16 Clown Tattoo Designs And Ideas With Meanings

Clowns are known for their playful display of emotions. Traditionally, they are known to express the harsh truths of life in a joyful way. But today, the representation of clowns has evolved and a clown tattoo can express everything from cheerfulness to sheer evilness. People often get clown tattoos to showcase the edgy, bold, and sinister aspects of life. The expressions on the clown’s face can encode several symbolic interpretations. Wondering what those are? Let us help you with that. This article discusses the different meanings of a clown tattoo as expressed by the design and placement. Keep reading to learn all about it.

16 Clever Clown Tattoo Designs

Clown tattoos are like colorful stories etched on the skin. They are not just about funny faces but they are a mix of feelings and ideas. Some see clowns and think of happiness, laughter, and just living in the moment. But for others, clowns carry a deeper meaning; they are mysterious, mischievous, and maybe even a little scary. People get clown tattoos for all sorts of reasons including their love for the circus or just because they find clowns fascinating. Whatever the reason, these tattoos are like personal paintings, showing off who you are and what you believe in. Here are a few clown tattoos that will inspire you to get one.

1. Traditional Clown Tattoo

Clowns are associated with vibrant and stirring personalities with their outfits playing an integral part in their performance. A traditional tattoo style with bright and flat primary colors and bold outlines is the most appropriate choice to capture their classic essence. This tattoo shows a simple, animated clown standing in front of a rectangular frame, perhaps a door, with a plant pot beside him, possibly representing the idea of welcoming happiness, laughter, and entertainment into one’s home.

2. Two-Face Clown Tattoo

The two-face clown is meant to be a comical rendition of the Greek theater masks where one expresses joy and the other, sorrow. It represents complex and conflicting emotions warring inside a person. It also signifies the contrasting dualities of life where the end of one problem only means the beginning of another but it also hides a promise of the end of each problem that comes your way. Getting this tattoo expresses the acceptance of this concept by the wearer.

3. Small Clown Tattoo

A small clown tattoo is ideal for capturing a clown’s facial expression, which is a prime component in their art. The tattoo above freezes the clown in a rare moment when it has a gentle smile on its lips and piercing eyes, lending it an overall calm and serene expression. It shows that although a clown’s profession demands loud and exaggerated expressions, at the end of the day there is a regular human behind the makeup who cannot keep up with pretenses at all times.

4. Clown Tattoo On Hand

Here is an outline tattoo of a classic clown silhouette, complete with diamond eyes, a round nose, and a wide smile. Despite the lack of vibrant color details, the essence of the clown’s ever-smiling personality is evident. It expresses the wearer’s preference for clever minimal designs that say more with less. The simple tattoo serves as a reminder to not take everything too seriously, stay positive, and spread good cheer.

5. Happy Clown Tattoo

The above close-up portrait of a laughing clown, shows it in its element, as if it were amidst a performance and had just said or done something hilarious. Its crinkled eyes and wide-open smile hint at its carefree nature and self-assured personality. The hat it is wearing as well as the bells hanging from its collar may be perceived as symbols of celebration, relaying the wearer’s cheerful nature and their love for life.

6. Cat Clown Tattoo

Take the playful element of your clown tattoo up a notch by giving your clown the face of a cat. This not only expresses your cheerful nature but also reveals your fondness for cats. This combination also displays the complex intermingling of symbolisms to decode the wearer’s philosophy, like, the funny and entertaining clown is often the laughing stock but its cat-like cunning should not be underestimated.

7. Black-And-White Clown Tattoo

This modern black-and-white tattoo features a side-profile view of a clown with a focus on its silhouette. While the pointed hat and spherical nose reveal the silhouette to be a clown, its outfit comprises a pair of regular coats and pants, hinting at how we are all wearing a face while dealing with life as we know it. The face is blank and the arms missing, possibly representing the emptiness within that comes from pretending for too long.

8. Angel Clown Tattoo

With so many horror movies using clowns as the hosts of their malevolent spirits, perhaps showing a tattoo depicting an angel with clown face makeup is one way to emphasize that this specific clown is a good guy! The incorporation of a baby angel adds qualities of innocence to an angel’s perceived qualities of purity and protection. Lastly, the vivid and refreshing color details for the halo, the patterned robe, and the floral wreath, all give the tattoo a bright personality.

9. Sad Clown Tattoo

This tattoo portrays a sad clown on the upper arm. The sadness it conveys reflects that even clowns experience their share of tragedies. The tattoo can be an illustration of the duality of life. With its rich colors, realistic effects, intricate lines, and detailed painting, this tattoo stands out as a striking choice for anyone who wants to no longer hide their struggles.

10. Vintage Clown Tattoo

Clown tattoos were particularly popular in vintage times because of the appealing nature of circus and carnival traditions. In this tattoo, the selection of colors, costumes, makeup, hats, and hairstyles evoke nostalgia. These elements help represent simpler times while embodying the playfulness of clowning.

11. Gangster Clown Tattoo

When it comes to a gangster clown tattoo, everything takes on a more edgy vibe. Gangster tattoos often symbolize life on the streets, rebellion, and the pursuit of money and power. The serious expression, sharp eyes, and abstract background in this tattoo depict the darker side of this lifestyle. The intricate detailing and shading highlight the grey side of the clown. Without any doubt, this is a powerful statement for those embracing their edgy side.

12. Evil Clown Tattoo

There is nothing creepier than a clown tattoo with an evil smile – it is downright frightening. The sinister smirk hides unimaginable darkness behind it. The sharp, wicked look in the eyes is more than enough to convey the evil nature of the tattoo. Yet, many choose to get an evil clown tattoo as a bold statement, showcasing their mischievous side. This scary tattoo uses a combination of white, black, and red colors to create a striking and highly detailed body art design.

13. Scary Clown Tattoo

This scary Pennywise tattoo is truly spine-chilling. The tinted teeth, crooked smile, and fiery, bulging eyes add to bring the dreadfulness to life. The rich and vivid colors, created using traditional tattoo techniques, make it a daring choice for those seeking to embrace the darker side of a clown tattoo. The misaligned teeth show the clown’s inclination to things outside of what is considered normal.

14. American Traditional Clown Tattoo

The American traditional clown tattoo above portrays a clown with tears and an expression that is not particularly sad. This depiction often conveys a sense of mental distress or depression. The use of the American traditional tattoo technique, with its bold colors and vintage charm, adds to the captivating nature of the design.

15. Joker Clown Tattoo

A Joker clown tattoo, inspired by the famous movie character, gives off a chaotic vibe with its creepy look and realistic depiction. The tattoo can be a symbol of rebellion and chaos. The realistic shading and coloring used in this Joker tattoo, along with the fine detailing of the hair and eyes, add to the lifelike appearance and depth of the design.

16. Mexican Clown Tattoo

In Mexican gangs, getting a tattoo of a clown figure shows that you are brave and willing to resort to extreme measures if need be. It reflects the challenges of gang life in Mexican-American culture. The tattoo depicted here is a prime example, showing a sinister-looking clown with a fearless and blank expression. This fearless gaze and brooding face combine bravery with a sense of protection.

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Ashutosh BairagiProfessional Tattoo Artist

     

Ashutosh Bairagi graduated from RGPV, Bhopal in May 2019, where he completed his undergraduate program in Electrical Engineering. This was where he developed his interest in designing and learnt about the different types of art forms and digital tools used in the art industry.

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Shreya MukherjeeBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Shreya is a beauty and lifestyle writer with two years of experience. After graduating from Christ University, Bengaluru, she started as a writer for a non-profit organization, Bhumi, as an intern. She then wrote for a progressive content website.

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Ramona SinhaEditor

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.

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Pahul NanraBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Pahul Nanra is a content writer with a penchant for all things fashion and beauty. She has two years of experience in writing across beauty and lifestyle genres. She is an English Honors graduate from Delhi University with a diploma in Fashion Designing from YMCA.

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