5 ways to get inspiration for a tattoo design

Post edited on November 13, 2022

You would like to have a tattoo, but you don't know exactly which one suits you? This list should help you to find the right motif for you.

1. Find inspiration in your story

Is there perhaps a specific memory from your childhood or youth that could be the basis for a motif? This can be a landscape from the coastal town where you spent your holidays with your family as a child. It can also be the flower of a plant that you saw on a very special, challenging or beautiful day for you.

2. Get inspiration from animals

Many people get animal tattoos. Animals often have symbolic meanings or have certain properties: bears, for example, stand for strength, endurance, calm and courage, but also balance. A tattoo of or with an animal can remind you of these characteristics and have a positive effect on you. But a portrait of an animal that is special to you is a nice idea and is well suited as a tattoo.

3. Professions, hobbies or sports

A fisherman with a tattoo of an anchor is probably a very common image. The surgeon who has a scalpel tattooed, the librarian who has a book tattooed, or the horse lover who wears a horseshoe as a picture on her skin - everyone has certain objects through sport, hobby or work that are different good to implement as a tattoo.

4. Blossoms, flowers, plants

There are a number of meanings expressed through certain plants. A red rose can represent love and passion, while a white rose can represent loyalty and innocence. The forget-me-not is often used to express family togetherness. Cherry blossoms stand for friendship and joy, but also for beauty. Lavender stands for freedom, but also joie de vivre. There are countless other meanings that can also refer to the origin of the plant or the tattooed person. I have another book tip: Die Sprache der Blumen by Marina Heilmeyer is a great source to get more inspiration. Flowers, blossoms and leaves lead to wonderful floral designs. They can be tattooed as bouquet tattoos, tendrils, floral bracelets or blossoms and are timeless and beautiful.

5. Wanna Dos

Wanna Dos are designs created by a tattoo artist, but not on demand. One advantage is that you can see the motif on the skin long before it is implemented as a tattoo. Corrections are an unpopular topic for tattoo artists, because some corrections to the motif cannot be implemented with a custom design (which the tattoo artist only makes upon your request). With a wanna do you can better assess what to expect. So it's worth it to follow the work of your favorite artist and then react quickly when a new Wanna Do is released.