Barry Keoghan’s inked-up look in Bird belongs to Bug, the character he plays. Keoghan wore fake tattoos across his body for the film and said summer sun could leave pale marks after they were removed, including the shape of a scorpion or cross. That isn’t the same as a record of his own tattoos.
Duke Shelby has a separate set of designs in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Duke Shelby has a separate set of tattoos in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Here, I stick to what appears on screen instead of guessing what each symbol means.
Bird’s insect-heavy chest
The Bird still shows insect-like marks across Bug’s chest and neck. A large, dragonfly-shaped design sits low on the chest, with a cross down the centre and smaller marks around the collarbone. The pieces vary in size and angle, which gives the makeup a scattered look instead of a planned, matching set.
If you want to borrow that feel, try one detailed insect beside a darker, simpler symbol. Leave some skin between them so each shape can be read. The reference is useful for its loose spacing; the subject can come from your own life.
Composition matters more than copying the images. A few pieces with room around them can feel just as informal, whether you choose insects, flowers, tools or something else.
Loose arm tattoos and uneven linework
The arm and shoulder shots mix insect shapes, curved marks, small symbols and bits of lettering. Some are clear; others read as texture. That loose arrangement is part of the character design.
For a patchwork sleeve, choose one or two things that tie the pieces together, such as black ink and a similar line weight. Have the tattooer plan the gaps before adding more. Tiny legs, antennae and distressed lettering may need more space than they seem to in a screenshot if you want them to stay legible as they age.
The face and neck details
A dark, plant-like or insect-like mark runs from Bug’s cheek toward his temple in several frames, and the neck has denser lines. The exact shape is hard to make out, but the placement gives the character a strong outline on screen.
Face and neck tattoos stay visible in most settings. If you like the shape but aren’t sure about that level of visibility, try a temporary version first or move it to an upper arm or rib. For a permanent neck piece, take the stencil seriously and check how it sits beside any chest or shoulder work.
You can keep the reference without taking on the same placement. A small mark behind the ear or under the jaw gives you room to test the idea before choosing a more visible spot.
Lettering, crosses and the rough religious symbols
The chest cross is easy to pick out in the Bird stills. The lettering nearby is blunt and uneven, rather than set in a polished typeface. Together, they give the makeup a direct, hand-drawn look.
Lettering often needs to be larger on skin than it looks on a screen. Bring references for the style, then ask the artist to draw the words at their final size. If you want a symbol with personal meaning, choose one that connects to your own beliefs or experience; the film’s cross is a visual detail, not a reason to copy it.
Black outlines and a little texture can keep the design rough without filling every small gap with detail. Ask the artist which parts will still read clearly once the tattoo has healed.
What the Duke Shelby tattoos add
Duke’s tattoos are separate from Bug’s insect-heavy makeup. In the available shots, you can make out a small figure with its legs spread and the words “self-made” on his right bicep, dice on the right shoulder, a tiger on the chest, a wagon wheel on the left hand, intersecting lines on an arm, and praying hands beside crosses. A film breakdown counts seven designs, though some are only briefly visible.
The words are the easiest detail to adapt: use a phrase that still feels like yours after you’ve lived with it for a while. The dice and tiger also work as images on their own, without borrowing a meaning from the character. The film breakdown connects the wagon wheel with Romani identity, so don’t treat it as a generic decorative motif. The same care applies to religious imagery such as praying hands and crosses.
How to turn the look into your own
Gather a few references from both roles, then decide what you actually like: the insect shapes, loose spacing, rough lettering or a single bold symbol. You don’t need to copy a full screen look. Leave out anything that only appeals because Keoghan wore it.
Pick one element to start with and show the tattooer where you might place it. They can adjust its scale and spacing for your body, keeping the rough reference while making the lines clear enough to last.