There are tons of designs you can choose from for your very first tattoo, but we're very much into the delicate ones. There's not much shading involved and it won't hurt as much since the procedure will just go by quickly! If you're not into flowers or hearts, might we suggest butterflies? Not only will they look dainty and timeless, but they also have beautiful meanings—they represent endurance, change, hope, and life.
Ready to choose your first design? Check out 25 of the cutest ones we picked out below:
1. Floral butterfly
What we love about this design is that at first glance, it just looks like the butterfly is resting on a cluster of flowers. When you take a closer look at it though, you'll notice that the blossoms are actually in the shape of a butterfly wing!
2. Dainty white butterflies
The white ink trend for tattoos is still going strong—it's a popular choice for those who want to be more low-key with their tatts!
3. Scattered butterflies
While these multiple butterflies just seem like a normal design, they are actually inspired by a quote from Haruki Murakami's book IQ84, "Hundreds of butterflies flitted in and out of sight like short-lived punctuation marks in a stream of consciousness without beginning or end."
4. Hearts and butterflies
If you want a white ink tattoo but you're worried that it won't show up as much, you can ask your tattoo artist to incorporate another color in the drawing. The one below has an extra blue heart and sparkles to make the overall design a little more extra.
5. Matching blue butterflies
Blue is a popular choice if you want your butterfly tatt to be colored. The hue symbolizes acceptance, honor, and great energy. It can also mean the passing of time, change, and a meaningful purpose in life.
6. Delicate line butterflies
If you prefer delicate line tattoos, butterflies are the perfect design. The details on their wings will make your ink extra dainty!
7. Red hip butterfly
Aside from white ink, red ones are all the rage now. Get a butterfly tatt placed on your hip—it can be hidden as easily as it can be shown off! No one but you will know it's there until you choose to flaunt it.
8. Flower bouquet
Butterflies are a dainty design already but adding a flower bouquet into the mix just makes it extra special.
9. Small butterfly
The finger is always a good spot for a tattoo as this butterfly design. Fair warning, though, it will hurt like hell since there is less skin acting as a cushion for your bones!
10. Watercolor butterflies
The way the blue effortlessly mixes with the pink just makes these twin butterflies extra pretty. They are also outlined using white ink to make the design stand out even more.
11. Garden Fantasy
If you're going for a colorful design, you might as well go all out. Incorporate some leaves and flowers in there to complete your garden fantasy.
12. Simple but sweet
Sometimes, you don't need a complex design to make a statement. These detailed butterfly wings are just perfect, and the fact that they're placed on the back is clever!
13. Grayscale ombre
The way the gray fades into the black ink of this butterfly tattoo proves that the classic hue can still be made pretty.
14. Tiny butterfly
This butterfly isn't as detailed as the ones we've seen before, but its tiny size is what makes it extra dainty.
15. Minimalist twin butterflies
Why get one when you can get twin butterflies? We also love their minimalist design—it's timeless!
16. Intricate butterfly
The ribcage is the perfect place to put this intricately-designed butterfly.
17. Cosmic
This blue ink butterfly tattoo is already great on its own, but the touch of colorful circles and star clusters really adds to its whimsical feel.
18. Minimalist cluster
Not afraid to be bold? Check out this huge cluster of butterflies! Its minimalist design keeps it looking fresh and delicate.
19. Flowing script
Adding your favorite quote to your butterfly tattoos will make it extra personal.
20. Stars and sparkles
Fill in the negative space between the butterflies with cute little stars and sparkles!
21. Pretty in pink
This tattoo of pink butterflies with flower petals and sparkles just oozes of femininity, don't you think?
22. Whimsical
This hand-poked, barely-there tattoo of butterflies with some flowers is just so delicate and easy on the eyes.
23. Purple butterfly
The shading in this purple tattoo makes it look like there is real butterfly resting on the skin.
24. Low-key
Who said low-key, easy-to-hide tattoos have to be boring? This watercolor butterfly behind the ear is hard to spot, but it can be easily shown off if you want to!
25. Cute and colorful
Three butterflies are already good enough on their own, but their colorful ink is what really makes them stand out.
*This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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