One of the most common questions people ask before getting a tattoo is where to place it on their body. An excellent location option for anyone considering getting new ink is the shoulder. You can easily conceal shoulder tattoos with the most professional attire and show off during the summer months.
While shoulder tattoos have always been a popular option with men, they have seen growing popularity with females in recent years as well. Whether it’s a single tattoo or a part of a larger design, the shoulder offers a perfect canvas for all kinds of body art. From masculine tribal designs to feminine floral patterns, the possibilities for shoulder tattoo designs are endless.
One thing about shoulder tattoos is, by definition, the shoulder is the part of the body where the arm and body come together. Tattoos around the shoulders, like shoulder blades, upper back of the shoulders, are considered shoulder tattoos.
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Types of Shoulder Tattoos
Stars
Star tattoos on shoulders look great on men and women, and when the design runs over onto the chest and waist, the design is very captivating. An idea here is to try starting with about three stars inked on the shoulder in varying sizes, with the largest ones about the size of a quarter. The larger ones will be placed lower on the shoulder, with the smaller ones fading in the shape of a comet trail traveling over the shoulder to the chest side.
Small Shoulder Tattoos
Small tattoos on the shoulder are just plain cool. They look clean and tidy like they belong there even when they are evil-looking. A classic idea here is to try a butterfly from the top view so you can fully show off the open wings with the pattern being no larger than a 50 cent piece. Place the butterfly in the center of the shoulder close to the arm at a 45-degree angle and finish it with your favorite colors.
Shoulder Sleeve Tattoos
Shoulder sleeve tattoos allow the wearer and tattoo artist to create large themed works of art with the tattoo starting on the shoulder and then working its way over the shoulder and down the arm and ending close to the wrist.
Tribal Design
Tribal shoulder tattoos can range from mild to wild. These tattoos are very popular with men and women and look fantastic on the shoulder. A simple design here is a dark ink tribal sun with five curving rays of light done in the flame pattern.
Floral
Flower shoulder tattoos take advantage of the ample space to create some unbelievable flower tattoos. Ideas here are to try two large roses in full bloom, looking down at them from an angle so you can see part of the side and stem in the tattoo. Besides the roses, add a few small daises around the sides of the roses for a little contrasting color and to show a little depth in the tattoo. Detail work along with good shading work is necessary to get a life-like flower tattoo.
Shoulder Tattoos for Men
Most often, the tattoos for men will be bold and make a statement even if no statement was intended. For cool tattoo ideas, try sugar skull design in bright colors. The skulls typically have flowers or flower petals in the eye sockets, and the skull is colored in pastel colors. The designs look great on men and are very popular.
Shoulder Tattoos for Females
Options are limitless when it comes to shoulder tattoo designs for women. Floral tattoos are trendy with girls, but you can also choose abstract designs, tiny birds, cute animals for your shoulder tattoo design.
Upper Back Shoulder
The upper back shoulder provides a flat surface to get a detailed tattoo. You and also use the curve to create a natural flow. Quote tattoos, tribal design, or floral tattoos look good on the upper back shoulder.
Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossom tattoos are a popular design and high demand; the finished product is quite the show stopper. Cherry blossom tattoos are a favorite with women and will not disappoint. Ideas here are trying inking two branches with the starting point under the shoulder blade and then curving them towards the top of the shoulder near the arm and keep them life-like in appearance. Now the artist will have to make smaller branches with the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms look great with five petals, one each blossom and are dark red in color or pink.
Celtic Designs
The classic Celtic never-ending knot looks great on men and women and is still in high demand because of the history and stunning good looks. Ideas here are; a four-sided Celtic knot made of 4 strands woven together on the flat side where all four pieces meet. Repeat this process as often as needed to roll over the shoulder and taper it towards the armpit. The larger the four-sided knot, the fewer links are needed to create the Celtic shoulder band tattoos.
Coloring and Size of Shoulder Tattoos
Colors for shoulder tattoo designs will most often be in rich, vibrant colors because the tattoo is right in the line of sight. Most often, you will see true-to-life coloring on in flowers, butterflies, grass, trees, and bugs.
Shoulder tattoos offer the wearer the skin to create large-sized tattoos with amazing detail to wow the crowds, yet can be covered up in seconds with a shirt when needed. Keep in mind that you can turn a simple tattoo into a large-scale piece that runs over to the chest and arm in time to make a great themed work of art. With their tattoo experience and galleries, your tattoo artists can help when looking for design patterns for your shoulder tattoo.
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