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Rain Tattoo Ideas

Greater Vancouver was promised a blanketing of snow over the weekend. It even inspired us to pen a piece about snow tattoo ideas. Ultimately the snow never really came, but there is one weather patten you can always count on in the Lower Mainland – rain. While most of us despise the seemingly countless days of precipitation, some of you embrace it. In fact, you may appreciate it so much that you want to incorporate the “concept” into body ink. As always, we’ve got you covered like an umbrella (sorry) with ideas that will translate quite well to a tattoo.

Top 5 Tattoo Ideas for People Who Love (or find deeper meaning in) Rain

I. Rain Drops

Simple, but to the point, rain drops are the obvious choice that work great in black, or grey with impeccable shading to create a 3-dimensional (in appearance) work of body art. Shades of blue may also work and really pop with the certain skin tones.

II. Your Cloud

Forget snowflakes, no rain cloud is ever the same either. As such they are also analogous to differing personalities and therefore work as a tattoo concept. They may also represent passage through especially challenging times in your life, which is a part of what shaped you into the person that you are today.

Which type of rain cloud are you? A stratus, cumulus or nimbus? Have a look at the different types and match what best suits you and/or your journey through life thus far. A talented artist will be able to translate the nuances of each different type of cloud and transfer it to your skin into one truly unique tattoo.

III. Umbrella

Not to be taken literally, an umbrella typically represents shelter and protection from all that may befall someone in their life. In Buddhism, the symbolic meaning of an umbrella is the protection from illness, obstacles, harmful energies and suffering experienced in the three lower realms of existence. You may be a symbolic umbrella for some (your children, etc.) and/or someone may be the umbrella to you. Alternatively, you may simply enjoy the literal sense and how it ties to your affinity for rain.

IV. Gene Kelly Silhouette 

If you dig a good downpour then there’s a good chance that the song “Singing in the Rain” is an anthem that plays in your head when stepping outdoors. That song is from a 1952 American musical romantic comedy directed, choreographed, and sung/danced by Gene Kelly. There is one particular iconic image from the film that stands out, with Kelly hanging off a lamp post, umbrella in hand, and praising his love of the rain. Take this image (download the PIN here) to your tattooist. They can either tattoo it as a really cool looking silhouette, or as a realism piece. This is one definite conversation starter that will make everyone smile, even if they hate rainy days.

V. Make It Purple

1950’s icons (i.e. Gene Kelly, above) not your thing? Then how about paying homage to one of the best musicians/performers of all-time and your love for precipitation with a Prince-themed tattoo. The Purple Rain song and album has made numerous greatest-of-all-time lists (TIME, Rolling Stone, Billboard, etc.) so it’s certainly timeless. How to turn this concept into a tattoo? The “Formely Known as Prince” symbol (download it here) is a great place to start, but you can also go literal with this one and get purple rain drops (as per item #1 above).


Schedule a consolation for your rain-themed tattoo at a Vancouver or Toronto area tattoo studio near you.