A rabbit tattoo idea signifies a powerful symbol of strength and agility. They make the perfect choice for someone who understands the meaning behind these wonderful creatures but also wants an exciting tattoo design.
The styles and approaches available for rabbit tattoos are varied and unique – from the iconic White Rabbit or Playboy Bunny – to the lucky rabbit’s ear or foot.
The rabbit tattoos in this gallery demonstrate the compelling versatility and a rabbit design can engender.
1. Arm Inspiration
The arm is a great placement choice for a rabbit tattoo thanks to the large size of the canvas and the musculature that provides a variety of natural lines that can enhance a rabbit design.
These exciting rabbit tattoos use a variety of styles that demonstrate the versatility of these charming animals as tattoo inspiration. Realistic black and gray, full color Celtic knot work designs and bizarre animated depictions all show off how successful rabbit tattoos can be when applied to the arm.
2. Exciting Black and Gray Tattoos
While it is commonly associated with photo-realistic designs and the complex shading typified in Chicano tattooing, black and gray ink is perfectly suited to a variety of tattoo styles and approaches.
In these unique black and gray rabbit designs, each tattoo artist uses this monochromatic approach to display their skills, both in application as well in terms of composition and placement. Whether it is a long legged hare bounding across the skin or a cute bunny tattoo, black and gray is a great choice for rabbit designs.
3. Black Tattoo Inspiration
Often considered a subset of black and gray tattooing, blackwork is characterized by a denser application of ink to create more stark designs. Abstract rabbit tattoo design that looks to be carved from stone, a realistic bunny tattoo and an illustrative hare, smoking a cigar: each rabbit tattoo in this gallery demonstrates the ways that fully saturated black can be used to increase contrast and make for exciting pieces.
4. Full-Color Tattoo Art
While the appeal of black and gray animal and rabbit designs is undeniable, for some people a tattoo isn’t complete without a bit of color. Luckily for these folks, a talented tattoo artist is able to produce exciting and unique rabbit tattoos that utilize vibrant colors in a number of styles.
American traditional inspired work-using bold lines and bright colors-is especially appropriate for art lovers that want their rabbit design to pack a bit more punch and for those that want to go over the top, an animated approach that draws inspiration from vibrant comic books is a great choice.
5. Tattoos with Floral Motifs
Source:@neena_jay via Instagram
A rabbit tattoo is often used to commemorate the wearer’s love of nature and the outdoors and flowers are a great addition to almost any rabbit design. The rabbit tattoos in this gallery demonstrate the variety of rabbit designs that can benefit from flowers and they are more diverse than one might guess.
The classic Disney rabbit depiction is there, but more unique designs-notice the shadow puppet piece and black and gray rabbit design-highlight the versatility of flowers in creating one of a kind rabbit tattoos.
6. Geometric and Technical Designs
A growing trend in tattooing uses complex geometric designs to create mind blowing designs that fuse mathematics and psychedelia. One of the reasons that this approach has become so popular is the endless variety of subjects and concepts that can utilize this fascinating style, and these rabbit tattoos display how it can be applied to lepus designs. The growing interest in Sacred Geometry has also added another layer of spiritual significance to this popular style.
7. Jackalope Inspired Tattoos
The mythical jackalope has been entertaining and confounding hunters for decades, so it is little surprise that many people choose this fantastic creature as inspiration for their rabbit tattoos. Whether it’s a cute, playful jackalope or a foreboding, black and gray custodian of the forest, a jackalope tat is a great choice for those with more eclectic sensibilities. The jackalope is popular at the tattoo shop for both custom or flash style rabbit tattoo idea
8. Inspiration for Leg Tattoos
Another popular canvas, the legs provide plenty of room for a tattoo artist to stretch their creative muscles and they are a great choice for larger rabbit tattoos. Each rabbit tattoo in this collection uses a different approach but they all demonstrate just how compelling a rabbit design can be when applied to this large canvas.
9. Neo Traditional Tattoo Designs
Sharing the bold lines and bright colors of American traditional tattoo work, neo-traditional tattoos have continued to gain popularity in animal tattoo expression. One reason for the growing interest in neo-trad is the increased detail it adds to the simplified designs that shaped American traditional, opening the gate for any number of interesting subjects and color schemes, as demonstrated by these exciting rabbit tattoos.
While a multi colored bunny tattoo or funky rabbit’s ear probably wouldn’t be a common concept in a traditional old school piece, it is a great choice for a neo-traditional rabbit design.
10. Small Tattoos
Not everyone wants big, bold designs that take up large swaths of skin. In fact, many people prefer their tattoos to be subtle accessories, not their entire look. A small rabbit tattoo is a great choice for anyone who wants to add a bit of ink in just the right place, without dedicating an entire arm to permanent body art.
11. Watercolor Inspired Tattoo Designs
Another design approach popular in the studio uses vibrant colors, bold outlines and loose compositions to recreate the effect of water color paintings, applied directly to the skin. For those people who want a vivid new tattoo rabbit design that symbolizes freedom and colors outside the lines, this watercolor approach is a great choice and these clean rabbit designs provide excellent examples of this kaleidoscopic tattoo style.
What do rabbits represent?
Thanks to its global distribution, the rabbit has a variety of meanings around the world.
They are powerful symbols of fertility thanks to their productive breeding habits.
The rabbit is also associated with physical prowess and is considered a manifestation of the divine in nature.
In many traditions rabbits are considered omens of good luck, especially if one crosses your path.
What does a rabbit tattoo mean?
Rabbit tattoos are often used as good luck charms, totems of wealth and abundance, as well as commemorations to the wearer’s love of the natural world.
Thanks to its global distribution, a rabbit tattoo has symbolic meaning linked to fertility, physical prowess, and the manifestation of the divine in nature.
In many traditional cultures, from Native American tribes through to Eastern mythology, rabbits are considered a spirit animal of good luck, especially if one crosses your path.
Another popular bunny is a white rabbit tattoo design paying homage to the iconic white rabbit from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. For others, a cute bunny tattoo displays their sense of humor and love of fun.
Rabbit tattoo design ideas are often used to depict good luck, and not just as a lucky rabbit’s foot trinket. The humble bunny is often a motif linked to positivity, wealth, and abundance as well as commemorations to the wearer’s love of the natural world.
From Native American tribes through to Eastern mythology, if a rabbit crosses your path it’s a forecast of good fortune. This rabbit symbol provides an impetus for your bunny tattoo being a lucky benediction you carry with you everywhere.
The other most distinct symbol for a rabbit tattoo design is a cute and cuddly creature famed for its energy (and for the ability to reproduce).
A bunny tattoo idea is versatile across style and application techniques, even when the cute little creature is juxtaposed with darker themes, abstract applications, or melded into designs where your tattoo artist focuses on specific behavioral or physical traits in building ink with deeper meaning.
Bunny tattoos are also a pop culture symbol. Collectors opt for different recognizable designs, such as Roger Rabbit, the Easter Bunny, Peter Rabbit, and the Playboy bunny, that have more aesthetic meaning than deep symbolism.
The jackalope is popular at the tattoo shop for both custom or flash style rabbit tattoo ideas and is useful for the collector looking towards animal tattoos with a darker or more absurdist aspect.
The mythical jackalope – a cross between a rabbit and a hare with horns – has been entertaining and confounding hunters for decades, so it is little surprise that people choose this fantastic creature as inspiration for their rabbit tattoos.
Whether it’s a cute and playful jackalope or a more foreboding, black and gray custodian of the forest, a jackalope tattoo is a great choice for those with more eclectic sensibilities.
Source: @lupara_tattoo via Instagram
Usually depicted in a waistcoat with a pocket watch and constantly running late, the White Rabbit is an instantly recognizable character that makes great subject matter for Alice in Wonderland tattoo designs, whether it’s the classic illustrations from Lewis Carrol’s novel or later Disney or Tim Burton adaptations.
The White Rabbit is the first strange character that Alice encounters, and a common design choice for Alice in Wonderland fans that want a permanent reminder of the unique fairy tale (I have one old school black and gray rabbit, and also a Mad Hatter).
The new school White Rabbit tattoo designs generally use a vibrant color palette and some wild imagery to recreate the time-strapped bunny, while the Lewis Carrol and Disney options combine for more muted color schemes and classical black and gray ideas.
While it is commonly associated with photo-realistic designs and the complex shading typified in Chicano tattooing, black and gray ink is perfectly suited to a variety of tattoo styles and approaches to bringing your bunny to life.
Whether it is a long-legged great hare bounding across the skin, an elaborate geometric tattoo of contrasting lines and shapes, or a realistic cute bunny tattoo, black and gray is a great choice for rabbit design ideas.
Other tattoo collectors like to use a denser, darker style of ink known as blackwork. Fully saturated black can be used to increase contrast and make for exciting black rabbit pieces, or something solid and simple like a Playboy bunny tattoo.
Sharing the bold lines and bright colors of American traditional tattoo work, neo-traditional tattoos have continued to gain popularity in animal tattoo expression. One reason for the growing interest in neo-traditional tattoos is the increased detail, interesting subjects, and color schemes.
While a multi-colored bunny tattoo or funky rabbit’s ear probably wouldn’t be a common concept in a traditional old school piece, it is a great choice for a neo-traditional rabbit design.
A rabbit tattoo is often used to commemorate the wearer’s love of nature and the outdoors and flowers are a great addition to almost any rabbit design.
There are a variety of rabbit designs that can benefit from flowers and they are more diverse than one might guess.
The classic Disney rabbit depiction is there, but more unique designs such as shadow puppet pieces and colorful but realistic bunny and flower tattoos create fantastic custom body art.
Small rabbit tattoo ideas are a great choice for anyone who wants to add a bit of ink in just the right place, without dedicating an entire limb to permanent body art.
Not everyone wants big, bold designs that take up large swaths of skin. In fact, many people prefer their tattoos to be subtle accessories, not their entire look.
With so many more artists specializing in the method of delivery, everything from a classic Playboy bunny tattoo to a stylized linework piece can be used for small bunny tattoos.
What does a jackalope tattoo represent?
A jackalope is a mythical creature that emerged as an ongoing hoax among North American hunters. A jackalope tattoo usually signifies the wearer’s love of the outdoors, sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd.
Did you enjoy these rabbit tattoo designs, but looking for more cool tattoo art to help plan your new tattoo?