Spine tattoos are simply jaw-dropping. This is partly because you could sit through the pain while you were getting inked, and partly because of their unparalleled beauty.
A spine is a unique place for a tattoo. It’s suitable for long and narrow designs, works incredibly well with symmetric tattoos, and allows enough space for detailed and elaborate patterns. It’s also a very personal place that is not typically revealed.
If you are thinking about getting a back tattoo, check out these awesome spine tattoo ideas to find inspiration for a perfect piece for yourself.
1. Feminine Flower Spine Tattoo. Add a delicate and feminine touch to your body art with this beautiful simple rose in black ink. Commonly associated with love and romance, roses are one of the top choices of tattoos for women. Crisp lines and fine detailing give dimension and a realistic feel to the tattoo.
via @inlayerink
2. Lunar Snake Upper Spine Tattoo. Snakes are animals that can boast their longevity and aptitude for regeneration, therefore they represent change or rebirth in tattoo art. A perfect choice for a tattoo when you feel you could use a little change at this stage of your life. Pair it with a crescent moon tattoo as a symbol of growth.
via @1920tattoozhub
3. Butterfly and Sunflower Spine Tattoo. Combining butterflies and flowers is a brilliant tattoo idea for all nature buffs. They perfectly complement each other, emphasizing each other’s delicate nature. The gorgeous focal flower that opens up to the celestial bodies up above is enhanced by delicate leaves and an unopen blossom.
via @lucie.tattoo
4. Butterfly Mandala Tattoo. Geometric designs lend themselves well to butterfly tattoos because of the intricate designs displayed on the insects’ wings. This beautiful inclusion into a full-spine mandala design feels as organic as you can get.
via @anais_chabane
5. Bees and Honeycomb Spine Tattoo. This elegant spine tattoo has all the geometric magnificence of the honeycomb pattern intensified by lacy florets and graceful bees. The beauty of the back placement is the large surface, which allows you to continue to build your beehive by adding details. And it’s only fair, as honeycomb stands for structure, persistence, and cooperation.
6. Filigree Herbal Spine Tattoo. If you are a fan of subtle and minimalist spine tattoo ideas, go for a plant-inspired design. Their organic shape works well with the landscape of the body and makes you feel one with nature.
via @cathiscosmos
7. Globe-Trotter Spine Tattoo. Express your adventurous spirit and passion for travel with this stunning windrose and world map tattoo. A simple silhouette of the map is overlayed with an emblematic windrose so that you can always stay on the right track. This unique tattoo extends north through the south, promising unforgettable experiences.
via @miyo.tattoo
8. Abstract Circular Mid Back Tattoo. Unique in its essence, abstract art is very individual and personal. It also requires a lot of skill and concentration on the part of the tattoo artist. Despite its apparent simplicity, this tattoo creates visual contrast and suggests multiple layers of meaning.
9. Brush Stroke Snake Tattoo. If you don’t really fancy realistic snake tattoos with all the scales and coils, ask your tattoo artist for a brush stroke-style tattoo. These elegant tattoos feature color gradients and smudged contours that create depth to the image.
via @uzotattoo
10. Script Spine Tattoo Ideas. Words can break us and words can make us. Choose an inspirational quote or word tattoo, or simply include important words, dates, or names to make your tattoo choice personal. Going for non-Latin-based calligraphy is also a great way to celebrate your heritage and cultural ties to the language.
11. Cyber Tribal Tattoo. With the passage of time, tribal art evolved into an exciting new tattoo style that merges traditional symbolism with individual perception. This sophisticated robotic spine tattoo features smooth and consistent lines packed with color, topped with an all-seeing eye at the nape of the neck.
via @oultum
12. Floral Tattoo with a Lion. Powerful and regal, lions are common motifs of ink art. If you want to single out your design, a neo-traditional style with bold illustrative looks is a great pick. Adorned with flowers and paw prints, it exhibits subtle dimension and a lush appearance.
13. Sword and Flowers Tattoo. Sword and dagger tattoos represent courage and power. They are edgy but also allude to sexuality, especially when paired with dainty flower designs.
via @tatts.by.jord
14. Pisces Half Spine Tattoo. Zodiac signs are one of the most popular spine tattoo ideas. They personalize your tattooing experience and have tons of artistic merits. This particular body art features goldfish with full long tails layered over a constellation and bedecked with minimalistic dotted circles.
via @lucie.tattoo
15. Magnolia Flower Spine Tattoo. Flower tattoos are all times favorites for most women due to their delicate forms and gorgeous looks. This large petal magnolia is no exception. It universally represents purity and nobility.
via @jaz_adele_ink
16. Wild Flower Garland Tattoo. Various flowers carry different meanings. Daisy might look like a simple flower marked with purity and innocence but in this delightful garland, it looks bountiful and lush.
17. Mandala with a Lotus Flower Design. Because the lotus flower is believed to signify faith and spiritual awakening, it’s often included in mandala patterns. This ornamental tattoo spans from the nape all the way down the spine. Its elaborate dotwork and delicate symbols are a pure delight.
via @anais_chabane
18. Neo-Tribal Tattoo for Women. If you gravitate toward spine tattoo ideas with a contemporary feel to them, definitely give the neo-tribal style a go. It’s full of visual magnetism and displays your inner power in the best possible way.
via @kriegs_tattoo_n_barber_shop
19. Cherry Blossom Branch Tattoo. Cherry blossoms, aka sakura, are a popular motif of Japanese-style tattoos. They are a symbol of new beginnings and renewal. In this ink art, the serpentine cherry tree carries slender branches with wispy blossoms in a rich pink color.
via @meng_cz
20. Astronomical Spine Tattoo Ideas. For centuries, people admired stars, planets, comets, and all things celestial. No wonder they reappear in many spine tattoos. The options are innumerous. You can create a whole solar system, like in this ink art, go for moon phases, constellations, or just a simple tattoo of a single star.
21. Mythical Spine Tattoo. When a picture tells a thousand words! This fine-line tattoo depicts four elements of contrasting characters. The sun and moon represent the masculine and feminine sides of our personalities. They shine the way for a blossom-covered serpent that makes its way along the spine.
via @tattonija
22. Birth Flower Chain Tattoo. This spine tattoo is not only artsy and harmonious but also packed with symbolic meaning. What a wonderful idea to include your birth flowers in your body art!
via @acaldeira.ink
23. Watercolor Koi Pond Tattoo. Blend two different styles for an eye-catching design! Koi fish, a common symbol of perseverance, look playful and full of joy in these vibrant colors. If you are not ready for a time-consuming tattooing experience and have low pain tolerance, opt for a smaller koi pond.
via @uzotattoo
24. Abstract Brush Stroke Spine Tattoo. We can’t take our eyes off this futuristic piece! With energetic brush strokes and clear-cut outlines, this spine tattoo is charismatic and hypnotic.
via @stateofmindink
25. Fineline Floral Tattoo. Minimalistic designs paired with floral motifs are a great fit. Most tattoo artists strongly advocate these tattoos for women to suit their gentle appearance.
26. Face Outline Spine Tattoo. In this tattoo, two faces looking in opposite directions embody the idea of a conflicted human nature. Simple line work tattoos are a serious and careful undertaking. One mistake can ruin the whole design. Choose a tattoo artist that specializes in this tattoo style, for artwork you can truly admire.
via @no_nurture
27. Fineline Script Spine Tattoo. Confess your love to a dear one with this stylish minimalistic tattoo. This is a great idea for matching tattoos with your parent, partner, or best friend.
via @reddesertink
28. Bird Spine Tattoo With Fine Lettering. From eagles to owls, bird tattoos carry a lot of meaning. This tiny bird seems to be bringing transformation and hope from the very bottom up to the skies, hauling an inspirational quote in its wake.
via @jmunztattoos
29. Fire Spine Tattoo with a Saying. This fiery design reveals the burning passions and fervency of the owner. We’ve got to admit that the placement is hot too!
via @matcha.inks
30. Elegant Lotus Spine Tattoo. This delicate design involves placing an assortment of small diamond-shaped ornaments along the spine. Crowned with a meditative lotus, this spine tattoo is the epitome of inner balance.
31. Veiltail Goldfish Spine Tattoo. These two yin-yang koi fish are beautifully placed right in the center of the back. The elegant curves of the fins bring a sense of movement to this spine piece.
32. Delicate Butterfly Spine Tattoo. The butterfly plays up the body shape right between the shoulder blades. Thin smooth lines create the illusion of movent, even more so when the muscles are in action. With a powerful yet feminine touch, a red tattoo is a remarkable alternative to black ink.
via @ariana.nicholee
33. Single Line Spine Tattoo. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. If you are a fan of expressive elementary designs, consider this stunning single line when contemplating your new tattoo. Simply beautiful!
via @chara_tattooer
34. Symbolic Tribal Tattoo. Your chosen design doesn’t have to sacrifice meaning over aesthetics. Tribal spine tattoos can be seen as powerful spells, aimed to protect the wearer. Like this towering piece that proclaims ‘inner child protection’.
via @ifnotforgravity
35. Cover Up Flower Spine Tattoo. Turn your scars into masterpieces with cover-up spine tattoos. Blot out traumatic experiences creating affectionate memories. Cleverly integrate blemishes into a desirable design for a magical effect.
via @dpulsestattoo
36. Abstract Minimalistic Spine Tattoo. Keep it short and simple with barely-there spine tattoos. Graceful simple lines seem to be hugging a full moon, which is reflected in the calm waters. Excellent in its symmetry, it has a strong spiritual aura and enigma to it. It’s a wonderful inspirational piece for those who are love harmony.
via @okanuckun
37. Large Floral Tattoo with a Snake. Another camouflage tattoo brought to absolute perfection. This time, it’s covering a birthmark. If you have personal reasons to feel uncomfortable with a certain body mark, why not trust a professional to disguise it with a beautiful piece of art? Zoom in on this one to see how poetic peonies engulf any imperfections.
via @yuuztattoo
38. Floral Elephant Spine Tattoo. How about including a favorite animal in your ink art? Elephants enjoy admiration due to their intelligence and friendly nature. Their large size makes them a great choice for a back placement. This magnificent animal full of style and grace is beautifully shaded and dotted to perfection.
via @inkglorious
39. Morning Glory Spine Tattoo. This attractive flower unfurls every morning to greet the rising sun. Capture this fascinating moment in an artistic one-of-a-kind tattoo. It signifies overcoming life hardships and makes a beautiful motivational spine piece for anyone at a challenging stage of their lives. It’s definitely time to rise and shine!
via @kevinrotramel
40. Chandelier Spine Tattoo. Closely associated with gothic and baroque aesthetics, chandelier spine tattoos can be anything from dainty fragile pieces to bold and gorgeous ones. They are perfectly suited for both men and women. Adorned with chains and crystals, they are often combined with lotus and mandala motifs.
via @bicemsinik
There is so much space (literally and figuratively!) to work with when it comes to back tattoos. Hideable but bold, spine pieces come in every shape, size, and style. Tattoo enthusiasts can find tons of inspiration among the abundant spine tattoo ideas.
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