For most people getting a tattoo, size is an issue. Not everyone wants a full sleeve, back piece, or even something half that size. Small tattoo designs are especially popular with tattoo newcomers, so fortunately, many tattoo designs can scale down in size. Your tattoo artist will be able to shrink or enlarge most designs you bring to the shop, but it is always best to start with the largest possible design to preserve as much detail as possible when shrinking.

For women, small flower tattoo designs and small butterfly tattoos are very popular. These tattoos are usually placed on the ankle. In fact, areas like the ankle are ideally suited to small tattoo designs, because the design ends up proportionate to the body part you place it on.

If you’re looking to shrink a large tattoo down, go with a simple design. Otherwise, the fine details that can fit in a large tattoo will be lost or muddled when it is shrunk. Portraits, and other tattoos with a lots of composition and shading are best left large, while simple shapes and images work well with a small design.

Many people, especially when they’re considering their first tattoo, are nervous about seeing large designs, because they’re not ready to jump in the deep end yet. If you feel this way, a small tattoo design is right decision. A great deal of tattoo styles and designs can be done nicely at a small scale, though picking the exact design that will work best for you can take some experience, so be willing to ask your artist’s advice in this matter.

You can have practically any tattoo design done in a small format, and this includes popular tattoos such as

Small angel tattoo designs
Small asian tattoo designs
Small butterfly tattoo designs
Small celtic tattoo designs
Small cross tattoo designs
Small dolphin tattoo designs
Small dragon tattoo designs
Small fairy tattoo designs
Small heart tattoo designs
Small religious tattoo designs
Small rose tattoo designs
Small star tattoo designs
Small star tattoo designs
Small sun tattoo designs
Small tribal tattoo designs
Small zodiac tattoo designs

As you can see, if you don’t try to add extensive detail, there is plenty of selection to choose from in small tattoo designs.

Hearts are usually associated with love, but a heart tattoo can represent many different things in peoples lives. Heart tattoos include the traditional Valentine design with the name of a loved one and an arrow through the heart, and more realistic human heart tattoos. Heart tattoos often symbolize love and romance, but are also a way to memorialize children, lovers, and other family members. Heart tattoos can also symbolize life changing events, using designs such as bleeding heart tattoos or broken heart tattoos that represent death or the loss of a loved one.

Most cultures attach special significance to the heart: for instance the ancient Egyptians believed the heart to be the center of emotional and rational thought. Christians believe it to be origin of emotions (particularly love), while Islam sees the heart as the center of spirituality.

Consider carefully if you are thinking of getting a heart tattoo to express your romantic love. Relationships don’t always last forever, while a tattoo does. You don’t want to snap to a decision and end up with a permanent reminder of someone you can’t stand anymore.

Dolphins have always had a special relationship with man because it’s hard not to appreciate the beauty, intelligence, and curiosity that dolphins have. Dolphins have been known to save drowning swimmers and love to play and interact with humans. Dolphins have a certain mystical element of being man’s protector and can provide a deep sense of connection to nature and the universe.

Dolphin tattoo designs can be done in a variety of styles and colors, with there really being no ’standard’ way to design a dolphin tattoo. Most dolphin tattoo designs depict the dolphin surfing a wave or smiling on the surface. Dolphin designs can be done as a single dolphin, a mother and baby dolphin, or a whole family of dolphins. Dolphin tattoos can be placed almost anywhere, but a popular choice is to encircle a limb such as an arm of calf with a band of dolphins.

A popular dolphin tattoo design for women is a circle formed by two dolphins touching nose to tale. These can be used as a circular focal point for several other designs such as a tribal or Celtic armband design. Additional detail can be added to a dolphin tattoo using water, a sunset, clouds, fish, turtles, or other elements of nature. Dolphins are also a natural complement to mermaid tattoos, or other nautical tattoos, as sailors consider dolphins to be a sign of good luck.

Cross Tattoo Designs

The cross, or crucifix is one of the worlds oldest and most widely used symbols. In fact, cross designs even predate Christianity, and at that time symbolized elements of nature. For these reasons, it’s easy to see why cross tattoo designs are so popular.

The cross is a very simple symbol, and it lends itself to a huge variety of potential tattoo designs. For example the four arms of the cross can represent the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) each pointing to the central point of life’s synthesis.

There are also celtic cross tattoo designs characterized by traditional Celtic knotwork. Medieval designs such as St. Andrew’s Cross tattoos, the Knight’s Templar cross tattoos, and St Peter’s cross tattoos are also quite popular.

When considering a cross tattoo, an important consideration is the fact that it is composed of long straight lines. This means it needs to be placed in a spot that won’t undergo a lot of skin or muscle movement, as this will distort and wobble the straight lines of the cross.

Zodiac Tattoo Designs

For as long as man has been looking at the sun and the stars, they have studied astrology and the zodiac. Different cultures have developed their own zodiac symbols over time, with Chinese zodiac, Native American zodiac and Aztec zodiacs being popular subjects for tattoos as well as the traditional Greek zodiac symbols.

Zodiac tattoos are popular for many people who study astrology. Zodiac tattoos and they can take the form of the simple symbols of the zodiac, or more intricate designs that integrate the shape of the actual zodiac constellations as well. Zodiac symbols can also take the center of an armband tattoo.

The 12 Signs of the Zodiac

Capricorn Tattoo Designs (December 23 thru January 20) represented by the goat.

Aquarius Tattoo Designs (January 21 thru February 19) Aquarius, depicted as the water carrier.

Pisces Tattoo Designs (February 20 thru March 20) Pisces, “the fish” is actually represented by two fish, eachone swimming in the opposite direction from the other.

Aries Tattoo Designs (March 21 thru April 20) Aries, “the ram”, is also more widely known as the god of war to the Greeks and Romans.

Taurus Tattoo Designs (April 21 thru May 21) Taurus, “The Bull”.

Gemini Tattoo Designs (May 22 thru June 21) The Gemini sign is represented by a set of twins.

Cancer Tattoo Designs (June 22 thru July 22) Cancers “Crabs”.

Leo Tattoo Designs (July 23 thru August 22) Leo, the lion.

Virgo Tattoo Designs (August 23 thru September 23) Virgo, the Virgin, the only signs of the zodiac that is represented by a woman.

Libra Tattoo Designs (September 24 thru October 23) A picture of scales in balance.

Scorpio Tattoo Designs (October 24 thru November 22) Scorpio the scorpion.

Sagittarius Tattoo Designs (November 23 to December 22) Sagittarians are symbolized by a centaur archer.

The spiritual and religious significance of the sun has led people to get sun tattoo designs for centuries. The sun is a giver of life and sustains mankind. Today however, sun tattoos are popular for other reasons besides their appeal to primeval man.

Sun tattoos designs can be executed in a wide variety of styles and colors, and in almost any size, from full back piece to a small tribal design. With their simple circular design, sun tattoos place well on most parts of the body.

Shoulders, shoulder blades, chest, legs, and the back are popular places for men to get sun tattoos. Women often choose the lower back, nape of the neck, or around the navel or hip for a sun tattoo.

Because of the flexibility of sun tattoo designs, you can pick a design you like, but give it your own personal style by selecting a non traditional color, or leaving it black and gray. Personified suns are also popular, using the image of Father Sun and/or Mother Moon.  Sun tattoo designs are also sometimes combined with a moon or star to make a  set of heavenly bodies.

Many ancient drew life from the sun, and you can find tribal style sun tattoo designs in almost any culture. Evidence is in the ancient Egyptian texts, Pueblo Indian art, Aztec astrological charts, or ancient sailing maps.

Sun tattoo designs are truly one of the most diverse, flexible and enduring tattoo designs.