Rebecca Sugar’s Steven Universe animated television series is proving to be a popular inspiration for contemporary tattoo art.
The variety of memorable characters, LGBTQ+ themes, and the show’s cool animation make for some excellent Steven Universe tattoo designs.
Sugar, who left as an Adventure Time writer and storyboard artist to create Steven Universe, based the lead character on her younger brother Steven. The series main themes are applicable to tattoo designs and include love, family, and the importance of healthy relationships.
Steven Universe tattoos relate directly to the characters of the series such as the Gems (alien warriors who project female forms from magical gemstones) and Steven himself, a half-human half-Gem.
The following collection of Steven Universe tattoos depicts a range of themes and application styles to provide you with ideas for your own Steven Universe tatt.
1. Black and Gray Tattoo Art
2. Arm Tattoos
4. Garnet Tattoo Ideas
5. Innovative and Creative Tattoos
6. Pearl Tattoo Ideas
7. Tattoos of Other Characters From Steven Universe
8. Small and Simple Tattoos
9. Steven Tattoo Ideas
10. Steven Universe Tattoos With Text
Who are the Gems and why do they make such cool tattoo art?
The (initial) Gems are ageless alien warriors – Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl – who project female humanoid forms from magical gemstones at the core of their being.
The Crystal Gems personalities are entwined with their stones, which goes for other Gems introduced in the series such as Rose Quartz (Steven’s mom), Lapis Lazuli, Peridot, and Jasper.
Tattoo lovers can relate to these characters and their motivations, but also appreciate the art involved in their creations.
Why is Steven a popular tattoo subject?
Steven is more than just the title character.
Steven’s development as both a Gem and a human creates fertile ground for tattoo enthusiasts who love the nuance of the show’s central themes.
Steven is growing up and trying to get a handle on his power, while maintaining more regular human relationships with his father Greg, his best friend Connie, and the other residents of Beach City.
What style of Steven Universe tattoo should I get?
The vast majority of Steven Universe tattoo art reflects the cool cartoon aspects of the show, while focusing on the Crystal Gem characters, the multi faceted gemstones themselves, and Steven.
They tend to be brightly colored, new wave style ink expressions that correspond to the animation style Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar.
Other collectors prefer to use a linework cartoon drawing style without color that incorporates sharpie style lines, or more detailed work done with simple black and gray shading.
How much do Steven Universe tattoos cost?
High quality professional tattooers with a specialization in cartoon style, high color design work can command rates starting from $200-250 per hour, and even more for high profile artists.
Simpler designs in black ink linework or with minimal shading can cost around 200-250 for a quick to execute small or mid sized piece.
As always, do your research to find the best artist to bring your design to life – it’s not necessarily the cheapest (or most expensive) tattooist that’s right for your body art.