The reference photo and this stencil are AI-generated examples made for this library — not a client photo, and not InkLine output.
Free printable stencil · Animals
Bear tattoo stencil
This bear tattoo stencil is a grizzly head in three-quarter view, turned slightly to the right, with short rounded ears, small eyes and a broad nose above a closed mouth. The thick coat is drawn in long layered strokes that run off the left and bottom edges into the shoulder, and the design suits realism or sketch work on the upper arm, thigh or calf.
Print it at true size
Type the width you want on skin and print. In the print dialog choose 100 % or “Actual size” — “Fit to page” rescales it.
Bigger than one sheet? Split it across pages with the free stencil tiler
Free to print and tattoo, for yourself or your clients. Can I use these stencils?
What to trace, what to simplify
The face is small inside a great deal of fur, so the few lines that carry it matter most: both eyes with their iris rings and highlights, the nose pad with its nostrils, and the curve of the mouth. Transfer those exactly, then the rounded ears and the outer contour of the head. The layered fur strokes are direction guides — they show how the coat lies over the brow, cheeks and shoulder, and you shade along them rather than lining each one. Below about 10 cm (4 in) wide, the fur inside the ears and on the forehead goes first.
Size and placement
The head is about as tall as it is wide. At 14–20 cm (5.5–8 in) it fits the outer upper arm, the thigh or the calf, and each eye has room for an iris and a highlight. Under 10 cm (4 in) the eyes shrink to about 6 mm across, so keep the ears, eyes, nose and mouth as drawn and reduce the coat to the head contour and a few clumps of fur along the jaw.
From print to skin
Print
Thermal stencil paper through a stencil printer, or plain paper you trace onto hectograph paper by hand.
Prep the skin
Clean, shave and dry the area, then apply a thin, even coat of stencil transfer solution.
Transfer
Press the stencil flat, hold it for a few seconds, and peel it off in one move. Let it dry before you start.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep the bear’s eyes from getting lost in the fur?
Give them more open skin than the coat around them. A grizzly’s eyes are small for its head, and on this print each one is only about 1 cm across at 15 cm (6 in) wide. Keep fur strokes clear of the lids, pack the pupils dark and leave the highlights bare, so both eyes stay sharp.
Can I put a forest or mountain scene inside the bear?
Yes. The outer contour of the ears, head and shoulder is continuous, so close it with a line along the bottom and you have the silhouette that kind of design needs. Then either keep the eyes, nose and mouth and fill only the fur below the jaw, or drop every interior line and fill the whole shape.
