Liam Payne’s tattoos explored as fans spot clouds resembling his iconic arrow ink

After Liam Payne's passing, renewed interest has grown in his 21 meaningful tattoos.

Following his passing, renewed interest has emerged in Liam Payne’s body art, as the former One Direction member had 21 tattoos, each with its own meaning. Payne's first tattoo was a small cross on both his ankles, which he got shortly after joining One Direction, serving as a test to experience what tattoos felt like.

Reflecting on this, Payne joked, "Screw your legs to your feet to keep you grounded or whatever it was something stupid."

One of his more prominent tattoos was on his left arm, reading, "Everything I wanted but nothing I’ll ever need," which he got during a period of success and loneliness. Payne also had a lighthearted "dad joke" tattoo on his right wrist that read, "Only time will tell," positioned opposite his watch-wearing wrist. 

As he ran out of ideas, he began getting tattoos for the artwork itself, such as his initials on each thumb, roses on his left hand, and an eagle on his left hand. Payne also had the number 29 on his right hand, symbolizing his birthdate, and Egyptian hieroglyphics on his left forearm.

A notable tattoo on his left arm was a skull with the phrase "We are the quiet ones," which he described as an angsty piece reflecting the tension during his time in One Direction. Another piece on his left arm, a Pocket Watch and Gears, was done by renowned artist Nikko Hurtado. 

Although the tattoo was meant to feature the time of his birth, Payne ended up with a time reading "five minutes to 12" due to a delay in receiving his birth details. Payne humorously said, "Five to 12 is like five minutes to lunchtime, it’s a great time of day."

His left upper arm displayed his family coat of arms, which also resembled the Gryffindor logo from Harry Potter. Payne had a meaningful X-Factor number tattoo on his right arm in Roman numerals, along with a feather and stars inspired by his late grandmother. Lastly, his most recent tattoo, “Where dark meets light,” was inked across his chest in December 2022, reflecting his personal journey.