Tattoo Placement Chart Guide 2022 (Plus 75 Inspirational Ideas & Meanings)
Deciding on a tattoo is only half the task – placement matters too! But should you go for that spot inside your hip or be brave with an ankle tatt? Deciding the placement of your tattoo is not something to decide on a whim.
In our ultimate guide to tattoo placement, you’ll find a check list to help you decide on a tattoo placement, plus 25 cool tattoo placement ideas for inspiration! Some tattoo placements have hidden meanings too.
We bet you haven’t even considered half of the tattoo placements on our list…
Quick Tattoo Placement Chart
Here is our tattoo placement meaning chart! It covers everything you need to know, including the pain levels, the meanings of the placement, and the best tattoo sizes.
If you want to learn more, including the tattoo placement spiritual meaning, then check out our full list of tattoo ideas below.
And don’t forget, there aren’t really any strict tattoo placement rules. Your tattoo artist might think that a tattoo looks better in one placement instead of another, but that’s an opinion. While we advise that you listen to the placement ‘rules’ your tattoo artist prefers, it’s not something you absolutely have to follow. By all means, find another tattoo artist if you think a different placement is best!
But nonetheless, here’s our tattoo placement chart.
| Body Area | Tattoo Sizes | Best Tattoo Designs | Pain | Meaning |
| Ankle | Small | Trailing | Very high | Walking a journey |
| Wrist | Small | Symbols and bands | High | Showing off beauty |
| Hip | Medium/large | Large designs, florals | Low | Femininity |
| Forearm | Medium | Long and wrapped | Moderate | Guidance |
| Upper Arm | Medium/large | Tribal, scenes | Low to Moderate | Strength |
| Back Shoulder | Large | Wings, florals | Moderate | Remembrance |
| Fingers | Very small | Initials, symbols | Moderate to high | Mottos |
| Toes | Very small | Symbols, patterns | High | Guidance |
| Collarbone | Small/medium | Trailing, floral | Low to moderate | Decorative |
| Neck | Small | Symbols | Moderate | Tag or collar |
| Ribcage | Large | Floral, script | High | Words to live by |
| Upper Back | Medium/large | Scenes, portraits | Moderate | Burden/memories |
| Back of Neck | Small | Symbols | Moderate | Personality |
| Thigh | Large | Floral, portraits | Low | Secrets |
| Calve | Medium/large | Trailing, symbols | Moderate to very high | Down-to-earth |
| Breast | Small | Floral, quote | High | Love and beliefs |
| Ass | Small to large | Floral, quote | Moderate | Sexual desire |
| Head | Large | Pattern, symbol, tribal | Extremely high | Thoughts, wisdom |
| Lower Back | Large | Pattern, words | Moderate | Decorative |
| Behind Ear | Small | Minimalist symbols | High | Something to remember |
| Lips | Tiny | Single words | High | Motto |
| Elbows | Medium/large | Floral, mandalas | High | Reliance, dependence |
| Groin | Small | Floral, symbol | Moderate | Desire, privacy |
| Armpits | Medium | Circular patterns | Very high | Hidden secret |
| Knees | Small to large | Circular patterns, floral | Moderate to high | Mental strength |
As arms are one of the most popular places for a tattoo, we considered making an arm tattoo placement chart too. Here are the most popular micro-areas of the arm that may be tattooed (but remember to consider tattoo placement pain as well as meaning):
