Traditional Snake Tattoo

In American traditional tattooing the snake is traditionally associated with danger, temptation and renewal. Snakes shed their skin, so the design is also worn for transformation — leaving an old life or an old self behind.

Pairings change the story: with a dagger it reads as danger and defiance, with a rose as love and temptation, with a skull as death and rebirth, and fighting a panther or eagle as a battle between two forces. As with most traditional tattoos, the meaning varies from wearer to wearer.

• Coiled snake — the body stacked in loops with the head raised and fangs open. The most common version.
• Striking snake — a long S-curve with the head forward, drawn to run along a forearm, calf or ribs.
• Snake and dagger — a serpent wrapped around a blade.
• Snake and rose — the body winding through the flower and leaves.
• Snake and skull — a snake coiling through the eye socket, a classic pairing for mortality and rebirth.
• Snake fights — a snake locked in battle with a panther, eagle or tiger.
• Black and grey snake — the same bold outlines with grey shading instead of color.

Snakes follow the body, which makes them ideal for long placements: the forearm, calf, thigh, ribs and upper arm. A coiled snake suits rounder spaces like the shoulder or thigh, while a long S-shaped snake can run along the forearm or shin. Keep the scale pattern bold and simple so it stays readable as the tattoo ages.

When you bring a flash design to your artist, they will adjust the size and composition to fit your body and redraw the stencil. That is normal and part of the craft.