Tattoo

Once in a blue, your dreams come true
If someone's looking out for you
So party on dude, let's buy some booze
Go downtown and get tattoos

A tattoo is a form of body art where images and/or words are inked on an individual's skin. This practice is reasonably commonplace amongst both humans and Transformers.

Fiction

Marvel Generation 2 comic

Perhaps because it was the '90s, Grimlock had the words "BIG GRIM" tattooed on his shoulder. Total War!

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

At The Burn Outs, Mudslinger got a tattoo of the Blentron insignia from Road Hugger. The Gray Race

2005 IDW continuity

Believers in Primalism would often sport a Matrix tattoo on their cheek to show their devotion. Examples include Springarm, Chaos Theory #1 and Skids, An Intimate Beheading although Skids later had his tattoo removed after he lost his faith. Hangers On

Verity Carlo got a tattoo of a green alien head in memory of her friend Hunter O'Nion. Last Stand of the Wreckers #1 Similarly, when he learned that Dai Atlas had been killed, Drift began sporting facial tattoos in honour of the deceased. Your Fierce Tears

On Chosen One Day, to celebrate their friendship and shared name, "Tall Tankor" and "Fat Tankor" got matching tattoos. Choose Me

The "Firstborn", Scorponok's experiment in creating organic Transformers, had a Decepticon insignia tattooed across its face. Kill All 'Cons

Revenge of the Fallen

Plotting to find any other relics or even AllSpark fragments, Starscream had tattoos done that were packed with superconductive materials and symbiotic nano-machines to enhance his sensors, as well as extend his range and power in the air. When his sensor net detects any ancient artifact from Cybertron, they glow softly, charging his weapons and boosting his engine output! Nebular Starscream

Robert Epps recognized Starscream's jet mode by it being covered in "alien tattoos". Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)

Rescue Bots cartoon

Mayor Luskey has a tattoo reading "Rosebud". Double Villainy

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

After G.I. Joe allied with the Autobots, Gung-Ho got an Autobot tattoo from Cutter. Everybody Hates Metroplex

2015 Robots in Disguise books

Denny Clay attempted to convince Joey, Johnny, and Steve that Grimlock was a movie prop, but his ruse was rumbled when the Dinobot freaked out at Steve's tattoo of a cat in a spacesuit. Sideswipe Versus Thunderhoof

Games

Transformers Online (2017)

Before every battle, Jazz would decorate himself with tattoos to remind himself that no matter where he is, he's always a Cybertronian. Transformers Online

Merchandise

Comics

Over the years a number of Transformers comics have offered temporary tattoos as free gifts, because marketing real tattoos to children is problematic.

• Marvel UK #233 — torn flesh with robot details beneath
• Marvel UK #234 — Autobot and Decepticon insignia
• Micro-Comic Fun Pack: Grimlock — cropped version of Rage of the Dinobots #1 cover RIA
• Micro-Comic Fun Pack: Drift — cropped version of Drift #1's standard cover
• Transformers Comic #2
• Transformers Comic #8
• Animated Comic #2

Collections

• Transformers Animated Tattoo Activity Book
• 34 Valentines With 35 Tattoos
• 34 Valentines With 35 Tattoos (AOE)
• 34 Valentines with 35 Tattoos (RID 2015)

Real life

Ouch.

A number of contributors to the Transformers franchise have Transformers-related tattoos:

• Bill Forster famously had a tattoo of Victory Leo (with full licensing from Hasbro) on the TV show LA Ink.
• Tyrese Gibson has an Autobot insignia on his arm.
• Conversely, Mark Maher has a Decepticon insignia over his heart.

Notes

• Many Transformers sport markings, such as Hot Rod's flames on his chest, which may or may not be interpreted as being equivalent to human tattoos. In More than Meets the Eye, Rodimus's holomatter avatar has a flame tattoo covering most of his right arm, which lends credence to the idea.
• Bug Bite has purple markings evoking "tribal" tattoos, designed by Lanny Lathem.