Large tattoos are often very painful to get. Not only because of the grueling hours and even more than one procedure to finish it. But larger tattoos are often placed on areas that are more painful than others. That is why these designs are usually left for the more experienced tattoo enthusiasts. However, that is not always the thing with leg tattoos.
The legs are a great place to get larger tattoos with low pain register. It’s also a very versatile place for tattoos. You can put larger and bolder tattoo designs there. But you can also go with minimalist ones, and it would not get lost in all the space. Apart from versatility, the legs are also easily covered. You can easily wear jeans and leggings, and it will instantly cover your tattoo no matter how big and bold it is.
Are Leg Tattoos for Men or for Women?
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So, are leg tattoos for men or for women? The answer is pretty simple. It is for everyone who wants to get a leg tattoo and are tattoo enthusiasts. That being said, men and women can get theirs. However, there are specific designs that are more popular with men than with women and vice versa.
Leg tattoos for men are more often bolder and much bigger. Their designs are also more masculine and include bold colors and lines. On the other hand, leg tattoos for women are often more delicate. Their color palettes are also often lighter and more on the pastel shades.
Nonetheless, men and women today are getting more experimental with their designs. Nowadays, they choose designs that speak more about their personality. May it is flowers or mechanical gears, men and women can get a tattoo of what they want so long as they are a hundred percent sure about it.
Popular Leg Tattoos for Men
As said, there are some designs that are more worn by men than women. Here are some of these designs:
Mechanical – Men are fascinated with the 3D style of tattooing and making themselves look like cyborgs. This has been a pretty common theme no matter where the tattoo is. For the legs, the usual design shows that within the body is a metallic leg complete with screws and gears.
Japanese traditional tattoos – Japanese traditional tattoos are well known for their bold outlines and bold colors. These are also very popular among men. As for specific design, there are thousands of options available. They can turn any subject into a Japanese traditional style tattoo if they want.
Forest – While trees and forests are also popular among women, their designs still show delicateness. However, men’s are usually jampacked with elements and are often bigger than with women’s. They could choose from a group of trees with some wild creatures or a dark silhouette of an entire forest.
Tribal tattoo – Tribal tattoos are actually for both men and women. Then again, their designs are usually bolder and consist of thicker lines and hypnotizing geometric patterns.
3D portraits – It could be the pictures of their families, their partners or even some fictional character. Men are also great fans of 3D tattoos, especially portraits of people with amazing details that make the design look real.
Skulls – Sugar skulls are rather popular among women as they can create feminine designs with that. However, men usually prefer a more darker undertone. They also add other elements such as diamonds, portraits, guns, snakes, and more.
Popular Leg Tattoos for Women
Leg tattoos for women are often delicate. Even if they go for bolder colors and designs, these are still more subtle than that of men’s. Here are some of the popular designs for all ladies out there:
Laces and bows – Since we are talking about legs, how about a lacy garter? Or perhaps a bow around the thighs. These are really popular leg tattoo designs for women. These are really sensual and sexy designs, so there is no surprise it’s indeed getting well-known.
Birds – Birds are unisex design. However, men often choose birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, and falcons. Women choose little birds such as doves which are also symbols of love and passion. Hummingbirds, robins, and swallows are also a popular choice. Although peacocks are bigger, they are also great choices as they represent grace and beauty.
Detailed tribal animals – Detailed tribal animals are also a thing for women. They often choose animals such as the elephant, cats, dogs, and birds. These tribal animals have detailed geometric patterns that are both hypnotizing and stunning.
Mandalas – Mandalas are often used for back tattoos. But if you want, you can also use this as a leg tattoo. Mandalas are pretty unique. You can also be the best tattoo artist with the new tattoo design. Usually, it involves various geometric shapes and patterns. You can also include colors if you want.
Tress and plants – Flowers are pretty common when it comes to women’s tattoo designs. Of course, you can use it as a leg tattoo design. But apart from that, you can also make use of trees and other green plants for your design.
Meaningful Tattoo Elements for your Body Art Design
Many tattoo enthusiasts choose a tattoo design for their meaning apart from their aesthetic value. Here you can find many more most famous and most meaningful elements you can add for leg tattoos:
Anchor – Anchors are the norm in the tattoo industry. As a tattoo, this element is a symbol of hope, protection, salvation, and grounded faith.
Roses – Roses have long been a part of the tattoo industry. These are often used as feminine designs but are now getting popular among men. As a tattoo design, roses are symbols of passion and love.
Animals – If you get a tattoo of an animal, their meanings are often based on their characteristics. For example, a lion is known as a symbol of leadership, power, and strength. Dogs are symbols of loyalty, courage, and brevity. Birds are generally symbols of freedom.
Feathers – Feathers are often used to represent freedom and beauty. However, they can have more and deeper meaning based on which bird it was from.
Ships – Ships can have various meanings depending on how it was depicted. Nonetheless, it is generally a symbol of life and our journey through it.
Lotus – The lotus is a great symbol in Asian culture. It means resiliency and purity. Based on the color, it can also have different meanings. For example, a blue lotus is used to represent intelligence.
Heart – It is no surprise that hearts are a symbol of love and passion. Sometimes, it can also mean purity and innocence. You can also add a few more things to create another meaning.
Compass – If you are a traveler, you will love a compass tattoo. Apart from representing wanderlusts and their love for travel, it also means guidance.
Butterflies – Butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. As a tattoo design, they can also symbolize beauty. But they are most known as symbols of transformation.
Sun and moon – The sun and moon can be individual designs. you can also combine them to form tattoo that represents the good and bad things in life.
Unique Leg Tattoo Designs
Tattoo enthusiasts nowadays are getting more creative and bolder with their designs. That is why there are more and more unique tattoo designs. Here are some of the most unique leg tattoos that can inspire your next ink:
Lace garter with a tattoo gun – Lacey garter as tattoos are rather common for women. However, in this design, a tattoo gun is tucked in the garter. It’s a sexy and quirky take on thigh holsters with pistols and guns that are rather popular on Western films.
Drops of ink – Watercolor style designs are all the rage now. However, you can make a unique design by adding “drops” of watercolor ink. It’s pretty much a random but stylish abstract of watercolor style tattoos that seemingly dropped from a bottle.
Illusions – Visual illusions created by geometric lines and shapes – that’s something you can do as a unique design.
Lace and paisley – Lace is a pretty common theme for leg tattoos designed for women. However, add that with paisley and your tattoo would look stunning and sensual.
Abstract art – What makes a tattoo unique is your ability to be creative. For abstract art, you really just have to dive into your deeper psyche and create a design you alone could decipher.
Quirky designs – Quirky and funny designs are rather unique. We don’t really see a lot of them since many believe that they would regret getting one. However, choose a design you’ll always be proud of.
Fictional Characters as Leg Tattoos
Fans show their love for a certain celebrity, show, book, or movie through various acts. One of these is getting a tattoo. Usual designs include their favorite characters. For example, Harry Potter tattoos can include a minimalist portrait of Harry Potter or a more detailed tattoo of Dobby.
If you love a certain show like Game of Thrones, you can get tattoos of the actors as the people they play. There’s the Starks, Jon Snow, and the famous Khaleesi, Daenerys. If you aren’t really into photo-realistic portraits of these actors, you can try to create a minimalist tattoo. You can do this for every show or movie you’re a fan of.
However, what’s gaining popularity these days are cartoon and anime tattoos. There are those who get tattoos of Goku and his friends and enemies from the infamous Dragonball anime. If that’s what you’re into, there is no harm in getting a tattoo. Just make sure you are a hundred percent sure of the tattoo you’re getting.
Placement Suggestions for Leg Tattoos
Leg tattoos are versatile when it comes to placement. While you can create tattoos on certain spots such as the thighs or the legs, you can also extend these designs from one place to another.
For women, getting hip tattoos that extend down to their thighs and even to their knees is a thing. These tattoos indeed increase their looks and apart from that, they can create better designs. Calf tattoos are also a thing. They also tend to extend these to the knees or even the thighs.
Some create designs that go around the legs or the thighs. Best examples include lacy garters and bows around the thighs. There’s something about these thigh tattoos that makes a woman look and feel naughty. Probably since these are usually way up and the ones who can see these are often just their partners.
For men, full leg tattoos are the rage. They use their entire legs to the calves to create intricate designs. These are usually filled with various elements that are both beautiful and mind-boggling.
Choosing a Design
We’ve kept saying that your imagination is the limit when it comes to tattoos. However, you should always be careful with the tattoos that you choose. Sometimes, some designs make look seemingly innocent and then you search for its meaning and find out a story you don’t like. While you are creating your own design based on your personality and story, it is still best to research about its possible meanings.
It is also best that you go with a design that you are a hundred percent sure about. Tattoos are a commitment. If you get one, there is a high chance you won’t be able to get rid of it. Do not get designs that you will soon regret even if you can cover them like leg tattoos.
That is why you really should not be asking someone else for a design. Some artists actually give free tattoos given that they will create the design. Get these at your own risk. If there is any consolation, these people are often masters in what they do. People trust them to provide worthy designs. But if in your case it’s a partner or friend who’s pressuring you to a design you don’t really want, be brave and say no.
