From rose tattoos to geometric pieces, we uncover some of the best tattoo designs around.
Getting a tattoo is a big deal. Whether it’s a classic or unique design you simply love or a picture or symbol that marks a meaningful event in your life, bagging the best tattoo design is a long and sometimes difficult process. Here, we’ve pulled together some inspiration that’ll help you choose the tattoo design that’s right for you.
To make things simple, we've split the article into themes: flower tattoos (this page), tribal tattoos, mandala tattoos, dragon tattoos, cross tattoos, skull tattoos, geometric tattoos, anchor tattoos, animal tattoos, and couples' tattoos. (If you'd like a slightly different take, check out these incredible examples of watercolour tattoos, and also see our list of free tattoo fonts).
Each of the categories contains more traditional tattoo designs, as well as quirky original ideas. You can navigate to the section you want using the drop-down menu above. Click on the images to see more of each tattoo artists' work.
This rose tattoo steers away from the standard red colouring, marking it as a classic design but with a modern twist. The intricate shading and delicate leaves add to its realistic execution.
This black and white rose tattoo again steers away from the classic red, offering up an elegant black-and-white design. The heavy line work keeps it to a traditional tattoo style.
The bright colours is what makes this flower tattoo design stand out, especially when you look closely at the clever colour gradient. Adding more than one flower always makes for a special piece.
Speaking of choosing more than one type for your flower tattoo, this beautiful botanical creation proves that you can put a lot of elements into one piece and it’ll still work, provided you use a tattoo artist who knows what they're doing.
If you’re looking for a more traditional design, this rose tattoo could be just the inspiration you’re looking for. The inclusion of the dagger adds an edge and makes it a bold, stand-out piece.
A bolder choice is this rose tattoo design, with clever colour work placed just away from the careful lining. Including so much black might not work for some tattoo designs, or tattooees, but it does here.
The linework on this trio of peonies is crafted with such elegance, it makes a real statement. It just goes to show that keeping things simple can often be the best approach when it comes to tattoo design.
Next page: Tribal tattoo designs
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Sammy Maine was a founding member of the Creative Bloq team way back in the early 2010s, working as a Commissioning Editor. Her interests cover graphic design in music and film, illustration and animation. Since departing, Sammy has written for The Guardian, VICE, The Independent & Metro, and currently co-edits the quarterly music journal Gold Flake Paint.
