Lately we have talked a lot about Viking tattoos, outside of the symbol tattoos of these iconic warriors or of the nordic tattoos, in which we talked about different aspects to take advantage of these tattoos.
Today we will talk about something different in Viking tattoos: the fierce warriors of legend we can draw inspiration from. Some are well known, others not so much, but all are the protagonists of perfect legends to represent in a tattoo.
Odin, death and poetry
The first of the characters that we can draw on for a tattoo is Odin. Odin is a tough guy who fights with a spear and his trusty eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. He lives in the palace of Asgard, from where he observes everything that happens in the nine worlds from his throne.
(Source).
Odin is a god characteristic for his fury and passion. Perhaps that is why he is the god of war, but also, surprisingly, of poetry and storytelling. It is said that he will guide the gods to the end of the world and that the wolf Fenrir will devour him.
(Source).
As a tattoo, Odin works wonders thanks to the elements that make it distinctive (the patch, for example). Choose a realistic, black-and-white design to give it a dramatic and dramatic tone.
Thor with the cool hammer
(Source).
Thor is well known to all (partly thanks to the blond Marvel). With his hammer, Thor has power over the crops and, although with his hammer he can destroy hordes of giants, he has always had a more peaceful and protective role.
(Source).
A curious fact is that devotion to Thor challenged Christian missionaries who wanted to convert the Germans yes or yes to his religion for hundreds of years thanks to his hammer, which became an amulet (not life-size, of course) for his faithful.
(Source).
In a tattoo Thor, like Odin, is fortunate to have an element (the hammer) that makes him instantly recognizable, so you can choose both a design inspired by comics and other more traditional sources or even totally invented by you or your tattoo artist.
The Valkyries, fierce warriors
Another of the most interesting Nordic figures to be inspired by for Viking tattoos are the Valkyries, virgin warriors who fight tooth and nail. Although there are several Valkyries with very interesting stories, the best known is Brunhilda, the protagonist of The Ring of the Nibelungs.
(Source).
The most common way of representing them in tattoos is by means of a maiden riding a flying horse., armed with a spear and a bow, as well as robes and armor and a warrior attitude. They are pieces that look great in places like the back if they are large and showy designs.
Loki, the joker god
Who else who least knows Loki, in part, again, thanks to Marvel, where He is Thor's brother and sometimes antagonist. Originally, Loki was considered, indeed, the origin of all the deceptions. However, he is a figure shrouded in mystery since, although he appears in many myths as the son of two giants adopted by Odin, he has not traditionally been worshiped.
When it comes to drawing inspiration from a tattoo, it is common to find Marvel's Loki as the protagonist (either from the comics or the movies, played by Tom Hiddleston), with his huge horned helmet and his signature colors, green and gold.
Freya, goddess of love and war
Another of the most important characters in Viking mythology, and a perfect candidate for Viking tattoos, is Freya, goddess of love, fertility, sex and war. It is said that this goddess rules the Fólkvangr, a beautiful field where half of our people go to battle (the other half goes to Valhalla, which surely sounds much more familiar to you, Odin's domain).
As a tattoo you can give Freya a very cool touch with her carriage, possibly the best in the world and the one that arouses the most fear in his enemies since, he is pulled by two cats! Jokes aside, this goddess is used to represent her with a very long blonde hair and a sensual attitude because she considers herself the goddess of sex and love.
Siegfried, the hero who killed a poor dragon
Another of the best known Viking heroes is Siegfried, who lived many adventures, but the best known of which is probably the one that led him to get the treasure guarded by the terrible Fafnir, a dragon that guarded the treasure of the Nibelungs (indeed, its popularity is also due to The Ring of the Nibelungs). Legend has it that the young Siegfried grew up with a blacksmith who taught him to kill the terrible beast: with a sword he pierced his heart and bathed in poor Fafnir's blood to make himself invincible.
(Source).
Siegfried is ideal for those tattoos that want to base themselves on this legend to achieve an unusual design: that of a fierce Viking killing, or bathing in the blood, of a dragon. It is certainly a very impressive design that can follow a realistic style.
Ragnar Lodbrok, the Viking from TV
Perhaps after Vicky the Viking the best known warrior of the north is Ragnar Lodbrok (the last name of which translates beautifully as 'hairy breeches', because he used that fire-retardant garment to kill two dragons, apparently a fashionable hobby at the time), protagonist of the series Vikings. Son of the King of Sweden, Ragnar was the scourge of England and Normandy thanks to his many forays into those territories.
(Source).
Evidently Ragnar tattoos are galore thanks to his role in the TV series. However, if you want a more original approach, you can be inspired by a design based on other sources and illustrations, or even invent it yourself.
Örvar-Oddrm, the hero jinx
If there is a jinx hero in all of Norse mythology, it is the Norwegian Örvar-Oddrm. His story begins when, as a child, a seer prophesies that his own horse will kill him in his killing village. This causes Örvar-Oddrm to decide to kill the poor horse so that the prophecy does not come true and he decides to flee from home. The hero embarks on numerous adventures throughout the years, until, driven by nostalgia, he returns home. When visiting the grave of his horse, he mocks the prophecy, he stumbles upon a skull, from which a snake comes out that bites him and, of course, he dies.
(Source).
His story is ideal not only to portray him as a burly warrior, but also to use darker elements such as the skull and snake in a design, which can symbolize the idea that one cannot escape fate or death.
(Source).
Viking tattoos are inspired by fierce warriors and legendary characters who dedicated themselves to raiding, fighting and slaying dragons, and they have left gripping stories for posterity. Tell us, have you been inspired by any for a piece? Who is your favorite? Tell us in a comment!