9. Surreal Roman Numeral Tattoos  

One of the most visually impressive uses of Roman numerals in tattoo art involves including them as an element of a purely artistic, reality-defying larger piece. These surreal Roman numeral tattoos tell a story that weaves times and dates into it through the use of numerals while maintaining a visually enigmatic context.

A well applied, surreal tattoo design can work with bold colors, or black and gray application. Solid shading and linework and a skilled use of negative space can draw the eye across the entire image. The end result is often a compelling, mysterious tattoo.

10. Graphic Roman Numeral Tattoos  

Roman numeral tattoos can often be limited in scope and artistic depth when compared to other popular subject matters, such as portraiture or illustrative tattoos. There’s only so much an artist can do with Xs , Is, and Vs, after all.

Including Roman numerals as part of a larger image can make for rich, compelling applications that can be incorporated into any style of tattoo, from American Traditional to New Wave, biomechanical, or even tribal. A skilled tattoo artist should have little trouble including a special date or other Roman numerals into any design you choose. You aren’t limited to feeling that you can only include numerals and instead incorporate them as meaningful elements of a larger piece reflecting your personality and taste.

11. Roman Numeral Sleeve Tattoos

From a design standpoint, a full sleeve or half sleeve Roman numeral tattoo idea can be considered a fantastically unique visual application. Full sleeve tattoos are often highly detailed and the incorporation of Roman numerals adds a different dynamic to the whole piece.

These designs allow the numerals to either be the focal point of the tattoo, or an accent to a larger work, making Roman numerals an appealing, innovative choice. There’s no wrong way to make use of them in your tattoo design. Choosing a full sleeve allows you and your artist to play with thematic elements and application techniques in any variety of ways to get precisely the kind of large-scale tattoo you want.