The artist’s skill is on display here, not only in the excellent placement and balanced composition but also in the skillful application of the near perfect circles of the planets. This is a great black and gray tattoo that doesn’t rely on large size or vibrant colors to catch the eye.

This is another celestial-inspired piece that uses an illustrative style to create a one of a kind tattoo. Once again, the artist eschews color for a black and gray scheme that uses precise stipple shading to create variations in tone and density.

This piece is interesting for the way the artist is able to use such simple, almost child-like design elements to create an eye-catching design: almost no gray wash is used, with all the differences in textures and tones coming from dots and lines.

The composition is also outstanding. The use of bold lines to create the diamond-shaped outline as well as the way the planets are stacked on top of each other is a unique way to represent the solar system.

5. Geometric Small Tattoo Designs

This tattoo is a great example of how detailed smaller tattoo designs can be. Here, the artist takes a more realistic approach to create the image of a tree, stripped of its foliage and standing in front of the stars in the night sky.

The composition of the background portion is also interesting in the way a rectangular border is used for the starry backdrop, but the branches of the tree are not constrained to these hard lines, creating an interesting effect.

Finally, the use of white ink to create the fine lines and overlapping circles of the tetrahedron, a key design in sacred geometry, is perfectly applied and adds a mystical layer to this highly detailed, small tattoo.

6. Heavy Black Ink Tattoo Art

This is an excellent tattoo and a good example of how small designs can still be attractive. This black and gray piece applies expert shading and the informed use of negative space to create a struck match that incorporates realism into an illustrative style.