Snake tattoo ideas

What a snake tattoo usually means

Snakes shed their skin as they grow, so they are a common symbol for renewal and for leaving an old version of yourself behind. They are also picked as a protective symbol, and a snake with a rose is often read as beauty with a bite.

Size and placement

• A snake's body can follow almost any curve, which makes it easy to fit along a forearm, around an arm or down the spine.
• Scales are detail. For a small snake, ask for a smooth body with a few scale lines instead of every scale.
• Decide which way it faces. A snake heading up the arm reads differently from one heading down.

Before you take it to your artist

• An AI design is a starting point. Some tattoo artists say AI designs are often too detailed for the spot they are meant for, so expect your artist to simplify it.
• The free stencil is a clean line version that shows the line work. Your artist will still redraw it to fit your body.
• Check the size before you book: try the design on with a daylight photo of the spot.