40+ Creative Tattoo Ideas to Inspire Your Next Bit of Body Art

The stigma behind body art is quickly disappearing and making creative tattoos a norm rather than an anomaly. As tattoo artists gain recognition through channels like Instagram, it’s easy to get inspiration for your own ink. Whether you’re looking to get your first design or add the finishing touch to a full sleeve, there are a ton of great tattoo ideas that will help ensure you’re getting the best body art for you.

Because there are so many great designs out there, it can feel overwhelming to try and decide on what you’ll get. There are a couple of ways to find something that’ll work for you. Begin by figuring out where you’ll put the tattoo; the placement will often dictate what size and the amount of detail possible. A finger tattoo, for instance, will likely be so small that you can only have something simple inked. But if you’re interested in a spine tattoo, that particular area lends itself well to long, slender designs, as does the collar bone. Half and full tattoo sleeves on arms are great for bold body art, so don't be afraid to think big!

Once you’ve decided on where you want your tattoo, you can then figure out the type of imagery you’ll want to have on your skin for the rest of your life. That’s where we come in! We’ve picked a bevy of different designs that are sure to spark an idea (or two) about your next piece of body art.

Thinking of getting a tattoo? Here are tattoo ideas divided into categories: art history;  flowers and nature; animals; abstract; and surreal.

 

Art History

 

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For more art history-inspired tattoos, check out 29 Museum-Worthy Tattoos Inspired by Art History.

 

Animals & Nature

 

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Next: Abstract & Surreal Tattoos

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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