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As more and more creative people throw their ambitions and ideas into an art form, they typically achieve new levels of sophistication that their forebears may not have ever imagined. Indeed, the Renaissance was partially characterized by this happening on a massive scale throughout the European art world.
However, not every such movement is as widely celebrated and chronicled. For instance, the past few decades have seen similar advancements in tattoo art, but it's been a more gradual and unsung process outside of the community. Nonetheless, it becomes abundantly clear how far tattoo artists have come when tattoos that move with the wearer's body are unveiled.
This Bird's Wings Actually Flap
The realistic level of detail on this woman's tattoo makes it look as though a real bird has crashed against her back. But while the artist's hyper-realistic style is great for fooling the eye, that clearly wasn't the only trick in their book.
Because when the woman stretches her back muscles, the bird's wings change position as they would over the course of flying. Although this level of detail would be a point of pride on its own, it's needed to express how the bird's own muscles move as it flaps its wings.
A Fearsome Creature That's Very Familiar To Some
For those who aren't aware, this detailed yet dark tattoo depicts an enemy known as the Gaping Dragon from the popular video game Dark Souls. Considering that half its body seems to be composed of a massive mouth loaded with a jagged array of sharp teeth, it's not hard to see how it came by that name.
However, even those who don't understand the context of this tattoo can likely appreciate the intricacies of its striking design. That's already true when the wearer's knee is bent, but the dragon looks impressively natural as it leans forward when the leg is extended. That multi-layered consideration makes a great tattoo even better.
Simple, Effective, And Adorable
While it's true that the ambition behind giving someone a tattoo that reacts to their body's movements often lends itself to very complex designs, that doesn't have to be the case, some designs show that a tattoo can fulfill that goal in a clever way without taking weeks to produce.
And it's hard to find a better example of this phenomenon than this cute little stick figure on a trampoline. With just a slight bending of the pinky finger, the figure looks like it's gleefully jumping. It helps that the figure started in the air.
A Gorgeous Ladybug
On its own, the ladybug at rest to the left would make for a perfectly respectable tattoo on its own. The level of detail and the friendliness of the design could fit in just about anywhere on the body. However, there are only a few places where the full picture of this tattoo could be feasible.
After all, it's also clear that when the wearer extends their arm, that ladybug takes flight. So, not only did the tattoo artist need to make its wings look natural in both positions, but the ingenious use of this person's inner elbow makes room for the finer details of those wings.
Another Interpretation Of A Great Idea
In many ways, this ladybug's design incorporates the common vision of a tattoo that moves with the wearer's body. It was inked around a joint (in this case, the knee) and incorporated the often ignored back part of that joint to reveal a hidden layer underneath.
But while some tattoo artists will take a colorful approach to a ladybug design, this artist opted for a line art-heavy vision that makes the ladybug look prestigious and emotionally impactful. Of course, the way its detailed wings open and close with the knee's bending adds to the "wow" factor.
It's Hard to Know Whether to Be Scared Or Impressed
Considering how aesthetically displeasing and scary they are, it's not often that someone gets a tattoo of an anglerfish. However, the deep sea fish is the perfect subject for a tattoo with such an ambitious idea behind it.
While most people would be satisfied with the level of detail shown when the ornery fish's mouth is closed, the artist's use of the space behind the wearer's knee deserves applause. The more this person extends their leg, the wider the mouth opens, and the more fearsome the fish's teeth look.
That's Some Impressive Wingspan
As people become more aware of how important they are to the world, they're more likely to regard bees as vulnerable little helpers than vaguely scary nuisances. And that sentiment likely influenced this person's impressively detailed bee that sits astride their elbow.
Of course, that's only what it's doing when they flex their biceps. When they stretch their arm out, the bee's wings spread to their full span, and it appears to take flight. This was already an incredibly well-done tattoo, but that ambitious detail pushes things to another level.
An Adoring Fan's Design Goes The Extra Mile
If this cat skull with a protruding tongue looks unfamiliar, this woman explained that it's the logo of Lovejoy, one of her favorite bands. But while the design is certainly representative of that logo and looks clean and well-executed, that's not all it has going for it.
The logo appears as it would on the band's merchandise when her arm is extended. However, it takes on a different character when that arm is bent. Not only does it appear larger this way, but its expression changes, and that eye appears to stare at whoever it's pointed at, rather than into the distance.
A Creepy Crawler's Artful Transformation
It takes a skilled and versatile tattoo artist to make a beetle design seem just as credible when it's shown at rest as when it's shown flying. While that's a tricky design at the best of times when capturing various flying animals, it's a particular challenge when transforming a beetle.
As these comparison shots make clear, the beetle looks so different in those states that even when it's being clearly shown, it's hard to see how they can be reconciled. The artist was able to pack so much detail into the inside of this person's elbow.
Two Perfectly Good Designs In One
As impressive as it is to fit two completely different images into one coherent package, it's just as mind-blowing when they're able to make the same design work no matter how the body moves. Whether the wearer is bending their knee or standing up straight, this unique design still clearly works as a unicorn rabbit.
Not only did the artist's work have to perfectly align with the folds behind the knee to make this happen, but they essentially had to combine two versions of the same beast. The more compact design looks just as good as the more elongated one.
An Impressive And Adorable Dinosaur With A Flexible Neck
The perspective and clear personality of this dinosaur tattoo would make most customers satisfied no matter where they wanted it on their body. But the fact that it was inked into the side of their elbow allowed the artist to get even more ambitious.
After all, the dinosaur's neck is in a sensible position no matter how much this person bends or extends their arm. It just turns out to be the difference between a dinosaur in the middle of feeding and a dinosaur that's spotted something coming its way.
A Masterfully Blended Design
Thanks to the pattern on this beetle's shell, the resting form shown when the wearer's arm is flexed seems to fit in very neatly with its flying form. Indeed, the wings and the centerpiece can seamlessly unfurl when that arm is extended.
There's also some emphasis on facial detail in this design that makes the beetle look like it has a gruff personality. Add that personality to the clean features of the pattern on its back, and the beetle looks more like it belongs in a graphic novel than a nature documentary.
A Beautiful Tattoo That's Tough To Show Off
Although the elbow is typically the most convenient place to get a tattoo that moves with the body, some wearers are clearly willing to be as ambitious as the artists who work with them. After all, it's a little tougher to show the impressive details of a tattoo by squatting and standing than it is to flex and relax a bicep.
But with the surprise that's revealed when this tattoo is fully extended, it's not hard to appreciate why someone would go to that trouble. The extension of this moth's wingspan would be impressive enough without the haunting eyeball design that stares curious observers in the face. Who wouldn't be wowed by this?
A Clever Trick That Shows Another Impressive Stunt
When this person's leg is extended, their tattoo would seem a little abstract and hard to understand if it wasn't for the trapeze by the woman at the top's feet. But of course, the magic really happens when they bend their knee.
As shown here, that's because the two acrobats get to complete their stunt and join hands mid-air. And as the wearer moves their leg, the acrobats repeat their stunt again and again. It's an inspired concept for a tattoo.
An Ingenious And Wholesome Tattoo
It's always a delight to see the creative directions some people will take in expressing the already tricky concept of a tattoo that moves. And this is a great example that many people wouldn't think of right away.
It takes skill and an inventive mind to make a tattoo that seems perfectly nice on its own even more impressive when the wearer bends their knee. And considering how natural this woman looks as she's bowing with the knee, it's a genuine credit to the tattoo artist's flexibility in their line work.
A Creative Science Lesson
While it's understandable that flying animals would be the most common motif for a tattoo that moves with its wearer's body, some artists have more unexpected sources of inspiration. And in this case, it's a process that happens in the wearer's body all the time.
When this person's arm is bent, the tattoo simply depicts an average cell that exists in a human or animal's body (plant cells look different). However, the more that arm is extended, the further along that cell appears to be in the process of mitosis, which is one of the ways they reproduce.
An Unnerving But Incredibly Impressive Moon
No matter which version of the tattoo the wearer is presenting at a given time, there's something discomforting about the way the crescent Moon in this picture is looking at everyone. That said, this is a marker of an enviably distinct style from an artistic standpoint, and the layers inherent in this tattoo make the artist's skill obvious.
Because if they were working from scratch, it's a fairly safe bet that most people would struggle with the idea of a Moon that encompasses a giant eyeball, which sometimes turns into a staircase. But by putting the details of the staircase in the knee's fold, the artist was able to make that strange and incredibly tall order a reality.
A Very Different Breed Of Dinosaur Tattoo
As lovely as it is to see a happy dinosaur grazing via someone's arm tattoo, any artistic medium only gets more exciting when it escapes the bounds of reality. So, instead of a living dinosaur craning its neck with the wearer's elbow, this ink depicts an animate skeleton.
It's an interesting phenomenon to see what would normally be a museum display appear to come to life. And with such a grand difference between its neck positions, this isn't just a case where the museum has questionable support wires.
An Unusual Creature Having A Terrible Day
Even by the ambitious standards of a tattoo that moves along with the wearer's body, it's hard to get more original than the sophisticated yet brutal design shown here. When this person clenches their armpit, their tattoo forms the face of a cyberpunk zombie with mutated tentacles coming out of its head.
That's worth a close look on its own, but that's especially true when their arm raises. The artist's work inside the armpit shows the viscous green ooze that this creature bleeds when its head is ripped in half. It's an admittedly edgy tattoo, but that doesn't make it any less admirable in its execution.
A Moth With An Ominous Secret
When this arm is bent, anyone around them is treated to an intricate design of a moth. But in that state, it appears as though it's suffering from a head wound. That already makes for an unusual tattoo, but this one becomes even more unique when the arm is extended.
That's because as the details of this red "wound" reveal themselves, it becomes clear that the situation being depicted here is even more dire than it seems. In an impressive burst of creativity and execution, the tattoo artist expressed that this moth is being haunted by a demon resembling an Oni from Japanese folklore.
An Adorable Excuse For The Circle Game
While many tattoo artists understandably need a significant canvas for the difficult job of making a tattoo that moves with their client's body, others will find that they can express a big idea with a small tattoo. And this cute little fellow is a perfect example.
As shown here, the wearer can open and close the little dinosaur skull's jaw by moving their fingers. So even if they use that as an excuse to make people fall for the classic "circle game," it takes the sting off to see such a cool effect.
Some Incredible Execution Of A Bewildering Concept
For those looking for an explanation for what this little creature is, the unfortunate truth is that this knowledge seems to exist only between the tattoo artist and their client. As detailed and creative as the results are, it's hard to know what supernatural being this is supposed to be.
But what is clear from what happens after the wearer extends their arm is that anyone who's around this thing will likely find their situation getting messy quickly. After all, whether those are eggs, food pellets, or a completely unidentified substance, this creature apparently has a habit of spewing them.
A Masterfully Captured Passion For The Perfect Pour
Although so many people in this world drink coffee, there are some who are particularly outspoken about their refined tastes and passion for brewing it well. And it's that mentality that makes this fancy pour a perfect idea for a tattoo.
However, even their high standards would have to be met and exceeded by the skill of the tattoo artist responsible for this seamless design. Adjusting the angle of the pour according to the position of the wearer's knee was a brilliant idea.
The Cutest Little Reference
So much of Pac-Man's charm and popularity came from his simplicity. He's just an incomplete circle with an eye, but the hungry little guy has been a welcome sight among gamers for over 40 years because there's a lot of personality in such a simple shape.
And that same "simple but effective" design philosophy is what makes this tattoo so special. While it's certainly natural to want to add some ambitious heft to a tattoo that moves with the body, it's just as impressive that they were able to make little Pac-Man's mouth move naturally.
A Personal Tattoo With An Extra Special Touch
It's sometimes hard to predict what someone will like enough to capture in a tattoo, but it's worth noting that this man didn't get this purely because he's a fan of limes. Instead, he mentioned in a Reddit post that the tattoo commemorates his tenth anniversary of bartending in Chicago.
So not only is this a cute and G-rated way to express that accomplishment, but the tattoo artist employed a twist as satisfying as the one provided by the lime itself. As the bartender bends his elbow, the lime gets squeezed like it's hovering over a drink.
A Fanciful Design With Wonderful Colors
Perhaps the most common type of moving tattoo involves a winged animal that pivots between being at rest and flying. But even though this tattoo artist was far from the first to apply this thinking to a beetle, nobody saw inspiration from that subject quite like them.
Although it's true that many designs have the beetle spread its wings when the wearer's arm straightens, this level of vibrance and boldness in the color palette present here makes it stand out from all the others in a major way.
A Subtly Brilliant Ladybug Design
Although a more colorful or flashy ladybug design that uses the elbow to spread its wings may catch more eyes, there's a level of detail in this more austere tattoo that's just as impressive. For those willing to take a closer look, this design arguably takes things a step further than the others.
After all, it's impressive to make the same tattoo capture two different states of being at once. But this one makes each step of the ladybug's flight look impressively gradual, depending on how far the wearer extends their elbow. Somebody's been seriously studying ladybug anatomy.
An Edgy Design That Can Change Its Expression
This person seems to have their share of cool tattoos, but the pair of lips with the vampire fangs and the tongue stud stands out even among the skull and the flaming die. And while it's true that the colors and the concept do a lot to make it stand out, its position gives it an extra X factor.
That's because when this person bends their elbow, the fangs clench and make a more displeased grimace than the anticipation that comes before the vampire bites her target. By some interpretations, it also looks like the vampire might be biting her lip. The best art always encourages a world of interpretations.
A Surprisingly Friendly Fellow
Despite what Jurassic Park had people believe, not every reanimated dinosaur has to be a menacing one. It may not be the most comforting feeling to watch a dinosaur skeleton move, but this one looks like such a friendly creature who's happy to see everyone.
The way it moves its head with the wearer's arm becomes very endearing with that excited expression. It brings to mind the adorably rambunctious T-rex skeleton in the Night At The Museum series. This one can't exactly play catch, though.
A Stark Portrait Of Nature's Savagery
Sometimes, a skeletal tattoo can seem almost whimsical, depending on the artist's style. But in this case, it's a more haunting portrait of how unforgiving the natural world and the circle of life within it is. The gaping maw surrounding this tiny fish skeleton expresses that sentiment very effectively.
However, it's just downright cool to see how the tattoo's reaction to motion complements that effect. Because each time the wearer bends their elbow, that jagged mouth takes another chomp at the little fish inside. It's an imaginative design choice, for sure.
A Subtle But Beautiful Design
Although many tattoos that articulate with motion have designs based around a clear and identifiable gimmick, this one isn't so flashy in its impressiveness. As this woman explained, she received a filigree design that runs along her neck.
Yet, as her neck stretches, so does the filigree. And it does so seamlessly enough that the artist clearly had to fold some fine, minute details into their work. Otherwise, it would look far less natural as it extends with her neck.
An Idea That Takes A Common Concept To Exciting Heights
For many tattoo designs involving flying creatures like this unusual beetle, seeing the wings pop out when the arm stretches is usually a wondrous surprise on its own. However, since the wings are already on the outside in this design, the artist needed to find another way to subvert people's expectations.
And their otherworldly beetle has certainly found a way to do that. That face on its back is a striking choice in its own right, but seeing a skull appear under it as it splits in half when the wearer straightens their elbow is a work of legitimate genius.
A True Transformer
As impressive as moving tattoos are on their own, it's so fascinating to see how the concept blends with various artistic styles and cultural traditions. In this case, it's clear that it can work very effectively with a classic Scandinavian style.
When the wearer's arm is stretched, this ornate fox design looks like a Gothic ornament above the door of an old building. But when the arm is bent, it seems like a mythical creature standing on curved legs. It's a very impressive tattoo on so many levels.
A Big Bite With The Right Teeth
While the concept of a tattoo that moves with the body has inspired a plethora of creative, ambitious ideas, those ideas can only go as far as their execution. And that's something that the simple but clean and effective design shown here exemplifies perfectly.
Although this is admittedly not the only tattoo to feature teeth chomping down when the wearer bends their elbow, it demonstrates how careful the spacing of those teeth needs to be for the idea to work. Here, it fits together comfortably, and the vampire-like fangs aren't misaligned.
An Elegantly Expressed Classic Sensibility
No matter what new enhancements come as new tools and systems are developed, some people will always have a fondness for doing things the old-fashioned way. And that love of all things vintage comes across very well in this detailed, tasteful straight razor design.
It's already impressive that the tattoo artist was able to make the blade visibly yet subtly shin, but the ingenuity of their design doesn't stop there. The way these blades fold into their handles is a key aspect of their charm, and the artist was able to accommodate that feature in this tattoo seamlessly.
An Insect That's Not What It Seems
Even before the insect in this design opens up its back as the wearer's leg straightens, it's clear that there's something sinister about it. That resemblance to an unblinking eye simply can't be ignored, but its true nature is revealed once it transforms with a change in position.
Because those eyes are incorporated so naturally into the tattoo's design that it's hard to see them as markings on the bug's wings. Instead, it looks as though the insect's back is secretly housing two otherworldly voids.
An Unusual Subject For A Tattoo
With some moving tattoos, it boggles the mind as to how the tattoo artist was able to add an extra layer to an already complicated aesthetic vision. But in other cases, it's clear that the actual image was more intended to illustrate the concept than to stand on its own.
And unless there's some context behind why this person got bolt cutters tattooed onto their leg, the most likely reason was to illustrate how the artist's design can make them open and close. Every time the wearer bends their knee, that's another bolt clipped.
A Skull That Can't Resist The Ravages Of Time
Based on the way dark vines are growing out of its eye sockets in this design, it's clear that the tattoo artist is depicting a skull that was left in the wild a long time ago. Once the wearer stops curling their bicep, that effect becomes even more pronounced.
That's because the jaw appears clamped in that state but separates in a seemingly permanent way when the arm straightens. It makes it look like the lower part of the jaw is falling away as nature takes its course.
A Tattoo That Raises Its Share Of Questions
Sometimes, a tattoo will feature such a unique take on a concept that it's a little tough to tell what it actually is. And while the hinge effect around the knee is interesting, it's a little easier to appreciate the artist's efforts to make a tattoo move when people can understand what's moving.
The angle and perspective make it hard to grasp that this is supposed to be a dinosaur skull adjusting at the connection with its spine when the wearer moves their leg. It's unclear whether the word "friends" is part of the tattoo, but the positions do look like the difference between the dinosaur asking for a friend and getting one.
An Inversion Of A Popular Concept
When a tattoo artist inks teeth around the elbow, one generally expects the jaw to cover the inside of the elbow so that it can clamp down when that elbow bends. But it's clear that one person's client had something different in mind.
Because when they bend their elbow, the fact that they have the jaw to surround the joint itself changes the character of the motion. Rather than clamp, the jaw expands as if it's trying to swallow something big.