Tattoo Tuesday: Gotham Geek Ink

Tattoo Tuesday: Gotham Geek Ink

by Anelise Farris

It’s tattoo Tuesday, so I’m here to fuel your geek-ink addiction! After finally catching up on the latest season of Fox’s Gotham, I have bat-brain. So let’s take a look at ten of my favorite Gotham-inspired pieces, because they deserve more than just a spot on my Pinterest board.

Whimsical

The image on the left gives me Tim Burton vibes, and I love how the crosshatching behind Batman and Robin adds subtle depth to this unique piece. 

The penguin tattoo is both cool and cute. I love the little details (the eyeglass, umbrella, and top hat), the minimalist cityscape, and the frame style.

Abstract

The shadow-puppet tattoo is so unique and clever. It’s impressive how realistic the hands are drawn and how closely they are mirrored in the shadowing. 

I am a big fan of tattoos that look simple but clearly reflect the work of a talented tattoo artist. That’s how I feel about the Batman tattoo on the right. The linework has that rough quality of a sketch in its early stages, but the additional lines and use of shading complete it.

Strange

Foot tattoos are allegedly the most painful. I don’t have one (yet), but this design makes me want to change that! I love how the signature Joker smile is center, the laughter covers the whole foot, and the coloring on the teeth, as well as the inkspots.

Riddler is one of the coolest villains ever. Someone that can pull off that emerald green suit demands our respect. I like that that iconic green is incorporated here into a simple yet Riddler-identifying question mark. I also am a huge fan of the hand-lettered style typography. 

Bold

After the events of Batman #50, it only seems right that bat and cat exist on separate legs (too soon?). Although there are a lot of tattoos out there with iconic couples in each other’s arms, this type of placement (depicted on the left) is my favorite. It nods at their closeness, while also allowing for them to maintain space. The neo-traditional style here is super fun, and I love the lettered ribbons, use of purple, and yellow roses. Gorgeous.

As I was watching Poison Ivy wreck havoc on Gotham, my thought was, “This is a vegan on steroids.” And I can say that, as a vegan, but seriously I do respect this woman’s love of and knowledge of plant-life. Most of the Poison Ivy ink out there is hyper-sexualized, and that’s just not my jam. I love the simplicity of this piece, the lettering, the use of color, and that beautiful leaf-laden headpiece. 

Simple

Is any bit of Gotham more iconic that the bat logo? It’s not surprising that there is a zillion yellow and black logo tats out there, but I love both of these for their unique take on a familiar icon. Both are simple enough, with just a touch of flair. Classy and edgy. Very Gotham.  

Have any geek ink? Looking for a specific gallery to inspire your next one? Hit me up @AneliseFarris on Twitter, and go support your local artist(s)!