190+ Simple And Delicate Minimalist Tattoo Designs

Not everyone who loves body art prefer loud and bold pieces. For these people, the perfect choice is a minimalist tattoo. This is a kind of tattoo that is best known for working with crisp black lines, simple and usually sparse color palette and negative space. Minimalist tattoos are mainly plain, simple and delicate.

Minimalist tattoos might be plain and simple. However, they are sleek and elegant and is the perfect epitome for “less is more”.

Minimalist Tattoo for First-timers

Minimalist tattoos are pretty much the best tattoo style for first-timers. Getting a tattoo is painful. If you want to get used to the pain of the tattoo gun, you can get a minimalist tattoo. Since the tattoos are usually smaller and consists of simple lines, it would help you get used to the pain. Then of course, you can get a bigger tattoo as soon as you like.

Apart from helping people get used to the pain, it also helps people get used to actually having a tattoo. These are permanent body art so once you get one, there are very few options that will get rid of it. Minimalist tattoos are usually small so you can get one and see whether it is definitely something you want to get committed to.

Styles of Minimalist Tattoos you can Get

Minimalist tattoos often have various styles. Here are some of the styles that you can get:

Linework – This style is probably the most common of the minimalist tattoos. Instead of doing the more complex design, this style just work with the linework. It does not have any other designs and usually with no color or even shading and shadowing. For example, you can create a more detailed tattoo of a dog. But for a minimalist tattoo, you’d usually just draw a simple linework of one.

Symbols – Most symbols are very simple. That is why they are perfect as minimalist tattoo elements. Apart from that, these elements often have a deeper meaning that can perfectly fit the wearer. Some symbols are also used by organizations to promote and raise awareness about certain causes. For example, the most popular symbol is the infinity sign. Another symbol used for a greater cause is the ribbon (with a color that represents cancer and other health conditions).

Geometric patterns – While geometric patterns can be a more complicated design, it can also be a minimalist tattoo. Usually, a pattern like this uses crisp lines and shapes without any colors.

Simple phrases and one-worded quotes – These are also among the most popular tattoo designs. While some quotes can be longer and can include various designs, minimalist quote tattoos often are shorter and sometimes, consists of one word. For example, phrases like “be happy” or “love yourself” are perfect for a minimalist quote tattoos. Words like “love,” “always,” “live” and “bold” are also popular choices. Script and calligraphy are the usual fonts to give more oomph to the design.

Also See:

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Minimalist Symbol Tattoos

Many get a tattoo not just as a way to improve their looks. There are many body art enthusiasts that get a certain tattoo design that have deeper meanings; something that can tell their story or a glimpse of who they are.

Some symbols are used as dedication to people who have certain health conditions. As previously mentioned, some symbols are used for awareness.

Designs and their Meanings

Here are some of the most common symbols used for minimalist tattoo designs and what they stand for.

• Infinity sign – This is a popular design in the tattoo industry, especially for couples and friends. This symbol, as the name suggests, is a symbol for infinity. It also represents eternity, rebirth, and reincarnation.
• Equal sign – While this is a common sign in mathematics, it is also trending tattoo symbol used as a way to support the LGBTQ community. It is a way to say that they are equally human like us with the same rights and responsibilities as members of the society.
• Malin symbol – This symbol originated in Sweden. It is similar to the infinity symbol with an arrow in the middle. The Malin symbol means that you have to experience setbacks to be able to move forward in life.
• Glyphs – Glyphs are elemental symbols in Greek culture. These may be small but they are believed to hold great power. There are many different glyphs, each representing a different thing. One popular glyph is a triangle with a single streak on the upper part. This means “to explore.”
• Zodiac signs – These are the symbols used for the 12 Western Zodiac signs such as Aries, Capricorn, Taurus, and more. Each Zodiac has a different symbol. Often, these represent the personality of each Zodiac.
• Semicolon – This is often used in sentences and writing. But it garnered attention from tattoo enthusiasts as it became a symbol for suicide and depression awareness.

Animal Minimalist Tattoo

Animal tattoos are yet another common elements in the tattoo industry. Many body art enthusiasts are choosing various animals that are closest to their personality. Just like with most elements, an animal represents certain traits and characteristics that can also define the wearer.

As a minimalist tattoo, designs are usually as simple as possible. Two of the most common styles are the linework and origami style.

For the linework, the drawings are simple and almost like the drawings that you can see in a children’s book. Sometimes, some of these minimalist designs were actually inspired by books. For example, the infamous elephant of the Little Prince is a fantastic design for both book and animal lovers.

The origami style is a budding minimalist style. It is inspired by the paper folding art of Japan. The shapes made by folding origami paper into various animals are the designs for the tattoo. The crisp lines show which parts were folded.

Designs and their Meanings

Here are some of the popular animal designs and what they represent.

• Dogs – One of the greatest traits of dogs is their loyalty so it is no surprise that dog tattoos often represent loyalty. Apart from that, dogs as tattoos could also signify friendliness, joy, and courage.
• Elephants – Elephants are the biggest land mammal on Earth. But they are known as one of the gentlest and kindest creatures. They represent both of those traits. The symbol also signify being family-centered and motherhood as a tattoo.
• Lions – The king of the jungle is another popular element in the tattoo world. They are fierce and courageous and so they represent both of these as tattoos.
• Birds – Birds have many different meanings and this depend on what type of bird you have. However, the general meaning of bird is freedom, especially when the design is a flying bird.

Sun, Moon, and Stars as a Body Art

Body art enthusiasts love getting tattoos of things that are beautiful. It’s no wonder that celestial bodies are also gaining popularity amongst enthusiasts. They are beautiful and filled with mystery, perfect for the designs with deeper meanings.

Constellation tattoos are pretty popular these days. These minimalist tattoos are perfect for astronomy lovers. The design is incredibly easy: dots that represent the stars linearly interconnected with each other. Among the top choices for this design is the Orion’s belt.

Others tend to get a simple star tattoo on their bodies, usually on the wrist and the ankles.

The sun and moon are elements that can go together and could also be individual designs. As a tattoo, the sun is often used to represent masculinity and vitality. The moon is often the symbol for femininity and in its crescent form. Tattoo designs that show both the sun and moon often depict them as man and woman.

The phases of solar eclipse is a popular design for sun and moon tattoos. It consists of the initial phase of the eclipse, to the highlight, up until the last phase. This is similar to the popular phases of the moon tattoo. However, the last one only showcase Earth’s lone friend in the sky.

Minimalist moon tattoos just show the crescent moon and sometimes with a lone star or two.

Other Minimalist Tattoo Designs

You can pretty much create a minimalist tattoo design for almost any other tattoo element. These are some of the most commonly used elements for a minimalist tattoo:

Antlers – You can have this minimalist tattoo by simply drawing the contour a deer’s antlers. This design is used as a symbol for pride and nobility.

Heart – Hearts can have two different meanings, depending on its color. A simple red heart is a symbol of love and passion. But you can also show grief and sadness with a black heart.

Arrow – Arrows have so many meanings that you can create an entire list about it. Nonetheless, one of its most popular meanings is the courage to move forward.

Triangle – This is perhaps the most powerful shape as most believe. This can mean femininity when facing upward. Masculinity is represented when it is facing downward.

Vital signs – Those in the medical field will surely find this design a great representation of their career. But they are not the only ones who can get this tattoo design. It represents life and vitality so anyone who loves life can also have it.

Roman numerals – Roman numerals are simple designs. These are used to commemorate a special event in the wearer’s life. This is often used by parents as a dedication to their family. Couples also have matching ones that represent their anniversary.

Wedding ring – A perfect couple tattoo, wedding rings takes partnership to a whole new level. It’s a permanent symbol of their bond. It can be a minimalist tattoo as it can be as simple as a black ring tattoo on the finger.

Tattoo Designs for Men and Women

The best thing about a minimalist tattoo is that it is very versatile. No matter if you are a man or a woman, a design could suit you. Even if you are young or old, a minimalist tattoo has that sleek but subtle effect that is perfect for anyone.

Nonetheless, some design might be better suited for men than women and vice versa. Here are a few designs that men would fancy:

• Woman’s portrait – It could be their mother or their wife or someone close to their heart. A woman’s portrait is often done as realistic as possible. But it can also be a minimalist tattoo by adding sparse color palette and even without the details. An outline of a woman is good enough.
• Weapons – Sure, women can fight. But men are the usual statistics of weapon tattoos. Simple and minimalist swords, knives, and guns often show masculinity.
• Tribal – There are tribal designs for women. However, men’s designs are often bolder and blacker. Minimalist tribal tattoo designs consist of straight bold lines around the arms.

As there are designs suited for men, there are also designs suited for women. Here are a few:

• Flowers – Floral designs can have different meanings. This depends on the type of flower. Nonetheless, usual designs are roses and sunflowers. Roses represent love and passion while the sunflower represents happiness.
• Cosmetics – For those who love make-up, you can get a minimalist tattoo of a lipstick or a red lips. You can also get a compact powder, mascara wand, or eyelashes. Oftentimes, these designs represent your love for cosmetics and for beauty.
• Moon –  As mentioned above, the moon symbolizes femininity. Of course, this can be a great design for women who celebrate being a woman.

Watercolor Style and Dots

Although minimalist tattoos often have more negative space and less decors, there are certain ways to make them unique and beautiful. Watercolor style and dots are two options.

Instead of using the normal ink or the normal way of coloring a tattoo, others choose the watercoloring style. It is practically a style that makes the colors look like they were watercolors. The strokes are soft, as if done with a brush.

On the other hand, dots are more grueling but very stunning. Instead of using lines or shading completely, some use dots to create the shapes and even the shadows.