(Images via stresslines, about, vnboards, techyum, miguelangel)
Not everyone goes for the literal symbols of the steampunk movement; they choose instead to come up with more intricate designs that manage to display their loyalties through a Victorian style, rather than the less subtle clockwork machines. Steampunk is about science, so anything ornate but functional will do the trick.
(Images via ectomo, aaronthestrong, theshadowbox)
Bio mechanical tattoos have always been popular, but there’s been a surge in the number of steam driven organs appearing on arms and chests across the nation. When you truly take the antique beauty of steampunk to heart, you might as well display it… as a heart. With pumps, gauges, and valves, the clockwork heart is both fragile and consistent in fulfilling its duties.
(Images via woodspindle, checkoutmyink)
Robots are appealing in any genre, but there’s an added beauty to the uniqueness of the Victorian machine. Due to the labor involved in creating a robot from oiled gears and heavy steel, there’s an individuality to every steampunk robot that lends itself to ink. Lurching metal behemoths with giant rivets, and clouds of billowing steam are always a classic.
(Images via vi.sualize.us, nyquildriver)
Shoulders are often overlooked as potential canvases, but they are a great location for a large and yet easily concealable tattoo. With so much area to work with, tattoo artists can delve into details that would never be able to make it into a tattoo on a forearm, or even a bicep.
(Images via dangerousdeedee, checkoutmyink, tattoosartgallery)
Flight is an important aspect of the steampunk genre; whether you be on a gently floating airship, or swiftly climbing on clockwork wings, the intricacy of steampunk flight, plus the danger of soaring so high in the sky, creates an oddly compelling combination. Clockwork wings turn the angel wing cliche into something quite a bit more interesting, and the old favorite sparrow becomes a unique piece of art when it’s made clear it’s mechanical.
