Beautiful bear tattoos not only look great on the body, but also have a deep meaning. These animals are considered strong and noble creatures, which makes them a popular motif for tattoos. In nature, there are many different varieties of bears: brown, white, grizzly, panda, and each of them has its own symbolic meaning. Accordingly, the tattoo design is chosen by a person, depending on what meaning he wants to put into the drawing.

Bear tattoos - meaning

Bear tattoos symbolize both positive and negative meanings. For guys, they are associated with masculine qualities, such as strength, courage and protection, and for girls, with feminine qualities: creativity, motherhood, observation. Some draw strength from the images of bears and perceive them as spiritual guides through the most difficult stages of life.

The meaning of a bear tattoo: power, strength, aggression, confidence, cheerfulness, attack, motherhood, spirituality, fearlessness and a strong connection with the outside world.

A typical bear tattoo reflects a person's desire for freedom and strength. On the other hand, this beast can be seen as a sweet and noble creature, showing aggression only when it is in danger.

Depending on the design, the stylized bear can radiate strength, aggression, playfulness, or spiritual strength.

In some cultures, the bear is considered a terrifying animal and is associated with fighting and aggression. Therefore, the meanings of a bear tattoo depend on the message that its owner puts into the drawing.

Many people get bear tattoos because they believe they bring self-confidence and protection from negative influences.

Best Bear Tattoo Ideas

These attractive but dangerous animals inspire people with awe because of their sharp fangs, long claws and powerful jaws. Therefore, design options can vary significantly depending on what a person wants to express when getting a bear tattoo on their body.

For some, it may be a cute bear in a beret, for others it may be an open mouth of a bear, which speaks of aggression. In addition, the meaning of a bear tattoo can vary depending on the type of animal.

Consider a few popular ideas that you can choose for your future tattoo.

Polar bear

This animal has a spiritual and cultural relationship to the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic. The Eskimos respect them for their excellent hunting abilities, and the Nenets from Siberia believe that wearing fangs as a talisman can protect a person from any evil. The Eskimo and Inuit tribes have countless legends about these animals.

A polar bear tattoo can represent a symbol of purity, rebirth and transformation. Anyone who has gone through hardships can choose this tattoo to depict a transformation in life. Also, a bear tattoo can represent strong family and bonds.

Brown bear

These animals have been revered for their protective qualities in many cultures. That is why the bear tattoo is one of the most popular designs in body art. As a rule, the animal is depicted on the body in full growth or its muzzle, claws or jaws. Moreover, it is not necessary to depict a ferocious bear with a grin on a tattoo: the special protective forces that a drawing gives its owner will work even when a calm image of an animal is applied.

Bear

Females are known for their affection for cubs, as well as their ferocity in protecting cubs in dangerous situations. Bear tattoos are liked by those girls who want to show their love and kindness towards children.

Bear grin

This design exudes the immense strength and ferocity of a majestic beast. Typically, a bear's head with a grin is placed on wider and larger areas: on the sternum, on the shoulder, or on the back. Sometimes the drawing can be done in 3D to add realism and beauty.

Paws and claws

Bear paw prints mean motherhood, gentle spirit and strength. They can also denote mobility and purposefulness in achieving goals.

Bear claw tattoos symbolize good luck, stability, power and mobility.

Grizzly

The image of a grizzly on the body is identified with its powerful and warlike spirit. In Native American culture, the grizzly was a spiritual animal that guided fallen warriors to the afterlife.

Panda

Pandas are considered one of the rarest animals in the world. Therefore, panda tattoos mean rare luck and balance. Also, in Chinese culture, they are associated with the Yin-Yang symbol due to their black and white coloration.

Koala

Koalas are known for their calm nature and friendliness. In the folklore of the natives, koalas bring wisdom to people and are the keepers of earthly memories. Therefore, a drawing with this animal will symbolize wisdom, calmness, measuredness, optimism.

Teddy bear

Cute and teddy bear is every child's favorite toy. For this reason, teddy bear tattoos can be inked on their body by those people who want to create a playful look. Such an image will carry good thoughts: coquettishness, mercy, sincerity, friendliness.

Teddy Bear

Plush toys "Teddy Beer" got its name thanks to the worthy deed of the former President of America - Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to kill the bear cub during the hunt. Artistic teddy bear tattoos represent sympathy, affection, purity and symbolize childhood. Teddy Bear can be used as a memorial tattoo design for those who "lost" a child.

tribal style

A tribal bear tattoo embodies spirituality, courage, aggressiveness. Basically, tribal designs are used for male tattoos.

Other popular tattoo options include combining the main motif with other elements such as bees, trees, ice floes and other animals such as the wolf.

Regardless of which design you choose for your future tattoo, it will catch the eye of those around you with its beauty and originality.

A bear in a hat with earflaps, a warrior beast and a geometry style are the most common tattoo sketches.

The best places on the body for a bear tattoo

For men, the ideal places to ink are on the arm, leg, shoulder, chest and back.

In women, bear tattoos look great on the shoulder blade, on the forearm, on the wrist, on the hips and on the calves.

Male and female tattoo sketches and photos of finished works

For those who want to portray the power and charm of an animal, it is recommended to apply realism tattoos. This design involves careful drawing of details, which, in the final result, will give the image a special beauty.

Those who want to bring bright colors and cartoonishness to the image can think about watercolor and old school styles.

Less often you can find drawings made in the technique of dotwork, trash polka and tribal. Most often, these styles are observed in male tattoos.

On the presented photos you can see the original works of tattoo artists from all over the world. We hope that any sketch will make it easier for you to choose your future drawing.

Quite a lot of traditions and legends in different cultures are associated with the image of a bear. For example, the ancient Celts, Chinese and Japanese revered and deified this animal, endowing it with such qualities as courage, justice and wisdom. In Islamic and Christian religions, the bear, on the contrary, personifies dark power, cruelty and greed..

General value

The meaning of a bear tattoo is ambiguous and depends on how and in what form the animal is depicted. Most often, a bear tattoo symbolizes awakening after hibernation and, in a sense, resurrection, the beginning of a new life.

Depending on the type of bear depicted on the tattoo, its meaning may differ. So, some consider polar bears a symbol of loneliness and transformation, others believe that they embody the desire to survive in difficult life circumstances. The grizzly bear represents the ability to cope with any problem and find a way out of a difficult situation, and the brown bear represents power and strength. Cute pandas and koalas tattooed mean optimism and good nature.

The image of individual parts of animals is also symbolic. A tattoo with a muzzle of a grinning bear represents courage and fortitude, and the image of a roaring animal symbolizes aggression. The paws of a bear are a symbol of strength, the claws and their footprint mean military prowess.

Girls

Representatives of the weaker sex prefer tattoos with peaceful species of bears. Very often among women's tattoos there is a bear with a bear cub, the meaning of which is care and love for the family and symbolize the feminine.

A teddy bear tattoo applied to the lower back or animal muzzles on the shoulder blade looks playful. In general, girls prefer to apply images of bears in the form of fairy-tale characters and plush toys.

Guys

Men often rely on a bear tattoo with a grin. The image looks spectacular on the shoulders and back, where you can place entire plots with a grinning predator. The value of the open mouth of an animal personifies strength, courage and readiness to overcome adversity..

A polar bear tattoo is also popular. As a symbol of loners, such a tattoo speaks of a man’s unwillingness to let anyone into his territory and his readiness to defend his right to be alone.

The bear's paw as a symbol of power is also a very common tattoo among men. The owner of the tattoo, as it were, declares that he is ready to "put his paw" on what he wants and it is useless to resist his desires.

Prison value

In a prison, a bear tattoo symbolizes aggression and power, and emphasizes the dominant position of its owner among the prisoners.

There is a belief that the image of a bear on the body promotes the healing of spiritual and physical wounds, so a tattoo with a predator is considered a kind of amulet or talisman.

A bear tattoo usually symbolizes strength and rage. At the same time, a bear tattoo means greatness and good nature. Although the bear is associated with a dangerous predator and a clumsy animal that loves treats, bear tattoos are chosen by men and girls around the world. Depending on the plot, a bear tattoo can have different meanings.

In this article m We have selected the most interesting options for tattoos with the image of bears.

Bear Tattoo Meaning

First, the most commonmeaningbear tattoos -power, strength, fury, power. The bear is a strong animal that people have associated with the forces of nature since ancient times.Bears are mentioned in the legends of many cultures. They have always been considered sacred animals, guardians of the family, patrons of the forest and protectors of the weak.

Second valueassociated with the deceptive appearance of bears. At first glance, this is a large, clumsy, and sometimes clumsy / clumsy animal, but in fact, they are excellent and dexterous hunters with great strength. Bear tattoo could meaninner strengthand deceptive appearance.

Third meaninghas a bear tattoo. In Viking mythology, the bear is the symbol of the berserk. Berserkers - warriors who, according to legend, in the heat of battle could turn into bears, possessed unprecedented strength and courage. This tattoo could meanstrong character, courage, perseverance.

FourthmeaningBear tattoos are related to fairy tales and cartoons. Bear, as the children call him,sweet tooth and sweetheart. Bears like to sleep, have a tasty snack and walk in the forest. The image of a kind and calm bear, with cartoonish features, also often becomes a reason for tattooing.

Men's Bear Tattoos - Bear Tattoo Designs for Men

Most often, subjects with the image of a bear are chosen by men. Many of them associate themselves with this predator. Bears are good hunters, strong, smart, calm. It is these positive qualities of bears that have made them a popular subject for male tattoos.

Female Bear Tattoos - Bear Tattoo Designs for Girls

Girls also turn to the image of bears. These are most often small images, or . A bear tattoo can look very attractive and feminine if you choose the right design.

Popular Styles and Places for a Bear Tattoo

Polar Bear Tattoo

Polar bears in symbolism are no different from brown ones. The drawing of a polar bear is chosen solely for the sake of taste. Polar bears are associated with the north, ice, polar cold.

Bear Tattoo in the Forest

The bear in the forest is a symbol of the owner in his element. The bear is called the lord and guardian of the forest.

Bear and Bear Tattoo

The image of the family of bears is a symbol of fidelity, care and love. Bear cubs are born very small, it is sometimes even difficult to imagine that such a small fragile creature will turn into a huge powerful beast. Tattoos with the family of bears are mainly done as a dedication to their family, a sign of gratitude and loyalty to their loved ones.

Roaring Bear Tattoo

A tattoo with a roaring bear is a symbol of rage, strength, courage, readiness for battle. A strong and dangerous predator is ready for defense, he has no equal in battle. Most often, a roaring bear becomes the choice of men.

Realistic Bear Tattoo

Images in a realistic style are distinguished by their detail, they emphasize the beauty of a wild animal, its strength. Realism includes both color and black and white images.

Bear Tattoo On Chest

As a rule, a large image of a bear on the chest is the choice of men. Such a tattoo looks impressive, evokes emotions and speaks of the strong character of its owner.

Bear Tattoo Forearm

The forearm is considered one of the most popular places for tattoos, including images of a bear. The tattoo on the forearm is suitable for both girls and men.

Such irreconcilable qualities as kindness and rage, tenderness and ferocity, nobility and bloodthirstiness have merged in this unique animal. A bear tattoo is not a very common animal for a sketch, but those who choose it, no doubt, can boast of the strength of the body and spirit.

Bear in a fur coat, leg tattoo

Symbolism of the bear essence

The formidable master of the forests is present in mythologies and cultures around the world. Traditionally, it was associated with military strength and fearlessness, which is why only those who especially distinguished themselves on the battlefield were allowed to wear the skin of this animal.

For the northern peoples, the bear was one of the most revered animals, it was often considered a totem animal and the ruler of the other world. In ancient Egypt and India, the beast was associated with undeniable power, so only the rulers put his image on their body.

In ancient Greece, the bear was the companion of the fearless goddess of the hunt, Artemis. The Celts associated the animal with fertility, childbearing, the Moon and the feminine. In China, on the contrary, the bear was revered as a male beast, personifying power and authority.

This is interesting. Eastern belief says that a meeting with this powerful predator speaks of the imminent birth of a son. And a girl who thinks about a bear during pregnancy will definitely give birth to a boy.

Sleeve with fighting bears on the background of nature

The Japanese beast was considered the embodiment of wisdom, charity and justice, and the Indians believed that the bear stops natural disasters, being the true energy of peace and freedom. Close to nature, the indigenous peoples of America were among the first to note that behind the outward ferocity of the predator lies an affectionate and peaceful nature, and the Indians also used its image to communicate with spirits.

Scandinavian mythology ascribes blind rage to the beast, and it is in this animal that the supreme formidable gods Odin and Thor are embodied in myths.

In Russia, a bear tattoo is especially popular due to the fact that this animal symbolizes our cold, harsh country for most foreigners. From time immemorial, Russians have considered the bear the embodiment of courage, hunting ingenuity and good luck. It is not uncommon for an animal to be interpreted as a desire for resurrection and the beginning of a new life. Such symbolism is directly related to the fact that the bear wakes up after hibernation in order to continue its life path.

Christians did not favor the bear with positive connotations, considering it the embodiment of gluttony, revenge, greed and cruelty. Alchemists, on the other hand, used the animal to denote chaos, striving for order.

Bear grin - tattoo outline

Who is the tattoo for?

• People seeking to move forward, spiritual rebirth.
• Courageous, warlike, even somewhat rude and callous people.
• And, on the contrary, those who believe that sensitivity, tenderness and kindness are hidden behind a tough appearance.
• Straightforward, responsible, honest, noble personalities. This is the category of people who have nothing to hide from anyone.
• Confident in themselves and their strength warriors.
• Women, and even men, striving for a family, caring and ready to stand up for their relatives to the end.

Important. If you have settled on a realistic image of an animal, then choose a tattoo artist responsibly. Not every artist is able to qualitatively convey the play of chiaroscuro, to work out the plasticity of movements and appearance.

polar bear on leg

Picture Options

Depending on the purpose for which the bear tattoo is applied, its sketches can vary greatly:

• Grizzly. One of the most terrible and ferocious bears speaks of determination and unstoppable strength. This dangerous, one-ton predator is usually depicted in a menacing stance, standing on its hind legs, snarling, ready to attack.
• The white color of the animal is associated with originality, loneliness and the desire to survive.
• Panda is applied to their body not only by those who sympathize with the endangered species of animals, but also by those who want to focus on kindness, friendship and optimism. Probably the koala has a similar meaning.
• The brown bear embodies power, fearlessness and fortitude.
• The roaring animal symbolizes hunting ferocity, furious struggle.
• A calm beast indicates harmony, wisdom, justice and obedience.
• The bear is associated with the motherly feelings of the bearer, caring, tenderness, affection.
• The paw of a predator refers to courage and unshakable power.
• The image of bear claw marks is very popular; they embody military prowess and nobility.
• Realistic drawing conveys all the beauty and hidden grace of the animal.
• Cartoon images, small cute teddy bears with big eyes are a frequent choice among girls, emphasizing their eccentricity and craving for childhood with such a pattern.
• The beast against the background of the Russian tricolor will speak of the owner's desire to emphasize his belonging to the Russian nation.
• A teddy bear is a purely girlish version of the sketch, emphasizing tenderness, purity and kindness in young ladies. However, a soft toy in the style of horror films is an interesting idea for a male.
• Sometimes the sketch of the animal is supplemented with stars, as if reminding that the bear has its own constellation, often referred to as "Ladle".
• A photographic sketch depicting a bear in its natural habitat, among forests and lakes, is often stuffed not for the sake of the image of the animal, but for the sake of the aesthetic component of the composition.
• People who wish to convey the magical meaning of an Indian beast are advised to depict a bear surrounded by feathers, lightning or arrows. In this case, the tribal tattoo style is often used.

Tattoo on the shoulder blade in the form of a grin of a bear

Stuffed a bear on his back as a powerful protector. I noticed that many began to treat me differently now, with some apprehension. Such a sketch greatly raises self-esteem, I advise everyone!

Grigory, Petrozavodsk

Bear grin on the guy's chest

Tattoo area

If you are impressed by the bear tattoo, the meaning and symbolism of this pattern, then you should decide on the place of its application.

On my shoulder, the master depicted a trace from the claws of a bear. The tattoo is done very skillfully, and the scratches look like real ones. In my opinion, this is a stylish and non-binding decoration.

Arseny, Ulyanovsk

Bear grin in flowers, shoulder tattoo

For a large and furious animal, as a rule, open and extensive areas of the body are assigned, such as chest, back, male muscular shoulder, shoulder blades. The bear is not one of those animals that hide, therefore, its image on the body should be clearly visible.

Often this pattern is found as part of a sleeve or golf. It sets the general tone of a large-scale composition. To the question of what a bear tattoo can be, the photos in our article fully answer.

Video: bear tattoo review

Bear tattoo sketches