If you're looking for some inspiration for your next tattoo, or just want to see some of the most creative and well-done pieces out there, the subreddits r/tattoo and r/tattoos are the perfect places to start.
These online communities are full of enthusiasts who share their own ink, as well as the designs they admire from other artists around the world. Whether it's a beautiful watercolor-like bouquet of flowers, a geometric animal portrait, or a classic bold skull, everyone is bound to discover something they like, no matter their taste.
So continue scrolling to check out our hand-picked content from these subreddits, and don't miss the talk we had with tattooist and owner of Swansea, United Kingdom-based studio Highwater Gallery, Josh Young.
This post may include affiliate links.
My Dad Died On December 15, 2016. Today, I Got A Tattoo
My Cat, Meonji, By Yeonno In Hongdae, Seoul Korea. It's My First Tattoo Ever And Took 11 Hours
When thinking about inking your skin, it's important to understand what you're getting yourself into. "I would say one of the most common misconceptions about tattooing perhaps would be the time it takes to design and perform a tattoo," Young told Bored Panda.
"I think to the inexperienced customer, they can, a lot of the time, assume we are able to just 'knock up' a quick design and unfortunately, the line 'the tattoo should only take half an hour' is thrown in quite a lot."
Calvin And Hobbes Embroidery Patch By Duda Lozano In Sao Paolo, Brazil
Wildflowers By Jing From Jing's Tattoo Studio In Flushing, NY
My Brother, My Sister And Me (Triplets) Finally Decided To Get Our First Tattoo
Young is guessing that it could stem from flash sheet days, "where you could just pick off the wall and get it done quite quickly. Or perhaps it comes from watching 'reality' tattoo shows that are cut to show the design, set up, and execution done in half an hour."
Either way, the artist thinks people should invest a bit of patience to educate themselves rather than meet these assumptions and misconceptions with frustration.
Golden Balloon Dog Made By Me, Pony Lawson At My Shop Mayday! Tattoo Co In Chicago
My daughter wants this one too. Next to the raccoon. Guess I have to stop scrolling down now,don't want to give her any more ideas. Don't want to have discussions for the next ten years until she is 18 and old enough to decide for herself. .....
actually that is probably the perfect age to start talking about it cause children are just learning that everything has consequences. i started talking about it at 10yrs and now i only want 1 tattoo and it means something to me.
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Very clever detailing to give the gold look, as gold tattoo ink doesn't exist.
It's 100% Koons inspired. Now let's see if the artist will try and sue cuz he is an A hole that has tried sueing multiple people even though lots of his artwork are everyday objects but big and shiny.
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Sadly, it probably won't be shiny for much longer once the hair grows back... 🤔
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I was shocked with how realistic that gold made it look, then saw pony did it, explains everything! Pony is a legend
They did it themself. It was free, minus materials.
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I was just thinking Oh I saw a pink one of these on one of Pony's videos And this one absolutely blows it out of the water
I think he forgot to give credit to Jeff Koons, the artist who created the balloon dog sculpture.
Incredible - blow it up and notice that the color gold is not even used!
Incredibly artistry to achieve that reflective golden/bronze (i’m on night mode so it looks bronzy to me) sheen look, honestly one of the most incredible tattoos i’ve ever seen for skill
Of course being the artist of your own tattoo you can put all the time in the world on it. Most places won't put that level of attention, time and detail. I once went to a renowned tattoo artist that was featured on Ink Wars or whatever that TV show was called, paid a lot of money, and received a mediocre tattoo. Meanwhile one of my other tattoos that I had drawn and shown to a random obscure tattoo artist, that was much cheaper, had it made, and is everyone's favorite when they see my tattoos. Just goes to show, watch out where you get your tattoos. And make sure to do a c**p ton of researching.
Ohhh, I just recently saw a whole article about these tattoos (Dutch news Google) and they were superbly done! I think they were yours too.
My Grandma & Grandpa - By Eli Wood At Lombard Street Tattoo In Portland!
Done By Chris Rigoni At Bloodlines Ink In Perth, Western Australia
My Little Trash Cat By Zzizziboy In Seoul, South Korea
"Another common misconception would be the pain aspect," Young added. "Yes, the procedure can be painful, but the body is incredibly resilient and everyone is surprised at their own pain tolerance.
"We as humans are capable of sitting through huge amounts of trauma and so when anyone mentions they wouldn't be able to sit for a tattoo, I would encourage them to just give it a bash and they will be pleasantly surprised at their own tolerance."
Fish Bones, Done By Trevor Varem, Mission Tattoo Parlour, Calgary Alberta
Scar “Cover Up” I Did The Other Day. Now She’s Got Her Best Friend Looking Back At Her :) Done Be Me - Adam Makharita (@adamdeanart) At Dot. Creative Group In NYC
What a positive message! That good doggo doesn't want you to hurt
My Arm, Done Today In One 8 Hour Sitting By Hannah Flowers Of No Regrets In London UK. What’d Ya Think?
Tattoo By Alba, Long Story Tattoo, Prague | Artwork By Mahdieh Farhadkiaei, Iran
The most important thing first-timers should concentrate on, according to the tattoo artist, is comfort. "If the customer is not comfortable and relaxed, then usually it sets the precedent for how well they sit during the tattoo procedure," Young highlighted.
"Too many times I've seen first-timers hella nervous and not made to feel relaxed and instead of excited, they are fearful, and don't actually sit very well or enjoy the whole experience. It is a tattooist's responsibility to ensure that they are not only providing the very best tattoo for the client but making it the most enjoyable experience too."
2.500 Years Old Tattoo
This ancient mummy of a mysterious young woman is known as the Ukok Princess and she was found in Siberia https://siberiantimes.com/culture/others/features/siberian-princess-reveals-her-2500-year-old-tattoos/
Now My Birth Mark Is An Actual Wine Stain
Entropy By Cavan@gritnglory, NYC
Honey Bees For A Pair Of Married Beekeepers, By Keith C (Me) At Spinning Needle Tattoos In Ft Worth
Whatever is driving you to a tattoo salon, it's enoughю After all, it's your body!
"Most first-timers tend to get a tattoo for personal reasons," Young said. "I think because the tattoos tend to have far deeper meanings behind them, it encourages them to get over the fear and get it done."
"Once people start getting a lot of coverage, that's usually when the silly non-meaning tattoos tend to break out," he added, laughing.
Kiddo Created A Crazy Creature Out Of Construction Paper So I Had My Tattoo Artist Interpret It!
Finally Got To Do Something Creative With My Ugly Shoulder Scar Thanks To Chris Earnhart At Arcade Tattoo, Ca
My Eastern European Folk Art Tattoo With Pigeons. Done By Koral At White Rabbit In NYC
I Covered Some Gnarly 3rd Degree Burn Scars With A Fire Dragon By Adam Sky, Morningstar Tattoo, Belmont, California
If you need reassurance, remember that industry professionals really want you to have a positive experience. "My advice would be to any first-timers, if you are not made to feel comfortable when in the tattoo shop, look somewhere else."
"We at Highwater Gallery and many good tattoo shops I know of, strive to make you as relaxed and comfortable as possible, whilst also understanding that it can be very daunting and you can be a bag of nerves coming in," the tattoo artist explained.
Me And My Dog! Made By Mentat Gamze At Studio Aureo, Rome (Italy)
Octopus By Me, David Peyote
My Latest Piece Done By John Tarrao At Stone’s Throw Tattoo In Berwyn, Pa. Philly Suburb. I Still Can’t Get Over. I’m Still Blown Away
First Tattoo! Clarinet Designed By My Father And Done By Pascal Guimond At Sinister Skin In Port Moody Bc
In Young's opinion, "cups of tea or coffee, reassuring words of encouragement, a very laid-back attitude to time frames, and a calm and relaxed approach to the process all help to create the best experience possible for you for your first tattoo."
"Tattoo shops thrive on repeat customers so they should be doing everything they can to encourage you to come back, even if getting a tattoo tends to be a little painful now and then!"
In Utter Awe At This Japanese Back Piece Done By South Korean Artist, Zumiism
Kimono Inspired Geo/Spirograph Piece Done By @nissaco In Japan, Osaka
This is a really cool tattoo, but with these full chest/abdomen pieces that extend this far down, there is always something a tiny bit funny in the nipples and belly button being just... there. I know why that is ofc, but the visual still always makes me crack a smile.
My Latest Tattoo, Winnie The Pooh And Friends By Ashley June At 522 Tattoo Just North Of Seattle
My Grandma (77 Years Young) Just Got Her First Tattoo! "It Didn't Hurt At All"
Embroidery Flower Tattoo By Ksu Arrow
My New Tattoos, To Cover Up Old Self Harm Scars. Changing Sadness To Beauty
Freehand Retouch/ Redesign By Omar Hunter, Guadalajara, Mexico
My Chest Done Yesterday By Blum, Paris France !
Done By Erin Chance At Unkindness Art In Richmond Va. Inspired By Beth Cavener’s Sculpture “All Tangled Up In You”
Moon Goddess By Cam Pohl (Lansing Mi) Done At Austin Tattoo Invitational
Very Fine Ear Piece Done By Kevin At Black Bear Ink, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
Flowers Done At First Class Tattoo, NYC
Dark Floral Sleeve By Jacob, An Artist At Til Death Denver
Leonardo Da Vinci Done In Istanbul, Turkey
Mario Goes To Work - Mat Frankin, Tat Franklin Studios / Columbus, Ohio
My Shin By Mike Boyd. Done 12 Months Ago. Just Found You Guys
I Had My Cat Tattooed As An Astrocat!
Fresh Pink Panther/ Tiger On The Chest By Manh Huynh At Freedom Inks, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
My First Tattoo(S). Geometric/Forest/Nature Theme. By Justine Nordine @ The Raw Canvas In Grand Junction, Co
My First Tattoo. Done By Shinya At Studio Muscat, Tokyo (8 Months Ago)
Left Healed , Right Fresh. Both Will Be Touched Up (I Am An Apprentice)
Got My Foot Done By Castlebasas In La, California
My Wifes Fresh 'Pan's Labyrinth' Tattoo Done By Tara At Mooresville Tattoo Company, Mooresville Nc
A Bobby Pin- Done By Billy Gamble At Top Secret Tattoo, Waco, Tx
Note: this post originally had 109 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
This is why I'll never get a tattoo; because I know it won't end with one 🤣
My BFF warned me about this. I now have 3. She was with me for every one of them. She won’t be with me for the 4th. It will be a turtle, in memory of her.
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I feel that. Been trying to plan mine out for 2 years already
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I am concerned that some of these, especially the very fine coloured lines, won't age very well.
Let's have more posts like this!! I especially love the ones where people make their scars into tattoos! So great to see more beauty being put into the world!
Interesting. The scar coverups always give me mixed feelings. On the one hand they are gorgeous and some scars can be triggers but on the other hand a scar is a phisical representation of incredible strength. They are badges of honor and it makes me sad that some people are ashamed of them.
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I never knew tattoos could come in such vibrant colors and details! I will probably never get one, but these are hella cool to look at
Those vibrant and super detailed tattoos are very pricey and can take 12-24 hours to complete at a cost of $300-$700 or more.
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I'm too late to able to upvote them 😭 Some are absolutely Phenomenal 😍😍😍
All so beautiful! I want another tattoo so badly but my husband won't let me! ☹️
Your body does not belong to him, get those tattoos if you want.
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I've always loved tattoos but I never really considered myself a candidate for such a thing... that is until I was doing research into a procedure I plan on having done and found out there's a slim but very possible risk of losing a nipple. I haven't been able to get the procedure yet, but when the time comes, if the worst were to happen, I think I'd want to get a watercolor cherry blossom tattooed in its place
The tattoos that cover up scars are very clever and beautiful, but I do wonder how they will age. It’s my understanding that scar tissue is different than “regular” skin, and I’m actually kinda impressed that they look this good in the present day. Perhaps there is a special technique, or a special ink or something, that artists can use on scars to take those differences into account and get such fabulous results. In any case, I wish nothing but the best to those who are scarred for any reason. I suffered severe burns when I was in Grade 5, and as a young girl, the resulting scars were a whole ‘nother source of trauma, so unfortunately I can relate…
As someone who can’t have an tattoo I really enjoy these kind of posts.
There wasn't a single one which did not impress me (although I didn't go past the top 50)
love them all ❤️ if I’m old enough and clean, maybe I should get cover up tattoo for my sh scars too ❤️ (and gosh i loved the cats!)
I doubt I could ever be happy with a tattoo for more than a few months so I just come to these pages and ogle the gorgeous body art.
No these tattoos are not photoshopped or stick-on ones, these are just very good Artist and to get this much saturation of color with such intense detail it cost a lot with a lot of sessions and hours of work. Most of these tattoos are at least $300 all the way up to $700. The full sleeves, full chests and full back pieces are at least a 12-24 hour total sessions tattoo at a cost of at least $1500 or more.
Load More Replies... There were some really extremely great tattoos in this thread! I really enjoyed them a lot! When looking for a new tattoo artist here in Spain, I've been looking at all the artists work on how they did their lines, because that's what can make or brake a great tattoo. I'm happy I found the best in town 🙂 To all that are planning on getting a tattoo but are not so happy about the expected pain that comes with it... I've used a breathing technique that works wonders, picked it up at our acupuncturist. Breath in and as the needle/ink gun gets started on your skin, slowly breath out through a little hole, rinse and repeat... Never hold your breath, just relax. It worked on all my tattoos, even the ones in very sensitive places 😉
This is why I'll never get a tattoo; because I know it won't end with one 🤣
My BFF warned me about this. I now have 3. She was with me for every one of them. She won’t be with me for the 4th. It will be a turtle, in memory of her.
Load More Replies... I feel that. Been trying to plan mine out for 2 years already
Load More Replies... I am concerned that some of these, especially the very fine coloured lines, won't age very well.
Let's have more posts like this!! I especially love the ones where people make their scars into tattoos! So great to see more beauty being put into the world!
Interesting. The scar coverups always give me mixed feelings. On the one hand they are gorgeous and some scars can be triggers but on the other hand a scar is a phisical representation of incredible strength. They are badges of honor and it makes me sad that some people are ashamed of them.
Load More Replies... I never knew tattoos could come in such vibrant colors and details! I will probably never get one, but these are hella cool to look at
Those vibrant and super detailed tattoos are very pricey and can take 12-24 hours to complete at a cost of $300-$700 or more.
Load More Replies... I'm too late to able to upvote them 😭 Some are absolutely Phenomenal 😍😍😍
All so beautiful! I want another tattoo so badly but my husband won't let me! ☹️
Your body does not belong to him, get those tattoos if you want.
Load More Replies... I've always loved tattoos but I never really considered myself a candidate for such a thing... that is until I was doing research into a procedure I plan on having done and found out there's a slim but very possible risk of losing a nipple. I haven't been able to get the procedure yet, but when the time comes, if the worst were to happen, I think I'd want to get a watercolor cherry blossom tattooed in its place
The tattoos that cover up scars are very clever and beautiful, but I do wonder how they will age. It’s my understanding that scar tissue is different than “regular” skin, and I’m actually kinda impressed that they look this good in the present day. Perhaps there is a special technique, or a special ink or something, that artists can use on scars to take those differences into account and get such fabulous results. In any case, I wish nothing but the best to those who are scarred for any reason. I suffered severe burns when I was in Grade 5, and as a young girl, the resulting scars were a whole ‘nother source of trauma, so unfortunately I can relate…
As someone who can’t have an tattoo I really enjoy these kind of posts.
There wasn't a single one which did not impress me (although I didn't go past the top 50)
love them all ❤️ if I’m old enough and clean, maybe I should get cover up tattoo for my sh scars too ❤️ (and gosh i loved the cats!)
I doubt I could ever be happy with a tattoo for more than a few months so I just come to these pages and ogle the gorgeous body art.
No these tattoos are not photoshopped or stick-on ones, these are just very good Artist and to get this much saturation of color with such intense detail it cost a lot with a lot of sessions and hours of work. Most of these tattoos are at least $300 all the way up to $700. The full sleeves, full chests and full back pieces are at least a 12-24 hour total sessions tattoo at a cost of at least $1500 or more.
Load More Replies... There were some really extremely great tattoos in this thread! I really enjoyed them a lot! When looking for a new tattoo artist here in Spain, I've been looking at all the artists work on how they did their lines, because that's what can make or brake a great tattoo. I'm happy I found the best in town 🙂 To all that are planning on getting a tattoo but are not so happy about the expected pain that comes with it... I've used a breathing technique that works wonders, picked it up at our acupuncturist. Breath in and as the needle/ink gun gets started on your skin, slowly breath out through a little hole, rinse and repeat... Never hold your breath, just relax. It worked on all my tattoos, even the ones in very sensitive places 😉
