Scorpion tattoo stencils
Eleven scorpion designs, from a silhouette just over an inch tall to an ornamental scorpion drawn for a sleeve. Each one prints as a stencil, an outline or a flash sheet at the size you set.
3.00 in3.00 inTraditional scorpion
3″Traditional scorpion
1.25″Tiny scorpion silhouette
4.5″Scorpion and dagger
4″Scorpion with a rose
4″Geometric scorpion
2.5″Bold blackwork scorpion
4.5″Scorpion on a skull
1.75″Scorpio scorpion with stars
4.5″Scorpion in side view
3.5″Scorpion over a heart
6.5″Ornamental scorpion
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§1What a scorpion tattoo means
Tattoo guides such as HowStuffWorks and Inkppl read a scorpion as resilience and protection, and Inkppl adds that many people wear it as a warning not to mess with them. Other meanings, rebirth for one, vary from site to site.
In ancient Egypt the scorpion was the symbol of Selket, a goddess of protection against venomous stings and bites. She also guarded the canopic jar that held the intestines of the dead, and her golden statue from Tutankhamun’s tomb is the best-known image of her.
For some people the scorpion is simply their sign: Scorpio covers birthdays from about October 23 to November 21, and SC-09 Scorpio scorpion with stars is drawn for it. What the sign says about the wearer is theirs to decide.
§2Traditional, simple or large
For a traditional scorpion, start with SC-01 Traditional scorpion: a symmetric top view in bold lines, rated beginner, 3 in by default. SC-04 Scorpion and dagger and SC-11 Scorpion over a heart add a second element, so give them more room. In flash, SC-01 and SC-11 stay black and SC-04 shades the body steel gray. For color, take SC-05 Scorpion with a rose: a red rose with green leaves.
The smallest are SC-03 Tiny scorpion silhouette (1.25 in) and SC-09 (1.75 in), solid black shapes for a wrist or ankle. SC-07 Bold blackwork scorpion is the other beginner pick, a heavy outline that the flash fills almost solid.
SC-12 Ornamental scorpion, 6.5 in by default, is the one for a sleeve, back or thigh, with ornamental cut-outs and gold in the flash. SC-08 Scorpion on a skull and SC-10 Scorpion in side view sit at 4.5 in on a forearm or calf. SC-06 Geometric scorpion is built from angular plates: the flash fills them gray, the outline leaves the shading to you.
§3Scorpion sizes by placement
| Placement | Usual size | Good designs |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist | 1–3 in | SC-03 Tiny scorpion silhouette, SC-09 Scorpio scorpion with stars |
| Ankle | 1–3 in | SC-03, SC-09 |
| Neck | 2–4 in | SC-01, SC-03, SC-07, SC-09 |
| Forearm | 3–6 in | SC-01, SC-04, SC-08, SC-10, SC-11 |
| Calf | 2–6 in | SC-05, SC-06, SC-07, SC-12 |
| Chest | 3–10 in | SC-06, SC-08, SC-11 |
| Back | 4–10 in | SC-05, SC-06, SC-12 Ornamental scorpion |
| Thigh | 4–10 in | SC-04, SC-05, SC-10, SC-12 |
Size ranges are from the placement charts at Saved Tattoo and Inkjin; treat them as a guide. The hand has no row here: SC-01, SC-03 and SC-07 are the designs tagged for it.
Most of these scorpions are drawn from above with mirrored legs, so even a slight tilt shows. Fold the print along the body’s center line and lay the crease along the length of the limb. For the transfer, see how to apply a tattoo stencil.
§4Questions
Q1What does a scorpion tattoo mean?
Tattoo guides usually read it as protection and toughness, and some people wear it as a warning not to cross them. For others it is their zodiac sign, Scorpio. In ancient Egypt the scorpion was the symbol of Selket, a goddess of protection against stings.
Q2Is there traditional scorpion tattoo flash here?
Yes. SC-01 Traditional scorpion, SC-04 Scorpion and dagger and SC-11 Scorpion over a heart are drawn in bold American traditional lines, and each prints as a flash sheet as well as a stencil. SC-01 is the easiest of them, symmetric and rated beginner.
Q3Which is the simplest scorpion tattoo outline?
SC-03 Tiny scorpion silhouette and SC-09 are rated simple, but both are solid black shapes rather than line drawings. For open lines to practice on, print SC-01 or SC-07 Bold blackwork scorpion as an outline; both are rated beginner.
Q4What is the difference between a scorpion stencil, outline and flash?
The stencil is the line art you put on transfer paper. The outline carries the same line for tracing or coloring by hand, and flash is that drawing filled with a small set of colors.
Q5Is there a Scorpio scorpion tattoo?
SC-09 Scorpio scorpion with stars is a small black scorpion with star accents, 1.75 in by default. It suits a wrist or ankle and is also tagged for the neck and forearm.