Pictured with or without the spider, the spider web has been used as a prison tattoo in several different cultures. It is often an indication of prison time served but has other implications depending on the origins. It’s not good to assume that this is the spider web tattoo meaning being used, but there are still plenty of prisoners who choose to get the spider web over all of the other popular prison tattoo designs.

Placed on the elbow with the web spreading outward from the tip, it portrays a traditional style tattoo, iconic to inmates and convicts. This is important to keep in mind if you do decide to get a spider web tat since people might think that you were in jail even if you simply got your tat on your elbow because you liked the look of it. With that being said, if you like the look of the elbow tattoo and you want to use another spider web tattoo meaning with it, don’t hesitate to get one.

The hand or neck are other areas the web stretches, meaning to indicate criminal behavior. Now with this design you can assume that the wearer has either been to prison or hangs/hung out with others who had been inside. It’s pretty rare that someone who wasn’t associated with crime would opt to get the spider web tattoo on their neck over all of the other areas of their body.

The web serves as a reflection of the passage of time and the patience of the spider awaiting its prey. If you think about it, this is many spider web tattoo meanings all wrapped into a single image. It represents patience, passive aggressiveness, and reflectiveness, among other great meanings.

The spider web design is often used with other images to create an ominous theme for a larger tattoo. This is a great way to either add in additional spider web tattoo meanings or to simply make the design even more personal with completely unrelated images. If you do decide to add in other images, you should make sure that everything blends well and that it doesn’t look like things are just mashed together to try to fit in as much as you can.