If you're looking for ideas for Lord of the Rings tattoos, you may be interested to know that the cast of the first Lord of the Rings movie decided to get tattoos to commemorate the one and a half years they spent shooting the popular film.
Tattoos and the Cast of Lord of the Rings
When the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring finished up, eight of the nine cast members decided to get Lord of the Rings tattoos to mark the occasion. They agreed on a design of one word which symbolized the number nine written in the flowing Elvish script.
J.R.R. Tolkien, the Lord of the Rings author, created a number of languages in his lifetime and one of the film's calligraphers drew up a few different tattoo versions in the Tolkien language known as Tengwar, which somewhat resembles a Tibetan script. Cast members choose the word that symbolized the number nine to represent the number of cast members in the film. The one member of the cast who declined getting the tattoo was John Rhys-Davies, the actor who played the part of Gimli. He decided against getting inked for personal reasons. However, he did send his stunt double in his place.
The rest of the group chose a variety of placements for their tattoos:
- Sean Astin - ankle
- Billy Boy - ankle
- Elijah Wood - lower stomach
- Orlando Bloom - forearm
- Ian McKellen - shoulder
- Dominic Monaghan - shoulder
- Sean Bean - shoulder
- Viggo Mortensen -- shoulder
Sean and Billy chose the ankle placement as a way to commemorate the hours they spent wearing hairy hobbit feet for their roles.
Ideas for Lord of the Rings Tattoos
The Elvish tattoo idea is a popular option embraced by Lord of the Rings fans because it can be personalized in endless ways. Here are some fun and interesting Elvish and other Lord of the Rings style tattoos to consider:
Name in Elvish
A tattoo design written in the Elvish alphabet exudes the element of magic and fantasy. Whether its your name or the name of a loved one, the Elvish script makes for a unique and interesting tattoo. Resources are available to help translate your name choice into Elvish:
Tattoos Based on Imagery
Lord of the Rings tattoos can also be based on rich imagery and symbolism found in the movies. Depending on the image you choose, you can create a single image or create a fantasy style tattoo collage. Use photographic reproductions of stills taken from the movie to be sure to get a final tattoo that is sure to please you. Ask your tattoo artist to prepare a mockup of the tattoo so you can see his artistic interpretation before it becomes a permanent piece of body art.
Lord of the Rings Motifs
Unique tattoos can include imagery that depicts the temptation of the ring; this may reflect resisting the power or embracing it. Another thought is to capture a scene that marks a point in the journey of one of the characters. Aragorn on his horse with the dramatic backdrop of Middle Earth, or Arwen when she chooses to stay behind, or a collage marking points in Frodo's journey are just a few magic possibilities ink can bring to life.
Lord of the Rings Symbols
Some of the Lord of the Rings symbols, like the ring, make a better choice for smaller tattoos while an image such as Mount Doom can create a larger more dramatic image that represents conflict. It is the place where the ring originated as well as where it can be destroyed. It also represents Frodo's final destination, but also his greatest challenge.
The Magic of Middle Earth Ink
Whether you choose a full or half sleeve fantasy tattoo or something clever in Elvish, a tattoo based on The Lord of Rings offers a creative way to get inked.
