The first, most natural tattoos have always been about nature and symbolism. Originally, these tribal tattoos were meant to show a person’s spiritualism and connection to the earth or universe. Nowadays, tribal tattoos can be used just to show off a cool design. They look especially striking on body parts that are well-muscled, making an already strong body look simply badass.

Many tattoo artists are very familiar with tribal designs and can work with your body to ensure that the lines flow in all the right directions. Even though a tattoo artist might see this kind of design often, he or she should treat each one as unique. Your body will define how a tribal design should be used and placed, so make sure that this isn’t just a “one size fits all” type of deal.

Tribal designs are usually done in just black ink, so they are a popular choice for people who are looking to get a simple design that won’t fade as easily as lighter colors. A large tribal design can also be used to cover up a tattoo that you don’t like anymore, so keep that in mind. Any tattoo that can work double duty is badass in our book!