125+ Majestic Fox Tattoo Designs – Pieces That Will Get You Noticed
Foxes are small mammals known for their characteristic features such as pointed upright ears, bushy tails, and cunning natures. Over time the fox has come to symbolize the ability to overcome challenges and master the mind as well as a hint towards femininity, sexuality, and wisdom.
The fox can outwit its opponents and it’s known for fortitude and it is because of these traits that many people feel they can identify with this creature and choose to have a fox tattoo.
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The Meaning Behind Tattoo of a Fox
They are different interpretations of the fox; both positive and negative, although when it is chosen as a tattoo it usually symbolizes one of the following:
– Sexuality or Femininity
Foxes are often associated with femininity – after all, the name for a sexy woman and a female fox is one and the same: a vixen. Early European and Asian cultures considered the fox to be a totem of fertility and prosperity. This connection continues today as we use foxy as a synonym for sexy.
Many women will choose to include this creature in their tattoo design as it not only represents the desirable female but also intelligence.
– The Trickster
The fox is not known for its strength (being a small creature) or its power but rather for its cunning mind. The fox depends on its intellect to ensure its survival and is often seen as a trickster – a creature that uses its wits to disobey the rules or go against the conventional behavior.
People may see these traits in themselves and choose to include a fox in their tattoo design.
– Intelligence
Of course, foxes are smart – they have to be because they don’t have much else to rely on for survival. The fox is often associated with intelligence and wisdom – this might be why we often see foxes drawn sporting glasses.
– The Shape-Shifter
Often we see foxes portrayed wearing clothing like suit jackets and ties, but you may not understand why this is.
Foxes and humans have a long, somewhat complicated history and there were some cultures who believed that the fox was a shape-shifter; that it could change its bodily form to whatever was most suitable for the situation- perhaps even becoming human – and wearing human clothes.
People who choose a fox tattoo may do so because they admire and wish to emulate this adaptability or see themselves as a person who has needed to play many different roles in life.
– Emotional Endurance
To many people the fox is a symbol of mental fortitude; that is being able to overcome psychological obstacles. People who have faced difficult situations such as loss, illness or trauma may decide on a fox tattoo to represent their own struggles (and ultimate success) at facing these types of challenges.
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Fox Tattoos On Different Areas Of The Body
Tattoo lovers often choose their wrists, legs, upper arms or shoulders for a fox tattoo. The wrist pieces are generally small, outline designs while the designs for the arms or shoulders are larger – possibly part of a bigger design or sleeve work.
Thighs are also often chosen (especially for women) as well as the lower leg – a common design includes a fox with a tail that wraps around the calf or ankle.
Techniques And Styles To Choose From
– 3D
When creating 3D tattoos artists use the same tools and ink as they do for regular tattoo’s, however, the difference is all in the design. Artists use an optical illusion to create designs that appear to jump off the skin and into the real world.
Shadow and changes in size and dimension make these tattoos appear multidimensional.
3D fox designs can look hyper realistic – think of pointed faces, upturned ears or fluffy red tails that leap out of the picture.
– Watercolor
Watercolor tattoos – also sometimes referred to as painterly tattoo’s – are created by using different techniques to achieve the same hazy depiction on the skin that we are used to seeing in watercolor paintings.
Where traditional tattoos use shading and are outlined in black, watercolor tattoos have graded color and the artist may use special techniques to produce watercolor elements such as splatters, splashes, bleeds, blurs, and fades.
Subjects of watercolor tattoos are often based in nature, such as flowers, trees, birds and animals including the fox. Many people choose orange or red shades for their fox tattoo and this can look striking in watercolors.
– Sketch
Sketch tattoos are quite new to the tattoo world but are catching on fast. These are tattoos that are designed to look like the planning sketches of a tattoo rather than a neatly finished design.
The clients may want a messier look and include other elements such as watercolor and paint drips into their design too.
Fox tattoo designs in the sketch style usually show cartoon style foxes or drawings of foxes that appear to have been done by children.
– Minimalistic
Minimalist tattoos are usually small tattoo’s that just show the basic outline of the subject, in this case, the fox. For these designs, we often see an outline of the fox’s head or the fox in profile.
People sometimes add text to these designs with words such as “Opportunistic” below. Minimalistic tattoos of foxes are favored by women who usually have them inked on their wrists or ankles.
– Old School
An old school tattoo refers to a traditional Western/American tattoo with limited shading, thick black outlines and a restricted selection of colors.
This style is suggestive of the tattoo designs from the 1900’s to the 1950’s and these sometimes included images of foxes – often dressed in suit jackets and top hats, smoking or playing cards or poker.
Foxes are totems that are full of meaning and can be used to pay homage to past times, celebrate victory or illustrate intelligence or cunning.
Ladies may choose cute fox tattoos as a representation of sexuality or femininity and men may choose them as more serious subjects for watercolor or old school tattoo designs.
The fox is visually appealing and whatever your motivation for getting a tattoo of a fox may be you can be sure you’ll be investing in a conversation piece!
