Every culture has beautiful folklore in their art and crafts—something that makes it stand out above all others in one particular respect. Whether it’s food, architecture, poetry, pottery, painting, sculpting, or any other number of human activities, civilization has an amazing way to promote the best it has. And in today’s globalized, highly interconnected world, we can learn about other peoples’ most impressive artistic achievements with the click of a button.
What’s more, any given culture’s craft has found its way into other mixes or mediums that we never would’ve imagined—and the results are completely worth it. Take Mexican embroidery, for example. That’s a beautiful tradition that has been honed over generations upon generations of craftsmen and craftswomen, and now it’s available in a most unexpected fashion: tattoos.
That’s right, some amazing tattoo artists have taken one of Mexico’s most endearing crafts and figured out how to imprint them on your skin. Trust us when we say this: if you’re into tattoos at all, you’ll want to take a look at these embroidery tattoos.
A colorful wolf
@alicetattoomxBoth cute and cool, what more could you ask for? Wolves are already a tattoo favorite, so it’s great to see their embroidered version. Flowers are optional.
A cactus for your heart?
@viernes13_tattoo_collective_This one looks particularly realistic, especially with the way the artist handled the border lines. It really does look like a cloth patch on your skin, doesn’t it?
A glorious cloth bird
@polo_tattsThis bird just sticks out with the kind of flawless technique we’re talking about. Every inch of this embroidery tattoo looks like it was taken right out of an actual tapestry.
Another level
@atelierenatasilvaAnd here the tattoo artist took things to another level, making sure to add as much volume and realism to the “patchwork” as possible.
Flowery needlework
@talimanriqueztattooFlowers are the perfect subject matter for this kind of embroidery tattoo. They’re relatively easy to do and truly beautiful to look at.
Not everything in nature
@crowandfoxtattooNot every awesome shape or pattern suitable for this kind of tattoo is necessarily found in nature. Simple abstract figures (even ones that vaguely resemble flowers) are great as well, including these x-based patterns. That’s typical embroidery for you.
The Mexican Skull
@greckhardy_tattooartistBut if you really want to go down the Mexican folklore route, you can’t go wrong with a traditional Mexican skull. You know, like the ones from the Day of the Dead festivities?
I just can’t wait to be king
@dudalozanotattooOf course, it doesn’t have to have a Mexican theme. Think of any character of your favorite movie or cartoon: all of them can be made to look like a cloth patch on your skin.
Abduction
@palmerdemariaThen there are more… Sci Fi themes. It doesn’t really matter what image you want, the only point is to make it look like embroidery art. It’s all about that appearance of volume, as you can see.
Follow the hummingbird thread
@drome_tattooThey come in all sizes to suit your tastes. The sky’s the limit.
Irish luck… right?
@dudalozanotattooAlso, make the colors look bright and vibrant.
@dudalozanotattooAny shape or symbol will do, as long as you take care to get the texture right.
The classic mermaid—with a twist
@cindymatzakSirens and mermaids are a tattoo classic as well. So if you really want one of those on your skin, why not add it a little embroidery twist?
Cloth patterns
@tabatatattooOr you could make your skin look like an actual tapestry or simulate the patterns of your favorite rug. You don’t see that every day.
The simple embroidery
@_heartless_harlot_Following the previous idea, you can make it as simple as it gets. Just a few, elegant lines is all you need sometimes.
Whatever style you choose, we hope you agree: embroidery tattoos are as beautiful as they’re original. Enjoy your newfound inspiration!
Take a look at these other articles:
4 Things You Have To Know To Get A Vibrant Colorful Tattoo According To The Experts
8 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Get A Tattoo
6 Facts You Need To Know Before Getting A White Tattoo
