Clock and compass tattoo stencils
13 compass and clock designs, from a tiny fine-line compass for the wrist to a 7 in compass on a chain for a sleeve. Each one prints as a mirrored stencil, an outline or a color flash sheet.
5.00 in5.00 inRose and clock
5″Rose and clock
3.5″Nautical compass rose
4.5″Pocket watch with chain
1.25″Tiny compass, fine line
2.5″Compass with mountains, fine line
5″Geometric compass
5″Chicano clock with clouds
4.5″Winged hourglass
4″Compass and anchor
4.5″Ornate compass
1.5″Simple compass star
4″Compass with rope and banner
7″Pocket compass on a chain
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§1What compass and clock tattoos mean
The compass came to tattooing from the sea. By the 13th century European navigators were reading their heading off a card with a painted wind rose mounted on the compass needle. Sailor tattoo lore adds that a compass rose or a nautical star on the skin would bring a sailor back to port. That story is told more than it is documented, but the meaning stuck: a compass tattoo today stands for guidance and for finding the way home.
Clocks and hourglasses say something else. In 17th-century Dutch vanitas paintings a clock or an hourglass sits beside a skull to remind the viewer that time runs out, and the hourglass is one of the standard memento mori symbols. CC-07 Winged hourglass, with its bat wings, belongs to that line. So does R-05 Rose and clock, which sets a flower against the passing hours.
§2Compass and clock sizes by placement
| Placement | Usual size | Good designs |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist | 1–3 in | CC-03 Tiny compass, CC-10 Simple compass star, CC-04 |
| Ankle | 1–3 in | CC-03, CC-10, CC-04 |
| Neck | 2–4 in | CC-03 |
| Forearm | 3–6 in | CC-01, CC-08, CC-11, CC-02, CC-06 |
| Calf | 2–6 in | CC-01, CC-08 Compass and anchor, CC-11 |
| Chest | 3–10 in | CC-05 Geometric compass, CC-09 Ornate compass, CC-02, CC-07 |
| Back | 4–10 in | CC-05, CC-06, CC-07, R-05 |
| Thigh | 4–10 in | CC-02 Pocket watch with chain, CC-09, R-05 |
The ranges come from the size charts published by Saved Tattoo and Inkjin; treat them as a starting point. CC-12 Pocket compass on a chain is the tall one: its 7 in default runs top to bottom, so it suits a sleeve or the length of a calf.
§3Picking a compass or clock design
For a first tattoo or a first go at lining, start with the bold compasses. CC-01 Nautical compass rose is American traditional, CC-08 Compass and anchor is blackwork, and both are drawn with heavy closed lines that forgive a slightly uneven transfer. CC-11 adds a rope border and a blank banner, so there is room for a name or a date lettered by your artist.
The fine-line pieces look easy and aren’t. CC-03 and CC-04 Compass with mountains have so few lines that every wobble shows, and shrinking them much below their default size crowds the lines together. CC-05 Geometric compass depends on even spacing between its rings and tick marks; give it 5 in or more.
If what you need is an outline clock tattoo stencil, switch the format to Outline: any design here then prints unmirrored in thin line, ready to trace or color before you commit. CC-06 Chicano clock with clouds and CC-09 Ornate compass are worth printing that way, because the clouds and the leaves are where most of the color decisions sit.
§4Questions
Q1What does a compass tattoo mean?
Usually guidance and finding your way, whether that means home or a fresh start. The idea comes from sailor tattoo lore, where a compass rose or nautical star was supposed to bring a sailor back to port.
Q2Is there an hourglass tattoo stencil?
Yes, CC-07 Winged hourglass, a gothic piece with bat wings, 4.5 in by default. For an hourglass tattoo outline, switch the format to Outline.
Q3What size should a compass tattoo be?
On a wrist or ankle, 1 to 3 inches: CC-03 Tiny compass or CC-10 Simple compass star. On a forearm, 3 to 6 inches suits CC-01 or CC-08. Busy designs such as CC-09 Ornate compass need room, so start at their default 4.5 in and go up.
Q4Can the clock show a specific time?
The hands print as drawn. CC-02 Pocket watch with chain has a plain face with tick marks and no numerals; CC-06 Chicano clock with clouds has Roman numerals. If the time should mean something, such as the minute a child was born, your artist can redraw the hands on the stencil before the transfer.