There’s no denying that we’re proud of being Latinx, of our culture, our history, who we are, and what our communities have accomplished. Thankfully, there are so many icons, legends, and heroes we can look up to and learn from. One way in which people pay homage to their favorite peeps is by getting a tattoo. Without saying a word, it shows the whole world who inspires you on the daily.
There are a ton of rad tattoos of Latinx celebrities and other notable Latino people. We thought it would be cool to round up a bunch of tattoos paying homage of Latinx icons and who knows, you might find inspiration for your next tattoo as well. Check them out!
Selena
How cool is this Selena Quintanilla tattoo? It’s a unique take on the iconic Tejana superstar. The tat makes a silhouette of the star out of the fabric of her iconic ensemble. It shows just how brightly this star will always shine.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
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This tattoo of iconic Afro-Puerto Rican artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Selahattin Şenkal is super cool. It is based off an artsy photograph of the creative, given another layer of art with the addition of a dot and line pattern.
Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, and Ismael Rivera
This dope piece by Barcelona-based tattoo artist Stefano Phen is an homage to some of the greatest salsa artists of all time. Starting from the top, and going clockwise, we have Celia Cruz, Ismael Rivera, Willie Colon, and Hector Lavoe.
Frida Painting Self-Portrait
Tattoos are even cooler when they have a personal touch. You want your tattoo to speak to your connection to the subject, and also to be different from the sea of similar tats. This rad tattoo by Dżudi Bazgrole is in the artist’s unique tattoo/art style, which features bold, yet also stark, black and white line drawings. It’s also based on a real photo of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, where she’s seen painting her self-portrait.
Roberto Clemente
Afro-Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente is regarded as not only one of the best baseball players of all time, but also a great humanitarian. This tattoo by Mike Karlowsky features a fabulous portrait of the legend, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, juxtaposed with the Pittsburgh skyline.
Cantinflas and Chespirito
This tattoo by Carlox Angarita features two major Mexican comedic icons – Cantinflas and Chespirito. Chespirito is shown in his movie role of Chaparron Bonaparte, while Cantinflas is depicted from his role in the film El Patrullero 777.
Carmen Miranda
Icon Carmen Miranda, known as The Brazilian Bombshell, was always colorful, larger than life, and animated. This tattoo by Kristina Elin captures her essence perfectly. You get her joyous expression, her mounds of bright, chunky accessories, and so much color!
Celia Cruz
This tattoo of Celia Cruz looks so real, you can almost hear the song La Reina de la Salsa is singing. The artwork is so hyperrealistic that you can see even the individual stones in Celia’s ornate earrings.
Cesar Chavez
Chicano activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez is an icon, and symbol of standing up and fighting for the rights of Latinxs. He is a true inspiration to us all, so it’s no surprise that many people have immortalized Chavez in tattoo form. This throwback tat by Corey Miller also includes the word “Mexican,” in a cool poster-like font.
Maria Felix
Actress Maria Felix is the face of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. She was known both for her beauty and her badass, take no BS attitude. This tattoo of La Doña done by Jonas Aguilar captures both facets of the legend perfectly.
Simon Bolivar
Jason Delgado created this detailed hand tattoo of legendary Latinx Simon Bolivar. Bolivar is the Venezuelan political and military leader who helped liberate Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Peru, and Ecuador from Spanish control.
Tito Puente
Cubano Tito Puente was so animated and energetic whenever he played the timbales. These exact moments are frozen in time with this dope tattoo by Adam. It’s cool that part of the tat is in greyscale, with little pops of vibrant color added in for effect.
Raul Julia as Gomez Addams
Puerto Rican Raul Julia was an epic actor and one of his best-known and best-loved roles was that of Addams family patriarch, Gomez Addams. This tattoo by Javier Eastman recreates the scene in the 1993 film Addams Family Values, where Gomez catches a knife between his teeth with glee.
Carlos Gardel
Guillermo Barros created this cool tattoo of legendary French Argentine tango singer/songwriter, composer, and actor Carlos Gardel. It is an artistic rendition of a photograph of the icon, complete with his trademark fedora.
Richie Valens
Another musical artist that was taken too soon is Chicano Richie Valens. The singer managed to have a huge career in the span of only eight months, before his untimely death. He is seen as a Chicano, Latino, and overall rock and roll icon. This tattoo of Valens’ guitar and signature, by Lalo Peña, celebrates his long-lasting legacy.
Cesar Romero as The Joker
Cubano Cesar Romero was a gifted actor, regarded as one of the biggest and best-known Latinx actors of all time. One of the roles he is instantly remembered for is his turn as The Joker in the classic 1960s television show, Batman. This tat by Carlos Lemon captures that iconic Romero Joker smile.
Jennifer Lopez
It’s safe to say that Jennifer Lopez is already an icon. So, if you see J-Lo tattoos sprouting up everywhere, it shouldn’t be a shock. This one by Paul Acker looks so real! The visual is an artsy interpretation of Lopez’s 2014 A.K.A. album cover.
Jenni Rivera
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La Diva de la Banda Jenni Rivera is one of our biggest icons and legends. The Chicana from the LBC is a true, inspiring example of both talent and strength. There are several Jenni tattoos out there, but this one by Mary Jane is the best one we’ve seen so far.
Shakira
Not all tattoos of celebrities have to be hyperrealistic and look exactly like their photographs. Sometimes artistic freedom is welcome and makes the tattoo more fun and unique. Like this watercolor-like rendition of Colombian superstar Shakira, done by German Herrera Perez. You still get that it’s Shakira, but it’s not at all in an overtly obvious way.
Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman
Although we love Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Chicana Lynda Carter will always be our #1. This tattoo by Sarah Miller depicting Carter in her legendary role is incredible artistically, but it also represents “inspiring and powerful women.”
Pele and Eusebio
Afro-Brazilian Pele is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time. Fellow Afro-Brazilian Eusébio is also considered one of the greatest to play the sport. In this cool tattoo by Keng Tattoo, the two Latinx icons are reunited, in one large portrait piece.
Pedro Infante
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Mexican actor and singer Pedro Infante is not only one of the biggest icons in Mexico but in all of Latin America. His memory is kept alive til this day, including in this epic tattoo by Rebel Hernandez.
Julio Cesar Chavez
When you think of some of the best boxers of all time, Mexicano Julio Cesar Chavez comes to mind. He was a world champion many times over, all the while repping his Mexican pride and serving as major inspiration for Latinxs everywhere. So it’s fitting and expected that Chavez is immortalized and honored in the form of tattoos.
Cheech and Cantinflas
The final Latinx tattoo that we are going to be oohing and aahing over is this combo of Cheech and Cantinflas. Two Mexicanos who have made us laugh for decades. And of course, Chong is in the mix too. The Cheech and Chong artwork was done by tattoo artist Jose Guijosa.
