141 Wrist Tattoos and Designs to Make You Jealous

Wrist tattoos. Beautiful wrist tattoos! Incredible, actually. Insanely cool. Wrist tattoos and designs that will get you excited to get your own. Enjoy.When looking for locations for tattoos, many people will opt for some part of the arm.  The wrist is becoming a more popular place, but remember, the wrist is not only highly visible, it is also in a place that gets exposed to a lot of other things.  For instance, the wrist often gets bumped and rubbed, making the healing process slow.  Some wrist tattoos will need to be gone over a second time, depending on the placement on the wrist.  If it is too close to the hand, the bending of the joint can cause it to split open while it is healing.  Don’t let these things sway you, however, just take them into consideration.  With proper care, your wrist tattoo can be just as great as a tattoo on any other part of the body.

41. Piano Man

The wrist is a lovely place to display something you love and remind yourself of why you love it.  For music lovers, something along the lines of piano keys or music notes would do well on this relatively flat plane.

40. Trail of Stars

Due to the size of the area, wrist tattoos are often small.  This means they have to fit all of their meaning into simple designs, like this small trail of stars.   For more small ideas that may work on your wrist, look at this page.

39. Feathered

Feather tattoos are gaining popularity in recent years. They mix simplicity with high detail, creating a wonderfully inked image.  They can run either from the wrist up the forearm or wrap around the wrist like the one shown here.  Keep in mind that the wrist is a highly mobile area and any tattoos there will bend and distort along with your skin. Take this into consideration when designing a wrist tattoo.

38. Butterfly

Wrist tattoos can be done in permanent ink or henna.  Due to the fact that henna tattoos are temporary, it may be  a good idea to have the design you want to be done in henna first to give you an idea of how it will look when it’s done permanently.  If you are curious about henna and want to learn more, go check out this guide.

37. Rosary

Bracelets and other jewelry make good wrist tattoos.  This is, of course, due to the fact that bracelets generally go on the wrist.  It’s just common sense. This rosary is so well done, it almost looks as if it is 3d.  With the hand held down like it is, it gives the illusion of the cross falling down onto the hand in a really natural way.

36. Skyline

For those of you who are really proud of where you come from or where you live, you can always opt for the skyline of your city. Of course, there is no rule saying it has to be your city, you could get the skyline of any city you like, just one you think is beautiful.

35. Celebrities

Wrist tattoos certainly are for everyone.  Here is a picture of Pink sporting one of her tattoos.  It is a winding script around her arm saying, “what comes around goes around.”  The idea of karma is on permanent display around her wrist.  If you are interested in celebrity tattoos and their meanings, you can read about Rihanna’s and Angelina Jolie’s.

34. High Class Jewels

Not all tattooed jewelry has to be simple bracelets and beads. This piece is reminiscent of more victorian era jewelry.  It has a lot of elements to it, including hanging baubles and thin chains connecting everything.  This  is a bit of an abstract design, but it is feminine and pretty, even if it is a pretty big piece.

33. Gamer Chic

Fandoms unite!  Wrist tattoos are perfect for fandom symbols such as Mockingjays, rebel alliance symbols, and the triforce symbol from Legend of Zelda shown here.  Whatever fandom you belong to, you are bound to notice others in your group quickly if they wear their love on their wrists.

32. Eye of the Rose

Okay, am I the only one that finds random eye tattoos creepy?  They are just kind of floating there.  This guy has one on his wrist and even the brilliant red roses just above it don’t manage to negate the creepy factor for me.  I will admit that the eye is remarkably well done, which is probably why it gives me the willies.   This is a good time to point out that you should also consider directionality when getting a wrist tattoo.  With his hand down like it is, they eye is right side up, but when he sees it, his hand will be up, and the eye upside down.  Be sure to think this through before going ahead with the wrist ink.

31. Sunny Disposition

Sunflower tattoos are simply beautiful. I will admit to having a bias, I have a sunflower tattoo of my own. Sunflowers are my favorite flower.  They are strong, not easily bent or broken. Usually shown in wonderful bright colors like some of these, this one is lacking color but is still amazing because of the amount of detail in it. I can’t see a sunflower without it putting a smile on my face.

30. Branch Out

Trees and branches make wonderful tattoos.  This one demonstrates how they can be worked into wrist tattoos as well.  There isn’t much to these branches but a couple of flowers and a few leaves and buds. The look of this one is really cool, though, it is complex in its simplicity and I really dig it. I wish I knew the meaning behind the branch and tree tattoos, but no matter what it is, I love this design.

29. Triangles

Triangles carry a number of different meanings.  A triangle right side up (not resting on its point) is a symbol for masculinity.  It shows that you are solid on your feet and always grounded.  Flip it over and it stands for femininity.  Part of this might be the shape comparison to lady parts or just the opposite of masculine.  There is, of course, always the power of three.  Three itself is loaded with meaning, such as karma coming back three fold, religious connotations (father, son, holy ghost), and many others.  Simple little wrist tattoos like this pair can have massive meaning. If you are considering a tattoo and just want something simple, check out some of these.

28. Beat of the Heart

The wrist is a major pulse point, so it makes sense to have a heart reading there.  It would be more sentimental to have it be the heart rhythm of a loved one, but if you just like the design, any will do.  Add a bit of color to it by adding a red heart.  With a few simple lines and a little pop of color, you can make a really effective and interesting tattoo.

27. Reboot

Wrist tattoos can carry an important message.  Here, a power button symbol is tattooed on the wrist.  While this may be a little joke piece, it could also stand for something bigger.  The wrist is a point of power, it is a pressure point, and if cut, you will lose power rather quickly.  This simple design could be a suicide awareness tattoo for the wearer, a reminder to not cut power.

26. Seize the Day

Carpe Diem, the original YOLO.  Wrist tattoos are good places to put matching tattoos, whether they be for best friends or family members, like sisters.  It is a good way to show your lasting bond to someone.  The idea of using an inspirational phrase is also a plus, making this a really powerful pair.

25. Printed

The handprint of a loved one is a really great idea for wrist tattoos.  I really love this idea.  It is not super detailed or intricate, but it looks like someone put a painted paw right on her arm.  This is a really unique take on the wrist tattoo and I love it.  I wonder who the hand print belonged to.  I could definitely see this in child’s prints.

24. Lined-Out

Sometimes a simple line is sufficient to make a really beautiful tattoo.  I am not sure what compelled the wearer to go this direction, but this is a powerfully artistic piece.  In some cases, stark, simple designs are all you need.  I would really like to know the meaning of this if there is one.  If not, it is an incredibly profound piece of line work.  It sure got my brain going.

23. Noted

This tattoo is just marvelous.  I don’t have another word for it.  It is a music scale, but the treble clef is made up of a quarter (?) note and a bass clef.  Instead of notes filling the scale, there are simple drops of color. Any music lover would adore something like this.  What an amazing piece. I love these watercolor ones because the color seems to run a little, and it is, of course, all done on purpose.  What wonderful attention to detail!

22. Dragonfly

When getting wrist tattoos, it is still possible to utilize more of the arm that just the wrist.  Your imagination is not bound to one area.  Branch out and design a really creative tattoo like this dragonfly.  You will notice that most wrist tattoos are devoid of color.  That could be because the wrist is such a small area to work.  Maybe people don’t want a lot of flashy color on their wrists. Either way, this simple dragonfly is a wonderfully fun design.

21. Mandalas

This tattoo features two of my favorite tattoo things.  It has the beautiful, large, symmetrical mandalas which I think make for stunning tattoos.  This detail in mandalas is impressive and they are meant to be perfectly symmetrical which is a challenge to the artist.  To make this one harder, and way more amazing, most of it is done in dots, a style called pointillism.  I’ve said it before and I will most likely say it again, I love the look of these dots coming together to make wonderful shapes and designs.

20. Capital Idea

Hometown pride often comes across in tattoos.  This one features the capital building in Austin, Texas.  This man is a proud Texan (to be fair, about 90 percent of us are proud to be from Texas, just saying) and he chose to show that by putting an inked rendition of the capital directly on his skin. I don’t think I’m quite that dedicated to the state, but I would not be against getting a tattoo to show my Texas pride.

19. Get Catty

We all joke about the crazy cat lady.  This lady really does love her cat, maybe to the point of being a little crazy.  However, with a cat that incredibly cute, who wouldn’t want to etch its little face into their skin?  Look at that black spot on its nose.  Awwwww.  But seriously, wrist tattoos are great places to put likenesses of beloved pets.

18. Welcome to Wonderland

Literary nerds, like me, might be tempted to put a line or phrase from their favorite books on their wrist.  It is a wonderful place to put a meaningful saying, something you want to look at daily to remind you of certain experiences you have gone through.  This one is a line from Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland.  We’re all mad here could be a reminder that everyone is a little looney.  You are not alone.  While it is a book, most remember Alice from the Disney movie, so for more Disney inspired tattoos, look at this.

17. Conscience

Another wonderful Disney-inspired design is this happy little Jiminy Cricket tattoo.  He serves much the same purpose as the inspirational phrase tattoos.  Jiminy serves as a reminder to always let you conscience be your guide and to follow what your inner voice tells you. Little colorful cartoon characters can pack quite a punch as tattoos.

16. Paper Airplanes

Wrist tattoos have become a spot for a number of different trends.  One portrayed here is that of the semicolon.  It is not just a punctuation mark, it is a testament to carrying on when you could have chosen to end it.  You took a pause, a deep breath and kept on going.  Coupled with the phrase ‘this too shall pass’ it makes for a powerful piece.  The addition of the paper airplane and the lovely watercolor pinks and blues take a little of the somber attitude out of it, making it more of a happy reminder.

15. Pooh

Memories can be used as wrist tattoos because, again, the wrist is a highly visible place.  Bring a little joy to your life by placing something that brings back a fond time in your life there.  This person opted for a scene of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin playing with sticks in the water.  It has a classic sketch look to it, something associated with the original Pooh stories.

14. Directional

I think this is actually on this man’s ankle, but it could easily be put on the wrist. I love the idea of the map and the compass rose.  Nothing inside the compass rose is shaded, but anything outside of it is. I don’t really know the significance of that, but I like the look of it.  It makes for a really interesting dynamic in this tattoo.

13. Pucker Up

Lipstick tattoos are commonly found on the neck, but this one chooses a different path.  Here the lips appear on the wrist area (pretty much what you would expect from an article on wrist tattoos, right) surrounded by what appears to be little poison bottles.  At first I wasn’t sure of the poison, then I noticed the negative skull and crossbones hidden in the lips.  Wonderful!  It is a cute take on the kiss of death.

12. Individualize It

Here is another example of using a beaded jewelry piece and shading to create a three-dimensional effect. The charm on the end of the bracelet clearly is significant to the wearer, I have no idea what it is.  This one is less well done than the last, remember, you get what you paid for when it comes to tattoos.  Research your artist, check out their work, pay for the outcome you want.  Don’t forget to tip your artist!    This is especially true when getting a wrist tattoo, remember they will be highly visible for the rest of your life.

11. Pastels

It never hurts to add some colors to your wrist tattoos.  When getting something whimsical, like a couple of kids riding a unicorn, color is essential.  Not all color has to be bright and vibrant, as you can see, using pastels and muted colors can still make for a wonderful tattoo. It is all what you make of it.  I like this one simply because it’s cute.  It’s not really my style, but it’s cute.

10. Initials

To show your pride in your family or just your name, you can opt for a simple initial.  Initials do well as wrist tattoos because they are, of course, small.  They can be done in several different fonts, opening a world of possibilities.  This woman chose a very stylized letter ‘E’ on her wrist.  It is beautifully done and simple.

9. Love the Sea

Pukka shells (remember those?) are popular for beach bums and surfers.  However, pukka shells are also a bit overdone and dated. If you are a lover of the beach, but not much into pukka (I really just love the word pukka) you may opt for another cool sea trinket.  This sand dollar rests in the center of the wrist, trailing around the side is what appears to be seaweed, making a cute little beach goers dream piece of jewelry.

8. Leather Feather

With the growing popularity of feather tattoos, there are a number of available styles to choose from.  This tattoo, in particular, showcases a more masculine version of the feather tattoo, wrapping around the wrist on a leather strap.

7. Simple Jewelry

When it comes to bracelet style wrist tattoos, not all need to include large beads or intricate lines.  It is just as beautiful to have a thin lined design like the one pictured here.  It also incorporates thin lined baubles hanging off the “chain” part of the bracelet. I love the simplistic beauty of this piece.

6. White Out

White ink tattoos make very good wrist tattoos because you can have your tattoo, but it is less spectacularly visible than your typical darker ink tattoos.  This one shows a small cross etched into the skin just below the folds of the wrist.  It is small, simple, and visible only when really looking for it.

5. Crescent

The moon is a wonderful subject for tattoos.  It has several phases, each carrying a different meaning for a different individual.  This one is a crescent done in a void, with two small stars and a couple of clouds surrounding it.

4. Roses

Wrists are great places to sport flower tattoos.  Flowers come in so many varying shapes and colors that there is definitely something out there for everyone. The best part about flower tattoos is the incredible amount of detail you can put into them, making them look almost realistic.  It is a true art to make a rose as lovely as this one.

3. Rainy Day

If you want to get really creative with your wrist tattoos, you can do something like this.  Done all in black and shading, this lady with her umbrella is a stunning piece.  I love the look of every inch of this.

2. Geometric

Shapes, in this case overlaying triangles, can be combined to make a number of interesting designs.  This one seems a lot more complex than it probably is, and that is what I really like about it. That and the triangles. I have a slight obsession with that magical three-sided shape.

1. Anchored

 

 

When it comes to tattoos, anchors are a common theme.  This could be because tattoos were originally seen most on seafaring men such as pirates and naval servicemen.  Anchors can be decorated however the wearer wishes, be it with mermaids, ropes, or flowers, as shown here.  All in all, wrist tattoos are incredibly versatile and can be used to make a huge statement.