8 Wonderful Hermes Tattoo Ideas For The Wanderer
Artistic tattoo designs representing the Greek God of travel, mischief, and communication.
Eve Phillips is an experienced artist in various tattoo styles, though she specializes in tattoos with fine details and floral elements. She has owned studios for 20 years in both Australia and the United Kingdom and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of tattoo art, health, licensing, trends, current issues, and history.
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Experience: 3 yearsManjari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over three years of experience in writing across different niches, including beauty, health, wellness, and technology. She first discovered her passion for writing in school and has since honed her craft to perfection.
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Joyce Joyson is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over a year of experience crafting short-form content for the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle niches. She has a triple majors bachelor’s degree in History, Political Science, and Geography from IIS University and a master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Kristu Jayanti College.
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Experience: 8 yearsArshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.
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A Hermes tattoo represents one of the most fun and interesting Gods in Greek mythology. This God is known to be relatable for his mirthful, mischievous nature. In modern-day language, he would be referred to as the God of gossip who is never out of some tea spill as he manages to always be in the right place at the right time. However, interestingly, he is also a God whose greatest weapon is his knowledge and is prone to being dishonest, hence, not everyone is privy to a front row every detail of every little secret. Didn’t we mention he was interesting and relatable? If you are looking for a quirky and charming tattoo of this friendly neighborhood God, we have a compilation of ideas later on in the article for you to explore. Take a look because we are sure you will find more than a few that suit your taste.
In This Article
What Does Hermes Tattoo Symbolize?
Greek Mythology carries deep symbolism. Each represents various narratives of virtues and different deities from ancient Greece. They serve as a visual manifestation of your beliefs and interests, reflecting strength, wisdom, and resilience. In Greek mythology, Hermes is one of the twelve Olympian Gods. He is known to be the messenger or herald of and among the Olympians. He is most commonly portrayed as a young mischievous God who has a knack for having great timing when it comes to collecting all kinds of information. He is often shown donning a pair of sandals, a helmet, or a staff with wings that offer him swiftness in delivering his news. Ancient Greeks revered Hermes as the God of travel, guidance, and communication. According to legends, Hermes was also a trickster and given to steal when he found something useful. Hence, he is interestingly also known as the God of quick wit, resourcefulness, and adaptability, and the protector of skilled orators, thieves, merchants, and other heralds.
Thus, a tattoo of Hermes can symbolize all of the above and more if the wearer chooses to portray the God in a certain artistic way, combined with other meaningful symbols. To know some creative ways to ensure your Hermes tattoo conveys a personalized meaning, continue on to the following section. You may also explore more Greek mythology tattoos to further experiment with the idea of presentation.
8 Awesome Hermes Tattoo Ideas For The Wanderer
There are more than a few ways that a few salient features from the various historical portrayals of Hermes, or a combination of them, can brilliantly represent God as well as express your shared ideologies. Find out how in the examples below.
1. Hermes Wings Tattoo
Hermes’ wings are his most notable feature as they symbolize his swiftness, which enable him to act as a prompt messenger. Due to his easy access to flight, he was also seen as a traveler or wanderer. Various renditions of Hermes over the years show him sporting wings either on his back, on a helmet, on his staff, or on the back of his sandals. Take inspiration from such renditions for your Hermes tattoo. The above image features a pair of magical wings sprouting from the spine and spreading across the wide canvas of a back, expressing wanderlust or a yearning for freedom.
2. Hermes Greek God Tattoo
Embrace the mischief, wit, and wisdom of Hermes by showcasing the God through a portrait tattoo. This tattoo shows him from a titled profile with his wings spread wide. The interesting thing about getting a portrait tattoo of Hermes is how you can customize these portraits with the face of someone you know to have similar qualities as that of the God. Alternatively, you can also show him in an animated illustration with a winged helmet, staff, and shoes, with an all-knowing smirk gracing his face.
3. Hermes Trismegistus Tattoo
Hermes Trismegistus, is a mythological figure who is a combination of Hermes and the Egyptian God of writing and learning, Thoth. The caduceus, which is a staff with two serpents twirling their way up where a pair of wings sits at the head, is the symbol associated with this figure. This symbol is also one that is debatably used to represent modern medicine or the community of modern doctors which is symbolized by the rod of Asclepius who is the God of healing. Despite the ambiguity in this regard, a tattoo of the caduceus can hold personal symbolism for someone in the medical fraternity, also conveying an interest in the ancient practice of alchemy.
4. Hermes Ankle Tattoo
Hermes is often portrayed wearing footwear with wings in the general heel or ankle area. A clever way to show this through tattoos is to choose an ankle placement where a stylized wing in the wearer’s preferred artistic style can be etched for an iconic reference. This placement, combined with the tattoo of a wing can speak of the wearer’s admiration for swiftness or speed. It can be a suitable tattoo for travelers and athletes alike.
5. Bird Of Hermes Tattoo
Hermes is often associated with birds, unsurprisingly, thanks to how often he is depicted with various wings. Although Hermes is not connected with any specific type of bird, quite a few people pair him with birds with charismatic properties. Such as a dove that always bears news of peace or a hummingbird for the swift fluttering of its wings. The tattoo above shows a hawk perched on top of a caduceus’ wings. This bird is associated with speed, laser eyesight, and exceptional hunting skills, opening up an array of symbolism for the wearer.
6. Minimalist Hermes Tattoo
If simplicity and minimalism is your aesthetic style, you can always illustrate the essence of Hermes with clean lines and minimal details. The tattoo above features a medium-sized caduceus done in fine outline on the inside of the wrist. Similarly, this idea can also be suitably represented through a small icon of a single wing or the outline of a helmet with wings on either side. The helmet can also be customized as per the wearer’s taste.
7. Geometric Hermes Tattoo
A geometric design paired with an ancient mythological God serves as the perfect combination of the past and present. There are a few fun ways to go about this concept. You can always go for a simple design featuring a geometric frame within which you detail a portrait of Hermes or a realistically detailed illustration of the caduceus, and so on. Or you may go for something complex like the above example that features a wing growing from geometric structures from the forearm, moving its way up, creating the illusion of a wing sprouting from one’s arm.
8. Hermes Winged Shoes Tattoo
This tattoo is inspired by Hermes’ iconic footwear, the talaria, which is a simple flat, strappy sandal with wings coming out of its back or sides. However, the cool part about this tattoo is that it can represent all things Hermes, even if the footwear is not the traditional Greek sandal. In fact, a fun idea would be to use footwear specific to a profession or hobby to personalize it. It could be a stiletto, hiking boots, sneakers, ballerina flats, and so on.
And that was the fun little list of ideas that we promised. Did you note that although the God has a lot to speak for him, a tiny little feathered wing to a super realistic portrait and everything in between can express a connection to his character? A straightforward tattoo showing him in his winged glory can express your admiration or attachment to the God. Alternatively, a clever tattoo of a pair of symmetrical wings on either feet, at the ankles, can display your wit and indirectly speak for how you may find this specific God charming. Adding to these elements is the caduceus, the iconic winged staff of Hermes with entwining snakes, which often features in tattoos due to its elegant appearance. Pair these symbols together or add others that hold personal significance for you, for a customized tattoo you cannot stop talking about.
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