Rihanna Has a Thing for Tattoos

The star gets an eye-catching new cross tattoo on her wrist.

A Living Canvas - Adding to her staggering collection of tattoos (we estimate she has at least 18), Rihanna debuted her latest design, a stylized cross on the inside of her wrist, in New York City over the weekend. She again turned to her go-to artist, Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, for the handiwork. Click on for a closer look at Rih's famous ink.(Photos from left: Rihanna via Instagram, bangbangnyc via Instagram)

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A Living Canvas - Adding to her staggering collection of tattoos (we estimate she has at least 18), Rihanna debuted her latest design, a stylized cross on the inside of her wrist, in New York City over the weekend. She again turned to her go-to artist, Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, for the handiwork. Click on for a closer look at Rih's famous ink.(Photos from left: Rihanna via Instagram, bangbangnyc via Instagram)

Switching It Up - The “What Now” singer recently added a henna-inspired piece (also inked by McCurdy) to her right hand. The session took 11 hours and covered up a Maori tattoo she had etched with a mallet and chisel (ouch!) while touring in New Zealand last summer. (Photo: bangbangnyc via Instagram)

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Switching It Up - The “What Now” singer recently added a henna-inspired piece (also inked by McCurdy) to her right hand. The session took 11 hours and covered up a Maori tattoo she had etched with a mallet and chisel (ouch!) while touring in New Zealand last summer. (Photo: bangbangnyc via Instagram)

Rihanna Egyptian tattoo

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Close to Her Heart - Rih has a sprawling portrait of the Egyptian goddess Isis underneath her breast and across her rib cage, a tribute to her late grandmother. Rih wrote on Instagram, "Goddess Isis - Complete Woman - Model for future generations - #GRANGRANDOLLY - always in and on my heart #1love.” (Photo: Rihanna via Instagram)

Keep One Eye Open - Back in June 2012, Rih unveiled a flying Egyptian falcon on her right ankle. “Falcon: a light that shines in the darkness! Never close their eyes during sleep,” she said of the edgy piece. (Photo: Rihanna via Instagram)

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Keep One Eye Open - Back in June 2012, Rih unveiled a flying Egyptian falcon on her right ankle. “Falcon: a light that shines in the darkness! Never close their eyes during sleep,” she said of the edgy piece. (Photo: Rihanna via Instagram)

Tiny Cross - The Barbados-born songbird went more demure with a tiny cross she had etched on her collarbone. “It's easy for her to hide with a necklace but also can be in plain sight," Bang Bang told US Weekly. (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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Tiny Cross - The Barbados-born songbird went more demure with a tiny cross she had etched on her collarbone. “It's easy for her to hide with a necklace but also can be in plain sight," Bang Bang told US Weekly. (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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Rihanna (@rihanna) - TWEET: "I #LOVE my new tattoo!!! Can't wait for yall to see it!!! I got it in 'Tibetan' this time!!! #approved… Chill babes #noshade. Err'body has an opinion, but yall know what yall can do with them!!! #THUGLIFE,"Rih Rih gets a new tattoo of the words "thug life" on her knuckles and shows them off to her followers. (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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So Hard - "All eyes on Rih, betta picture me rollin' #THUGLIFE." Rihanna Tweeted about her “Thug Life” etching that spans across her fingers. (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t - Several of Rihanna’s tattoos are well placed so that they’re not visible when she’s wearing clothes. How many can you spot in this picture?  (Photo: FameFlynet)

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Now You See Them, Now You Don’t - Several of Rihanna’s tattoos are well placed so that they’re not visible when she’s wearing clothes. How many can you spot in this picture?  (Photo: FameFlynet)

Right Hand Woman - Rihanna got one of her most visible tattoos in 2008: a “Henna-Style Dragon Claw” on her right hand, complete with hibiscus flowers.(Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Right Hand Woman - Rihanna got one of her most visible tattoos in 2008: a “Henna-Style Dragon Claw” on her right hand, complete with hibiscus flowers.(Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Lost in Translation - The singer’s eighth tattoo, a Sanatana Dharma Sanskrit prayer on her right hip, is reportedly misspelled. The phrase was supposed to mean "forgiveness, honesty, suppression and control," but actually ends up meaning "long suffering, truthfulness, self-restraint, inward calm, fear and fearlessness."(Photo: The Image Gate/Getty Images)

Rihanna Get Your Gun - Rihanna caused a stir in the headlines in 2009 when she showed off this gun tattoo on her rib cage just months after her violent Grammy-night altercation with her ex Chris Brown. The tattoo artist for the job, Keith “BangBang” McCurdy, who has worked on several of Rih’s tattoos, said she picked her weapon well before the incident and represented “strength and power.”  (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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Rihanna Get Your Gun - Rihanna caused a stir in the headlines in 2009 when she showed off this gun tattoo on her rib cage just months after her violent Grammy-night altercation with her ex Chris Brown. The tattoo artist for the job, Keith “BangBang” McCurdy, who has worked on several of Rih’s tattoos, said she picked her weapon well before the incident and represented “strength and power.”  (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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Quiet Time - The singer has a “Shh…” tattoo written in cursive on her right index finger. A creative way to tell someone to hush! (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

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Quiet Time - The singer has a “Shh…” tattoo written in cursive on her right index finger. A creative way to tell someone to hush! (Photo: Courtesy Twitter)

Important Dates - This date in roman numerals on her shoulder “XI-IV-LXXXVI” is her love for her assistant Melissa Forde’s birthday date. Melissa has also donned a similar tattoo with Rihanna’s birthday date on her body. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Important Dates - This date in roman numerals on her shoulder “XI-IV-LXXXVI” is her love for her assistant Melissa Forde’s birthday date. Melissa has also donned a similar tattoo with Rihanna’s birthday date on her body. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

What's Your Sign? - Rihanna’s February 20th birthday makes her a Pisces and she has an image of her astrological sign inked just below her right ear. The graphic was done by a Brazilian artist who books three years in advance, though Rihanna happened to catch him while in Tokyo.(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

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What's Your Sign? - Rihanna’s February 20th birthday makes her a Pisces and she has an image of her astrological sign inked just below her right ear. The graphic was done by a Brazilian artist who books three years in advance, though Rihanna happened to catch him while in Tokyo.(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Seeing Stars - Rihanna has a galaxy of stars that trail down her back that are almost identical to a tattoo her ex Chris Brown got around the same time. It took two sittings to finish the entire graphic; she started in L.A. and had a second group done in New York. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

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Seeing Stars - Rihanna has a galaxy of stars that trail down her back that are almost identical to a tattoo her ex Chris Brown got around the same time. It took two sittings to finish the entire graphic; she started in L.A. and had a second group done in New York. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

Rihanna the Rebel - The singer got “rebelle fleur” (or “rebel flower” in French) scripted on her neck in cursive in 2010. The phrase ultimately became the name of her first fragrance that was released the same year.(Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage)

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Rihanna the Rebel - The singer got “rebelle fleur” (or “rebel flower” in French) scripted on her neck in cursive in 2010. The phrase ultimately became the name of her first fragrance that was released the same year.(Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage)

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A Reminder - In 2009 she got her fourteenth tattoo that says “Never a failure, always a lesson” etched on her shoulder (inked backwards so that she can read it “in the mirror to myself”).  She explained, “It’s kind of my motto in life for everything instead of considering things to be mistakes, considering them lessons.” (Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

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A Reminder - In 2009 she got her fourteenth tattoo that says “Never a failure, always a lesson” etched on her shoulder (inked backwards so that she can read it “in the mirror to myself”).  She explained, “It’s kind of my motto in life for everything instead of considering things to be mistakes, considering them lessons.” (Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

Close to the Chest - On her left ribcage, Rihanna has an Arabic phrase which means “Freedom Is God.” (Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

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Close to the Chest - On her left ribcage, Rihanna has an Arabic phrase which means “Freedom Is God.” (Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Hidden Elements - One of Rihanna’s tattoos, an outline of a star inside her ear, is often covered up by her hair.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

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Hidden Elements - One of Rihanna’s tattoos, an outline of a star inside her ear, is often covered up by her hair.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Love in a Secret Place - “Love” was inked on the inside of her left middle finger in 2008. A sweet way to flip someone off?  (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Love in a Secret Place - “Love” was inked on the inside of her left middle finger in 2008. A sweet way to flip someone off?  (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Low Notes - The Talk That Talk singer got music notes on her left foot while on tour in Melbourne, Australia in 2006.(Photo: Courtesy Facebook)

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Low Notes - The Talk That Talk singer got music notes on her left foot while on tour in Melbourne, Australia in 2006.(Photo: Courtesy Facebook)

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Them Bones - Rihanna got a tattoo of a “cute skull” with cross bones and a pink hair bow slightly above her ankle done in Miami in 2008.  (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Them Bones - Rihanna got a tattoo of a “cute skull” with cross bones and a pink hair bow slightly above her ankle done in Miami in 2008.  (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Inked, InStyle - Rihanna’s impressive tattoo collection earned her a feature in the 2008 issue of InStyle magazine which she covered. At the time she only had a total of eight and when the mag asked if she was done she replied “You never know!” Clearly she wasn’t done just yet!  (Photo: Courtesy InStyle Magazine)

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Inked, InStyle - Rihanna’s impressive tattoo collection earned her a feature in the 2008 issue of InStyle magazine which she covered. At the time she only had a total of eight and when the mag asked if she was done she replied “You never know!” Clearly she wasn’t done just yet!  (Photo: Courtesy InStyle Magazine)