Tattoo Coloring: From Pin-Ups and Roses to Sailors and Skulls

Express yourself, find inspiration, and unwind as you color beautiful and intriguing tattoo designs.

Tattoos can be traced back thousands of years and across cultures. Once a counterculture symbol of our modern era, these permanent skin designs are now ubiquitous and endlessly assorted, from the OG tattoos—pin-ups, anchors, hearts with “mom” written across, maybe a dagger through a rose; featuring bold lines and bright colors—to contemporary ink in a broad array of styles such as fine-line, watercolor, blackwork, black and grey, tribal, ignorant, cartoon, 3D, abstract, realistic, and patchwork.

But aside from looking cool, why do people subject themselves to thousands of pin pricks in their skin? Believe it or not, it just might be for “tattoo therapy.” The little bit of pain involved in getting a tattoo causes the body to release endorphins; dubbed the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins also help reduce stress and improve a sense of well-being.

Just like coloring! Though hopefully there’s no pain involved, the simple act of coloring similarly calms the mind and helps you relax. Whether you’re coloring or getting inked, your mind is focused on the task at hand; you put down your phone and tune out all the noise and distractions of the world. And, like sitting with a tattooist to sort out the tatt you’re going to get, this coloring book is designed to help you explore your own personal creative side.

In the pages of Tattoo Coloring, you will find:

• More than 120 gorgeous designs, including vipers, eagles, and tigers; skulls, daggers, and nautical imagery; and roses, pin-ups, and doves 
• Line-drawn art with imagery that will put you in a relaxed state of mind
• An intricate meditative pattern to color on the back of each page

Just as there is no right or wrong way to add color to your body, there is no right or wrong way to use this book. You can color in these beautiful illustrations however you wish and in whatever way feels right to you. One of the great things about coloring is that it’s accessible to anyone, regardless of artistic capabilities. Being able to add your own colors helps make it more personal and, unlike with a fresh tattoo, there’s no pressure to make these drawings perfect.

Whether you’re sporting a full sleeve or your canvas is as plain as the day you were born, Tattoo Coloring has all the iconic imagery you’d expect. So, while you may be contemplating your next (or first!) tattoo design, there’s no time like now to grab a colored pencil, celebrate tattoo culture, and get coloring!


Chartwell Coloring Books is the ultimate coloring book series, encompassing designs of every kind. From intriguing abstract patterns to beautiful pictures from the natural, technological, and fantasy worlds, each of these coloring books will soothe the mind and inspire the inner creative in anyone. With so many variations of complex, beautiful designs in each book, you’ll have plenty of pages to bring to life. Whether young or old, creative or not, this series has something for you.

Publishing and supplying books to wholesalers, mail order companies, and retail stores for over 60 years, Chartwell Books publishes across a wide range of subjects, including history, craft, home reference, puzzles and games, music, art instruction, transportation, and more.