Mushrooms have been a part of tattoo imagery for a very long time. They are used to symbolize death and decay, or magic and healing. Mushrooms are also prevalent in cartoons and whimsical fantasy novels and films.
They are also often part of chef/food-inspired tattoos and people who love nature and fairies! Personally, I am a huge fan of mushroom tattoos. They are a challenge to execute with lots of lines close together, but oh so much fun!
Here are my top 25 mushroom tattoos:
1. Fairy Ring
Knee tattoos are notoriously painful, and I must admit that I couldn’t finish mine in one sitting, so props to this client!
I really like the different line weights used in this tattoo and the lovely little extra details like the sparkles, berries, and creatures. A truly beautiful fairy ring to commemorate a childhood filled with magic!
2. Decaying Rabbit
This artist is very well-known for their decaying creatures with mushrooms growing from them. The attention to detail is phenomenal. I love the amount of open skin left between the different textures on the mushroom stems and the rabbit’s fur.
The artist also took placement into consideration, designing something that is heavier on the top of the back and having it flow onto the client’s sides. I especially like the spores coming off of the whole scene.
3. Mushroom Lady
This artist is well-known in South Africa for their gentle attention to detail. They have done quite a few of these mushroom-headed ladies, and this one is my favorite.
There is a playfulness to the figure’s posture, and I absolutely love the little dark feet and hands. I especially like the tiny expressive muscle lines in the body and the mushroom head sits beautifully on the body.
4. Realistic Mushroom Group
I’m starting to really appreciate these dark, textured tattoos, even though they are completely different from what I usually get.
Firstly, I love the composition of this tattoo with the bigger mushroom at the top and the little clump at the bottom. The addition of some leaves really speaks to this tattoo in its natural environment. I love all of the different textures, and the mushroom gills are executed perfectly.
5. Frog on a Mushroom
How lovely and playful is this tattoo? I really enjoy the placement. It flows beautifully with the thigh, and the color choices are just perfect.
I love the subtle use of blue in the stems of the mushroom and the richness of the red. The sulky little frog looks like he’s hanging onto the small mushroom for dear life! The gentle line work really works well with this style of tattooing.
6. Soft Chanterelles
This tattoo captures the soft, buttery texture of Chanterelle mushrooms perfectly!
I appreciate the dark shadows in the gills of the mushroom as it stops the tattoo from looking flat. I love the soft dotted shading and how these three mushrooms work together to fill the gap on the client’s body. I’d love to see this tattoo when it’s healed!
7. Mushroom Lady Head
The versatility of American Traditional lady head tattoos is nothing to be scoffed at. I am always finding unique and fun lady head tattoos, and this colorful mushroom tattoo is no exception!
I especially enjoy the facial expression that the artist used – it’s a little different from the usual sultry ones I’ve seen. I like the creativity around using the top of the mushroom as a hat, and the hair emulates the mushroom’s gills.
But most of all, I love the green cheeks instead of the usual red! All in all, a creative, fun, and well-applied tattoo.
8. Enlightened Kitty
This tattoo instantly made me smile. I like the facial expression on the cat’s face and the position of the paw holding the flowers.
I absolutely love the mushroom hat and the third eye on the cat which gives it an enlightened vibe. The soft dot work texture on the cat’s body and the vibrant red on the mushroom. A fun and interesting design!
9. Traditional Mushrooms
As you know by now, I am obsessed with American Traditional tattooing, and this is a beautiful example of how a simple color palette can work so well.
I love the strong, bold outlines and the addition of red among the leaves. I love the mushroom’s browns and blues, giving it a fungi-like feeling. The little sparkles around the outside add to the magic feeling of these mushrooms.
10. Fairy House
As someone who was completely obsessed with fairies as a child, this tattoo is one that really speaks to me. I used to build fairy houses out of clay, and this one looks just like one of them!
Kudos for the extra detail added to the wooden door, the bricks on the chimney, and the smoke trail. The soft addition of the Maidenhair fern is my favorite part of this whole tattoo!
11. Chef’s Tattoo
I like that these scientific illustrations are gaining popularity. This client is slowly adding to the collection of their favorite ingredients, and I like how the artist chose to place these tattoos.
The shading is executed beautifully, and you can tell by the healed tattoos above it that they are very good at doing these illustrative tattoos.
12. Mushroom growing from Skull
This tattoo is wild and wonderful, packed full of subject matter while not getting too cluttered! I love how the artist went above and beyond with creativity in this tattoo.
I like how delicately they did the planets in the background and the roots growing around and through the skull. It gives a powerful message of nature taking over humanity, and I appreciate all of the small details and subtle use of white as highlights.
13. Spore
A spore print can be compared to a fingerprint in humans – each one is completely unique to the mushroom, meaning each tattoo will be unique to the wearer.
I like how the artist chose to go quite bold with this design, as I have seen them done in a more subtle fashion in the past. The placement is perfect, and the line work is extremely clean.
14. Colourful Mushrooms
This tattoo resonates with my childhood. I used to bend those plants to shoot at my friends, collect mushrooms and blueberries in the field opposite my house and try to catch butterflies.
I love the composition of the tattoo and the bold choice of colors. The artist was liberal with their use of white ink, but I find it quite effective in this tattoo. The line work is clean, consistent, and bold
15. Small Mushroom Tattoo
An addition for those who prefer a small simple mushroom tattoo. I like the placement of this tattoo, as while it is quite arbitrary, it still flows with the curves of the body. I like the slightly bolder dot work in this tattoo, and the choice of shape for the mushroom is something a little different!
16. Trippy Shroom
At first glance, this tattoo is so soft and delicately done that you don’t see how trippy it actually is! I love the little feet and hands and the extra set of eyes with a goofy mouth.
The shading in the stem is so beautifully done, and I appreciate the gentle texture at the top of the mushroom. It fits perfectly with the body, and the line work is executed extremely well for such thin lines.
17. Embroidered Mushrooms
This is an incredibly fun take on a mushroom tattoo. I like the color choice for the stitching on the stem of the mushrooms. The placement is so cute and fits perfectly in between the other tattoos.
These tattoos are notoriously hard to do and the artist really understands the darkness needed to create the stitch effect. I would love to see how this tattoo heals!
18. Hedgehog
The expression on this hedgehog’s face instantly drew me to this tattoo. It is so darn cute!
I adore the mushroom hat with his ear poking out and his little hands holding the mushroom in front of him. The detail in the spines and the fur are beautifully executed, and I can’t resist the Autumn color palette.
19. Frog Cartoon Mushroom Tattoo
One of my favorite American Traditional tattoos is frog tattoos. I love how playful artists can be with their feet, faces, and coloring, and this tattoo is a perfect example of this. The idea of a frog using a mushroom as an umbrella speaks to my inner child.
The minimal raindrops are a perfect touch as I’ve seen them done in excess, and it can waste space. The simplistic webbed toes are perfect, and the color palette matches perfectly. Simple, clean, and well-executed all around.
20. Alice in Wonderland
I cannot write about mushroom tattoos without including one of the movies that started the mushroom trend – Alice in Wonderland.
I appreciate the perspective that the artist chose to take when designing this tattoo. You get the idea of the sheer size of the mushrooms and the caterpillar compared to Alice.
The attention to detail on Alice’s hands and the caterpillar’s face are extremely impressive. I especially like the textures in the mushrooms, I feel like I could reach out and touch their bumps and frills.
21. 70’s Mushrooms
This floral mushroom tattoo speaks to me because of its color palette. I am feeling the 70’s theme, with the retro flowers and iconic drippy smiley faces. It pays homage to the era of rock n roll and magic mushrooms. If you’re into flower art, check out our daisy tattoo article.
The line work and color saturation are spot on, and I like how they flow with the body.
22. Mushroom in a Bottle
The colors used in this tattoo are exceptional. Check out the contrast between the bright acid green and the red. The artist chose to do the open glass in a blue tone which works extremely well.
I love the attention to detail in the cork and the bubbles of the liquid. This tattoo fits into the gap on the client’s leg perfectly while still having some movement.
23. Illustrative Mushrooms
I am obsessed with this tattoo. At first glance, it may seem a bit crude and childlike. But what makes this tattoo so special is how free the artist was with designing it.
They used great contrast with solid black and gentle dot work shading. I like the expressive mushrooms that look slightly like a mushroom/waterlily hybrid. The small mountains in the background and the dots make for a beautiful, expressive, clean tattoo.
24. Fungi Love
These gorgeous Oyster mushrooms are perfectly placed and look like they are growing out of the client’s body. What I love most about this tattoo is the grey shading around the mushrooms and the gentle use of white highlights.
The artist chose to do a strong, bold outline and kept the details very dainty, making for a clean, readable, realistic mushroom tattoo.
25. Bird Skull
The first this that caught my eye was the placement of this skull mushroom tattoo. I like how the bird skull flows with this area of the body. The mushrooms are so playful and have great movement to them.
This artist has beautifully executed their line work on such a tricky part of the body to tattoo, and I like the little dots around the mushrooms – they give an idea of spores coming off of them!
BONUS: Orchid Mushroom Lady
I did this tattoo for a friend of mine who wanted to commemorate her gran’s favorite flower while still having a really cool tattoo.
She had initially booked a snake tattoo, but inspiration struck me the night before her appointment, and we went with this design instead! I love how the tattoo is placed on her shin and her little feet stepping into the orchid. Definitely one of my favorite tattoos!
Mushroom tattoo meaning
In some cultures, mushrooms represent power in one’s life. They also have a unique attachment to psychedelic experiences and are often used as a symbol to commemorate the effect they can have on someone’s mental well-being.
