Taz tattoo meaning and symbolism

The Taz is a cartoon character that was created by Warner Bros. as part of their Looney Tune series in 1953. He wasn’t as popular as the others and only appeared in four cartoons over his entire life span. This doesn’t mean he isn’t iconic, since he has become an underground legend among tattoo enthusiasts and hipsters throughout the years.

Taz leg tattoo
Taz leg tattoo @ kudretyesilbastattoo

Taz tattoo style

The Taz is a Tasmanian devil, which is why part of its name comes from the word “devil”. The character is most well known for his messy eating habits and preference to live off of nothing but road kill and animals that were unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. There has been no official story as to why Taz became a devil or why he eats like he does.

Today, people get the Taz tattoo done for various reasons: it’s simply onomatopoeic (it makes a sound similar to “grrrrrr”), it looks cool and some people even claim that it has special meaning behind it. But what could that be?

Well, the only reason behind the Taz’s behavior can be based in his name: Tasmanian. The island of Tasmania is home to a certain breed of devils and sadly they are an extinct species (the last reported one was in 1936). It seems like this has sparked people to get the tattoo done as a memorial to the devil’s existence.

Taz tattoo variations

The Taz is a cartoon, so there isn’t much you can do with it when it comes to making realistic tattoos. This doesn’t mean that people out there haven’t tried their hand at different kinds of representations: some of them look like they could be real life devils and others like an actual cartoon.

Taz tattoo placements

The most common place for the Taz tattoo is on the shoulder or on one’s side. Other popular places include: the upper arm and forearm, lower back and thigh (although it’s not advisable to get this behind your knee in case you want to go running). The design might be the full character or just a part of it.

The character is most often tattooed in black and grey, but these days people are also getting the more colorful version that was used in the cartoons.

Taz tattoo meaning

In the end, the Taz tattoo has nothing to do with Tasmanian devils, but rather is simply a cool looking cartoon character. It’s true that some people get it done as a tribute for the devil, but it’s also equally true that others might not have any specific reason behind it other than simply wanting to express their love for the character.

Some Taz tattoo ideas

Want some cool Taz tattoos? Here are some ideas for you:

1. A realistic looking devil with its mouth wide open while it’s eating something (preferably meat).

2. A cartoon version of the character with its signature phrase “GRRRRR” underneath it. This way you can use the tattoo as a reminder never to act like this!

3. The crazy road kill eating Tasmanian devil.

4. The face of the devil with its sharp teeth and bulging eyes, with the phrase “Taz lives” underneath it.

5. A cartoon version of the character with its signature phrase “GRRRRR” on its belly while it’s upside down, running after you!

6. The Tasmanian devil catching a fish in his mouth.

Taz leg tattoo
Taz leg tattoo @dynastia_ink