8 Inspiring Oilfield Tattoo Ideas For Oilfield Workers
Edgy body art comprising a wide range of elements representing the oil and gas industry.
Eve Phillips is an experienced artist in various tattoo styles, though she specializes in tattoos with fine details and floral elements. She has owned studios for 20 years in both Australia and the United Kingdom and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of tattoo art, health, licensing, trends, current issues, and history.
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An oilfield tattoo may be one of the few ways in which labor-hardened, rugged oilfield workers may choose to express themselves. Their daily lives are consumed by a dynamic set of tasks that takes up a large portion of their day, barely leaving time for themselves and their dear ones. Each worker contributes in their way to the rigging of oil, which in turn plays a definitive role in the economy of an area or a nation. Thus, it is a given that these workers feel a deep sense of attachment or purpose in their jobs, idolizing these oilfields as a devout would to a temple. If you find such ideals relatable and like detailed body art expressing the same, we can help you with some creative ideas. Scroll down to find some cool oilfield tattoo designs that will interest you.
In This Article
8 Magnetic Oilfield Tattoo Ideas
A functional oilfield has a lot going on and a tattoo of any of the elements you find on the field, be it the complicated machine structures, the workers, work gear, or the landscape, may all be used for a comprehensive oilfield tattoo design. The following list has some ideas that you may find helpful in designing yours.
1. Texas Oilfield Tattoo
The oil and natural gas industry is a key contributor to the economy of the state of Texas. It is not a surprise if a native Texan who works in the industry would have pride in it and wish to get it tattooed on themselves. One idea to display these emotions through tattoos is to get a photorealistic image of an oilfield illustrated within the shape of the Texas map, as shown above. You may also use the Texas state flag in your design or illustrate a cowboy hat with an image of an oil drilling rig.
2. Badass Oilfield Tattoo
Considering conventional tattoo art subjects, the idea of an oilfield tattoo in itself is a badass choice. The design above features a cool idea to take it a step further on the edgy meter. The oilfield is illustrated within a huge oil drop shape with more black, greasy oil dripping from its contours. The oil drilling rig is also positioned smack in the middle of a busy-looking cityscape, creating contrasting imagery that opens up doors to interesting stories.
3. Oilfield Tattoo For Men
Hard grimy labor at the oilfield is a predominantly male-centric space. This kind of work can be extremely grueling on some days and fruitful or gratifying on other days. Oilfield workers who are devoted to their jobs may want to express themselves through a tattoo, such as the one above, that shows their dedication. A skull wearing a hard hat with imagery of an oilfield with dripping black oil can be a message about how they would dedicate their lives for this industry that has sustained them. The softly shaded flowers add a soft touch, further emphasizing their passion.
4. Roughneck Badass Oilfield Tattoo
Roughnecks are by definition badass, what with their demanding hard manual labor and their labor-hardened physiques and psyches. The term “roughneck” is also a very Texan word that refers to a rugged, edgy laborer. An illustration of a beefed-up man with chiseled muscles, work overalls, a hard hat, and dirt-smeared skin is a recipe that conveys an essence of toughness or an appreciation of it. These muscles are not built at the gym for aesthetics but are signs of working hard towards something.
5. Drilling Rig Oilfield Tattoo
An image of an oilfield is incomplete without a drilling rig. Pay tribute to this instrumental heavy machine by creating an oilfield tattoo design with the drilling rig as the focal point. Highlight the build of the large structure and choose tattooing techniques, such as realism, traditional, or dotwork that can make the machine stand out. You may complete the image with flowing rivers on the hard earth, with towering oil tanks, silos, and other facility buildings in the background.
6. Oilfield Tattoo For Dads
Oilfield workers who are also responsible fathers must have it extremely hard when the work hours are long or if they have to be gone for months as they work on a new site. They barely get to see the family they work so hard to support and yet they fulfill their duties through their challenging job. The tattoo above of a comic-style oilfield illustration underlined by the term “homesick” in large, capital font seems so fitting to express their situation and sentiments.
7. Tribal Oilfield Tattoo
Oilfield tattoos represent a general sense of pride in the industry and an ode to the workers who get their jobs done despite the many challenges. This is also a similar concept in tribal tattoos that express pride in cultural identity or heritage. Adding tribal elements to the mix may be a cool aesthetic choice but may have clashing symbolism as indigenous ideology is against the large-scale cultivation of natural resources. However, you may depict the tribalistic sentiments of oilfield workers through crisp and edgy design patterns with sharp lines and angles as shown in the image above.
8. Oilfield Sleeve Tattoo
An oilfield can serve as a very suitable subject for a large full-sleeve tattoo comprising the many aspects of oilfield production. The image above displays a good example where a huge oilfield is realistically illustrated with great attention to detail. There is one main drilling rig with tall silos looming in the background and several cranes and operational machines in the foreground serving dynamic purposes. The spot of colors on these machines is a nice visual touch. To add personalized details, you may add texts to support your ideals and create complementary ink details.
Although not a very conventional subject choice for body art, oilfield tattoos can help express a myriad of sentiments for tough oilfield workers who might otherwise express themselves through physical productivity rather than emotional expression. These tattoos can also be a way for family members of oilfield workers to artistically declare their pride in the selfless service of their kin as this job comes with many risks but may be the only source of livelihood for some families. We hope this article helped reinforce these sentiments and offer the inspiration you need through our innovative list of oilfield tattoo designs and ideas. Cheers!
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