Back, Calf |
| Vampire Skull Tattoo | Arm, Forearm, Neck |
Last Words
Now, When someone questions the meaning behind your vampire tattoo, Be polite and let your fangs out!
Over the years, the vampire tattoo has taken on a variety of meanings. The tattoo might be regarded as having an occult interest, an obsession with death, and a bloodthirsty or vindictive mentality.
This might also be seen as a morbid interest in anything that’s not human. Some argue that it signifies humane aspects of seduction and a tendency for breaching the taboo.
