A small tattoo is a great way to dive into the tattooing world without an extensive commitment. It allows you to get a feel for the tattooing experience and create a unique piece of art on your skin that is easily hidden. While finding the best placement for your small tattoo is always a personal choice, we’ve rounded up our suggestions for the best places for your tiny ink.
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What Are the Most Popular Areas to Put a Small Tattoo?
Popular spots for small tattoos vary depending on a few factors, including:
- Whether you’re a woman or a man
- How strong your pain tolerance is
- How visible you want the tattoo to be
- Whether this small tattoo is part of a plan for a bigger piece
Here are some of the best placement ideas if you want to get a small tattoo.
On Your Wrist
Your wrist is an excellent spot for a small tattoo for a number of reasons. For one, it’s not very painful to get a tattoo in this region. It allows you room for expansion if you decide to build upon your tattoo later. It puts your tattoo in a place that is visible to you when you want a reminder of it but that is also easily hidden under long sleeves or bracelets. It’s also just a very popular region for tiny tats.
On Your Fingers
Whether you’re considering getting your tiny tattoo on the sides or tops of your fingers, we want to remind you that this region is prone to needing frequent touch-ups. But the beauty of hand tattoos is that they are often delicate, easily hidden, and simple to cover with a bit of jewelry.
On Your Chest
If you’re considering a small tattoo, you may want to think about a chest placement. This could be on the ribs, between or below your breasts, or along your collarbone. This region is quite popular because it’s very private to you but can be shown off in the summer with a swimsuit. Chest tattoos do come with some pain, so keep this in mind.
Behind Your Ear
Easily hidden with long hair or with a pair of glasses, behind-the-ear tattoos are quite the rage! This place requires a skilled hand so ensure that your tattoo artist has experience tattooing this region or you could experience tattoo blowout. Earlobes are also a popular choice for tiny tattoos.
Inside Your Lip
Although lip tattoos are generally more temporary than their counterparts, they’re a popular choice for small tattoos because no one can see them unless you show them off, yourself. This is a great tattoo placement idea if you like the secrecy of being the only one who really knows about your tiny ink!
Ankle or Feet
This placement is also popular because of the fact that it can be hidden with a pair of shoes and happens to have enough space for whatever small tattoo idea you may be dreaming up inside your head. Keep in mind that this region is quite painful due to the thin skin and bones. It’s also prone to fading due to consistent movement and rubbing up against fabric such as socks.
Best Design Ideas for Small Tattoos
If you’ve decided on placement but now need some design ideas for your tiny tattoo, here are some suggestions:
- Inspirational words or sayings
- Initials
- Meaningful symbols (eg. astrological sign)
- Line art
- Small dotwork pieces
- Simple black and white images with bold lining
- Flowers
Our Final Thoughts
If you’ve got a design in mind but are worried about pain or other placement factors, discuss this with your artist. They will give you suggestions best suited for your needs and your sensitivity. Ultimately, choosing a placement for a tattoo, whether big or small, is a personal choice and one you will live with for the rest of your life.
