Body artwork runs the gamut from dainty, delicate needlework to massive, statement-worthy tattoos that cover most of the skin. Dax Shepard’s ink collection is a perfect mix of both. The actor and comedian has four known tattoos so far, including one sleeve piece. And though it started as a cover-up design, the sleeve met a practical, professional need.
Before Shepard landed the role of Crosby Braverman in the hit NBC dramedy “Parenthood,” he knew he didn’t want to commit to sitting in the makeup chair every day while they drew on his character’s tattoos. So he decided to get an intricate cherry blossom tree permanently inked onto his arm. “In my first talks before I was a member of the cast, I said, ‘It’s imperative to me that I can have the tattoo so I’m not in makeup two extra hours a day,'” the “Armchair Expert” host told Roger Catlin in a 2010 chat.
He has since added artwork below and around it, transforming the stand-alone piece into a full sleeve. And while his wife, actor Kristen Bell, is completely ink-free, Shepard got a beautiful tattoo tribute dedicated to Bell and their two daughters.
Read on to learn all about his ink, including the sentimental design for his family.
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Dax Shepard's Bell Finger Tattoo
In 2014, Shepard got a tiny bell tattoo on his left ring finger. The ink is dedicated to his wife, Kristen Bell (get it?), and he wears it in place of a wedding band. While appearing on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in September 2014, he opened up about the sweet inspiration behind this piece. “I don’t like wearing jewelry, but I felt obliged to warn all the men that I’m taken,” he jokingly said, adding, “I thought a tattoo would be fitting. And her last name, conveniently, is an object I could tattoo.”
When “The Good Place” actress stopped by “Harry,” the talk show hosted by Harry Connick Jr., she shared that the tattoo also contains the initials (K, L, and D) for herself and their two daughters: Lincoln and Delta. “He surprised me one random evening and came home with a bell tattooed on his ring finger, with my initial, our first daughter’s initials, and our second daughter (who) wasn’t born yet, but he put a “D,” so we were a little bit cornered, and then we named her Delta,” she said.
Getty / Charley Gallay
Dax Shepard's Cherry Blossom Tree Arm Tattoo
Shepard used to have a tribal design tattooed on his upper right arm, which he described as “a previous terrible tattoo,” and thus he covered it with a giant cherry blossom tree sometime in 2010. He has since extended the piece and turned it into a sleeve tattoo. The massive design now features colorful, intricate artwork that stretches across the entirety of his right arm.
Getty / Rick Kern
Dax Shepard's Stars Arm Tattoo
The actor has four stars in solid black ink placed vertically along his left bicep. He hasn’t revealed what inspired this tattoo.
Getty / Ethan Miller - Formula 1
Dax Shepard's Wrist Tattoo
On the inside of his left wrist, Shepard appears to have another small tattoo. It isn’t easy to make out the exact design, and he hasn’t spoken publicly about its meaning.
