Get some compass tattoo ideas in our amazing guide. We highlight some of our favorite design ideas and the meanings behind them.

A compass is an instrument that points to the four cardinal points (north, south, east and west) relative to the user’s location.

It is also one of the most popular and impressive looking tattoo themes as it is rich in symbolic meaning and suitable for almost all styles.

Continue reading for an overview of the meaning of the compass in tattoo art and some popular ideas for a compass tattoo design.

We’ve also put together a gallery of amazing compass tattoos for women and men alike.

Compass Tattoo Meaning

As we all know, in navigation a compass is used to determine the direction of north, south, east and west.

This allows the user to determine their position relative to these directions and, with the help of a map, navigate unknown terrain.

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Therefore, the main meaning of compass tattoos revolves around the idea of finding your way and staying the course. This could mean:

• Consistency : never lose sight of your goals and values, follow your path with confidence and remember to be true to yourself.
• Protection – Compass tattoos are considered good luck charms, something that will help you find the right direction in life and prevent you from getting lost. Compasses have long been a popular tattoo among sailors, who see them as symbols of protection and hope of reaching their destination safely.
• Loyalty – Compasses in tattoos are sometimes intended to be a symbol of loyalty, most often to a romantic partner. Again, this meaning refers to the idea of choosing the right path (in this case, the person you love and who is right for you) and not deviating from it.
• Choice – A compass tattoo can serve as a reminder that at every moment in your life you have many directions in which you can go, that is, a series of decisions you can make. Compasses can symbolize both the freedom and responsibility that come with life choices.
• Independence – If finding your own path rather than following convention is important to you, a compass could be a great tattoo choice to express this value.
• Travel – Finally, as important symbols of navigation and exploration, compass tattoos may simply be an expression of love for traveling and discovering new places.

If you are considering getting a compass tattoo to express a specific idea or value, the design and combination of elements you choose will help highlight the desired meaning of your tattoo.

Compass tattoo designs.

3D compass tattoo

3D tattoos aim to achieve a photorealistic look through careful shading. With compass designs, this technique will work best in monochrome or sepia.

Watercolor compass tattoo

A popular compass tattoo design option is one where the compass is outlined in black, with an abstract watercolor background.

This combination results in a colorful, light design suitable for almost any location.

Compass with rose tattoo.

The middle part of the compass, where the lines point to the four cardinal points, is known as the rose.

Perhaps for this reason, a compass tattoo design with a rose flower in the center is a relatively common choice.

A 3D compass surrounded by red roses is another variation of this design idea.

Compass tattoo with map

If you find that a compass alone creates a design that is too small or doesn’t have enough layers to meet your expectations, consider adding a map as a background.

One of the best things about this idea is that the part of the world map you choose will add more meaning to your tattoo – you can choose a place that means a lot to you personally.

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Remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to the map of Earth: maps of fictional fantasy worlds from novels, movies, and games are also an option, as is creating your own unique map.

Vintage style maps and 3D style are the recommended options for this type of design.

Compass with anchor tattoo.

Both the compass and anchor are naval symbols, so it makes a lot of sense to combine them into a single tattoo design. In tattoo art, anchors symbolize strength, stability and balance.

Like compasses, they are also sometimes considered a kind of good luck charm: a ship does not drop anchor until it reaches safe harbor; Therefore, it is a symbol of safely arriving at a destination.

Minimalist compass tattoo

Another idea worth considering is a simplified interpretation of a compass, made with thin black lines.

This design consists of the compass rose: the two crossed lines pointing to the four directions, optionally with the intercardinal directions (e.g. southwest, northeast) added.

If styled in the right way, this simple minimalist tattoo will be enough to express the idea of a compass. A circle around the lines can help the design stand out like a compass.

Heart Compass Tattoo

This combination clearly expresses the notion of following your heart. If you firmly believe that your intuition is the most important guiding principle in your life, then this could be the right tattoo for you.

For this design, the center of the compass can be adorned with the outline of a heart, or the two elements can be tattooed side by side.

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Christian Compass Tattoo

Combining the compass with Christian symbols such as the cross can indicate letting your faith guide you in the way you live and the decisions you make.

Compass tattoo with writing

For tattoos with a very specific personal meaning, writing is one of the most popular ways to express the intended meaning.

Consider adding a quote or even a single word that resonates with you, an important date, or the name of someone dear to your heart to your compass tattoo to highlight its deeper meaning.

Compass with arrow tattoo

Arrows are quite complex symbols, but in general they symbolize determination, courage, perseverance and direction, as well as protection from harm.

A popular way to combine these elements in a tattoo design is to overlap the two, with the compass halfway along the arrow.

Meanwhile, an arrow passing through a compass can express the idea of taking your own directions, following your own path and your own decisions, regardless of the rules.

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