The heads, the case, the suspension, the chain and the exhaust, it’s all there; this tattoo is nearly as accurate as a photograph. The gradation in gray scale tones is excellent, allowing all the different components on the bike to be visible while still creating drop shadows below the wheels as well as highlights in the tank and fenders.

This is an interesting little piece that uses black and gray shading along with other techniques to create a unique character. The line work on this little guy is bold and precise, creating a strong outline that allows the artist to add details without compromising the overall design.

The use of different patterns—the checked shorts, the stippled hair and the squiggles on the hat—help to create a more interesting design while still maintaining a charming simplicity.

2. Photo Realistic Small Tattoo Art

Here, the artist takes a photo-realistic approach to capture one of the most iconic images in the world: the ubiquitous Coca-Cola bottle.

This full-color design uses expert gradation to capture all the different tones in the bottle, creating the effect of light filtering through the sugary drink while the use of negative space in the empty portion of the bottle at the top of the tattoo is expert and gives the impression of the thick glass these bottles are known for.

This is a superb design executed by a skilled artist to create a tattoo that looks like you could pick it up off the wearer’s arm and take a drink.

3. Small Tattoo Animal Body Art

4. Interstellar Small Tattoo Ideas

In this piece, the artist takes a more illustrative approach to create a unique interpretation of the planets in the solar system. While there are aspects of this tattoo that feel loose—the splatters and streaks around some of the planets—this is clearly a deliberate stylistic choice that helps the design stand out from more sterile, scientific tattoos.