Best The Witcher Themed Tattoo Ideas

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To truly become a great fantasy series or story of any sort, you need to touch the hearts and minds of those who experience them. This doesn’t mean you have to take the world by storm and have the best-selling series in a generation to become truly great; after all, many series’ that people love today were unheard of before some sort of TV or movie adaption came along, skyrocketing the IP into global popularity. 

With this being said, a story or series comes along every now and then that hits just right and encapsulates the masses, leaving in its wake a group of avid fans who would happily mark their bodies with symbols or references to said series via tattoos. 

One series that has inspired many fans, as of late, to get some cool new ink inspired by it is The Witcher. This growth in popularity no doubt comes from the release of the super successful and popular video game, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and the Netflix TV show featuring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. Both of these adaptions have brought more fans to the series than the original books could ever have hoped for, creating a melting pot of new and old Witcher fans alike. 

However, for those old fans, those that came to the series through the books, these new adaptions have also proved useful for them, giving them a proper visual rendering of potential tattoo designs on real people instead of having to either imagine it or venture over to the dark lands of Reddit for some fan art.

Now, I completely get that some people may find getting this kind of tattoo a little strange; I completely get it. As someone with many tattoos, some of which are inspired by my favorite books, I love the idea of inking references to things you hold in high esteem on your body; it just serves as a reminder and adds a bit of flair to an otherwise boring piece.

So, with all this in mind, why don’t we take a look at some of the coolest Witcher-themed tattoos currently circling around the internet today to see if we can get you some new ink before the next series of The Witcher drops on Netflix? Let’s Go!

Before Sitting in The Chair!

One thing you have to consider before making your first tattoo appointment is that this piece of art will be with you for the rest of your life. Yes, this may seem obvious, but believe me when I say it is so easy to get swept up in an idea and overly excited about getting a tattoo that you end up with something you regret in the following years. I myself have made some terrible tattoo decisions, so if I can help you avoid such a disaster, I’ll be happy. 

My advice before your first tattoo then is pretty simple. Firstly, make sure you have thought about and decided on your tattoo for a good while before actually getting inked. Some people say six months, but you’re probably okay after two, in my opinion. After this, get the tattoo looking just right, whether working with an artist or drawing it yourself and don’t be afraid to keep pushing and asking for changes. Outside of all this, there are a couple of other things you should think about before getting in that chair:

Style

Tatoo

There is a reason that a tattooist is also known as a tattoo artist. These individuals are often masters of their craft and, similar to artists who actually use canvas as their, well, canvas, tattooists will each have their own unique style and way of doing things that sets them apart from everyone else.

While tattooing in general, becomes more popular and new designs/concepts keep emerging every day, the base styles can still be categorized as follows:

  • Classic Americana
  • New School
  • Japanese
  • Blackwork
  • Stick and Poke
  • Realism
  • Geometric
  • Dotwork
  • Realistic Polka
  • Surrealist 

Before getting your first tattoo, you should look at each of these tattooing styles and see which one fits your unique brand and personality. Also, you may need to consider how your base concept matches the tattoo style. For example, when you are getting your Witcher tattoo, I would say that you would be best suited with blackwork or realist tattoo styles as opposed to Classic Americana. However, this is just my own opinion.

Color or Blackwork?

Tatoo

I have both blackwork and color tattoos across my body; I liked both styles, so I decided not to limit myself. However, this might not be the case for you. I know that before getting my first tattoo, I never would have considered colored tattoos. So, before sitting in that chair, have a look at how your tattoo would look in both styles and see which one you like best.

It is also important to consult your tattoo artist about something like this. Their expertise will help you decide which will look better as a finished piece; however, always stick to your gut.

Size and Placement

Probably one of the biggest decisions you will have to make regarding your first couple of tattoos is their size and placement. I am now at a point where I generally don’t care about the size, preferring to let the tattooist choose the size for me, depending on what size suits the artwork the best. 

However, you may want to dip your toe in the water with your first tattoo, experiment with the whole concept, and see whether you want to be completely covered in tattoos later in life or if you can even handle the pain (trust me, you can!). 

I think you probably don’t want to sign up for a full-day session for your first tattoo. Not only will this massive new tattoo be a big shock to the system in the following days and weeks, but it will also require a lot of pain endurance that most people simply cannot handle on their first got. My longest sit was about two hours; believe me; I was ready for it to be over. Of course, once you get a couple under your belt, you are more than welcome to get that Steve-O complete back piece if you desire. 

Another thing to consider when choosing the size of your tattoo is cost. Many artists will charge more for the same design as it grows in size. This is pretty common and expected, considering it will take them more time and materials to complete the bigger tattoo. However, most of us don’t have limitless amounts of disposable income to spend on tattoos, so make sure you have an honest discussion with your artist about what you can afford before discussing changes in size. 

Lastly, in regards to tattoo placement, you should always take a couple of things into consideration when deciding where to put your tattoo; these include:

  • Possible effects on your career.
  • The tattoo’s natural fit.
  • Your own preference.
  • The opinion of your artist.

Choosing the Right Artist

Tatoo

Your artist is probably the most important decision in your tattoo journey, and these people ultimately make or break your experience of getting a tattoo. A good artist will not only be able to produce and enhance your idea, giving you a design that you will love forever, but they will also take care of you and put you at ease throughout what can be a daunting experience for first-timers. 

As mentioned, these artists also need to specialize in the style of tattoo you want and work at an affordable rate and bonus points for those artists who are also familiar with the Witcher franchise; this will help them to visualize your piece and perhaps add some tweaks to elevate the piece. It also helps if they have a rather good Instagram/social media presence allowing you to pursue their past work. Ultimately, you are golden if you can find one that matches all your criteria that a friend or family member also recommends. 

If you are interested, I have let only two tattoo artists paint all over me in my life. Andy from Girrafe Stairs Tattoos and Bad Tooth, also known as Em. Both of these artists are immensely talented and have their own unique styles. Check them out. 

Selection Criteria

Now that we have gone over some of the most important things to consider before getting inked let’s talk about how I selected the tattoos on this list, the selection criteria, if you will. After all, I’m not going to allow you to waste your time on tattoos that I consider horrible. With this in mind, here are my selection criteria for this list:

  • All designs on this list must be singular; no duplicates are allowed!
  • The designs and finish must be top quality, with no doodles being accepted.
  • Every tattoo must have The Witcher as the main theme.
  • The designs must be well made, sized, and placed.

Now that all the admin is out of the way, let’s delve into the wonderful world of the Witcher and the tattoos that some super fans have already gotten to inspire you guys!

Small or Standalone Witcher Tattoos

Cute and Plush Geralt

Starting off with a silly one, this tattoo shows a softer side of Geralt, as if he came from the mind of a 10-year-old girl rather than a cantankerous cold-war era Polish man with a beard. This tattoo shows a different side of Geralt and is different from almost every other Witcher tattoo you will see, playing down the typical masculine figure of Geralt for something more fun.

Classic Witcher Emblem

One of my favorite tattoo styles is blackwork with singular touches of color. The shading and level of detail applied to the edges of the Witcher emblem in this tattoo are brilliant. Combine this with the pop of red in the wolf’s eyes; you have a stunning piece. 

After completing this tattoo, the artist decided to bite the bullet and buy the new game, what a perfect interaction!

Americana Wolf

This tattoo is slightly different from the rest on this list; designed in the Classica Americana style and stands out against the rest. Geralt’s two swords plunge expertly into the beast’s head while the style makes the wolf look angrier and more alive than ever. The red used on the beast’s tongue is perfect for me.

Brushstroke Aard Sign

The artist, bobincza, posts this tattoo with the caption, “stay safe, friends!” This blackwork Aard sign is designed to look like a brushstroke, displaying the fluidity of the Witcher and his use of base magic. While simple, this tattoo is definitely in keeping with the ethos of the Aard sign. 

Dangling Emblem and Signs

The touches of red on the outside of this emblem resemble blood, referencing the many fights a Witcher like Geralt can expect to be in day after day. The chain that holds this guild emblem can be seen working up the wrist and disappearing behind the forearm, giving the piece a lot of depth. The knuckles of the hand are completed by each finger/thumb having its own sign symbol. 

Wild Hunt Skull Blackwork

I am such a fan of good blackwork tattoos with excellent shading, and this is a perfect example. The skull is scary and awe-inspiring, much like the Wild Hunt themselves and the efforts Geralt must make to defeat them. 

Geralt’s Deadly Blade Hilts

Everyone knows that Geralt is deadly, with or without his two swords. However, the Witcher has been around so long that he has acquired some fine-looking blades. This tattoo demonstrates the fine work and intricacy of the sword hilts. 

The White Wolf in Battle

The white wolf and the wolf emblem are iconic in the Witcher franchise, often shown to symbolize Geralt. This blackwork tattoo was designed in a brush stroke style featuring the symbols of both Yen and Triss, displaying the taught love triangle between the three. 

Henry Cavill as Geralt

There are many versions of Geralt in people’s minds today, depending on what part of the franchise you come from. This tattoo, done in a realist style, shows all the hardship of battle and loss on Geralt’s face, full of striking color.

Sword and Skull Blackwork

A simple tattoo is always great when executed well. This simple blackwork tattoo featuring one of Geralt’s blades plunged through a human skull does everything right. The dotwork shading and clean lines make this tattoo great. 

Half Blade, Half Signs

While this design concept may be common, the way this artist has pulled off the design is anything but. The unique sword hilt with the forward-facing pommel places me right back in The Witcher 3. The deep black signs replacing the blade of the weapon pull the viewers to stare down the blade in a really cool way. 

The best bit about this tattoo, for me, is the placement; the back of the forearm will always be great for blade tattoos.

Crossed Swords of Dotwork Light

The level of fine detail you can get into a dotwork-style tattoo will never cease to amaze me. This artist has included three swords, two of Geralt’s and another, presumably of Ciri’s, crossing through a small Witcher emblem with simply lined sun rays spewing from the top. Simplicity at its finest.

A Potion Fit For a Witcher

Another blackwork tattoo features the Witcher emblem that so many fans love to include in their tattoos. However, this one is slightly different, showing the emblem draped over a potion, hanging off it by its chain. The quality of the emblem is amazing, and the potion pot behind it is just different enough from the norm to make some take notice. It also begs the question, what potion is it?

The Lion Cub of Cintra

Featuring for the first time on this list, Ciri, the lion cub of Cintra, is captured here by the wonderfully talented kerrygentletattoo. The blackwork style shows Ciri as she is in the latest video game if only a little bit older. 

The artist states that this is just the first part of a Witcher arm project for one of his clients. I can’t wait to see the finished piece.

Flowered Sings

Nothing about the Witcher says that all the tattoos must be dark and gritty. This take on the five Witcher signs runs down the spine of this superfan. The simple blackwork style shows off just how well the signs intermingle with the foliage and flowers that surround them. 

Geralt Funko Figure

Some people collect old PS2 games; some people love old bottle caps. However, cool people collect tattoos. So why not marry your worlds by getting a Funko-pop-style version of Geralt on your body forever, adding to two collections at once? 

Bad Roach

This hilarious tattoo shows a realist take on Roach getting up to some mischief, evading Geralt and all his traveling by ‘hiding’ out on a nearby roof. The artist has captured a funny moment in a unique and tasteful artistic style, boxing off the ages to make the piece seem stranded in time. 

Swords and Flowers

When Geralt leaves Kaer Morhen, he straps two swords to his back, one for monsters and one for men. However, the franchise displays time and time again that Yennefer, Geralt’s soul mate, is far more deadly than either of these blades. 

This tattoo has the Witcher’s two swords with a lavender plant sitting proudly in the middle, representing Yennefer.

Geralt’s Heart

There are two main love interests in Geralt’s life, Yennefer and Triss. However, this tattoo shows where Geralt’s heart really lies, with the black-haired mage Yennefer. The color in this tattoo is amazing, the hint of purple on her medallion bringing everything together brilliantly.

Big Pieces and Sleeves

Witcher Meets Tarot

I couldn’t think of something more discreetly humorous than placing Geralt and Yen in a tarot card together. The most powerful mage in the continent with a magically enhanced Witcher by her side. The lettering that calls the pair ‘The Lovers’ is excellent in this piece.

The White Wolf Sleeve

This entire sleeve tattoo is done in a blackwork style, featuring all the best bits of the Witcher universe, Geralt, a wolf, and some creepy mountains as a backdrop. The shading on this tattoo is excellent, giving Geralt a slightly menacing look and leaving you feeling like any monster has no chance whatsoever. 

Ciri the Witcher

Once yet make it through all the different elements of training and mutations, you can call yourself a Witcher; however, due to her gender and lack of full training, Ciri never actually earns this right. However, this super fan decided that Ciri has more than earned the right to wear the Witcher guild emblem, using a thick-lined blackwork style to bring out her unique facial features.

Full Color Leshen Arm Piece

This all-powerful forest spirit was made popular from its inclusion in The Witcher: 3. Full of color and detail, this tattoo perfectly demonstrates the horror of a Leshen and the brutality of its figure.

Give Me a Bit of Everything, Please

This full arm tattoo is perfect for the die-hard Witcher fan, full of color and realist flair; this piece has every bit of the Witcher universe that you could ever need on your arm, including Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, and Triss. 

Did Somebody Say Crossover?

Posted by the wonderfully talented kolbastattoo, who loves doing some comic book-inspired tattoos, this piece shows Geralt about to chop the head off of Wolverine in some weird alternative reality world. The big question is, would this actually kill Wolverine?

The Witcher 3 Cover

This one shows a realistic blackwork version of Geralt from the third Witcher game, complete with a smaller version of the Witcher slaying some horrible monsters. The shading done around the piece sets everything apart, allowing you to feel the darkness of the world that Geralt inhabits.

Comic Style Leschen

Designed and tattooed in Poland, this wonderful piece from the Witcher homeland displays a stylized version of a Leschen. I’ve always loved this style as a way of dealing with dark-themed tattoos, giving them a bit of life and reducing the seriousness of the piece in general.

Morvudd the Fiend

The goat-style fiend is completed in a blackwork style here, featuring a night sky at his back. I love that the client chose to have this one on their outside thigh, a great place to put such a big and powerful statement of a tattoo. 

Laddy Midday Half Sleeve

One of the best things about Witcher tattoos is that they can end up looking completely different from how you or I might imagine. This version of Lady Midday, a Noonwraith from Witcher and Polish folklore, is presented here as a beautiful woman, unlike the husk you would normally find.

Full Body Ciri

While she may differ from her description in the books and how I envisioned her, I believe that the adult version of Ciri we meet in The Witcher 3 is her best and coolest look. Standing in full blackwork beauty, this piece is perfect for fans coming from the games. 

Hyper Stylized Geralt

This hyper-realistic version of Geralt, complete with a 3D representation of the Witcher emblem, has the best color pallet of any tattoo on this list so far, standing out thanks to strong and bold choices. This piece flows just below the elbow, with incredible detail in the necessary places, such as Geralt’s beard.

Leschen Chest Piece

The only thing better than an incredibly cool Leschen is one set against a dark blue night sky. The blood moon hangs just below the client’s neck, but the coolest piece of this tattoo has to be the terrifying Leshy.

Geralt’s Journey

This angry and aged version of Geralt is teamed with a vision of Geralt, fighting his way through hordes of monsters on the way to his objective. For me, the best thing about this tattoo is the anger in his eyes.

Lady Midday As We See Her

Blackwork really does seem to be the theme for all cool Witcher tattoos right now, doesn’t it? This piece, taking up the client’s entire side, perfectly represents the Polish folk tale we talked about. The length of this piece really shows just how haggard and freaky these creatures can be. 

A Game Inspired Half Sleeve

This piece, inspired by the Witcher 3 game, features the three blood scrapes seen on the game’s cover. The artist states that this is just the beginning of a half-sleeve project he’s working on with the client. This version of Geralt is definitely a lot less frightening than other renditions we have seen on this list.

Kaer Morhen, Broken But Not Gone

You can tell from this one that the tattoo artist is a big fan of the Witcher series, putting such care and attention into the walls of Kaer Morhen, one of the coolest and most original places in the Witcher franchise. The home of the Witchers was broken during the sacking of Kaer Morhen, but this artist’s rendition restores it to its former glory.

So, there you have it, some of the best Witcher-inspired tattoos this side of the Continent. As someone with plenty of tattoos, I really do love some of these pieces and might even end up with one of them myself. 

Hopefully, this list has helped answer some tattoo questions you may have had and helped point you in the right direction. Either way, I hope to see you again soon. Good luck with your next piece of ink!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Does Geralt have any tattoos?

Answer: While he does not have any tattoos in the books, Geralt does get a tattoo during a drunken night with some Temerian soldiers in The Witcher 2 video game. This decision can be carried through into The Witcher 3 via exporting your save.

Question: Will there be a season 3 of The Witcher?

Answer: Netflix has confirmed that a third season of the show will air in the summer of 2023. However, in the meantime, a spinoff series called “The Witcher: Blood Origin” will debut on Christmas day, 2022.

Question: What is the Witcher based on?

Answer: The Witcher TV show is based on a series of novels written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. While none of these books are actually called The Witcher, they are still commonly known as the Witcher series. 

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