Erick Rowan’s sleeves combine winding borders, faces, branching forms and shaded scenes. Joseph Ruud, who also wrestled as Erick Redbeard, said in a 2020 fan Q&A that he began getting tattooed while recovering from an injury around 2013 or 2014. He later added work on his legs and an arm; parts of his ring gear once covered the ink before he began showing more of it alongside Daniel Bryan.
The left sleeve has a clear ornamental framework, while the right mixes broader shading with a looser, scene-like arrangement. These photos show the designs from several angles, including views that disappear when Rowan bends an elbow or raises his arms.
Left shoulder tattoo: looping borders and Nordic-style shapes
Broad curves, smaller loops and pointed ends run from the outside of Rowan’s left shoulder toward his bicep. Some borders hold rows of rounded marks, giving them a decorated, almost carved look. The lines overlap the next part of the sleeve rather than stopping at a straight edge.
Those repeated outlines help organize the busier shapes around them. The designs are associated with Norse imagery, but the visible curls don’t establish a separate symbolic meaning for each one.
Left forearm tattoo: the warrior face and its curved frame
A warrior-like face is set inside a rounded, patterned frame on Rowan’s left forearm. The darkest shading draws attention to the eyes and upper face, while curved bands and smaller marks tie it to the sleeve. The figure is commonly identified as Odin, the one-eyed figure from Norse mythology.
When Rowan bends his elbow, the frame turns around the arm and parts of it slip from view. The raised-knee photo shows a different angle from the straight-arm view, but the face remains the focal point.
Right forearm tattoo: branches, shading and crossing lines
Branching lines spread along Rowan’s right forearm, where the tree imagery is commonly identified as Yggdrasil. In a side-on match photo, a dark crossing shape stands out near the elbow; the work grows more shaded toward the wrist. A black wrist wrap hides part of the lower edge, so the photo doesn’t show exactly how the tattoo ends.
Thicker lines give the branches a strong outline, while finer offshoots and gray shading fill the spaces around them. This side has a looser feel than the framed face on his left forearm.
Right upper-arm tattoo: figures inside sweeping ornament
With both arms raised, the underside of Rowan’s right upper arm comes into view. A shaded figure sits inside broad sweeping curves, with curled ends and decorated borders echoing the ornament on the other arm. The kneeling woman is commonly described as Sigyn, a figure associated with Loki in Norse mythology.
The darker center gives the scene weight, while the lighter outer loops keep it from reading as one solid block. With his arms down, this inner section sits close to his body and is harder to see.
Both sleeve designs: how the shoulder and forearm work connect
In the wider view, Rowan’s right arm shows heavier shading around the upper arm, while the left has more open borders and linework. Curves appear around faces and through the spaces between larger subjects, giving the sleeves a shared look without making them symmetrical. The broad outlines stand out in motion; close-up photos reveal the smaller marks and facial details.
In the interview below, Rowan talks with Chris Van Vliet about his wrestling career, the Wyatt Family and his time alongside Brodie Lee.