31 Best Coraline Tattoo Ideas
Reeva Babbar
Table of Contents
About Coraline Tattoos
Tattoos have been known to carry a special place in the wearer’s heart since they usually represent something that’s both important and memorable to them.
Many people these days are choosing to get their favorite book or movie characters tattooed on themselves to show their affection and attachment to these wonderful personalities.
One of these amazing creatures from the world of fiction is Coraline—a girl who moves into a new apartment with her parents and is able to find a hidden passage to a secret world while exploring her new house.
People have come to love and adore the character of Coraline so much that getting a Coraline tattoo became a fan trend since the release of the novella in 2002.
With all the rage following this story’s dynamic plot and characters, many tattoo parlors began to explore different Coraline tattoo ideas by creating a wide variety of Coraline tattoo designs. So, in this article, we’ll take a look at:
- Coraline tattoo ideas and designs
- Coraline tattoo images
- Meaning and Symbolism of this tattoo
- Best places to get the tattoo
- History of the Coraline tattoo design
But, before we take a look at several wonderful tattoo designs, first, let’s explore what these famous tattoos mean and symbolize.
What Do Coraline Tattoos Mean And Symbolize?
Like every other tattoo, there isn’t really one Coraline tattoo meaning that’s associated with every Coraline tattoo. Essentially, people choose a meaning for their tattoo that they internalize or feel most close to.
Here are some of the meanings associated with this tattoo:
- Love of dark fantasy: Perhaps, the most common Coraline tattoo meaning is to show appreciation for dark fantasy (which is relevant for all ages). People use their Coraline tattoo to pay tribute to a story that teaches different lessons at different ages.
And it allows tattoo wearers to keep the lesson that’s most dear to them permanently inked on their bodies.
- Self-awareness: Another, less popular but still important, meaning for this tattoo is that wearers find comfort in knowing that if having a sense of belonging can sometimes lead you astray or in the wrong direction, then attaining knowledge and keeping your eyes open allows you to see the world for what it is.
- Personal reminder: This actually leads to the other meaning for a Coraline tattoo, which is a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Whenever things seem too perfect, there are always some hidden imperfections.
In other words, something will always be there to make you a bit wary and keep you on your toes because you never know who has an agenda or an ulterior motive against you.
Now that the majority of the Coraline tattoo meanings have been explained, let’s consider a few areas of the body where these tattoos are the most effective.
Where To Get A Coraline Tattoo
Every tattoo you get will become even more significant than what you imagined it to be—especially if you ink it on a specific area of your body.
That’s because you’ll be able to showcase a meaningful message for others to view. So, here are some areas that will make your Coraline tattoo shine the brightest or look the darkest (whatever you desire for it to be):
- Arm: If you get your Coraline tattoo on your arm, it would serve the purpose of being a constant reminder to trust your instincts more than the words and actions of others. And getting it on your arm allows you to have your tribute to this story’s characters on display any time you choose.
- Leg: A Coraline tattoo on your leg holds the meaning of fostering a spirit of adventure and exploration at all ages and stages of life. This area of the body also gives you the option to showcase the tattoo or hide it whenever and however much you wish to.
- Upper back: In recent times, the upper back has become a popular place for tattoos as more and more people feel drawn to the idea of spreading a message through their tattoos. So, even if you’re not directly conversing with someone, your tattoo has the ability to speak to them.
- Shoulder: Looking for a conversation starter at the gym that gets people to also notice your muscles? Wear a tank that shows off your Coraline tattoo to strike two birds with one stone, and you’ll be surprised how quickly people notice it (and of course your build too).
- Back of your hand: If you wish to have your Coraline tattoo on display at all times, then getting one on the back of your hand is the perfect place for you! Plus, it will serve as a reminder and make you proud of your ability to bear the pain of getting your favorite character tattooed on your body.
- Inside of your wrist: If mystery is the message that you wish to get across through your Coraline tattoo, then having it inked on the inside of your wrist is the perfect place for you. It will give you the liberty to choose who you’ll show it off to, and who should be left wondering what it is and what it means.
Since there are many great areas of the body where you can get your Coraline tattoo, it’s important to give this tattoo design some detailed thought before sitting in your artist’s chair.
If you’re getting a temporary one that lasts about two weeks (with proper care), then you can try out different areas of your body to see which one looks the best.
But, if you’re going for a permanent one (which lasts about 10-15 years), then you want to make sure that your Coraline tattoo is in the best possible location, serving exactly the purpose that you wish for it to serve.
How Much Do Coraline Tattoos Cost?
Coraline tattoos, or any tattoos for that matter, can cost about $100 or more depending on how detailed and intricate the design is. Tattoo artists generally base their prices on the time spent on the tattoo along with the design and size of it.
Basically, if you’re in a tattoo artist’s chair for about a few hours, expect to spend a few hundred dollars on your final result. So, it’s always a good idea to do your research on the prices and tattoo parlor costs before deciding on the design and size of your tattoo.
31 Best Coraline Tattoo Designs
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History Of Coraline Tattoos
Coraline tattoos began to catch the public’s interest after the novella, Coraline, by Neil Gaiman gained praise and recognition by winning the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 2003 and also the Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers in 2002 in the fantasy writing genre. 512
And they especially became popular after the stop-motion film Coraline stole the hearts of viewers in 2009.
Coraline often resonates with those who feel slightly outcast from this normal world since she was ignored by her parents who were always much too busy for their daughter.
She receives the care and attention that she sought from her parents from her Other Mother and Other Father, both of whom she found in the Other World.
These other parents give her affection, gifts, delicious treats, and most importantly, their time. And, they want her to change according to their wishes and stay with them forever in exchange for all of those gifts.
When Coraline finds out about her other parents wanting to sew buttons over her eyes to keep her there forever and, on top of that, she discovers that other kids, like herself, are trapped in that other world, she makes it her mission to set herself and the other kids free from this spooky house.
Although the main reason for people getting the Coraline tattoo is to celebrate their favorite book/character, some of the other reasons—as mentioned above—run a little deeper than that.
For instance, adults may find themselves drawn to various parts of Coraline’s life.
In fact, they could relate to one or more of the themes expressed in the story, such as feeling trapped versus liberated, lonely versus belonging, or naively enjoying life versus a life of knowing.
Whatever the individual reason for getting the tattoo may be, tattoo wearers love to ink their bodies with this dynamic character and often relate to the challenges Coraline faced to live a life full of purpose and belonging.
Which Celebrities Have A Coraline Tattoo?
Although not a lot of celebrities have revealed whether they have this tattoo, there is one celebrity that showcases it with pride and a sense of joy.
Musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Sherri DuPree-Bemis, flaunts her Coraline tattoo with the utmost delight since she has named her second daughter after this wonderful cartoon character.
In other words, DuPree-Bemis got a tattoo of Coraline after the birth of her second daughter, Coraline Mae Bemis, in 2015. DuPree-Bemis loved the character of Coraline so much that she not only named her daughter after it but also had it tattooed on her upper right arm.
So, Coraline has not only been able to leave an imprint on the general public, but celebrities have also come to love and adore this dynamic cartoon character.
The various messages and meanings associated with the Coraline tattoo allow it to be personalized so that it’s relevant to the tattoo wearer.
So, the next time you’re wondering which cartoon character you can get tattooed on your body—knowing that it will forever be of significance and relevance to you—you should definitely read or watch Coraline (if you haven’t yet), and then make the earliest appointment with your favorite tattoo artist.
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