You’ve decided on a tattoo of a baby deer. Of the many design options, you’re wondering which would be the best for you.
Fawns can represent many different ideas depending on cultural history and current associations. You can emphasize certain meanings by pairing your baby deer with certain items in your tattoo.
I’ll go over the long history of deer tattoos, what they symbolize, and design elements. Hopefully, these will help you design the perfect baby deer tattoo.
What is the History of Fawn Tattoos?
Like most tattoos, deer tattoos have probably enjoyed popularity for centuries, if not thousands of years. Since they’re a widespread type of animal, many cultures interacted with them on a regular basis. Different types of deer held importance throughout Europe, the Americas, and probably some cultures in Asia, too.
Most indigenous cultures used tattoos in different ways. Many Native American nations used tattoos to represent individual accomplishments. Some cultures, like the Aztec, used tattooing as part of religious rituals. According to archaeologists, some early European cultures used tattooing as medical treatment.
Deer tattoos were probably present right at the start of tattooing as a practice.
What do Fawn Tattoos Symbolize?
Deer have a few meanings across multiple cultures.
In general, they represent grace, nobility, peace, and a wild nature. Their nobility often connects them with royalty, as many European cultures refer to stags as the kings of the forest. You can include this in your tattoo if you like the imagery. Maybe your fawn could be a little prince or princess.
In many Native American cultures, deer were very important animals. They provided food, clothing, and materials for shelters.
Frequently, deer were symbols of fertility and the life cycle among these nations.
In Central and South American cultures, deer were translators between gods and humans.
Your baby deer tattoo could represent a connection between humans and the divine. To back this up, a few Buddhist mythologies claim the Buddha was a golden talking deer in a previous life.
What do Fawn Tattoos Mean?
Most often, baby deer represent the innocence and purity of childhood and youth. They can serve as a reminder to be gentle with children and younger folks in general. Baby deer tend to be playful, curious, and a little awkward. Your tattoo can convey all of these meanings.
You can transpose any of the meanings of deer tattoos onto a fawn tattoo as well. Ideally, a baby deer grows up and represents what its parents do. Babies can still represent that, just in miniature.
Deer are often a sign of good luck, too. Baby deer in general have a lot of positive associations, and are a great choice for a sweet tattoo.
Characteristics and Styles of Fawn Tattoos
Before getting your tattoo, you’ll want to consider what style you want and how you want to represent your baby deer. I’ll go over some of the tattoo considerations below.
Tattooing Styles
Currently, deer tattoos in geometric, dot, and watercolor styles are popular. However, you can get a baby deer tattoo in any style. Here is a guide to basic tattoo styles. You can also talk to your artist and discuss which style might work best for your tattoo concept.
How Much of the Fawn do You Want to Tattoo?
Usually, baby deer are small enough that most choose a design with a full body. You can certainly go this route, or choose a tattoo of just the fawn’s head and neck. However, you might want to be careful if you choose this option.
If you include just a head and neck, some might assume you put a mounted baby deer head on your body. Some hunters do like tattoos of mounted deer heads, so this doesn’t come completely out of nowhere. A mounted baby deer head, however, will be distasteful to some viewers.
You can work with your tattoo artist to ensure the baby deer head looks more alive than mounted. Adding a border, maybe one made of flowers or other natural elements, might help. You can also make the fawn look more alert, which can emphasize its curiosity.
Pairings
There are lots of options for pairings with fawn tattoos. If you want more of a nature aesthetic, you might choose to surround your baby deer with flowers, pair them with an insect like a butterfly, or include other gentle woodland creatures.
If you like the association of deer with royalty, you can put a crown on your baby deer. You can also include other symbols of royalty, like a scepter.
Geometric shapes with deer are also popular tattoo options. You might be drawn to a triangle because of its spiritual associations. A triangle can represent the Christian trinity, or manifestation, enlightenment, and perfection.
If you have connections with pagan or Native American cultures, you might want to include some of their symbols in your tattoo. However, if you don’t, you probably want to avoid using these symbols. Using them can be culturally appropriative.
Baby Deer as Representations of Your Kids
If you have children, getting a fawn tattoo can represent and celebrate them. You can get multiple if you have multiple children, or pair your baby deer tattoo with a tattoo of a doe.
Does represent maternity and unconditional love, and a pairing like this can show your love for your child.
Bambi
Tattoos of Bambi could fill an entire article on their own. Along with all the other meanings of a baby deer, Bambi tattoos also have associations with both the Disney movie and the Felix Salten novel that inspired it. Many also associate Bambi with the loss of a loved one, as Bambi’s mother tragically dies in the movie.
Where do Fawn Tattoos Usually Go?
Obviously, baby deer tattoos can be any size you want. However, deer as a subject tend to inspire medium to large sized tattoos. Popular places on the body include upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, and the bigger areas of arms and legs.
Conclusion
A fawn tattoo is a sweet option with a lot of design and meaning possibilities. Baby deer usually represent innocence, purity, and curiosity. They can also take on the symbolism of their deer parents. Consider pairings and style when designing your tattoo and talking with your artist.
