Just one look upwards, high above the ground, and you’ll discover these divine dwelling spaces painting the sky. Mount Olympus’ clouds were once considered the homesteads and homes of the gods in Roman mythology.
Yet, when it comes to men’s tattoos they can take on a whole new meaning ranging from mystery and illusion to the thought of dreams.
They are also a symbol for transformation and change among the Chinese. It’s amazing how a man can gaze into the clouds as long as he wants, but eventually they will disappear. It’s a good reason why some men associate them with Zen, as devotion can often come with detachment.
There’s the idea of clouds being messengers of hope too with storms carrying or washing away our past worries. However, you’ll often find the most popular design being related to the traditional Japanese style. If you’re not familiar, clouds are commonly incorporated around things like demons and spirits.
Take a look at these top 80 cool cloud tattoos designed for men. You’ll discover masculine inspiration with design ideas ranging from realistic to abstract.
Cloud Tattoo Ideas
This cloud tattoo design uses the sky as a background to an airplane. It’s soft strokes mimic that of a water color painting with some negative space in between the shades of blue as the cloud details. It is rich in dark tones that give the plane depth and contour. This allows for enough texture to appear real. The stark contrast between the soft colors of blue and the black tones in a single dimension illustration is clearly visible to the viewer.
This Japanese traditional tattoo is known for its vibrant and dark colors. The cloud impression is shaded in gray and outlined in black for a softer and lighter effect.
This arm tattoo is minimalistic and features some cloud details, such as scallops. This illustration looks similar to illustrations in children’s books, where the boat travels over the seas under dark sky. The artist has used a consistent shading style to tie the entire piece together.
To bring out the thundercloud, this popular tattoo design uses black ink on a dark background. This arm tattoo makes a great first tattoo. It is the perfect size to be in a place where the pain meter will be low.
It is a stunning and intricate collection of tribal clouds in gray and black. The puffy cotton cloud is filled with Polynesian tribe shapes, patterns of fish hooks, unfurled leaves of ferns, and weave after weaving of fine lines to signify unity within the family or tribe. A single eye was placed at the top of this formation, commonly called the “tiki brilliant eye”. This tattoo is ideal for modern men who have strong tribal tattoo appreciation or affinity.
A tattoo is a permanent skin modifiation that can visually enhance the skin and add depth to what may seem like a blank canvas. A sky inspired full-sleeve tattoo is truly admirable. It is not an easy feat for both the artist and the wearer. It is amazing to see the different shades of blue on this arm. The movement and function of these arms was taken into account by the artist. Also, the effect of light on the arm’s shading is considered.
This religious piece features dark clouds that are used to make the doves stand out. It is a puff of round cotton gathered together to contrast with the feather details on these white birds. This is a fantastic idea for the front of the leg tattoo.
This incredible creation is a sailboat that splashes through the seas in all its splendour. One side of the body has a black-gray, muted tattoo. The clouds at the background looks like it’s been sketched by charcoal, gently smudged and contoured to complement the musculature of the canvas.
A chest piece with the winged Angel in black and gray realist tattoo. The detail is exquisite and the piece looks very elegant. He worked hard to create texture and depth in his pieces so that it almost feels like you are touching them. This is the background.
His daughter’s birth was celebrated with a full-length tattoo on his sleeves. A number of proud fathers have chosen to get a tattoo to express their joy at their children’s birth. This piece is unified by the clouds as its main background. The portraits look stunning against a background of gray and black clouds.
This is a rising trend in tattoo design. Water color tattooing is a style that mimics the strokes and effects of traditional tattooing. This can be achieved by using highly diluted colored inks that produce the desired effect. It’s a beautiful night scene at the bay with partially dark clouds covering the Moon.
The Japanese inspired tattoo was created in black and gray using the clouds as background. It ties the creation of these mythical pieces together. These clouds symbolize prosperity and good luck.
This dagger will end any negative omens that the dark thunder cloud might bring. This is the traditional dagger part at the back.
A second version of the thundercloud in black and grey, with dots details. This cloud design can also be used for arm tattoos.
These dragons are thought to be generous, benevolent and use their strength for mankind’s good. A full-sleeved tattoo is placed on a dark cloud bed like dark cottons. This beautiful Japanese traditional inkwork features bold strokes and darker colors. It takes a tremendous amount of work to finish an entire arm with full-bodied ink and intricate designs.
This black and grey creation shows a realistic and beautiful eye, which extends to a cluster fluttering doves across the sky. Once again, the clouds serve as a background. Cumulus clouds seem to be the favorite of the artists since it’s easily recognized and for its aesthetic beauty. As a token of his love, Lionel Andres Messi (the top soccer player of the decade) has a tattoo depicting the eye of his wife. The ink on the sleeves has the same vibe. It looks real. Whatever the woman was thinking at the time, he captured it and made this masterpiece.
This lighthouse is enveloped in dark raging water and smoky clouds. This is a stunning arm piece for ink work. The concept and execution of this focal piece are so impressive that it can be seen from far away.
This purple cloud piece is an alternative to the thunder cloud. This tattoo adds a surreal touch to the traditional thunder cloud design. Underneath the thunder looks like there’s a smoke of cloud about to deliver its wrath to whatever is beneath it.
This arm peace is adorned with a collection of tattoos meticulously pieced together to make it look cohesive and appear that it’s a full sleeved creation from the shoulder down to the wrist adhering to one common theme. The modified skin is stunning with the clouds at the upper shoulder section setting the tone for the raven.
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