Johnny Depp's tattoos tell the story of his life - take a closer look at his ink

A life in ink 

Johnny Depp has over 30 different tattoos covering his body. The actor's tattoos range in variety and each has a special meaning reflecting the different stages of his life.

We take a look at some of his key inkings

His first tat'

His right arm depicts a Native American in profile, wearing a feathered headdress. This was Johnny's first tattoo and he got inked to honor his great-grandmother who was Cherokee, something he's very proud of.

His left forearm bears a key with the Harley Davidson skeleton logo.

That same arm also has the silhouette of a faceless man drawn by his son, John "Jack" Christopher Depp III.

In memory of his grandfather

Johnny got a tattoo of a sailor in memory of his grandfather, who was in the US Navy during World War II.

On his left arm, there's a tattoo of his mother Betty Sue, along with her name.

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He wears his heart on his sleeve

Each one of Johnny Depp's tattoos relates to his life. And since his family is so important to him, it's only natural that daughter Lily-Rose's name is right above his heart.

Unforgettable moments

Inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, the actor has a tattoo of the sun setting over the sea, a flying bird and the name "Jack," in honor of his son.

On the same arm, he also has a tattoo of a serpent and lightning which represents energy. In this shot, you can clearly see the portrait of his mother.

An entire life's worth of experiences 

The heart on his left arm bears the name of his mom "Betty Sue" underneath it, along with some tribal tattoo lines. A drawing of a guitarist also attests to his love of music.

The drawing of three interlaced hearts symbolizes his two children, Lily-Rose and Jack, and their mother, Vanessa Paradis. 

His lucky number

The underside of his arm bears three words: Silence, Exile, and Cunning, taken from the book A portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.

The bird just visible in this picture is from the card game Rook.
He has a number three on his left hand. He has said: "Three is a sort of special number for me. It's a very creative number. Triangle, trinity - you know, two people make another person. Three is a mystical, magical number."

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Moments to remember

The symbol on his right arm represents The Brave, Johnny Depp's first film as director, producer and screenwriter. 

He also sports another skull, this time with crossbones. The symbol has multiple meanings, but its origins have always been linked to piracy - again paying a homage to his character Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean

A powerful bird

Johnny Depp's right hand has a tattoo of a crow in flight, symbolizing protection, power and spiritual guidance.

He used to have a tattoo of the word "SLIM" on his knuckles, from when he was married to Amber Heard (it was a nickname). He changed it after they got divorced, however. 

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Tattoos are his talisman

The actor has a tattoo that reads "Salve Ogum" on his left arm, a reference to a deity of the Yoruba religion. He got this particular inking while on a trip to Hawaii.

The black rectangle on his right arm used to be ex-wife Amber Heard, but he covered it after the divorce. This is the second time he's done this: the first time was the tattoo saying, "Winona Forever," which he changed to "Wino Forever."