Small tattoo designs are becoming an increasingly utilized form of body art and are proving popular with women particularly.  

Changing tattoo tastes and wider art styles, along with versatility in design, placement, and visability are strong factors behind this surge in badass small design. 

The explosion in tattoos for women – particularly over the past two decades – has thankfully broadened previous stereotypical views of design styles and placement, which are now some of the tattoo world’s most innovative. 

Read on for a selection of 80+ awesome women’s tattoo design ideas that provide inspiration for your next tattoo.

See more about - The Top 51 Awesome Small Tattoo Ideas

See more about - The Top 79 Best Tattoo Ideas for Women

1. Small Single Needle Women’s Tattoos

Source: @small.tattoos.ideas via Instagram

Source: @ero11tattoo via Instagram

Source: @eladio.pinto.tattoos via Instagram

2. Small Ankle and Foot Women’s Tattoos

Source: @small.minitattoo via Instagram

Source: @ewaldas_art via Instagram

Source: @highbie_art via Instagram

Source: @kandilandtattooing via Instagram

Source: @la_leti_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @livianunestattoo via Instagram

Source: @newtattoo_sarah via Instagram

Source: @xoxo_n1ne.9 via Instagram

3. Minimalist Small Women’s Tattoo

Source: @wting_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @ferdinandcalabontattoos via Instagram

Source: @lace.ink via Instagram

Source: @zmfreespirit via Instagram

Source: @cloudserpentstudios via Instagram

Source: @ilan_mini via Instagram

4. Small Back Tattoos for Women 

Source: @kenlyziin via Instagram

Source: @kingtattoo2halllane via Instagram

Source: @sechzehntattoo via Instagram

Source: @tattoosbyorion via Instagram

Source: @tugrul_tahtabacak_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @xiao_yang_158 via Instagram

5. Back of Ear Women’s Tattoos

Source: @loko_will via Instagram

Source: @melbootstattoo via Instagram

Source: @neghyarttattoo via Instagram

Source: @octopodstudios via Instagram

6. Small Women’s Arm Tattoos

Source: @cruztattoo.cz via Instagram

 

Source: @inkspirationuk via Instagram

Source: @feminink via Instagram

Source: @prisoninksam via Instagram

Source: @sureshmachutattoos via Instagram

Source: @estebitan_zc via Instagram

Source: @reze_tattoo_joce via Instagram

7. Small Women’s Hand and Finger Tattoos

Source: @raymunx via Instagram

Source: @34inkredibletattoo via Instagram

Source: @arivera.tbp via Instagram

Source: @ashleighhutchins_art via Instagram

Source: @courtney_nicole91 via Instagram

Source: @cute.little.tattoos via Instagram

Source: @handmodelfairy via Instagram

Source: @jausjarana via Instagram

Source: @kittats via Instagram

Source: @nelidatattoo via Instagram

Source: @r4posa_tattoo via Instagram

8. Small Rib and Side Tattoos for Women 

Source: @barytattoo_umeleckydesign via Instagram

Source: @brennanwalkertattoo via Instagram

Source: @francesarbie via Instagram

Source: @juan_zombies via Instagram

Source: @real_dragon8 via Instagram

Source: @tattoosbyparra via Instagram

9. Small Upper Chest and Shoulder Tattoos for Women

Source: @ink_rabbit_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @conejomaloink via Instagram

Source: @hkinkt2 via Instagram

Source: @jiek_wonder via Instagram

Source: @ltattooprl via Instagram

Source: @rowenas.tattoo.art via Instagram

Source: @studio4.tattoosbyleo via Instagram

Source: @linesnshadestattoo_studio via Instagram

10. Small Women’s Wrist Tattoos

Source: @dominiques_farbmanufaktur_ink via Instagram

Source: @irina_rh_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @maktatsmall via Instagram

Source: @tali_lerner_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @tattoo_lovers_lisboa via Instagram

Source: @tattoothings666 via Instagram

Where should I place my small tattoo? 

The explosion in tattoos for women has thankfully broadened previous stereotypical views of placement. 

See more about - The Top 51 Awesome Small Tattoo Ideas

See more about - The Top 79 Best Tattoo Ideas for Women

Small tattoos provide a wealth of opportunity for women looking for versatile options where their ink can be covered or left to make a statement. 

Popular spots for small tattoos include: 

  • Behind the ear
  • Over the foot and ankle
  • The inner forearm and wrist
  • Across the knuckles, fingers, and back of the hand
  • The upper chest and across the shoulder
  • Along the ribs

Single needle tattoos are characterized by the high levels of detail that can be achieved in comparatively small designs. 

These elegant micro tattoos are growing more popular for female collectors looking to use less canvas to say more with their art. 

Modern single needle and fine line tattoo use an approach reminiscent of a technical drawing pencil, with smooth shading and hyper-realistic detail amongst the usual bold lines of outline. 

The increased range of beautiful tattoo concepts women are exploring has been a boon for single needle tattoo artists. 

While traditional style designs such as flowers, butterflies, and flowing cursive tattoos remain as popular as ever, women’s tattoo has seen the benefits of innovation more than any other canvas. 

Some of the most popular small designs for women include: 

  • Zodiac symbols and constellations
  • Cartoon and anime designs
  • Geometric tattoos
  • Waves and beaches
  • Sun and moon tattoos
  • Fish, birds and animals
  • Heart tattoos

Minimalist tattoos are popular for female enthusiasts looking for circumspection and elegance, while offering the chance to be etched practically anywhere. 

These conservative designs are perfect for beginners to make their first foray into body art, as levels of pain tolerance can be a concern. 

Minimalist ink is simple, using powerful design aesthetics and high quality linework to achieve a dynamic statement in a very small space. 

Are tiny tattoos a good idea? 

Tiny tattoos are great from a design perspective. When freshly inked they often look cool, cute, and well inked. One risk to be considered is the strength of outline for your tiny tattoo design.  

A strong outline is more likely to hold up well, however touching up tiny designs can often be an inexpensive way to keep them looking sharp over a longer period, especially when it involves tiny tattoos based on bright colors. 

Did you enjoy these small women’s tattoo ideas? Remember that if you’re unsure about a design or placement small tattoos are ideal for experimenting with temporary tattoos.

A temporary tattoo alows you to take a dry run and figure out which design style, placement, or level of visability you’re looking for:

  • Dragonfly Tattoos
  • Best Hand Tattoos for Women
  • Top 67 Best Cute Tattoos
  • Top 78 Mother Daughter Tattoo Ideas
  • Best Friend Tattoo Designs
  • Top 104 Unalome Tattoo Ideas