Koi tattoo designs: upstream koi, koi pair, koi turning to dragon

Koi tattoo designs from Japanese tattooing, where the carp swimming upstream stands for perseverance. Worn on the forearm, the calf or as a sleeve. The nine sheets show a koi climbing falling water, two koi circling in a yin-yang shape, and a koi whose head becomes a dragon at a waterfall. Each is drawn as irezumi, sumi brush and fine line. Type a different fish or twist, such as a lotus, and the same styles can be asked for.

• a forearm or calf piece with a single koi
• a sleeve design that follows a waterfall
• a pair design for two people
• a printed sheet to show an artist

Frequently asked questions

What is on the page?

Nine koi designs: an upstream koi, a pair of koi and a koi turning into a dragon, each in three styles.

Is this a design on skin?

No. Each design is a drawing on white paper, for taking to a studio or printing.

Can I ask for a different fish or a twist?

Yes. Type a different fish or twist, such as orange koi or a lotus; the result is a new drawing, not a guaranteed match.

What is the difference between the styles?

Irezumi has flowing bold outlines and stippled shading. Sumi brush has tapered strokes that swell and thin. Fine line is one thin outline with little shading.

About toile

This page is a showcase and a starting point: nine samples already rendered, three readings of the pack crossed with three styles, each shown at the size and ratio it was made for. Take any of them further on the wall with a few words, or ask for all nine again under your own direction; a sign-in keeps what you make, and it is free while Toile is new. The recipe behind each sample — the subject, the style, the palette, the framing — travels with the image rather than staying private to the render: it is in the alt text of every sample and in the page's own structured data, so a search engine reads the same handles a person would.