The saturation of the black in the head of the match is complete, perfectly capturing the sooty look of burnt wood and the choice of using black and gray shading instead of color in the flame is excellent, giving this tattoo the impression of being a black and white photograph of a burning match.

7. Innovative Small Tattoo Ideas

8. Small Tattoos featuring Weapons

This black and gray piece takes a classic American traditional design and uses unconventional application techniques to help it stand out from other dagger tattoos. Most notable in this tattoo is the use of stipple shading for the entire piece instead of the more traditional black and gray shading techniques used in American traditional designs.

While not everyone appreciates this shading style, the application here is expert and the varying densities of dots add another layer of texture to this tattoo that works well with the negative space in the highlights. The placement on the back of the arm, slicing into the elbow, is also a considered choice that sets this piece apart from similar designs.

9. Small Tattoo Skulls

This is a small, black and gray tattoo that doesn’t sacrifice detail for size and serves a great example of what mini tattoos can look. Here, the artist uses gray wash and stipple shading to perfectly capture the texture of the skull while the shadows are achieved with excellent whip shading.

The limited use of bold line work keeps this piece feeling realistic without letting the details get washed out. The artist uses expert gradation in tones and negative space for highlights to create contrast and increase the definition, helping the details in the eye sockets and teeth to really stand out in delivering an exceptional, small tattoo.

Small Tattoo FAQ’s

Where can men get small tattoos?

The beauty of small tattoos is that you can get them just about anywhere. Some men prefer to get these pieces in visible places like on the hands or the neck as a way to incorporate some above the collar ink without getting completely covered. Others choose to place these tattoos in more traditional places like forearms, biceps, legs, and shoulders.