Nick Blood has two tattoos described in a Gentleman’s Journal interview: a red alchemical symbol for blood, shared with his siblings, and “Still Ill” on the inside of his arm, a reference to The Smiths. The interview and photographs give a clear account of both without suggesting a larger collection.
The British actor’s screen credits include Slow Horses, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Euphoria, Andor and the thriller Hit Point.
The red alchemical symbol on his upper arm
The red mark is a compact alchemical symbol for blood, rather than a literal drawing. Blood says his brothers and sisters have the same tattoo. The design carries the family connection on its own; it doesn’t need a name or date beside it.
Its upper-arm placement gives the symbol room and lets him cover it with a sleeve. It can show when he wears a vest or raises his arm, without dictating what he wears. Red also reads differently under warm light, daylight and editorial lighting, so photographs can vary in how strong the color looks.
A second view of the same symbol
The second photograph shows the same mark from another angle. It is easier to spot with Blood’s arms raised; the wider view also shows where it sits on his arm. A close crop can show the symbol, while a portrait gives a better sense of placement.
That distinction matters with matching family tattoos. The shared mark can stay recognizable while an artist adjusts its size or line weight for each person. The family members don’t have to force the design onto identical proportions.
Where the music fits
The other tattoo is “Still Ill,” written on the inside of Blood’s arm. He identifies it as a reference to The Smiths. In the same interview, he also mentions The Stone Roses, The Cure, Nirvana, the Beastie Boys, Nina Simone and Ezra Collective; those names add context to his musical interests, but the confirmed tattoo reference is The Smiths.
The short phrase keeps the lettering simple, and the inner-arm placement makes it less immediately visible. The interview gives the connection without adding a story about why he chose it. For a music tattoo, a title can be easier to keep readable than a long lyric; the right lettering depends on whether you want it to look like a note, a label or handwriting.
A life split between stage and screen
Blood has played police officers, criminals and soldiers on screen, and appeared onstage in Much Ado About Nothing and Backbeat, where he played Stuart Sutcliffe. His roles change from one production to another; the interview describes the tattoos as personal choices tied to family and music.
What the photographs add
The first two images show the red symbol; the portraits that follow give context for Blood’s clothes, posture and the feature’s visual style. They aren’t evidence of other tattoos. The interview names two: the shared alchemical mark and “Still Ill.”
One thought on “Nick Blood Tattoos: Red Alchemical Symbol and Still Ill Script”