Welcome to Scorpio season—a time of year dedicated to celebrating the solar returns of arguably the most intense of the zodiac signs. According to astrology OG Susan Miller, Scorpios themselves can be determined, shrewd, protective, jealous, and powerful. Which is, um, a lot. Add to that the fact that Scorpio season coincides with spooky season, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that folks born during this time can also be quite mysterious. And what better way to add to one’s mystery than with a brand-new piece of ink, right? These 13 Scorpio tattoos are bound to please the most hedonistic of Scorpios—and yes, they’re all pretty much hedonists.
1. This dreamy fine line scorpion
Former Inside Out guest artist Mira Mariah (aka GirlKnewYork) loves a good zodiac-inspired design. Take a quick scan of her portfolio and you’ll see that she tattoos slews of them, including this forearm piece of a scorpion, the celestial spirit animal of Scorpios, in her signature flowing fine lines.
2. A wave for a water sign
Although there’s nothing specifically astrological about this tattoo by Russian tattooist, Mary, it could make a great piece for a Scorpio; one of the three water signs. For the Scorpio looking to embrace their relationship to the water, a wave tattoo like this one could represent their depth and power. And what’s specifically unique about this tattoo is its colorful take on the ignorant style, which is intentionally rough looking, hence the squiggly lines.
3. The ruling planet: Pluto
Opting for a space-inspired tattoo is a great idea for a Scorpio, as the sign is ruled by two planets: Mars, the planet of aggression, action, and desire; and Pluto, the planet of transformation, power, and rebirth. Here Ayhan Karadag, an artist based in Istanbul, has tattooed a tiny but hyper-detailed illustration of the dwarf planet on his client’s shoulder. The illusion of texture in this micro tattoo is truly out of this world. (Sorry, had to.)
4. This symbolic planetary design
This ankle tattoo by South Korean tattooer, Kissa, is a very different take on Scorpio’s relationship to Pluto: the symbol for the planet with the Scorpio’s glyph. (That’s the little ‘m’ looking symbol in the center of the piece). This is the kind of design that only someone with astrological know-how would be able to decode, making it one of the more mysterious Scorpio tattoos. So on brand.
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5. Scorpius meets serotonin
Whether you’re a Scorpio who doubles as a chemistry buff or one who just needs a reminder to look on the bright side of life, this minimalistic tattoo will sate either persona. The simple, single needle design is from Teagan Olsen, a Utah-based tattoo artist who also specializes in permanent makeup. Here, she seamlessly merges the Scorpius constellation—a popular tattoo among Scorpios—with the molecular illustration of serotonin, a chemical known for its ability to improve well-being and overall happiness.
6. The November birth flower
Want something less literal? Consider this flower tattoo of a chrysanthemum, the November birth flower. This illustrative take on the blossom by Beijing’s Franky Yang relates back to Scorpio season without being too focused on the symbols directly tied to astrology.
7. A scorpion in its element
Of course the scorpion is the universally accepted symbol of this zodiac sign, and this rendition of the tiny but powerful creature is one of our favorite Scorpio tattoos. The piece—by Elizabeth Pavlikova, a Moscow-based tattooer who specializes in the watercolor style—combines the Scorpio’s scorpion with its ruling element of water.
8. The Death card
While getting a tattoo of the Death tarot card may seem morbid to the spiritually uninitiated, the card is actually the Scorpio’s signature. But the sign’s relationship to death isn’t negative or sad because it’s actually focused on the ideas of rebirth and transformation. Here, a blackwork tattoo artist in Argentina, has done a great job of making death look beautiful with his bold linework and detailing.
9. This bright hibiscus flower
This vivid rendering of a hibiscus bloom is another flower tattoo that’s a great choice for Scorpios since the blossom is associated with the astrological sign. The design seen here is done by Shira Twig, a young tattooer (she’s just 18 years old) based in Israel, whose fine lines are accentuated with her use of bold hues.
10. A Scorpio half-sleeve
A sleeve tattoo is the way to go if you’re really proud of your Scorpio status. Check out this detailed, black-and-grey half sleeve from Portland’s Finley Jordan, whose style generally includes a mix of illustrative linework, single needle shading, and heavy blackfill. The design has a super-subtle nod to the season thanks to the scorpion at the base of her client’s hand. (Subtle being relative, of course.)
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11. This colorful Scorpio gal
Lilian Raya, a tattooer in Mexico City, went all out with this incredible design. It’s hard to take your eyes off this Scorpio gal done in the New School style, a tattoo aesthetic popularized in the 80s and 90s that features brightly colorful, animated figures. And the more you look at this piece, the more the details will impress you—like the Scorpio glyph hair clip and the scorpion-inspired hairstyle and earrings.
12. A celestial-inspired piece
The person wearing this fine line tattoo, which is designed by New York based artist, Dani, is clearly a big fan of the cosmos. Instead of choosing just one Scorpio space symbol for her design, she chose two—Pluto and Scorpius—and swapped teeny flower buds in place of larger stars to make up the constellation.
13. This 3-D scorpion
Scorpios are bold, sometimes brash even, but nonetheless are beautiful. So is this tattoo from Toronto-based artist Rosario, better known as @thewolfrosario on Insta. Here, he uses a heavy blackwork style punctuated by an identical red image in the background to create the graphic 3-D effect.
If you liked our post 13 Scorpio Tattoos Perfect for Astrology’s Most Intense Sign, be sure to check out 12 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Zodiac Tattoo.