Water signs are intense. If you’ve ever sat in a room with a Pisces and a Scorpio, you know there’s a weird, unspoken language happening between them. It’s heavy. It’s emotional. It’s sort of like they’re both looking at a world no one else can see. So, when people decide to get a Pisces and Scorpio tattoo, they aren’t just picking pretty symbols out of a flash book. They’re trying to pin down a very specific, volatile brand of loyalty.
But here’s the thing.
Most people get the symbols wrong because they treat them like corporate logos. They want a clean fish and a sharp scorpion. Boring. If you’re leaning into this specific elemental pairing, you’re dealing with the "Big Deep" of the zodiac. Pisces represents the boundless ocean—total ego dissolution. Scorpio represents the frozen ice or the boiling geyser—intensity and transformation. Putting them together on your skin is a commitment to the idea that emotions are the only thing that actually matter.
The Raw Symbolism: Why These Two Click
Scorpio is ruled by Pluto (and traditionally Mars). It’s about death, rebirth, and the "underworld" of the psyche. Pisces is ruled by Neptune (and Jupiter), covering dreams, illusions, and the collective soul. When you combine them in a tattoo, you're basically tattooing a map of the human subconscious.
Think about the shapes.
You have the Two Fish, swimming in opposite directions, tied by a cord. Then you have the Scorpion, an arachnid with a literal weapon on its tail. Visually, they’re opposites. One is soft and fluid; the other is armored and dangerous. A well-designed Pisces and Scorpio tattoo plays with this tension. It’s the "Soft vs. Sharp" aesthetic. I’ve seen some incredible work where the scorpion’s tail curves into the shape of the Pisces "H" glyph, or where the scales of the fish transition into the chitinous plates of the scorpion. It’s clever. It’s subtle.
Common Mistakes People Make With Water Sign Ink
Don’t just go to a shop and ask for "the zodiac signs." That’s how you end up with something that looks like a 2005 MySpace graphic.
The biggest mistake? Scale. People try to cram both signs into a tiny two-inch space on their wrist. Scorpio imagery needs detail to not look like a lobster. Pisces imagery needs flow to not look like two sardines. If you’re going small, stick to the glyphs. But if you want the animals, you need real estate. Think forearm, outer thigh, or the shoulder blade.
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Also, color choice is a trap. People default to blue. Because, you know, water. But Scorpio is traditionally associated with deep reds, blacks, and maroons. Pisces leans toward seafoam, lavender, and iridescent silvers. Mixing these creates a "bruise" palette—purples and deep indigos—that actually looks stunning on skin if the artist knows how to saturate.
Design Styles That Actually Work
If you’re looking for a Pisces and Scorpio tattoo that won’t look dated in five years, you have to choose a specific tattoo lineage.
1. Blackwork and Dotwork
This is probably the most "modern" way to do it. Using stippling (dotting) to create the gradient of the water and the hard shadows of the scorpion’s shell. It feels more like an occult diagram than a cartoon. It’s moody. It’s sophisticated.
2. Fine Line Minimalism
This is for the person who wants the connection but doesn't want a "statement piece." Think single-needle outlines. A tiny scorpion holding a thread that connects to two minimal fish silhouettes. It’s barely there, which fits the "secretive" nature of both signs.
3. Traditional Japanese (Irezumi)
This is a heavy hitter. In Japanese tattooing, the koi fish (often used for Pisces) and various creatures have deep meanings. While the scorpion isn't a traditional Irezumi staple, a talented artist can adapt the style—using bold lines and heavy "wind bars" or "water waves"—to create a cohesive piece that looks like ancient mythology.
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The Connection: It’s Not Just About Romance
A lot of people get this tattoo for a partner. Maybe don't do that? Okay, I'm kidding—sort of. While Pisces and Scorpio are famously compatible, these tattoos also represent the internal balance of these two energies within a single person.
Maybe you have a Scorpio Sun and a Pisces Moon. That’s a heavy placement. You feel everything. You see through everyone's BS, but you also want to forgive the whole world. The tattoo becomes a talisman for that internal tug-of-war. It’s a reminder that you can be both the predator (Scorpio) and the poet (Pisces).
Technical Considerations for Your Artist
When you sit down for the consult, talk about "flow."
Water sign tattoos should follow the musculature of the body. A rigid, vertical scorpion next to a circular Pisces logo looks disjointed. You want the scorpion’s tail to perhaps whip around the fish, or have the fish swimming in the negative space created by the scorpion’s claws.
Ask about line weights. If the scorpion is all thick, bold lines and the Pisces part is dainty, it will look like two different tattoos that accidentally bumped into each other. You want a unified "hand" across the whole piece.
Real-World Examples and Placement
I once saw a piece where the artist used the "Mandala" style. The center was the Scorpio M-glyph with the arrow, but the outer petals of the mandala were actually stylized fish fins. It was incredible because you couldn't tell it was a zodiac tattoo until you were inches away. That’s the goal. Sophistication.
For placement, consider the "Pain Scale."
- Ribs: High pain, but great for long, flowing designs.
- Forearm: Low pain, high visibility. Great for the "Glyph" style.
- Sternum: Intense, but very popular for the symmetrical "mirror" look of the two signs.
The Longevity of the Design
Fine lines blur. Tiny details turn into mush. If you get a hyper-realistic scorpion with 50 tiny legs, in ten years, it might look like a dark smudge.
Go for "High Contrast."
Ensure there is enough skin breaks (un-inked areas) so the tattoo can "breathe" as the ink spreads slightly over time. This is especially true for the Pisces portion—if the two fish are too close together, they’ll eventually look like one big blobby fish.
Making It Personal Without the Clichés
To really level up a Pisces and Scorpio tattoo, look beyond the animals.
Scorpio is associated with the Eagle and the Phoenix as well. Pisces is associated with the ocean, but also with the feet (astrologically) and the concept of "The End." You could incorporate ruling planets—a dark, moody Pluto and a hazy, ringed Neptune. Or, use flowers. Scorpio’s flower is the Geranium or the Hibiscus; Pisces is the Water Lily. A bouquet of these, subtly arranged, is a "secret" zodiac tattoo that only someone who knows their stuff would recognize.
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Honestly, the best tattoos come from a place of "What does this feel like?" rather than "What does the internet say it looks like?" If your relationship with these signs feels like a storm, get a stormy tattoo. If it feels like a quiet lake at night, go for something dark and still.
Next Steps for Your Tattoo Journey
- Audit Your Placements: Look at your body in a full-length mirror. Note where your natural curves are. A Scorpio tail looks best when it follows the curve of a muscle, not when it’s slapped onto a flat surface.
- Find a Specialist: Don't go to a "generalist" for fine-line or heavy blackwork. Search Instagram for tags like #BlackworkScorpio or #PiscesTattooArt to find an artist whose "soul" matches the vibe you want.
- Refine Your Concept: Decide if you want the "Animals" (Scorpion/Fish), the "Glyphs" (The M and the H symbols), or "Abstract" (Planets/Elements). Mixing all three usually ends up looking cluttered, so pick a lane and stick to it.
- Consultation is Key: Bring 3-5 reference photos, but tell the artist what you don't like about them. This helps them narrow down your personal "vibe" faster than just saying "I want this."