The joker is considered a wild card---the card player decides what type of card of it is during a game. A tattoo of a joker playing card is a testament to a wild personality or past. Incorporating design elements such as your old motorcycle, a leather jacket or a liquor bottle with the joker personalizes the tattoo with a touch of your personal history. A reminder to the reformed dad of his days as a crazy youth, a joker tattoo shows his children that he is still a kid at heart.
The joker symbol translates into the word "fool" in Tarot decks, according to VanishingTattoo.com. Adorning the body with a joker tattoo protects a person who has been slighted in love or taken advantage of. The tattoo acts as a deterrent to this negative behavior, protecting the wearer. For the person wanting to exercise revenge in the role of a villain, a portrait of The Joker from the series Batman shows the ability to fight back.
A born entertainer, class clown or standup comedian wears a joker or jester tattoo proudly. A symbol of entertainment for royalty, this tattoo design brings luck and strength to the struggling joke teller. When small gigs discourage the entertainer, a joker tattoo reminds the person that the road to entertaining royalty is a long one, but to keep the career goal in perspective. Add a microphone or the comedian's stage name to the tattoo for extra detail.
The dead man's hand consists of a pair of aces and a pair of eights. This was the combination of cards in Wild Bill Hickok's hands when he was fatally shot during a poker game, according to HistoryBuff.com. A tattoo design of a joker holding the cards in his hand is perfect for a card shark or fan of the wild, wild west. Free floating spades, diamonds, hearts and clovers make a suit-themed background for the tattoo design. Ask the tattoo artist to draw the joker's smile with a hint of evil or sadness and add the script of "dead man's hand" in an arc over the tattoo.