Floral Tattoos: Always in Bloom
Floral tattoos like this blue and red chrysanthemum by Mikey Vigilante are timeless for a reason.
Floral tattoos are easily one of the most popular requests we get—and for good reason. Whether you’re interested in color or blackwork, realism or abstract art, bold or subtle, floral tattoos can be rendered in a wide variety of stunning styles. That’s why they are among our top choices for your next tattoo. Learn how you can create a piece you’ll love for a lifetime below.
Chrysanthemum by Mikey Vigilante
1. Choose Your Flower(s)
Are you sentimental about sunflowers? Do peonies make your heart go pitter-patter? Perhaps wildflowers are more your style. When considering floral tattoos, the first step is to collect a list of what flowers you’d like your artist to work with. There are no rules to choosing floral inspiration! You might want to pick a loved one’s favorite flower to honor their memory, or maybe you want to choose your personal favorite flower instead.Some blossoms lend themselves to floral tattoos better than others. Roses and chrysanthemums are classics for a reason, for example. A lotus is another flower that can look beautiful in practically any style. Depending on the aesthetic and size you are going for, an artist might counsel against certain flowers based on their petal density, shape, etc. But don’t fret: Even if your preferred flower isn’t a perfect fit for the size or style you’re interested in, we can either suggest a different flower or draw inspiration from your choice to create something that will look amazing.
2. Pick a Style for Your Floral Tattoos
Do you love floral tattoos in full color? Are you looking for the simple elegance of a blackwork outline? Do you want a rose rendered in black-and-grey?All of these options and more are possibilities when designing floral tattoos. Flowers look stunning in blackwork, black-and-grey, and color alike, whether the actual flower is plain or particularly colorful. You can even add hints of color to a blackwork or black-and-grey piece to accentuate certain aspects of floral tattoos.
Poppies by Joy Shannon
Tattoo aesthetic is another factor. You can find floral tattoos done in every style imaginable: American Traditional, neotraditional, Irezumi, realism, surrealism, painterly, linework, and illustrative all work well for flowers.Once you’ve picked a style you love, we can match you with an artist for a consultation.
3. Determine Size and Location
Floral tattoos work well on just about any body part. A branch of cherry blossoms can flow beautiful on a person’s side, while a large peony can work beautifully as a shoulder cap.Depending on where you want to put your tattoo, your artist will work with you to compose the piece in a way that suits the location. A floral thigh tattoo would have a different composition than a forearm piece, for example.If you have a composition in mind already—such as a single rose, a cluster of sunflowers, or a long spray of lavender—your artist can help you pick the best location.
Floral tattoos by Suzanne Shifflett
Floral tattoos by Suzanne Shifflett
During your consultation, please let your artist know the size you are thinking in inches. There is a world of difference in what we can capture in a 4” tattoo versus an 8” tattoo, so that information help us determine the best design. Small floral tattoos can be just as beautiful as large ones, so don’t worry if you’re not ready to go for a full sleeve!
We will always advise you honestly about the level of detail we can do at your requested size. For example: If you want a realistic rose in full color on your finger, we will let you know a piece at that size and on that location will not age well. We might instead suggest a simple linework rose there or encourage you to move the rose to your forearm if you want to stick with color realism.
4. Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Floral Tattoos with an Artist!
Painterly bird of paradise in full color tattoo by Don Sellers
Ready to start your tattoo garden? Send us a message to get matched with an artist. If you’re curious instead about adding floral details to a larger tattoo, stay tuned for our next blog!
Bird-of-Paradise by Don Sellers