Hand Tattoo Ideas

Popular Hand Tattoo Styles

There’s no hiding a hand tattoo, so you’ll want to make sure that the one you get is the perfect representation of who you are. Some of the more popular styles are:

• Blackwork – These high-contrast hand tattoo designs make a big, bold statement.
• Minimalist – Simple, delicate designs allow the wearer’s personality to come out in just a few, airy lines.
• Traditional patterns – These are often intricate patterns using colors and expert shading to develop an abstract work of art.

Best Hand Tattoo Placements

The hand is a unique “canvas” for a tattoo artist. That’s because of the variety of natural spaces it provides for placing a hand tattoo. Some of those include:

• Across the knuckles – For years, this was the go-to location for 4-letter words (think “LOVE”). While some words maintain their popularity, this space is also becoming popular for symbols.
• Back of the hand – This location can lead into a sleeve or stand on its own.
• Palm – Only certain hand tattoo designs work here. These include simple symbols, like the Mystic Eye, which have a more ethereal aura about them.
• Side of the hand – Small symbols, like a cross or bow and arrow, can often find a home along the outside of the hand.

Men’s Hand Tattoos Ideas

Men will tend to get more pronounced hand tattoos including:

• Hand sleeve – This will either be a continuation of an arm sleeve or its own, self-contained design.
• Symbols – For some men, a hand tattoo is like a calling card. It’s an identifier into who they are and “who” they belong to. Because of this, they will choose hand tattoo designs that use dark, bold lines and strong shading techniques.
• Words – Love, Hate, and Star are some of the more popular words that men will get tattooed across their knuckles. It is also common to get a phrase across both hands (i.e. something like Hold Fast or Stay Back).

Women’s Hand Tattoos Ideas

The hand tattoo a woman gets tends to be more delicate and design-forward. For example a name or word written in flowing, cursive lettering along the side of the hand. Popular styles of hand tattoos for women are generally colorful, yet subtle and include:

• Flower arrangements – There are two common ways that women like to include flowers in a hand tattoo. One is a minimalist silhouette of a flower that they love. The other way is with a larger, colorful bouquet that can include the entire space of the hand as the flowers seem to “wrap” around it.
• Ring – A simple ring is a subtle hand tattoo that is chosen for the significance it can hold.
• Simple symbols – Many women will use one side of their hand as the location for a small symbolic hand tattoo. This could be something like a cross or an ancient symbol for strength or resilience.
• Tribal-like patterns – A popular location for these is the left side of the hand, from the wrist down across the left two or three fingers. 

Hand Tattoo Meanings

Hand tattoos have long-held meanings that, in some cases, span centuries. Many different cultures have used a hand tattoo in various ceremonial rituals. It is also a tattoo that has been used to identify status, belonging, and identity.

While many of the practices that were originally behind these meanings are no longer held, they still guide some of the choices we make when getting a hand tattoo.