Wave tattoo ideas are linked to the idea of motion and the inexorability of tides and time. They never cease traveling, even when seeming completely still. 

Wave body art is also representative of the ocean, a love of the sea and surf, conservation, or a sense of belonging to coastal villages, towns, and cities.

Whether still waters, a minimalist wave tattoo, or a crashing wave on the sand and rocks, these designs are great ways to symbolize emotion. Life can be gentle and breezy during the simple times and tumultuous during the hard. 

Other tattoo lovers use Japanese wave art as inspiration for tattoo design, like the famous “Great Wave” by Katsushika Hokusai. Some use waves for filler in large traditional Japanese tattoos, intricately aligning more dominant imagery like koi fish, dragons, and flowers.

The following story investigates the meaning of ocean wave tattooing to provide inspiration you can take to your tattoo artist to craft a killer custom wave design idea of your very own.

1. Tides, Time, Motion, and Emotion

Wave and water tattoo designs are appreciated as symbols of life’s constant motion, an unstoppable force of nature that continues on and on over the course of time.

Arching waves can represent how even with all the strength in the world, water can still manage to work its way free. Just like life itself, many things refuse to be grasped and remain elusive.

Waves are also a popular symbol for depicting emotions, as they can be shown as calm, cool, fun, in turmoil, or complete rage, just like a beach battered by a crashing wave during a storm.

2. A Tribute to a Life of Sea, Salt, and Surf

Oftentimes wave tattoo art is representative of the ocean, a love of the sea and surf, conservation, or a sense of belonging to coastal villages, towns, and cities.

For tattoo lovers who dwell near or on the water, the wave is often worn as a protective totem, a message of unity with the elements, and depicted from the smallest tiny tattoo through to large, amazing tattoos incorporating different sea elements. Sailors, swimmers, and surfers alike all understand that the tide is much greater than themselves, and respect the forces beyond their control.