As the weather begins warming up, we’re having a flood of clients coming in with hopes of building their summer body. Some clients come in knowing exactly what they want, and all we have to do is print out a stencil and get tattooing. Other clients are more uncertain, preferring to flick through flash designs or work with artists to flesh out an idea. If you’re in the second category, this post is for you! We’ve got a heap of tattoos at hand, focusing specifically on fine line to serve as inspiration for your next tattoo.
Fine line tattoos can be anything–literally and metaphorically. Cheeky, fun, personal; they can be easy to hide and also make a statement. Though there are many common subjects and symbols, there’s no shortage of ways that they can be made personal and unique.
The following tattoos are all the work of resident artist Bonzai, whose specialty in fine line tattoos has given him the opportunity to meet all sorts of people and tattoo all sorts of tattoos.
Have a peak at this slice of his portfolio below!
Chemical Structures: the ones pictured are dopamine, serotonin, caffeine, and magic mushrooms.
Fish skeleton on the inner bicep. Ouch for certain, but a very cool tattoo!
Matching human skeletons!
This and the following represent Guinness beer company.
Transferring cylindrical shapes to tattoo-able designs can be a challenge, so this melting clock is a fun way to overcome that issue.
All of Elle’s tattoos have been done by Bonzai. On one session, they conquered dozens of tattoos by smashing out a heap of star gap-fillers alongside other small designs.
Dainty clover tattoo on the side of the hip!
Line-work snake head on the inside of the forearm.
Cheeky and spicy! Classic chilli pepper tattoo, this one on the inner upper thigh.
While we’re covering tiny and delicate, here’s a simple star on the pinky.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, a much larger but still dainty tattoo.
When it comes to flowers, there’s an endless variety of ways you can capture their beauty. Starting off strong with a single rose.
Carnation flower tattoo on the inside of the arm.
Orchid along the outer side of the wrist.
Wattle branch along the forearm.
Lily across the collarbone. Though this is the last flower tattoo on the list, there’s truly no end to how creative you can get with flower tattoos. It’s common to make bouquets of birth month flowers representing family members, wedding bouquets, and simply favourite flowers.
Moving onto another popular faction of fine line tattoos: script!
Cursive…
…Less cursive…
…Typewriter!
Gothic and old english fonts. Fun fact, the above is my own tattoo. Thanks Bonzai! After my mother’s birth year. She hates tattoos, but I love her. 1.5 years healed.
There are sometimes limitations to transferring certain fonts into tattoos–for instance, certain fonts are quite loopy or are made up of incredibly small gaps between/inside letters that when shrunk down to create a small tattoo, are at risk of blurring together over time. Luckily this is an easy fix, and any worthwhile artist will encourage you to rework the design to lessen the chances of this happening.
When searching for a font, keep in mind that because less ink is going into the body, it’ll have an easier time pushing it out during the healing process. Anything very fine may fade or fall out quicker, which is the last thing anyone wants when they’re getting a life-long symbol across their body.
Single line tattoos are simple and powerful, like this wave tattoo.
A buzzing bee sitting close to the elbow.
An otter in a cowboy hat! Enough said!
What you’re about to see is the butterfly section. And boy are there a fair few butterflies.
Out of the woods, turning our focus to travel tattoos. The above is my personal favourite, the view of the clouds outside a plane window.
Coordinates are another good choice, adding a more personal touch to your tattoo.
For someone who loves travel and has no particular destination in mind, a plane may be the go!
Country outlines are popular, and work best for counties with quite distinct shapes, like our homey Australia or the Italian boot.
Or, an entire continent!
The notorious bin chicken…..
For any tourists reading, know that these birds are fearless. Do not trust them to contain themselves around food. You will be sorry, empty-handed and hungry.
Post stamps are another cute choice, and can be customised to include imagery that best captures your trip to your holiday destination. We’ve also seen stamps with the month/year included alongside the destination.
More post stamps, but not travel-themed.
Some red ink, some black ink.
All red ink!
We do caution that red ink tattoos often fade quicker, as the red has a higher sensitivity to UV light. This is definitely something to consider while thinking about the tattoo you’re after, and make an informed decision about.
This combo hanya koi fish was done for Adam.
Drama masks!
Decorative fork and pasta, a fun pair.
A pair of dice, inspired by a favourite book series. And soot sprites from Spirited away, with tiny little boots! 1.5 years healed.
Juggling clown and a goat-man creature. A bit more out there, but fun and memorable for certain.
Taken from an album cover for a dedicated fan!
Last but not least, a little friendly alien to finish off this collection. Tattooed on the back of the arm, so that it waves goodbye (or hello) to anyone passing behind.
If you made it through to the end, congratulations! Hopefully you found some inspiration for your own ink-devours, if you will. Of course, looking at tattoos isn’t the only place inspo can be found–there’s a treasure trove of art on the internet, or in books with drawings, and even in the simple things around us every day. Something as mundane as an espresso pot can be remade into line work and ink.
If you’re interested in booking in with any of our artists, reach out over email or give us a call. We can’t wait to hear what you have in mind!