The yearning to have something important imprinted on your body often comes into conflict with the desire to keep your skin pristine and doubts: do I truly need it? In such cases, minimalist tattoos are something that can help keep the balance. You can hide them so that no one will see them. Or, on the contrary, you can do it in a visible place, and still, such a tattoo will only emphasize your beauty and not overshadow it in any way.
Minimalist tattoos, created with a single needle and less pigment than regular tattoos, require a high level of skill from the tattoo artist. So high that some tattoo artists won’t even take them on. But if you find an experienced tattoo master and you have an idea for the design, there are many good reasons why you should consider choosing such a tattoo.
7 Reasons To Get a Minimalistic Tattoo
1. They won’t limit you in anything (as big tattoos can)
Let’s face it, no matter how much we may love body art, there are certain situations in which it is socially unacceptable to get stuffed from head to toe. For example, a funeral director or care assistant may have a hard time finding clients if every inch of their body is adorned with tattoos. Statistics show that it’s harder to find work with a visible tattoo. As unfair as it may seem, the bias is real, and not everyone can see the person who wears it.
Everyone can get a small tattoo, though. These minimalist works of art can be placed where an unsuspecting member of the public should never see them. No potential employer, client, or mother-in-law needs to know about the tiny tattoo you secretly hide.
2. A splendid way to get to know tattoos
You may have been tempted to get a tattoo, but you weren’t sure you were ready for it. In that case, a miniature tattoo may be the right choice for you.
Just like trying a starter before the main course or taking a new car for a test drive, getting a tiny tattoo is a great way to find out if you’re ready for something more.
3. Less discomfort
The small size means that there will be fewer skin punctures with a tiny tattoo. One needle is usually used for a small tattoo, while seven or more are used for a full-size design. Since seven times fewer holes will be punched in your skin, the pain level will be much lower.
Immediately after the ink is applied, there is nothing to worry about. A tattoo is an open wound, and it needs time to heal. The smaller the design, the faster the healing process will be.
4. Little tattoos have a lot of meaning
Your tattoos are first and foremost a personal expression of who you are or a reminder of something or someone you care about. And in minimalism, there are many possibilities to embody any subjects that will look graceful and at the same time meaningful.
5. Easier to remove
Mistakes happen, people change, and sometimes we decide we no longer want something we thought we had done forever. Sometimes that means divorce, and sometimes it means erasing the tattoo.
While laser beam tattoo removal is possible, it is not quick or painless. It takes longer to remove a tattoo than it did to initially apply it. The good news is that since most small tattoos are created with a single needle, artists tend to use less pigment because it can spread. Not only does this mean that the tattoo will disappear faster than a regular tattoo, but it also means that it is relatively quick to remove.
6. Well-adapted
If you change your mind about a tattoo, that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of it completely. Another option is to rework it, adapt it, or incorporate it into a whole new piece. There is no doubt that the smaller the design, the easier it will be to hide or blend it into something larger later on.
7. They age beautifully
Tattoos are permanent, but the skin they are applied to is not. Bodies change over time. We gain weight and lose weight. We can get pregnant or sick. Sooner or later we all succumb to the effects of aging. With all our desires and even with a strict diet and exercise regimen, our once slim physique will begin to lose its firmness and our skin will begin to sag. Minimalist tattoos will age with us more gracefully than larger pieces of body art.
Geometric Tiny Tattoo Ideas
Minimalism and geometry are inseparably linked. Intersections of lines and geometric shapes connected by dots are all at the peak of popularity this year. Geometric shapes can be folded into any element to create a full-fledged tattoo.
Often such tattoos are made in the abstract. Then they look mysterious and cause a desire to puzzle over their meaning. They are equally popular with both men and women, and always look elegant on any skin if the tattoo is done by a professional.
Lettering Minimalist Tattoo Ideas
Inscriptions are also very common among minimalist tattoos. To make the tattoo a success, you should give preference to classic and discreet fonts, avoiding the gothic and ornate.
As a text, any motivational quotes or individual words are appropriate. For example, popular versions of tattoos include a brief description of their owner’s character: strong, persistent, brave, etc.
In some cases, tattoos are printed with commemorative dates or names of important people. Lines of songs are executed in an even font in such a way that they can be inscribed in a square or rectangle.
Minimalist Animal Tattoo Ideas
Tattoos with animals have always been in vogue, now they are more often performed in the style of minimalism. These can be pets, characters from your favorite books and movies, or just animals that symbolize any important qualities for you.
The real art is to depict the outline of the animal with a few lines, which will be immediately recognizable, unique, and beautiful. Tattoo masters are up to this task.
Minimalist Plant Tattoo Ideas
It so happens that tattoos with plants are more often chosen by girls. One of the favorite options for a minimalist tattoo is a twig in the collarbone area. It emphasizes the sophistication of the owner and often makes her more delicate.
However, other motifs are also popular. All kinds of flowers, ears, small compositions — each of these tattoos look beautiful and unique in its way.
Unusual Minimalist Tattoo Ideas
In this section, we put a variety of tattoos that did not fit into all our other sections of ideas. You can puzzle over them for a long time, thinking over the meaning and significance of these or those symbols.
Here you will find tattoos that combine different things into something new, to express love for family, devotion to loved ones, or even passion for the sea.
Best and Worst Places To Get a Tiny Tattoo
Applying small tattoos does not take much time, and therefore you can choose almost any area of the skin for images. Excellent places for tattoos are:
- wrists (inscriptions, watercolor, or vector technique);
- neck, behind the ear (for small tattoos with elements, initials, numbers, and symbols);
- ankles;
- fingers (not the most painless places for tattoos, but very popular);
- collarbones (inscriptions, plant motifs, patterns).
On the contrary, the inopportune places for minimalist tattoos are:
- palms, elbows, feet — these are some of the most painful places for tattoos, and the design is quickly erased;
- face and head;
- intimate areas (especially tattoos for girls) — not our favorites;
- the mucous membrane of the mouth;
- ribs, joints, knuckles — also pretty painful;
- coccyx in girls (what the place of the tattoo in this area means, we hardly need to specify);
- places with birthmarks and injuries (if you want to cover scars it’s okay, but first need to consult a doctor).
What You Need To Know Before Getting a Mini Tattoo
- Don’t chase fashion
If you have always dreamed of decorating your body with bright realistic colors, but you see that everyone around you started walking around with black minimalist drawings and inscriptions, do not rush to betray your dream. Listen to your heart.
- Do not consider stereotypical variants
Hieroglyphs, homogeneous hearts and butterflies, trite inscriptions like My life – my rules. There is a chance that the translation of the character will not mean what you think, and the phrase with deep meaning “decorates” half of the inhabitants of your city. Check if the tattoo has a symbolic meaning known in wide and narrow circles that you did not know about.
- Don’t get a small tattoo just to see if you like it or not
If it turns out that tattoos are not your thing, then one will still remain on your body and can be seriously annoying. And if you like it, the fine lines of the small design may float over time and change shape and size. Well, the choice of the sketch of the “experimental” tattoo is usually not taken seriously.
- Match the area of your body to the size of the tattoo
A large tattoo with lots of detail is hard to fit on a thin wrist. Conversely, a small design on your back or stomach will look lonely and unattractive.
Summary
Minimalist tattoos are an undeniable trend, but you should not get them just because of their popularity. Any tattoo, even the smallest should be a deliberate and considered decision. Because only in this case you most likely will not regret it in the future about your decision, and the tattoo will always make you satisfied.
Despite the apparent simplicity, minimalism in tattooing is a challenge, because the contours and lines of the design must be very clear and smooth, otherwise, the tattoo will resemble a hand poke made in the basement with a homemade machine.
FAQ
💭 What Does a Minimalist Tattoo Mean?
There is no common meaning to minimalist tattoos. Each of them is unique, and only the owner can tell you the exact meaning (and not always). However, often people get minimalist tattoos when they want to capture something significant for themselves and not show it to the public every time. Or those who simply do not like big drawings on their bodies.
💰 How Much Is a Minimalistic Tattoo?
Prices for such tattoos vary. They depend on where you live, the skill level of the tattoo master, and the complexity of the tattoo. You can expect the range of $50-200, but more often the cost is no more than $100.
🙌 Where Do You Put Minimalist Tattoos?
The best places for a minimalist tattoo are the wrists, neck, behind the ear, ankles, fingers, and collarbones.
🩹 Do Small Tattoos Heal Faster?
Immediately after the ink is applied, there is nothing to worry about. A tattoo is an open wound, and it needs time to heal. The smaller the design, the faster the healing process will be.
