Fresh from Bali, Indonesia –
From La Favela to the Monkey Forest, we picked all the rose tattoos we could find, so this bouquet of a Bali blog is a big one. We have rose designs of every kind.
We hope this makes it easy for you to choose a Bali tattoo artist experienced in making tattoos just like whatever it is you have in mind.
LOCALLY GROWN & HAND-PICKED
Prepare to see full sleeve tattoos with roses in full bloom and tattoos of pretty petal shapes traced by black lines on bare skin or completely colored-in. For hopeless romantics there are bejeweled rose blossoms draped in beads, exotic Balinese ornaments or mandalas that look like lace.
Choose from trad tatt roses placed in a classy glass vase or pierced by a dagger. Crowned king of this collection is the spread of old school rose tattoos, the early badges inspired by WWII seamen and the reprise of rockabilly renditions.
Then, a few photos of totally gangster flower tattoos made of folded $100 bills and bossy new school roses inked in royal blue hues. There’s one award-winning tattoo of a palm with a psychedelic rainbow rose that’s really rad.
Tying things up beautifully at the end is a gallery of the most realistic rose tattoos we’ve seen around here recently.
CLOCKS
According to Custom Tattoo Design, a tattoo of a rose AND clock face represents everlasting love.
(1) Ali Bastardos
(2) Shua Epidemic, Luxury Ink
(3) Prima, MA TATTOO BALI
(4) Hendro Dewisura, Luxury Ink
Want a tattoo like this?
So, scroll down to more designs ’til you’ve found it…
ASK NINGSI
Black and Grey Roses
(1) Edik, Koko Goldfinger Tattoo
(2) Prima, MA TATTOO BALI
(3) Harbour Ink
(4) Kadek, Gunslingers Tattoo
(5) Gunslingers Tattoo
(6) Roby Tattoo Bali
(7) Money roses tattoo sleeve by Edik, Flash Ink Bali
COMPASS ROSE TATTOOS
(1) Joky Fluke at Luxury Ink Bali
(2) Bali Tribal Tattoo
Trent Aitken-Smith/ Ashley Tyson, 2016
What is the meaning of a rose tattoo?
While every tattoo has unique significance to its owner, general definitions do apply for popular tattoo motifs like the rose. All over the world, roses are associated with love and beauty more than anything else.
The Tattoo Dictionary of 2016 says that in so many words, with historical references to the deeply emotional symbolism of roses in Christianity and ancient connection between roses and goddesses of love in Greek mythology.
Give it
any MEANING
YOU WAMT
Color and style choice
Each flower’s stage of life
Lettering, names or ribbons
Number of roses or petals
Personal associations and symbols
Place and time when it’s made
Placement on your body
Relevance to your relationships
Setting, scenery, lighting or moisture
Size of stems and thorns
Type of roses
Artwork by Hendro Dewisura
Tattlas.com Bali Tattoo Guide
A rose can also be a symbol of…
- Balance
- Celebration and congratulations
- Danger and despair
- Death, mourning and sympathy
- Decadence and indulgence
- Deceit or defense
- Desire, lust, passion
- Friendship and gratitude
- Natural beauty
TAROT READING
“The Three of Roses represents the flourishing of a relationship, and the blossoming of a creative endeavor.”
The guys at Tattoo Joy agree the meaning of an old school rose tattoo is true love.
Old School Rose Tattoos
The official Sailor Jerry website is like a trophy case honoring the artist’s influential career. Although it talks about some tattoo meanings, there’s nothing about flowers.
Tattoo history is awash with stories of stereotypes like sailors and street performers one hundred years ago scoring a flash at the sweet price of $2. That is probably an ugly over-simplification of reality. Rose tattoo designs within this iconic genre of body art are beautifully diverse. There are as many truly vintage artful versions of Americana roses to copy as there are good and bad reproductions.
(1) Rose and sword old school tattoo by Gunz, HBSC
(2) Rose tattoos with thick black and white outlines, Star Angels Tattoo Studio
(3) Old school black ink rose tattoo by Adjul, HBSC
(4) Solid red rose with green leaves on foot by InkArt Bali
(5) Red and black old school rose and woman’s profile by Bali Golden Ink Tattoo
(6) Roses on backs of hands – missing credit (foto siapa ini?)
Recent photos of vintage rose tattoos in Bali outnumbered all the other styles we collected. What you see lined up here is only a Tattlas editor’s draft selection, so feel free to ask for more or submit your own.
Colorful Rose Tattoos
Best Flora Tattoo award-winner at Bali Tattoo Expo 2019
Neotraditional blue roses by Ucok – 2017, Luxury Ink Bali
Neotrad rose on forearm tattooed by Dodoyesyou!
Another photo from the Tattlas archives (tattooed sometime before 2018) we especially love the colorful leaves in this piece and shapes of the petals at the tips.
Skull, snake and rose tattoo shared by Wild Ink Bali, 2015
Peachy Purple Roses with Dewdrops
Chest tattoo by Rudis Art, 2015 – Bali Tattoo Studio Gods of Ink
Artistic roses tattooed in 2017 at Star Angels Tattoo Studio – Legian Street, Bali
It looks like these pink and purple roses were nicely added above and below an existing arm tattoo.
Despite how much we like them, we wouldn’t call these two “traditional old school.”
Decked Out Rose Designs
Here come the best-dressed rose tattoos with their beaded necklaces and sparkle.
BEADS
(1) Bali Bulldog Tattoo Studio
(2) Cover up by Hendro Dewisura, Luxury Ink
(3) Rose with pearls, Bali Rose Tattoo
MANDALA ROSE TATTOOS
Rose tattoos with black ornamental details, anyone? Called ‘rose mandalas’ by some or ‘floral mandala designs’ if you have a better name for this group, thanks legends for letting us know in the comments.
Ornamental side tattoo by Kenyoz Baliken Art (around 2017 while working at Two Guns Tattoo Bali in Kuta)
Pink roses and heart gemstone side tattoo by Ronald Arnold (made at West Coast Ink Bali – Dec 2018)
Pink rose and mandala tattoo by Randy aka Rand Ink at Sabian Ink in Kuta, Bali Sept 2019
Cursive writing cover up tattoo: lace, necklace and roses by Pak Hendro – Luxury Ink Bali, 2016
If you’re thinking of getting a tattoo like these from the rose garden of ink in Bali… then OMG yes, that’s great.
COLOR OR BLACK ‘N’ GREY?
Mandala with rose forearm tattoo shared by Redskin Tattoo Studio
Cover up by Rose Tattoo Studio Bali
Linework Roses & Tiny Tattoos
If that’s way too much for you, here’s the part about linework and small rose tattoo designs.
Bali black line tattoo of two roses by Setiyo Pramono, 2017
Black linework flower by Senya, 2017 – Babayaga Tattoo Studio in Canggu, Bali
A line tattoo design can be a tattoo of any size. The biggest difference among tattoos of this style is the size of the line.
FINE LINE ROSE TATTOOS
Make sure to speak with your artist about the width of the lines you want.
Small side tattoo from 2017 – Babayaga Tattoo Studio, Canggu, Bali
The Instagram filter used by Bali babe Ernie Pop to debut her rose wrist tattoo makes its fine lines look blurry. But the placement is on point!
MEDIUM & SMALL ROSE TATTOOS
Collect subtle designs that you can sometimes hide or share for surprise.
Tiny!
Micro-tattoo rose
by Erwin (made at Mason’s Ink around 2018)
Click here for more ALL RED INK Bali tattoos.
Black rose sternum tattoo
inked in 2017 at Two Guns Tattoo Bali by Ali Bastardos
The back of the arm above the elbow is a discreet placement for a medium-sized tattoo only seen from behind.
Pastel pink and black rose
tattooed by Ucok –
Luxury Ink Bali, 2017
ROSES RULE
There are so many reasons to get a rose tattoo really.
Maybe you want to get a symbol of love but no, not a heart tattoo. Roses imply romance.
Maybe your grandma loved roses and you’d like to get a tattoo in remembrance of her. Roses show respect.
Maybe you come from a family of florists? You’re a rose farmer who makes perfume in the south of France, oui? Roses smell real great.
You’re an actor showered on stage by single roses at the end of every show. But your career suddenly ended. O the sorrow. Roses share sympathy.
You just like roses? Okay. That’s reason enough to browse rose tattoo ideas. Roses are really, really pretty.
Whether you’re perfecting your rose tattoo design and placement, or looking for the right tattoo artist, we hope you are inspired by this frequently updated gallery of rose tattoos made in Bali.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
The voice in my head
Wants a new tattoo
Sorry things get sloppy right about here.
SHOULDER TATTOOS
(1) Rose tattoo by Wita, Koko Goldfinger
(2) Dotwork rose on woman’s arm by Casper, Padma Ink
(3) Tattoo of a rose dream catcher shared by Bali Inkreation
FLORAL HIP TATTOOS
Tattoos by:
(1) Kenyoz Baliken Art, Two Guns
(2) Ricky Sokay
(3) Adjul, Hundred Brothers Social Club
(4) Babayaga Tattoo Studio
The Most Realistic Rose Tattoos
(1) Rose and compass by Hendro Dewisura, Luxury Ink
(2) Chest tattoo with peach colored roses and buds by Rudi, Gods of Ink
(3) Dia de los muertos tattoo with rose, Paudy Bali
(4) Realistic grey roses sleeve by Akis Gautama
Tattoo gallery curated by Tattlas.com Bali Tattoo Guide. All tattoos created by tattoo artists and studios in Bali, Indonesia. Image rights belong to them (excluding a few originals by TATTLAS). If we have something wrong, please let us know!
Want to submit your Bali roses? Beautiful!
tattlas.com Bali Tattoo Guide
How to ADD YOUR ART
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