Men's tattoos can differ not only in styles, methods of application, locations, complexity of sketches or colors, but also in size. If we consider a small tattoo for men, this option is preferred by quiet, reserved men, conservatives who prefer minimalism and brevity.
Not every man can afford by virtue of the image and circumstances a large bright tattoo. For them, in this article will be collected the best designs and ideas for small tattoo, the rules of their performance, the choice of location, color options and styles. Only by taking into account all points can you get a quality result.
Small tattoos for men
Today small tattoos most often act as a first experience. But this does not mean that small tattoos are somehow inferior to large-scale and beautiful compositions. They have their own charm, mystery and ease of perception. We offer you a top list of the best ideas for small male tattoos:
Anchor - A symbolic drawing that suggests that the man is determined in life, has a clear position and principles, confident and unshakable.
An imprint of a child's foot - A popular tattoo among new fathers, acts as a symbol of love for his child, devotion, the nomination of the family in the forefront.
Moth - Symbol of freedom, looseness, enthusiasm, love of life.
Hieroglyph - inscriptions are the most relevant today, most often men choose Asian letters to emphasize their mystery and depth of the inner world.
Compass - A symbol of steadfastness of principle, confidence and balance, as well as a craving for adventure.
Sign of the zodiac - used as an amulet and amulet against weakness, evil, ill-wishers, enhances the best aspects of character.
Cross - a divine symbol that performs a protective function from the dark forces, failure, misfortune.
Eagle - symbolizes the spirit force, freedom, power and wisdom in a man.
Mountains - The philosophical meaning of the tattoo, which speaks of the wisdom, will and invincibility of men, his ability to conquer any peaks.
Triangle with an eye inside - This is an all-seeing eye, telling us that God Himself is inside a man, supporting and protecting him from failure and temptation.
Expert Opinion
Viola Madison
Master of Tattoo, 8 years experience
To understand how expedient and justified small tattoos for guys, it is worth highlighting their main advantages. This is a minimum of pain, ease of care, rapid healing, clarity of the figure, low price, comfort.
Features
Small tattoos have a number of qualities that help members of the male sex when choosing the size of the drawing:
- easy care and quick healing process;
- absence of discomfort at any time of the year;
- short-term process of drawing;
- low cost;
- the pattern is clear and does not change its borders.
A huge number of sketches of small tattoos for guys facilitate the selection process. Very often such a tattoo is stuffed not for self-expression in the eyes of others, and carries a special inner meaning for the man. It is easy to hide from prying eyes, and can be imposed at any time of the year, it will not cause discomfort at the time of recovery of the skin.
Why do men choose small tattoos?
Since ancient times it was believed that the smaller the body drawing is in the eyes of others, the deeper is its sacred meaning and the stronger is its influence on destiny. The first male tattoos were not in the form of huge canvases on the arms, back or chest. They were symbols, runes, drawings of mythical creatures, animals and birds in secluded places on a small scale.
Today, mini tattoos are chosen for a number of reasons:
- It's a great way to express yourself;
- The drawing procedure is quick and minimally painful;
- A small tattoo can easily be removed by laser;
- Small body art is less susceptible to wear and tear;
- the procedure does not require complicated preparation and maintenance;
- tattoos are less traumatic for the skin and heal faster;
- it is also a cost-effective not costly option;
- a huge choice of designs;
- laconism, minimalism, ease of perception.
Yes, and the reaction of the environment to the small body art will not be so expressive and ambiguous, especially this is relevant in the working and formal environment. It is worth noting that such simple nailings correspond to men of all ages, different temperament and image.
Applying Techniques
Tattoo on the hand (men's small images are more practical in care and wear in comparison with their large counterparts) masters can pad in several ways:
- Using a special automated machine which principle of work consists in penetration of a needle preliminary moistened in pigment, under a skin of the person (a classical method which the absolute majority of tattoo-masters in official salons use);
Tattoo on the arm of a man's small
- using a template with many needles along its perimeter (the needles are moistened in pigment, then sharply inserted under the skin and, after 1-3 minutes, removed from there);
- using a blade (the skin on the working surface is traumatized with the blade along the perimeter of the sketch, after which the wounds are filled with pigment).
To avoid health problems, tattooing should be done exclusively by professionals. Tattoo-masters, trained and having great experience in their field, carefully monitor the sterility of consumables and working tools.
A careful approach to ensuring the safety of the client during the session of creating a body image minimizes the risk of infecting the man with serious diseases through the working tools used by the tattooist.
On what places men most often apply small tattoos
How a meaningful tattoo will "work" largely depends on its location on the body. Small tattoos can be placed anywhere, but most harmoniously they will fit on small areas of the male body.
Shoulder
The shoulders are responsible for the reliability and strength of a man, which means that here you can put a tattoo that gives the character courage, masculinity, strength, self-confidence. For example, an anchor, the muzzle of a strong animal or a bird.
Forearm
On the forearm tattoo is more demonstrative, used for self-expression. Here most often inscriptions, different mythical and real animals, which one wants to imitate, are applied.
Tattoo on the wrist
The wrist is the most sensitive area, because it traces the pulse and the connection with the human heart. Therefore, the wrist is performed at the same time simple, but the most profound in meaning personal tattoos - inscriptions, symbols.
Tattoos on the palm, on the hand and fingers
The hands are an important energy center, this is what a man earns, develops, and influences the world. Here they apply different amulets, talismans, amulets to protect themselves from bad decisions and actions. Also here are relevant tattoos that awaken creativity.
Tattoo sleeve
The sleeve is a complex composition, which can not assume the presence of a small tattoo. There can be black and white or colored pictures consisting of different characters and objects.
Neck
The ideal place for cool concise tattoos is the neck. Here they often apply inscriptions like the creed of life and principles of a man, symbols and objects that can affect the mind and worldview, improve the work of the brain.
Chest
On the chest will look harmoniously different variants of tattoos, whether they are objects, symbols, animals or birds. Their main purpose is to protect against dangers and risks to life.
Side
On the side, men most often depict personal drawings concerning matters of the heart and soul. If they are animals, a man tends to imitate them, if symbols, they are needed for balance and self-confidence, if inscriptions, they are about family, love.
Thigh
On the thighs, tattoos can affect the intimate component of life, the relationship with the other half, the emotional background. Overly emotional and passionate natures beat sketches that help achieve balance, too uptight and constrained men, on the contrary, choose something that awakens fire and passion.
Back
The back is the most neutral zone, which means that the meaning of a small tattoo will directly depend on the sketch. Animals, birds, insects, plants, symbols, as well as different parts of drawings, such as the wings of an angel, a paw print, etc. will look harmoniously here.
Shovel
On the shoulder blades are points of concentration of the will, which means that here you can apply tattoos with therapeutic meaning, religious symbols, objects with meaning that will help humble the ego and vile desires.
Foot
Tattoos on the legs often work as magnets, attracting luck, success, love, happiness into a man's life. The ideal choice of a sketch on the legs - the signs of the zodiac and constellations, which are the strongest amulet and amulet.
The meaning of colored tattoos
Men often prefer to choose animals, movie and movie characters, biomechanical elements, patterns. As a rule, their tattoos are more aggressive than women's.
- It is known that the Eagle is a proud bird. Such a tattoo means freedom and immense power. Not for nothing different countries often use it as a national symbol in coats of arms.
- Tattoos with the Dragon came from Japan, where it means strength and supernaturalness.
Universal
- The eye is often chosen by those who see a symbolic meaning in it. Depending on the context, it can vary.
- The tree represents all stages of the life cycle, from birth to reincarnation.
- Buddha represents wisdom, benevolence and some other positive qualities.
- The lion signifies courage, strength and bravery. It is often done in a realistic or geometric style.
Paired tattoos
- Dolphins symbolize freedom, cheerfulness, and wisdom.
- Koi carps mean long years of life, a large reserve of vitality.
Are there guidelines for small tattoos?
Tips for applying a tattoo suggest 3 steps. Namely:
- Preparation. Make a sketch of the tattoo, do not use someone else's ideas, print the finished version on a photo in order to take to the master. Do not drink alcohol or take medication before the procedure. Determine the place for the tattoo, color, and style of execution.
- Procedure. Have a paint allergy test done with the master. Designate a time for yourself, to be ready for a fixed time.
- Care. Listen to the master for any tips on how to care for the healing area of the skin. First, the tattoo will be covered with a film, later it is removed, and the skin is treated with different preparations.
Important! Find out in advance the price of the tattoo, because it is not a cheap pleasure. It's better to be ready for financial expenses in advance. Do not save on tattoos by choosing an untested master.
What kind of tattoos should not do guys?
Guys are not recommended as sketches for tattoos choose images:
- Which have the lover's name as an integral part;
- Which represent a declaration of love to their parents;
- related to a particular subculture;
- With portraits of real people;
- Cartoon characters.
Men's tattoos placed on the arm are best done in miniature. They can pointly hide skin imperfections as well as preserve a guy's memories of a particular event, hobbies or person. By properly developing a tattoo sketch, a man will add uniqueness to his own image, ensuring increased attention to his persona from the opposite sex.
How to choose a tattoo design?
To simplify the choice of a sketch for a small tattoo, ask yourself a series of leading questions.
- Where will the tattoo be tattooed, what size will it be? Given the anatomical shape of the body and the principle of proportionality of the tattoo and the area, you can narrow down the search for a sketch.
- Will it be a picture or an ornament? For ornaments you can choose different appropriate styles (tribal, Maori, Polynesian, Celtic, etc.). Patterns are usually executed in a primal format. Each style accepts a certain complexity and scale, and they determine the sketch in relation to the place on the body.
- Is this your first tattoo? For the first experience choose simple tattoos with positive energy, such as inscriptions or signs of the zodiac. Later on, you will already know what a tattoo is, how receptive you are, what you want from a tattoo.
- How many small tattoos are you planning to get? Remember that a lot of miniature tattoos on the body will not look aesthetically pleasing, if not vulgar.
- What is the purpose of the tattoo? If you're not looking for a change in life, use different neutral designs - animals, birds, nature, inscriptions, characters. If you have weaknesses, the sketch should work to enhance the exact opposite qualities. You need protection and good luck, in which case choose amulets and amulets.
Do you like small, discreet tattoos?
YesNo
Men's tattoos: symbolism and trends
Tattoos for men are not only simple small or large drawings pecked on one of the parts of the body. This is a kind of symbols, which without any extra words tell everyone about the temperament of the owner, his potential and convey to others their special meaning. The origins of tattoos go back to the early days, when the drawings on the man's body symbolized his status, military rank or position, and today we are presented with a huge profusion of different designs of male tattoos. In addition to the back, arms, torso and legs, men adorn any part of his body with images, and these can be drawings of animals or mystical creatures, inscriptions, a variety of patterns and weaving, as well as any other options, made in a variety of techniques and in any color.
Styles and colors that are popular for small tattoos
It is difficult to clearly narrow down the choice of styles for small tattoos due to the huge selection of designs and ideas. But more often in recent times, masters have resorted to the following methods of performance:
Tribal, Celtic, Polynesian - Original execution of patterns, abstracts and ornaments;
Minimalism - small concise tattoos without extra details and lines;
Graphics - The predominance of straight and clear lines;
Oriental - Oriental style;
Geometry - A perfect style for symbolism, conveying pictures in geometric shapes.
The main emphasis in the execution of small tattoo is in black and white, especially if it is a symbolism, inscriptions, small objects. If depicted living creatures, nature, the master can use different colors of red, green, blue, brown, yellow and their close shades.
Preparation
The tattoo is stuffed with the help of special needles, which inject the pigment under the skin. In order to get a quality result it is necessary to choose a master responsibly, who will give a full consultation, as well as carefully care for the damaged skin for 10 days after the application of the tattoo.
Even when a guy chooses a small tattoo, it is important to properly prepare for the padding. A small tattoo can carry a lot of meaning, which is put into it by the man himself. Often such tattoos are used in order to hide many defects on the skin (scars or burns).
A few days to avoid various inflammatory processes, it is necessary to refuse to drink alcoholic beverages, medicines that promote blood thinning and caffeine. Thus, the risk of infection is reduced, and the drawing will be of high quality and clear.
Choosing a sketch
It should be noted that in addition to the usual, familiar sketches, there are unique, impressive images. Choosing a tattoo becomes a simple procedure for those who have already found the desired sketch for themselves.
Often designers and artists face difficulties. They like all images, so they can't stop at one particular option. To solve the problem and created catalogs of ready-made drawings. Among all variations of tattoo art, images of the following directions are offered more often:
- tribal style;
- ornaments;
- Old school style (old school);
- inscriptions.
Black and white tattoos can be easily complemented by a variety of fragments. In addition, few of those who stop at one natal picture, more often the salon is visited repeatedly for the application of another image.
On the neck
The neck is one of the most sensitive areas for the application of the tattoo and the process delivers a lot of pain. The choice of this area indicates the strength of the man, his patience and resilience. The most popular options for small tattoos on the neck for guys:
- Date of birth. This tattoo came from ancient times and symbolizes protection from evil forces. Today, the meaning has not changed and has gained incredible popularity among men. The date of birth means that the man is committed to protect his own child throughout life.
- Various inscriptions. A man puts a special meaning in them, and there are a huge number of variants. The most popular are: gratitude to his mother, God, wife, the attitude towards life, a message to the higher forces of protection or assistance, and so on.
- Anchor. The meaning of this tattoo is stability, faith and affection. This drawing is chosen by men as a symbol that they have reached a certain goal and continue to conquer another peak. The anchor is depicted as a symbol of faith in oneself and attachment to a certain place or person.