The Harry Potter universe continues to captivate. The reverence for the book series, film, and entertainment phenomenon has no boundaries.
This love affair with magic extends to the body art world of the everyday Harry Potter fan – they constantly create and adapt elements of J.K. Rowling’s beloved series with amazing tattoos of all shapes, sizes, colors and styles.
Tattoos exploring the wizarding world of Harry Potter are many and varied – whether you’re into fantastic beasts or simply want ink depicting Harry’s glasses. If you need a Patronus to battle a Dementor, or on a quest for the Golden Snitch, delve into the Sorting Hat to find the Potter tattoo meant just for you.
Read on for the Best Harry Potter tattoos and draw inspiration for your epic ink journey into the magic world of the Boy Who Lived…
1. Script Tattoos
Source: @diamondthomtat2 via Instagram
The rich text of author JK Rowling creates many opportunities for quotes and passages from the Harry Potter series to be immortalized in body art. Whether it’s the solemn oath from the Marauder’s Map, a passionate plea from Severus Snape, or one of the wise benedictions Dumbledore likes to feed Harry, there’s all sorts of ink featuring words from the books and movies.
These examples show off some sensational tattoo choices, offering simple spells in a range of lettering styles along with more complex quotes from the series done with color and verve.
2. Quidditch and the Golden Stitch
As far as made up games go, for me it’s Quidditch and Gwent. That’s it. Quidditch, the game of chasey that’s a cross between those old school flying events, mid-air rugby and Australian Rules Football has become so popular, university students and other Harry Potter fan groups have created a ground bound version. Grown people run around on brooms and blast each other while searching for the Golden Snitch. It’s weird.
These tattoo designs feature some excellent linework and shading, particularly focusing on the hyperactive exploits of the Snitch. I like how the color has been done away with in favor of the quality application of black and grayscale, to emphasize the various Snitch placements on skin, or layer details into the ink.
3. The Sorting Hat Tattoo Design
As the father of two small children that like to punch on when they argue, having a Sorting Hat to keep them in line would be extremely handy. The Sorting Hat, while only playing a small role in the Harry Potter series, is responsible for exceptionally important choices regarding heroes Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
You can’t tell me that Hermione Granger wouldn’t have been the greatest Ravenclaw ever, or that if not for his bravery, and the long line of Weasley’s that came before him, Ron wasn’t really a Hufflepuff in disguise. And don’t even get me started on old parsel-tongue Potter, the super Slytherin…
Anyway, I like these Sorting Hat tattoos. They offer a different means of expression in each example, whether it’s sharp linework and subtle shading, slashing black and gray simplicity, or the over the top color and hand placement of the neotraditional version.
4. Hogwart and the Houses
These tattoo examples take on the Houses of Hogwarts, and depictions of the school itself. The tattoo of the snow globe is amazing, showing off detail in application, from the Deathly Hallows symbol in the border to the glowing lights of the school at night. I like how each tattoo artist has opted to utilize some personality in the details, such as the ring of Slytherin.
5. Fantastic Beast Tattoos
Source: @labarbetattoo(artist) via Instagram
Some of the most iconic characters in Harry Potter book and film never had speaking parts. Each fantastic beast could either delight, disgust, or deliver fear (looking at you Dementor) without saying boo. These tattoos pay tribute to some of the cool characters, such as Hedwig the Owl (RIP), the Thestral and Hippogriff Buckbeak, while the mischief making platypus also shows up in the body art, despite being from an entirely different part of the franchise.
My favorite though – I feel terrible about it, and it makes me a horrible person – is the wild, heavy black ink tattoo image of a decapitated Dobby with a spike driven through his head. That’s pretty much the most wicked design idea I’ve ever come across.
6. Not for Muggles Tattoo Design Ideas
Not for Muggles? Yep, you need to be a wizard ‘Arry, if you want to handle these devices, potions, or spell ideas in this cool range of designs. I like the breadth of technical application across the group, they are equally strong in fine detail or bright color as they are with minimalist design and simple linework. They allow the viewer’s knowledge of Potter lore to connect the dots, with one wave of the wand, or circuit on the broomstick
7. Realist Ink: from Dumbledore to Sirius Black
It doesn’t take a dopey Death Eater to realize these realistic portraits are applied by skillful tattoo artists. In color or black and gray, they show off central characters with great attention to detail, whether it’s the greasy menace of Snape and Bellatrix in combination, or the nose-less visage of old Voldy about to waggle his wand and end some poor soul’s existence. Personally though, the tattoo of Sirius Black, resplendent in a paisley waistcoat and plum colored shirt gets the thumbs up from me.
8. Deathly Hallows Tattoo Ideas
The Deathly Hallows are three highly powerful magical objects created by Death and granted in trickery to the Peverill brothers. The Deathly Hallows symbol is a circle, line, and triangle combined. These represent the three Deathly Hallows: the circle is the Resurrection Stone, the line is the Elder Wand, and the triangle is the Cloak of Invisibility.
Anyone possessing all three of the artifacts will be the Master of Death. When joined, the Deathly Hallows form an important symbolic image the HP fan and tattoo fraternity has come to adopt in magnificently different ways.
The Deathly Hallows Symbol was mentioned only a handful of times in book and film format but is one of the most inked inspirations from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As these examples show, a Deathly Hallows tattoo can be versatile in color, application, and technical style.
9. Watercolor Tattoos from the Wizarding World
Watercolor tattoos fit many source images from Harry Potter, whether it’s supporting the black ink of the lightning bolt scar and Harry’s glasses, or ore stylized versions of the Golden Snitch and Deathly Hallows.
The ‘wispy’ arrangement of flow and looser bordering shapes allow for bright color splashes across the central image – complementing the detail or linework in each tattoo focal point nicely.
10. Neo Traditional Tattoo Designs
Source: @labarbetattoo(artist) via Instagram
Neo Traditional tattoo was built for concepts like Harry Potter art – the outsize design elements, thick outlines and vivid color choices provide ample opportunities to buff up each notable idea an individual take from the book series.
Again, the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows are a popular choice, while more unique tattoos such as the Mandrake and the big stein of butterbeer look great in bright hues. Plus, you can still get the distinctive old school look from American traditional, just with a bit of extra sexy added.
11. Unique Tattoo Characters
Source: @erinodea via Instagram
Source: Sailor Dave(artist)
These different takes on portraiture work through a range of wicked design styles. Neo traditional technique again features strongly, but they have been mixed with classical script elements, cartoon style or fantasy theming aspects to drive more painstaking detail.
My personal favorite is the heavy black ink Voldemort piece – it mixes the Deatheater style darkness with old Voldy’s sense of menace. I also like the Dolores Umbridge piece, but she’s pretty much the most hateful character in the world, so I feel kind of bad about it!
FAQs
Which Harry Potter tattoo should I get?
Outside of tattoos featuring the main characters, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, popular themes for Harry Potter tattoos are the Hogwarts houses – Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff – or an animal style tattoo idea based on a HP fan’s patronus.
For those with a darker bent, the Dark Mark and Death Eater symbol, the elder wand, and Voldemort himself are all popular tattoo designs.
The best aspect of getting a Harry Potter series concept tattoo is that almost any theme raised in the films, the Fantastic Beasts offshoot, or the original JK Rowling novels can be turned into body art provided the wearer and tattoo artist can get in sync with the design and application
Did you enjoy these Harry Potter Tattoo Ideas? Click on the links below for more awesome galleries the beloved series to inspire any Potter fan: