33 Elegant Elephant Tattoo Ideas for Men & Women in 2024
People love elephants for so many reasons. Some relate to elephants’ calmness, while others love their intelligence. Or perhaps it is the cute clumsiness of baby elephants! Whatever the reason may be, we know for a fact that elephants are one of the most sacred and respected animals in the world. So it comes as no surprise that you’re interested in getting an elephant tattooed on your body.
But before you go and get your own elephant tattoo, let us help guide you in choosing the perfect piece of ink. Below we’ll show you the most beautiful, the most majestic, and the most unique elephant tattoos of 2024. You’ll surely be inspired with the perfect idea of which tattoo style to get as well as where to ink it on your body.
Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Black And Gray Ganesh Tattoo
With one look you can tell this is a tattoo of Ganesh, “The Lord of The People”. According to Hindu beliefs, Ganesh represents the wisdom, understanding, and discriminating intellect required to achieve life’s perfection. If this aligns with your life’s purpose, then why not get this artistically crafted design?
We love this piece as it truly stands out thanks to skillful shading and contrast. The calf provides the perfect canvas for this tattoo.
IG: panumart_tattoo
Beautiful Mandala Style Elephant Tattoo
This patterned elephant tattoo is immediately reminiscent of Asian artworks. The geometric pattern seen here is called a Mandala and does in fact have its origins in Asia. The repetitive symmetry of the Mandala is hypnotic and meditative. Keep looking, breathe deep and say…Om
IG: kdarttattoo
Linework Elephant Tattoo With Splashes Of Watercolor
Linework and Watercolor styles are perfect for creating light, delicate pieces. You can’t look at this tattoo and not admire how pretty it is. The black lines are thin and steady while the blue and green splashes provide beautiful contrast. The strong yet loving nature of the elephant is certainly brought to life in this tattoo.
IG: teresa_cuttoo
Black And Gray Elephant Tattoo With Mandala
Black and Gray style is often used to render realistic images; case-in-point this elephant tattoo. The style affords the artist the opportunity to create 3D using shading and contrast. Here white ink and a touch of color are added to provide for more detailing.
We love the fact that the artist took this piece to the next level by adding a mandala or repeating geometric pattern on one of the ears. We truly love this piece because of its simple yet stunning design.
IG: panumart_tattoo
Realistic Black And Gray Elephant And Crocodile Tattoo With Geometric Touches
Who says crocodiles and elephants don’t go well together? Obviously they do as seen in this design. The predatory strength of the crocodile contrasts with the nurturing strength of the elephant. This is highlighted by the framing of the elephant’s head with flowers while the crocodile is placed on a jagged bed of rocks. The Geometric touches add interest to the design and of course…The Thigh.
IG: panumart_tattoo
Adorable Watercolor Elephant Tattoo on Woman’s Hip
It doesn’t get any cuter than this little tattoo. The playful nature of the elephant is brought to life using a few simple lines and unexpected splashes of Watercolors. The resulting design provides the perfect opportunity to invite someone…To Take A Peek
IG: firstjing
Elephant Tattoo With Mandala and Ornamental Elements
There’s jewelry for adorning your fingers, your ears and your neck. Why not your thigh? Of course the answer is a tattoo. This Elephant design looks like Asian-inspired fine jewelry complete with ornamental flourishes and chains. Not only is the design beautiful but it’s also complemented by gorgeous thin, steady black lines. Yours To Flaunt Or Not; The Choice Is Yours
IG: roma_juan_
Black And Gray Tattoo of Asian Elephant Taking A Bath
We love Elephants here in Thailand! In fact we love them so much that they are the national animal of Thailand. They stand for power, loyalty, and endurance. For instance, many Thai people think that walking under one will bring them luck. Elephant-themed stories are still widely read today and many are based on Buddhist and Thai literature.
Elephants love water. We think this tattoo says it all. This is a true definition of a well-done tattoo perfectly placed at the side of the ankle.
If you think strength, loyalty and longevity represent who you are, why not drop by our shop and get yourself an elephant tattoo!
IG: panumart_tattoo
Contemporary Art Style Elephant Tattoo on Forearm
This looks like it belongs in a contemporary art museum! Instead of getting it framed for a wall why not display it on your skin. The colors in this tattoo are beautiful and applied in a super-precise manner. Bits of uninked space provide sources of light appearing to shine from within. This design is so sophisticated and cool; lucky you if you have this inked for your forever viewing pleasure.
IG: katia.zuela
Minimal Linework Elephant Tattoo on Upper Back
How can we not love a Minimal elephant tattoo? When an animal so big can be represented by a few thin black lines in a delicate manner, you gotta love it. Even with the absence of any color or contrast, there’s a wisdom and strength evident in the elephant’s eyes. The Thai lettering on the side is a nice addition to this tattoo; a perfect souvenir from your visit to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Props to Artist IG: @panumart_tattoo
IG: panumart_tattoo
Minimal Elephant Tattoo on Inside of Foot
You’re sure to smile everytime you see this adorable little elephant. One single thin black line is all it takes to make this happen. Positioned on the inside of the foot, there’s no more inconscpicuous spot on the body but one that still affords the opportunity for easy viewing. For the tattoo-newbie, this design is…Perfect
IG: panumart_tattoo
Minimal Elephant Tattoo With Floral Designs
With this Minimal elephant tattoo you’ll always have your little sidekick along for the ride. The design might be small but it packs a punch with the addition of white ink and several Mandalas. With clean steady inking, the design never looks over-busy. The simplicity is maintained with the smart use of negative space within and surrounding this tattoo. Love It!
IG: panumart_tattoo
Minimal Linework Elephant Tattoo over Biceps
The beauty of minimal tattoo is that the essence of a story can be conceptualized with little detailing. As seen here a single thin black outline is all that’s needed to bring this elephant to life. There’s no need for color, no need for shading. This is when…Less Is More
IG: panumart_tattoo
Neo Traditional Elephant Half-Sleeve Tattoo
An elephant, jewels, beads, feathers, florals all inked with bold black outlines and a vivid color palette; this has to be Neo Traditional style. All that will certainly attract your attention but it’s interesting how the small addition of strategically placed white ink is the real star of the show. You can’t look at this tattoo and not feel like you have direct eye to eye contact with the elephant. Props to Artist IG:@gabrielagtattoo from Medellin, Colombia
IG: gabrielagtattoo
Realistic Black and Gray Elephant Half-Sleeve Forearm Tattoo
This tattoo showcases a mother and a young calf living in a savannah. The tattoo has dark shading throughout but the multiple gray tones and negative spaces give it light. It’s specifically the dark background shading that brings the elephants to the forefront allowing them to shine as the stars in this design.
Women Empowerment Fineline Ganesha Tattoo
This tattoo is perfect for all the ladies out there! It quietly and beautifully shouts feminine empowerment and confidence. This tattoo literally presents the opposing view to male entitlement and power with its reinterpretation of the traditional male Ganesha. You Go Girl
Realistic Elephant with Lotus Flowers Half-Sleeve Tattoo
They’ll see you coming with this tattoo and they’ll be glad they did. The lines are steady, the shading skilled, the reproduction of light perfect. With flowers accenting both the shoulder and wrist all will agree this is one beautiful tattoo.
IG: lauraegea_tattoo
Cute Cartoon Tattoo of Elephant Holding An Umbrella
Baby blue, pink and a little elephant; it doesn’t get cuter than this. It might be a rainy day but the sun seems to be shining thanks to those pretty pastel Watercolors. There’s no better location for this tattoo than your forearm. On rainy days you’ll always be reminded that this little guy is available with umbrella in “hand” always ready to keep you dry.
Minimal Elephant Tattoo On The Wrist
This single line elephant tattoo is so adorable and so Insta-ready. The elephant really pops with the absence of any accessory distractions. We love the little red heart at the end of the tail. Camera Please
IG: twenty_tattoo
Realistic Black and Gray/Geometric Elephant Tattoo on Upper Back
This elephant tattoo might have gotten lost on the large expanse of the back. Framing it with a triangle, especially one that’s offset, not only prevents this but elevates the artistry of the tattoo. The vertical lines with Ornamental flourishes; they’re the…Icing On The Cake
IG: torocsik_daniel
Realistic Black And Gray Elephant Tattoo On Forearm
Realistic Black and Gray styles bring this elephant to life. It’s so real it’s as if you could feel the rough, dry texture of the elephant’s hide. This is accomplished with the use of black lines, shading and contrast. Although only black ink is used it’s watered down to produce the range of gray tones seen here.
Black And Gray Tattoo Of Elephant Floating Happily On Forearm
This piece gives us a feeling that the elephant is happily floating in space and right at home in his element. The shading is awesome complete with interspersed areas of negative or uninked space. Add a star at the top and you’re set to go.
Black And Gray Elephant Tattoo On Side of Thigh
Now to close our collection of elephant tattoos we go from a small Minimal design to this large tattoo covering the side of the thigh. Whether large or small, elephant tattoos are loved because we love elephants. Hope you’ve enjoyed viewing this awesome collection and are inspired to add an elephant design yourself. Happy Inking
IG: krawtt
Trio of Cute Baby Elephant Tattoos
Not only are these three little elephants adorable, they’re also a fresh take on “See No Evil”, “Hear No Evil” and “Speak No Evil”. The calf provides the perfect canvas for this long linear design. Again we see how small touches of white ink add definition and detailing to a tattoo. With its great design and great inking, we love this tattoo.
IG: tattooyourface
Realistic Black And Gray Elephant Full-Sleeve Tattoo
This is another great example of Black and Gray style being used to create a truly realistic rendering. The artist demonstrates appreciation for proportions, shading and contrast, reproduction of light sources and the ability to successfully deliver them all. You’d be hard pressed to not think this wasn’t a photo of an elephant. Big props to Artist IG:@suvorov_alexandr_tattoo from Vienna, Austria
To have it on your sleeve, would mean it’s there to protect you too.
Blackwork/Linework Elephant And Owl Half-Sleeve Tattoo
At first glance you might notice an owl. With a second glance you might see an elephant. And the third time you look you realize that it’s actually both… in one!
Blackwork really brings out the more aggressive side to each of these two animals which are usually seen as gentle and calm. This is a great example of how style can indeed influence and affect the mood of a design.
IG: raffael_loboart
Realistic Black And Gray Elephant Tattoo
Using small gradients of gray tones, beautiful realistic detailing is achieved in this tattoo. The result is like having a glimpse into this elephant’s natural habitat. The frame adds depth and interest to the design while negative space artfully elevates it. This is a beauty. Props to Artist IG:@santiagomolina_art another artist from Medellin, Colombia.
Black And Gray Elephant Tattoo with Whip Shading.
With elements of Neo Traditional style, this elephant tattoo comes alive in Black and Gray. The shading is muted and subtle demonstrating the specialized technique known as Whip Shading. The result is an almost stippled salt and pepper effect The touches of white ink are then like the…Icing On The Cake
Realistic Mother Elephant And Calf Tattoo with Ornamental Touches
The shading and contrast in this tattoo is off-the-charts. It’s so skillfully executed that you can see the nuanced folds on the hides of these two elephants. Thanks to the dark shading below their feet you can sense the ground and actually see dirt being flown into the air. The pretty Ornamental touches ensure a forever souvenir from Thailand.
IG: panumart_tattoo
Mandala Style Hand-Poked Elephant Tattoo On Thigh
Here’s another Elephant tattoo incorporating the Mandala. In this case the inking is done in the traditional hand-poke manner without the use of an electric tattooing machine. For many the choice of a hand-poked tattoo is its close association with cultural tattoo traditions. Aun at Panumart Tattoo is one of Thailand’s most experienced bamboo artists. You can check out his portfolio at IG: @panumart_tattoo or visit him when in Chiang Mai.
IG: panumart_tattoo
Watercolour Elephant Tattoo over Man’s Biceps
This elephant tattoo looks like the artist took pen to paper and then added heavy dabs of saturated color. This is the marriage of Sketch and Watercolor styles and the result speaks for itself. The heavy brushstrokes of color combined with drips of black ink lend a masculine feel to this design; perfect to accent the biceps.
IG: alitattoos
Happy Watercolor Elephant Tattoo on Woman’s Back
The splashes of Watercolors in this tattoo provide a sense of joy and happiness. Of course that’s why we call it “Happy” Watercolors”! It’s a perfect reflection of how many of us view elephants; joyful, loving and at times clumsy; maybe seeing ourselves in them.
Large Watercolor Elephant Tattoo on Calf
This tattoo looks like the artist took her brush and painted the elephant using lovely Watercolors. They’re applied in both a very precise manner and alternatively in large splashes of color. Both work to create a beautiful tattoo.
IG: leidyilustradora
