First airing on the BBC in 1963, Doctor Who has captivated generations of audiences, so there’s little surprise that many people choose to dedicate a bit of their skin to Doctor Who tattoos.
Traveling through time and across the universe in the TARDIS- cleverly disguised as a blue Police Box -“the Doctor” and his band of companions battle foes, save civilizations and carry on helping those in need. With over 800 episodes and a number of different actors taking up the mantle of “the Doctor”, there is a wealth of material to draw upon for unique Doctor Who tattoo ink.
The Doctor Who tattoo designs in this collection show how exciting body art can be with this extraterrestrial hero as inspiration.
1. Bad Wolf Tattoo Designs
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Emerging in the rebooted incarnation of this British sci-fi series, the Bad Wolf is an intergalactic entity that has incredible powers. Within an episode of this story arc, the Bad Wolf entered the body of Rose – one of Doctor Who’s companions -who channelled its power to destroy an entire Dalek fleet through a clever bit of time travelling and subatomic mayhem.
The Bad Wolf tattoo ink in this collection demonstrate the wearer’s love of this unique television show and its use of interesting mathematical and science-fiction themes.
2. Dalek Tattoo Ideas
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An extraterrestrial race, the Dalek were created by the mad scientist Davros to serve as an emotionless race, hell bent on the conquest and total domination of the entire universe. Portrayed as robots that are more reminiscent of wheeled garbage cans than what we typical think of as robots today, Daleks are part of the unique aesthetic of this long running sci-fi series.
For Who fandom that wants to show the world their love of everything Doctor Who, a Dalek tattoo is a great choice, and these unique designs demonstrate what a talented tattoo artist can do with these automatons as inspiration.
3. Gallifreyan Tattoo Designs
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Doctor Who is from the planet Gallifrey and as such, he speaks the Gallifreyan language. As is often the case in the world of fantasy and sci-fi, Doctor Who has produced a devoted and creative following and nothing better demonstrates the dedication of the Doctor Who fandom than the development of the circular Gallifreyan language.
The Doctor Who tattoo designs in this collection utilize the fan-created writing system for this fictional language, making for some exciting and visible body art that will only be recognized by the keen eye of other fans of this unique sci-fi universe.
4. Small Tattoo Ideas
Sometimes a small tattoo design is all that a person needs to express the meaning and significance behind a skin art print, and this is true for these unique Doctor Who inspired pieces. For these devoted fans, a small Doctor Who tattoo design is just what they need to demonstrate their love of all things Doctor. Using a variety of styles and approaches, each tattoo artist demonstrates their skill in these small and precise designs.
Two standout pieces incorporate the swirling colors of Van Gough’s famous Starry Night painting to great effect.
5. Sonic Screwdriver Tattooing
A multi-functional tool used by Doctor Who since the Second Doctor’s tenure in way back in 1968, the sonic screwdriver-much like the TARDIS itself-has become a symbol of the Doctor Who universe. Throughout the countless adventures of Doctor Who and his companions, the sonic screwdriver has demonstrated a long list of convenient uses, alternatively hacking ATM’s, cutting through metal, teleporting people and objects, and as a simple flashlight.
This is another element specific to the Doctor Who universe that allows Time Lord art enthusiasts to boldly commemorate their love of this sci-fi series in a way that the casual observer may not instantly understand. Utilizing a variety of styles, the sonic screwdriver designs in this collection are great examples of unique Doctor Who tattoo concepts.
6. TARDIS Tattoo Body Art
Perhaps the most instantly recognizable symbol of the Doctor Who series, the multi-dimensional vessel known as the TARDIS propels the Time Lord and his companions on their myriad adventures through time and space. It is also one of the few consistent elements through the 50 plus year span of this seminal sci-fi program.
Cleverly disguised as a British Police Box, the TARDIS is put to great use as a design idea in each of these compelling Doctor Who tattoo concepts. From vibrant colors, depicting the TARDIS flying past planets and through nebulas, to black ink and an American traditional interpretation of this fantastic craft, a range of TARDIS tattoo ideas is expertly utilized in these Doctor Who tattoo designs.
7. Watercolor Tattoo Time Lord Designs
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One trend in the world of ink that continues to grow in popularity is the watercolor tattoo approach. By using bold, black ink lines and a loose approach to the application of color ink, a skilled tattoo artist is able to perfectly create the effect of watercolor paintings being applied directly on the body.
This vibrant style is especially appropriate for Doctor Who tattoo design ideas thanks to the bright colors of deep space formations that are depicted here.
FAQs
What does a Bad Wolf tattoo represent?
Within the complex narrative of Doctor Who, Bad Wolf is a powerful entity that can control time and space. It is both a destructive and creative force, and a Bad Wolf tattoo displays the wearer’s love for this unique television show, but also their interest in the dramatic and fascinating world of math and science.
What is the TARDIS and why is it a popular tattoo?
T.A.R.D.I.S. Time and Relative Dimension In Space. This is the vessel disguised as a Police Box that propels Doctor Who through time and space, and since it is one of the few constants in this one of a kind television show, many fans choose the TARDIS as a key element in their Doctor Who tattoo designs.
Is the Gallifreyan Alphabet a real language?
Gallifreyan is the fictional language of the Time Lord – a race native to the planet Gallifrey -and the native language of Doctor Who. While the circular Gallifreyan alphabet is not a real language, die-hard Doctor Who fan, Loren Sherman, created a series of symbols and glyphs that allow other hardcore fans to write this fascinating but invented language and also use in brilliant art.
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